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Key Facts: Master Craftsman Forestry Exam

2026-01-01

Date the qualification was established

HRD Korea notice on 2025-2026 national technical qualification changes

60 items

Written CBT question count

Q-Net qualification detail page (2026)

60 minutes

Written examination duration

Q-Net qualification detail page (2026)

5 subjects

Written subject areas: 산림조성, 목재수확, 산지복구, 산림보호, 안전관리

National Technical Qualifications Act Enforcement Rules, Table 8

60 / 100

Passing score for written (36/60 items) and practical

National Technical Qualifications Act Enforcement Rules

KRW 34,400

Written examination fee

Q-Net examination fee schedule (2026)

KRW 276,000

Practical examination fee

Q-Net examination fee schedule (2026)

2 years

Exemption period for a written exam pass

National Technical Qualifications Act Enforcement Decree Article 21

산림기능장 is HRD Korea's master craftsman-grade forestry qualification, established on 1 January 2026 under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The 60-minute written CBT is 60 four-option items (pass mark 60/100, no subject minimum) drawn from forest establishment, timber harvesting, hillside restoration, forest protection and safety management. Published fees are KRW 34,400 written and KRW 276,000 practical. OpenExamPrep provides independent English MCQ practice, not an official translation or a practical simulation.

Sample Master Craftsman Forestry Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Master Craftsman Forestry exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which of the following describes the correct seed collection timing and cone maturity indicator for Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis, 잣나무) under standard Korean silvicultural guidelines?

A.Collect in late August to September of the second year after pollination, when the cone scales turn yellowish-green to brown and seeds rattle inside

B.Collect in late May of the first year, immediately after female conelets are fertilized by wind-borne pollen

C.Collect in November to December of the first winter after the cones open fully on the upper branches

D.Collect during early spring of the third year from fallen decomposed cone fragments on the forest floor

Explanation: Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis, 잣나무) requires two growing seasons for cone maturation. Cones reach physiological maturity in late August through September of their second year, indicated by scales shifting from dark green to yellowish-green or brown, just before resin crystallization and cone drop.

2What is the primary operational procedure and biological purpose of outdoor cold stratification (노천매장법) for deeply dormant tree seeds such as Ginkgo biloba (은행나무) and Magnolia kobus (목련)?

A.Submerging seeds in boiling water for 10 minutes to crack the impermeable outer seed coat

B.Mixing seeds with moist sand (1:2 ratio) and burying them in a well-drained outdoor pit at 50-100 cm depth over winter to satisfy chilling requirements and break physiological dormancy

C.Drying seeds in a heated kiln at 45°C to reduce internal moisture content below 5%

D.Exposing dry seeds to direct ultraviolet sunlight on raised racks to sterilize pathogenic fungal spores

Explanation: Outdoor cold stratification (노천매장법) involves mixing cleaned seeds with moist, sterile sand in a 1:1 to 1:2 volume ratio and placing them in a 50-100 cm deep underground pit with adequate drainage and aeration. Maintaining moisture and near-freezing temperatures (0-5°C) breaks endogenous physiological embryo dormancy and softens tough seed coats over winter.

3In the tetrazolium seed viability test (TTC 검정법), how does 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride indicate the living, viable tissue of tree embryos?

A.Dead tissues absorb tetrazolium chloride and oxidize it into a water-soluble green chlorophyll derivative

B.Living cells produce lactic acid that dissolves the white cell walls into transparent liquid

C.Dehydrogenase enzymes in living, respiring cells transfer hydrogen ions to colorless TTC, reducing it into insoluble red triphenylformazan

D.Living embryos absorb TTC into the vascular bundles and emit fluorescent blue light under UV illumination

Explanation: The tetrazolium viability test relies on active cellular respiration. Active dehydrogenase enzymes in viable embryo tissues release hydrogen ions that reduce the colorless, water-soluble 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride into triphenylformazan, an insoluble carmine-red dye that stains living embryonic structures.

4Which seed extraction method is most appropriate for processing the cones of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi, 낙엽송) and red pine (Pinus densiflora, 소나무)?

A.Maceration and water fermentation (수침탈루법)

B.Chemical sulfuric acid digestion followed by cold water quenching

C.Submerged ultrasonic cavitation in enzymatic pectinase bath

D.Controlled thermal drying in a ventilated dry kiln or sun drying (건조탈루법) followed by mechanical dewinging

Explanation: Coniferous cones like Japanese larch (낙엽송) and Korean red pine (소나무) are extracted via dry kiln or solar drying (건조탈루법). The controlled reduction of moisture causes cone scales to flex outward, releasing winged seeds which are then mechanically dewinged (탈모) and winnowed.

5When comparing containerized seedlings (용기묘) with conventional bare-root seedlings (노지묘), which of the following is a major silvicultural advantage of containerized stock?

A.Significantly lower initial nursery facility construction and seedling production costs

B.Intact root plugs with internal vertical ribs preventing root circling, enabling higher transplant survival and extending the planting season into early summer

C.Thicker taproot formation that penetrates bedrock fissures more aggressively than naturally germinated wildlings

D.Complete immunity against foliage rust diseases and bark-stripping ungulate browsing

Explanation: Containerized seedlings (용기묘) are grown in multi-cavity cells equipped with internal vertical ribs and bottom drainage holes that promote air root-pruning. This prevents root spiraling (root circling), keeps root plugs intact with root mycorrhizae during transport, drastically reduces transplant shock, and allows outplanting across a wider seasonal window including summer.

6A forestry technician grades nursery stock labeled as '1-2 묘목' with a T/R ratio of 2.5. What does this designation and ratio mean?

A.The seedling grew 1 year in a germination seedbed and 2 years in a transplant bed; the dry weight of the top (shoot) is 2.5 times the dry weight of the root

B.The seedling was pruned 1 time at the stem and 2 times at the taproot; the height-to-caliper ratio is 2.5

C.The seedling grew 2 years in a seedbed and 1 year in a container; the root length is 2.5 times the shoot height

D.The stock was vegetatively propagated from 1 mother shoot with 2 graft unions; the root volume is 2.5 L

Explanation: In standard Korean forestry seedling notation, '1-2 묘' indicates the seedling spent 1 year in the original seedbed (파종상) and 2 years in a transplant bed (판식상), totaling 3 years of age. The T/R ratio (Top/Root ratio) is the ratio of dry weight of the shoot (지상부 중량) to the dry weight of the root system (지하부 중량); a balanced, drought-hardy seedling typically maintains a low T/R ratio between 2.0 and 3.0.

7Which mycorrhizal structure is characteristic of ectomycorrhizae (외생균근) found in Pinaceae species (Pinus, Larix, Abies) and plays a crucial role in nutrient absorption in forest nursery beds?

A.Arbuscules and vesicles formed inside the cortical host plant cells

B.Spiral haustoria penetrating directly into the vascular xylem vessels

C.Hartig net (하르티히망) fungal hyphae intercellularly surrounding epidermal and cortical cells, combined with an outer fungal mantle (균외피)

D.Subterranean nitrogen-fixing bacteroids housed within pink leghemoglobin nodules

Explanation: Ectomycorrhizae (외생균근), predominant in Pinaceae (소나무과) and Fagaceae (참나무과), form an external fungal mantle (균외피 / 균투) enveloping the root tips and an intercellular hyphal network known as the Hartig net (하르티히망) between epidermal and cortical cells without penetrating inside the cells.

8Which operational practice is critical during mid-to-late summer in bare-root nursery beds to prepare coniferous seedlings for winter dormancy and prevent damping-off (모잘록병)?

A.Heavy application of nitrogenous fertilizer in late August to stimulate late-season vegetative flushes

B.Continuous flood irrigation keeping the soil saturated day and night

C.Applying dense straw shade mats all through autumn until the first snowstorm

D.Ceasing nitrogen fertilizer, applying potassium and phosphorus, and gradually removing shade screens to promote stem lignification (경화)

Explanation: In late summer, nursery managers must cease nitrogen applications and reduce watering to stop succulent vegetative growth. Supplying potassium and phosphorus while gradually removing shade screens hardens the seedling tissues (경화 촉진), stimulates root development, lignifies the stem, and enhances resistance to cold injury and damping-off fungi.

9A batch of tree seeds has a purity percentage (순량률) of 90% and a laboratory germination capacity (발아율) of 80%. What is the practical seed value (효용적 또는 용가, %)?

A.72%

B.85%

C.90%

D.170%

Explanation: The practical seed value (효용적 또는 용가, G) is calculated by multiplying the seed purity (순량률, P) by the germination rate (발아율, B) and dividing by 100: G = (P × B) / 100. Here, G = (90 × 80) / 100 = 7,200 / 100 = 72%.

10How do recalcitrant seeds (난저장성 종자 / 단명 종자), such as acorns of Quercus species and chestnuts (Castanea crenata), differ fundamentally from orthodox seeds regarding storage physiology?

A.Recalcitrant seeds can be dried below 5% moisture content and stored at -20°C for decades without loss of viability

B.Recalcitrant seeds suffer lethal injury and loss of viability if dried below a high critical moisture threshold (typically 30-45%), requiring high-humidity storage at 0-5°C

C.Recalcitrant seeds must be stored in airtight vacuum pouches with anhydrous calcium chloride desiccant

D.Recalcitrant seeds have no living embryo and germinate purely through endospermic asexual budding

Explanation: Recalcitrant tree seeds (난저장성 종자), notably Quercus (참나무류) and Castanea (밤나무류), do not undergo maturation drying on the tree. If their moisture content falls below a critical threshold (usually 30-40%), cell membranes collapse and embryos die. They must be stored with high relative humidity at low temperatures (0-5°C) to prevent desiccation and premature germination.

About the Master Craftsman Forestry Exam

Master Craftsman Forestry (산림기능장) is South Korea's highest-grade field qualification in forestry, newly established effective January 1, 2026 under the Enforcement Rules of the National Technical Qualifications Act and administered by HRD Korea through Q-Net, with the Ministry of Employment and Labor as the competent ministry and the qualification classified under job field 24 농림어업 / 243 임업. It is aimed at senior practitioners and certifies mastery across forest establishment and tending, timber harvesting and mechanisation, hillside and torrent restoration works, forest protection against pests, disease and wildfire, and the safety management and instruction of a working crew. OpenExamPrep provides an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation for written preparation; it is not an official translation and it does not simulate the practical field assessment.

Exam sponsor: HRD Korea (Q-Net) under the Ministry of Employment and Labor (고용노동부). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Written examination of 60 four-option CBT questions in 60 minutes, drawn as a single mixed paper from five subject areas - Forest Establishment (산림조성), Timber Harvesting (목재수확), Hillside and Torrent Restoration (산지복구), Forest Protection (산림보호) and Safety Management (안전관리) - followed by a composite practical examination in 산림작업 실무 combining a written-answer paper with a field work-type assessment.

Time Limit

60 minutes written; practical is composite, about 1 hour written-answer plus about 3 hours work-type

Passing Score

Written: 60/100 (36/60, no subject minimum); practical: 60/100

Exam / Certification Fees

KRW 34,400 written / KRW 276,000 practical (Q-Net fee schedule, 2026)

Exam sponsor website

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

Official sources

Q-Net qualification detail page for Master Craftsman Forestry (산림기능장) · Source checked 2026-09-21Official qualification record: written subjects, practical subject, fees, and sitting schedule.
HRD Korea notice: national technical qualification changes for 2025-2026 · Source checked 2026-09-21Establishes 산림기능장 effective 2026-01-01; job field 24 농림어업 / 243 임업, competent ministry 고용노동부, written subjects 산림조성·목재수확·산지복구·산림보호및안전관리, practical 산림작업실무, practical format 복합형.
Enforcement Rules of the National Technical Qualifications Act, Table 8 (국가기술자격법 시행규칙 [별표 8]) · Source checked 2026-09-21Statutory examination subjects: 필기시험 산림조성, 목재수확, 산지복구, 산림보호 및 안전관리 / 실기시험 산림작업 실무.
Design and Facility Standards for Forest Management Infrastructure (산림관리기반시설의 설계 및 시설기준) · Source checked 2026-09-21Forest road geometry used in this bank: effective width 3 m, turnouts 5 m x 15 m at about 300 m, curve radius and longitudinal grade tables, cut and fill slope ratios, benches.
Rules on Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Articles 405-406 (산업안전보건기준에 관한 규칙) · Source checked 2026-09-21Statutory felling safety rules used in this bank: escape route, notch angle and depth, twice-tree-height exclusion zone, hung-up tree prohibitions, and felling signals.

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.

1 of 5 subjects

Forest Establishment (산림조성)

Seed maturity and viability testing, stratification, bare-root and containerised stock, species-site matching, planting density, weeding, pruning, thinning regimes, and coppice conversion.

1 of 5 subjects

Timber Harvesting (목재수확)

Directional felling geometry, chainsaw and clearing saw operation and maintenance, cable yarding and tower yarders, skidders, forwarders, harvesters and processors, wire rope discard criteria, and forest road access.

1 of 5 subjects

Hillside and Torrent Restoration (산지복구)

Slope reshaping and revegetation, vertical turf work and fascine wattling, check dams and sub-dams, aprons and bed sills, bank revetments, sediment storage calculation, and debris flow bulking.

1 of 5 subjects

Forest Protection (산림보호)

Pine wood nematode and its Monochamus vectors, oak wilt, gall midge and moth pests, rusts and root rots, damping-off in nurseries, wildfire types and spring foehn wind hazard, and snow, wind and frost damage.

1 of 5 subjects

Safety Management (안전관리)

Articles 405-406 of the Rules on Occupational Safety and Health Standards, personal protective equipment, chainsaw handling, wire rope and yarding exclusion zones, wildfire suppression safety, risk assessment, and accident causation.

Preparing for the Master Craftsman Forestry Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Written: 60/100 (36/60, no subject minimum); practical: 60/100
Assessment: Written examination of 60 four-option CBT questions in 60 minutes, drawn as a single mixed paper from five subject areas - Forest Establishment (산림조성), Timber Harvesting (목재수확), Hillside and Torrent Restoration (산지복구), Forest Protection (산림보호) and Safety Management (안전관리) - followed by a composite practical examination in 산림작업 실무 combining a written-answer paper with a field work-type assessment.
Time limit: 60 minutes written; practical is composite, about 1 hour written-answer plus about 3 hours work-type
Exam / certification fees: KRW 34,400 written / KRW 276,000 practical (Q-Net fee schedule, 2026) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

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Master Craftsman Forestry: Suggested Study Strategy

1Work through the five official subject areas rather than a generic silviculture syllabus: 산림조성, 목재수확, 산지복구, 산림보호 and 안전관리 are the headings the paper is built from.

2Learn the thinning types by name: low thinning (하층간벌), crown thinning (수관간벌), and crop tree selection thinning (도태간벌).

3Memorise the vector relationships for the major pests, especially the sawyer beetles 솔수염하늘소 and 북방수염하늘소 that carry pine wood nematode (소나무재선충).

4Learn the forest road tables from 산림관리기반시설의 설계 및 시설기준 as tables, not single numbers: minimum curve radius and longitudinal grade both vary with design speed and terrain class.

5Know check dam (사방댐) types and the role of the apron (물받이), sub-dam (보조댐) and bed sill (바닥막이).

6Read Articles 405 and 406 of the 산업안전보건기준에 관한 규칙 directly - the notch angle and depth, the twice-tree-height exclusion zone, the hung-up tree prohibitions and the signalling duty are all stated there in a few lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Master Craftsman Forestry (산림기능장)?

It is South Korea's highest-tier practical forestry qualification, established on 1 January 2026 under the Enforcement Rules of the National Technical Qualifications Act and administered by HRD Korea through Q-Net, with the Ministry of Employment and Labor as the competent ministry. It certifies advanced technical leadership in forest establishment, timber harvesting, hillside restoration, forest protection and safety management.

Who is eligible to take the 산림기능장 examination?

Master Craftsman eligibility rules apply. The usual routes are a Craftsman certificate plus 7 years of practical experience in the same job field, an Industrial Engineer certificate plus 5 years, completion of a polytechnic master craftsman course after one of those certificates, or 9 years of practical experience in the same job field.

What is the examination structure and passing grade?

The written exam is a 60-minute CBT of 60 four-option multiple-choice questions drawn as one mixed paper from 산림조성, 목재수확, 산지복구, 산림보호 and 안전관리; 60 points out of 100 (36 correct items) are needed to pass and there is no per-subject minimum. The practical exam is composite (복합형), combining a written-answer paper worth 40 points with a field work-type assessment worth 60 points, and also requires 60 out of 100.

What are the fees and written pass exemption rules?

The Q-Net fee schedule for 2026 lists KRW 34,400 for the written examination and KRW 276,000 for the practical examination, the difference reflecting the machinery and materials the field assessment consumes. Passing the written test grants a two-year exemption from retaking it.

Is this practice bank affiliated with HRD Korea or the Ministry of Employment and Labor?

No. This is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation by OpenExamPrep, written for technical study and concept mastery of the subject areas the official paper covers. The official examination is delivered in Korean, so this bank is not an official translation, not an official CBT simulator, and it cannot stand in for the practical field assessment.