Local Government 9th Grade Civil Service Exam Scheduled for June 20 with 6.1 to 1 Competition Ratio

Kim Sung-hoon, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Personnel Management, inspects exam preparations at a high school in Gangnam, Seoul, a day before the national civil service exam. [Photo=Ministry of Personnel Management]

2026 Local Government 9th Grade Civil Service Exam and Career Competitive Exam will be held nationwide on June 20 at testing sites across 17 cities and provinces.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on June 17, this year’s local government 9th grade open competitive and career competitive exams are set to select 23,390 candidates, with a total of 141,546 applicants registered, resulting in a competition ratio of 6.1 to 1, slightly down from last year’s 8.8 to 1. The number of positions available has increased by 9,794 from last year’s 13,596.

By recruitment type, the open competitive exam has a competition ratio of 6 to 1, while the career competitive exam stands at 11.2 to 1. Regionally, Sejong City has the highest competition ratio at 12.5 to 1, with 953 applicants for 76 positions. Following Sejong are Daegu with 10 to 1 and Daejeon with 9.5 to 1. In contrast, Chungcheongbuk-do has the lowest ratio at 4.3 to 1, with 5,407 applicants for 1,253 positions, while Incheon has 4.5 to 1, and Jeollanam-do and Jeju have 4.6 to 1 each.

By job category, the administrative sector has 14,530 positions available with 97,074 applicants, resulting in a competition ratio of 6.7 to 1, while the science and technology sector has 8,860 positions with 44,472 applicants, yielding a ratio of 5 to 1.

In terms of age demographics, applicants aged 20 to 29 make up the largest group at 47.6% (67,367), followed by those aged 30 to 39 at 37.8% (53,440), and those aged 40 and above at 13.8% (19,641). Applicants under 19 account for 0.8% (1,098).

Gender-wise, female applicants total 80,722, representing 57% of the total, surpassing male applicants at 60,824 (43%). This marks a slight increase from last year’s female applicant ratio of 56.7%.

Candidates can check their exam locations and schedules through the websites of their respective cities and the local government internet application centers. Results for the written exam will be announced from July 9 to 23 on the respective city websites, with final successful candidates being announced sequentially starting July 31.

Jin Myung-ki, Director of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s Local Innovation Office, stated, "This year, with a significant increase in the number of positions, we will actively support local governments to ensure that the written exam is conducted without any issues across all 17 cities and provinces."

* This article has been translated by AI.