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Exam Review

Key Facts: Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin Exam

Grade 5

Direct commissioning rank (사무관 / Deputy Director)

https://gongmuwon.gosi.kr

KRW 10,000

Official application fee for Grade 5 national examinations

https://gongmuwon.gosi.kr

3 Stages

Multi-phase selection combining PSAT, written essays, and oral interviews

https://gongmuwon.gosi.kr

5급 행정고시 is South Korea's premier executive recruitment examination. Administered by the Ministry of Personnel Innovation via gongmuwon.gosi.kr, Stage 1 tests PSAT and Constitution, followed by Stage 2 essays and Stage 3 interviews. Application fee is KRW 10,000. This OpenExamPrep bank provides 100 independent English MCQ study questions covering PSAT reasoning, Constitutional Law, Public Administration, and Economics.

Sample Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A Ministry of Economy and Finance analyst evaluates a bill introducing algorithmic oversight on speculative trading. The analyst asserts: 'If a regulatory mechanism effectively deters algorithmic market manipulation, systemic flash crashes will decrease. Regulatory oversight was successfully introduced and flash crashes decreased; therefore, this specific oversight mechanism caused the stabilization.' Which of the following best characterizes the flaw in this reasoning?
A.It commits the formal fallacy of affirming the consequent (후건긍정의 오류) by treating the occurrence of the expected outcome as conclusive proof of the antecedent hypothesis.
B.It commits the fallacy of denying the antecedent (전건부정의 오류) by assuming that without regulation, market volatility would inevitably explode.
C.It commits the fallacy of composition (합성의 오류) by generalizing individual high-frequency trading algorithms to the aggregate financial market.
D.It commits an appeal to authority (권위에의 호소) by relying on unverified central bank statistical disclosures.
Explanation: The analyst observes the conditional premise 'If P (effective deterrent oversight), then Q (flash crashes decrease).' Observing Q (flash crashes decreased) and inferring that P must have been the operative cause is the classic formal fallacy of affirming the consequent, because numerous exogenous factors (such as broader liquidity shifts or macro prudential policies) could have caused the decrease. A sound deduction requires Modus Ponens (affirming the antecedent) or Modus Tollens (denying the consequent).
2A government research institute claims: 'Mandating public disclosure of artificial intelligence training architectures will directly undermine domestic technological competitiveness against global frontier firms.' Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens this claim?
A.Global institutional investors and enterprise clients favor adopting audited, transparent AI architectures, leading to substantial net inflows of foreign venture capital into domestic firms.
B.Several small software startups reported that preparing technical disclosure documentation consumed 5% of their monthly engineering hours.
C.Frontier overseas AI competitors continue to maintain proprietary trade secrets regarding their training hyperparameter configurations.
D.A survey of computer science graduates indicated a preference for working at research institutions with open-source publication models.
Explanation: If enterprise clients and global institutional investors actively prefer transparent architectures and reward them with increased capital allocation, the disclosure mandate strengthens rather than undermines the competitive position of domestic firms in the international marketplace. This directly refutes the claim that disclosure harms competitiveness.
3A paradox is observed in central government personnel management: While the Ministry of Personnel Innovation increased entry-level salaries and performance bonuses for Grade 5 cyber-defense and data-science specialists by 25%, voluntary resignation rates among this specific cadre rose by 40% over the subsequent two-year period. Which of the following best resolves this apparent paradox?
A.The specialized technical experience gained on critical government infrastructure made these officials premier targets for private tech conglomerates, which offered compensation packages exceeding public sector salaries by over 200%.
B.Public sector pension schemes have historically offered greater post-retirement financial security than private sector corporate pensions.
C.Grade 5 general administrative officers in traditional ministries did not receive a comparable 25% base salary increment.
D.Civil service examination application rates for entry-level Grade 9 positions remained stable during the same period.
Explanation: The paradox of higher pay coexisting with higher attrition is resolved by identifying an external factor: the increased market value of the specialized skills gained in public service, which made private sector compensation gaps even more pronounced and lucrative.
4A policy brief argues: 'To eliminate subjective bias in civil service promotional reviews, all qualitative evaluation panels must be replaced with automated machine learning performance scoring based on verifiable task throughput. Implementing this transition will guarantee fair and meritocratic promotions across all ministries.' Which of the following is an unstated assumption required for this argument to hold?
A.The historical task throughput data used to train the automated scoring algorithm does not embody pre-existing institutional biases or unmeasured qualitative duties.
B.Every central government ministry currently operates identical digital enterprise resource planning software.
C.Promotion review panels composed of senior civil servants consistently assign identical ratings across different evaluation cycles.
D.Public servants who are denied promotion under automated scoring will not initiate administrative appeals.
Explanation: For the automated system to guarantee fairness and eliminate bias, the underlying throughput data must be free from structural biases and must accurately reflect true merit; if historical metrics reflect discriminatory task allocation or overlook qualitative leadership contributions, the algorithm simply automates and legitimizes bias.
5A data analyst reviews the R&D expenditure and patent yields of four public research institutes in 2025: - Institute A: Budget 50 billion KRW, 120 patents filed (80 registered) - Institute B: Budget 80 billion KRW, 160 patents filed (120 registered) - Institute C: Budget 40 billion KRW, 100 patents filed (70 registered) - Institute D: Budget 100 billion KRW, 220 patents filed (150 registered) Which institute demonstrated the highest cost efficiency in terms of 'registered patents per billion KRW spent'?
A.Institute C (1.75 registered patents per billion KRW)
B.Institute A (1.60 registered patents per billion KRW)
C.Institute D (1.50 registered patents per billion KRW)
D.Institute B (1.50 registered patents per billion KRW)
Explanation: Calculating registered patents per billion KRW: Institute A = 80 / 50 = 1.60; Institute B = 120 / 80 = 1.50; Institute C = 70 / 40 = 1.75; Institute D = 150 / 100 = 1.50. Institute C demonstrates the highest efficiency at 1.75 registered patents per billion KRW.
6A ministerial committee evaluates three candidate cities (X, Y, Z) for the National AI Computing Center using a weighted evaluation model across four criteria: Infrastructure (weight 0.40), Environmental Sustainability (weight 0.20), Local Economic Impact (weight 0.20), and Fiscal Feasibility (weight 0.20). Scores on a 100-point scale are: - City X: Infra 90, Env 60, Econ 70, Fiscal 80 - City Y: Infra 80, Env 80, Econ 80, Fiscal 70 - City Z: Infra 70, Env 90, Econ 90, Fiscal 90 Which candidate achieved the highest composite weighted score?
A.City Z with a composite score of 82.0
B.City Z with a composite score of 85.0
C.City X with a composite score of 78.0
D.City Y with a composite score of 78.0
Explanation: Composite scores: City X = (90 * 0.40) + (60 * 0.20) + (70 * 0.20) + (80 * 0.20) = 36 + 12 + 14 + 16 = 78.0. City Y = (80 * 0.40) + (80 * 0.20) + (80 * 0.20) + (70 * 0.20) = 32 + 16 + 16 + 14 = 78.0. City Z = (70 * 0.40) + (90 * 0.20) + (90 * 0.20) + (90 * 0.20) = 28 + 18 + 18 + 18 = 82.0. City Z achieves the highest score of 82.0.
7A National Pension Service actuarial forecast reports that the working-age population (ages 15–64) will decrease from 36 million to 24 million over 20 years, while the elderly population (aged 65+) will increase from 9 million to 16 million. By what percentage does the elderly dependency ratio (elderly population / working-age population * 100) increase over this period?
A.Approximately 166.7% increase (from 25.0% to 66.7%)
B.Approximately 100.0% increase (from 25.0% to 50.0%)
C.Approximately 41.7% increase (from 25.0% to 35.4%)
D.Approximately 266.7% increase (from 25.0% to 91.7%)
Explanation: Initial dependency ratio = 9 / 36 * 100 = 25.0%. Future dependency ratio = 16 / 24 * 100 = 66.67%. The percentage increase in the ratio is ((66.67 - 25.0) / 25.0) * 100 = 41.67 / 25.0 * 100 = 166.67% (roughly 166.7%).
8An economic data table lists export price index (EPI) and import price index (IPI) for Korea (base year 2020 = 100): - 2022: EPI = 110, IPI = 125 - 2023: EPI = 115, IPI = 120 - 2024: EPI = 126, IPI = 120 - 2025: EPI = 132, IPI = 110 In which year did the Net Barter Terms of Trade (순상품교역조건지수 = EPI / IPI * 100) first exceed 100, and what was its value?
A.2024, with a value of 105.0
B.2023, with a value of 95.8
C.2025, with a value of 120.0
D.2022, with a value of 88.0
Explanation: Net Barter Terms of Trade = (EPI / IPI) * 100. In 2022: 110 / 125 * 100 = 88.0. In 2023: 115 / 120 * 100 = 95.83. In 2024: 126 / 120 * 100 = 105.0. In 2025: 132 / 110 * 100 = 120.0. The index first exceeded 100 in 2024, reaching 105.0.
9Under the State Public Officials Act (국가공무원법) of South Korea, which of the following is correct regarding disciplinary actions and statute of limitations?
A.The statute of limitations for initiating disciplinary proceedings is five years for misappropriation of public funds or bribery, whereas the general limitation period for ordinary dereliction of duty is three years.
B.The statute of limitations for all disciplinary offenses is uniformly two years from the date the cause of action arose.
C.Disciplinary dismissals (파면) and removals (해임) may only be ordered by the Constitutional Court upon impeachment by the National Assembly.
D.A public official subject to a salary reduction (감봉) suffers no disqualification or restriction on promotion eligibility.
Explanation: Under Article 83-2 of the State Public Officials Act, the general statute of limitations for initiating disciplinary action is three years, It runs to five years where the official took or gave money, goods, real estate, hospitality or other property benefits, and to ten years for sexual offences and sexual harassment. Dismissals and removals are administrative disciplinary actions imposed by competent appointing authorities, not judicial impeachments.
10An administrative agency plans to revoke an environmental operating permit. Under the Administrative Procedures Act (행정절차법), if the agency conducts a formal hearing (청문), notice of the hearing must reach the party at least how many days prior to the commencement of the hearing?
A.At least 10 days prior to the hearing date
B.At least 5 days prior to the hearing date
C.At least 14 days prior to the hearing date
D.At least 30 days prior to the hearing date
Explanation: Article 21(2) and Article 30 of the Administrative Procedures Act mandate that when an administrative agency conducts a hearing, it must notify the parties in writing at least 10 days before the scheduled hearing date to guarantee adequate time for preparation and defense.

About the Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin Exam

The Higher Civil Service Examination Grade 5 Administrative Track (5급 국가공무원 공개경쟁채용시험 행정직군, historically known as Haengjeong Gosi / 행정고시) is South Korea's premier examination for recruiting high-ranking executive bureaucrats. Selected candidates are appointed directly as Deputy Directors (사무관) in central government ministries.

Exam sponsor: Ministry of Personnel Innovation (인사혁신처 / MPM). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Three-stage senior civil service recruitment: Stage 1 PSAT and Constitutional Law; Stage 2 subjective essay examination (5 subjects); Stage 3 in-depth interview. Appointed directly as Grade 5 Deputy Directors (사무관).

Time Limit

Stage 1: 90 minutes per PSAT area (270 minutes) + 25 minutes Constitution; Stage 2: essay papers over several days; Stage 3: Oral interview

Passing Score

Stage 1: 60+ on Constitution, relative ranking up to ~7-8x quota; Stage 2: 40+ per subject floor and ranking up to ~1.3x quota; final pass after interview

Exam / Certification Fees

KRW 10,000 (Grade 5 open competition fee)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25% of bank (25 questions)

Higher PSAT & Constitutional Law

Complex logic, data analysis, statutory scenario judgment, constitutional rights, and state governance.

25% of bank (25 questions)

Advanced Administrative Law

General Act on Public Administration, administrative dispositions, judicial review, and state liability.

25% of bank (25 questions)

Public Administration & Governance

Policy processes, bureaucratic organizations, public finance, digital administration, and civil service ethics.

25% of bank (25 questions)

Micro & Macro Economics

General equilibrium, welfare economics, regulation, stabilization policies, and international finance.

Preparing for the Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Stage 1: 60+ on Constitution, relative ranking up to ~7-8x quota; Stage 2: 40+ per subject floor and ranking up to ~1.3x quota; final pass after interview
  • Assessment: Three-stage senior civil service recruitment: Stage 1 PSAT and Constitutional Law; Stage 2 subjective essay examination (5 subjects); Stage 3 in-depth interview. Appointed directly as Grade 5 Deputy Directors (사무관).
  • Time limit: Stage 1: 90 minutes per PSAT area (270 minutes) + 25 minutes Constitution; Stage 2: essay papers over several days; Stage 3: Oral interview
  • Exam / certification fees: KRW 10,000 (Grade 5 open competition fee) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Higher Civil Service Grade 5 Admin: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the interconnection between Administrative Law principles and Public Administration policy models.
2Develop rapid data interpretation skills for complex economic and budgetary charts.
3Thoroughly review Constitutional Court precedents regarding legislative delegation and fundamental rights limitations.
4Practice multi-step microeconomic equilibrium computations and macroeconomic policy transmission mechanisms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the initial appointment rank for successful candidates?

Candidates who pass all three stages and complete the training program at the National Human Resources Development Institute (NHI) are appointed as Grade 5 Deputy Directors (사무관) across central government ministries.

What is the application fee?

The official application fee is KRW 10,000, payable during online registration at gongmuwon.gosi.kr.

How does this practice bank relate to the real exam?

The real Stage 2 exam is a multi-day subjective essay test; this OpenExamPrep bank provides an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation designed to drill and reinforce the substantive legal, economic, and policy doctrines required for mastery.