All Practice Exams

Free Practice Questions for Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급)

Exam-style questions and explanations by OpenExamPrep.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card
100+ Questions
100% Free

Loading practice questions...

Exam Review

Key Facts: Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) Exam

200 MCQs / 200 Min

Official Written Exam Format

HRD Korea Q-Net Social Worker Grade 1 Guide

120 / 200 (60%)

Overall Passing Threshold

Social Welfare Services Act Enforcement Decree

40% Minimum

Per-Subject Passing Floor (과락 기준)

Social Welfare Services Act Enforcement Decree

KRW 25,000

National Examination Fee

Ministry of Health and Welfare Official Notice

8 Areas

Foundations, Practice, and Policy Curriculum

Q-Net Official Examination Blueprint

Annual (Jan/Feb)

Testing Frequency

Human Resources Development Service of Korea

Korea Social Worker Grade 1 certifies professional clinical and administrative competency across human developmental psychology, casework interventions, community welfare planning, non-profit management, and Korean social security statutes.

Sample Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1According to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development, which core psychosocial crisis characterizes adolescence (청소년기)?
A.Ego Identity vs Role Confusion (자아정체감 대 역할혼란)
B.Industry vs Inferiority (근면성 대 열등감)
C.Intimacy vs Isolation (친밀감 대 고립감)
D.Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt (자율성 대 수치심과 회의감)
Explanation: In Erikson's psychosocial theory, adolescence (approximately ages 12 to 18) is dominated by the developmental crisis of Ego Identity vs Role Confusion (자아정체감 대 역할혼란). Successful navigation establishes a cohesive sense of self and personal values (virtue: Fidelity), while failure leads to identity diffusion.
2In Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, during which stage does a child first acquire the concept of conservation (보존개념) and the ability to perform mental operations on concrete objects?
A.Sensorimotor stage (감각운동기)
B.Concrete operational stage (구체적 조작기)
C.Preoperational stage (전조작기)
D.Formal operational stage (형식적 조작기)
Explanation: Piaget's concrete operational stage (구체적 조작기, approximately ages 7 to 11) is marked by the mastery of conservation (understanding that quantity remains identical despite transformations in shape or appearance), cognitive reversibility (가역성), and logical classification of tangible objects.
3Which defense mechanism (방어기제) in Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory involves redirecting socially unacceptable aggressive or sexual impulses into constructive, culturally praised activities such as art, athletics, or scientific scholarship?
A.Repression (억압)
B.Reaction formation (반동형성)
C.Sublimation (승화)
D.Projection (투사)
Explanation: Sublimation (승화) is considered the most mature defense mechanism, whereby the ego channels disruptive instinctual impulses (instincts of aggression or sexuality) into socially productive, creative, and culturally beneficial pursuits (e.g., channeling aggressive impulses into professional surgery or boxing).
4Which of the following concepts is a central tenet of Alfred Adler's Individual Psychology (개인심리학)?
A.The collective unconscious and universal archetypes (집단무의식과 원형)
B.Psychosexual fixations across five distinct stages (심리성적 발달단계)
C.Reciprocal determinism between behavior and cognitive schemas (상호결정론)
D.Striving for superiority and overcoming feelings of inferiority (우월성 추구와 열등감 극복)
Explanation: Alfred Adler posited that striving for superiority (우월성 추구) to compensate for universal human feelings of inferiority (열등감) is the primary driving force in human personality development, alongside the concepts of birth order, social interest (사회적 관심), and unique lifestyle (생활양식).
5In Carl Jung's Analytical Psychology, what structural archetype represents the public social mask or facade that an individual presents to the outer world to meet societal expectations?
A.Persona (페르소나)
B.Shadow (그림자)
C.Anima (아니마)
D.Self (자기)
Explanation: The persona (페르소나) is the archetype of the public mask or social compromise that an individual adopts in social interactions to conform to societal roles, conventions, and cultural expectations, masking deeper aspects of the true personality.
6In B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning, a mother turns off an annoying buzzing alarm only after her child puts on their seatbelt, resulting in the child buckling up immediately on future trips. What conditioning mechanism is operating here?
A.Positive reinforcement (정적 강화)
B.Negative reinforcement (부적 강화)
C.Positive punishment (정적 처벌)
D.Negative punishment (부적 처벌 / 소거)
Explanation: Negative reinforcement (부적 강화) increases the probability of a target behavior (buckling the seatbelt) by removing, terminating, or avoiding an unpleasant or aversive stimulus (the annoying buzzing sound). Both positive and negative reinforcement increase behavior.
7According to Albert Bandura's Social Learning Theory, what cognitive-behavioral process occurs when an individual's likelihood of performing a behavior increases simply from observing another person receive a reward for that behavior?
A.Classical conditioning (고전적 조건형성)
B.Systematic desensitization (체계적 둔감화)
C.Vicarious reinforcement (대리강화)
D.Stimulus generalization (자극일반화)
Explanation: Vicarious reinforcement (대리강화) occurs when an observer witnesses a model being praised or rewarded for a specific behavior, which increases the observer's motivation to imitate and execute the modeled behavior themselves without directly receiving personal reinforcement.
8In Urie Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory, which systemic level represents the reciprocal interactions and linkages occurring between two or more of a child's primary microsystems (such as the connection between family and school)?
A.Microsystem (미시체계)
B.Exosystem (외체계)
C.Macrosystem (거시체계)
D.Mesosystem (중간체계)
Explanation: The mesosystem (중간체계) consists of the linkages, relationships, and processes taking place between two or more settings containing the developing person (e.g., parent-teacher conferences linking family and school, or peer group interactions with the neighborhood).
9Which sociological theory of aging asserts that successful aging occurs when older adults gradually, mutually, and naturally withdraw from social roles and responsibilities to allow younger generations to step in?
A.Disengagement theory (유리이론 / 분리이론)
B.Activity theory (활동이론)
C.Continuity theory (지속이론)
D.Age stratification theory (연령계층이론)
Explanation: Disengagement theory (유리이론 or 분리이론), proposed by Cumming and Henry, argues that aging involves an inevitable, mutually beneficial, and functional withdrawal of older persons from social systems and occupational roles to maintain social equilibrium and prepare for death.
10In Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation experiment, an infant explores the room freely when mother is present, becomes moderately distressed upon separation, and actively seeks proximity and is readily soothed upon her return. What attachment style does this reflect?
A.Insecure-Avoidant attachment (불안정 회피애착)
B.Secure attachment (안정애착)
C.Insecure-Ambivalent/Resistant attachment (불안정 저항애착)
D.Disorganized/Disoriented attachment (혼란애착)
Explanation: Secure attachment (안정애착) is characterized by using the caregiver as a secure base for exploration, showing age-appropriate separation distress, and immediately welcoming the caregiver, seeking contact, and regaining calm upon reunion.

About the Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) Exam

Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) is South Korea's highest statutory credential for social welfare professionals. It certifies comprehensive mastery in clinical casework, group and family therapy, community development, welfare policy analysis, non-profit agency administration, and social security law under the Social Welfare Services Act.

Exam sponsor: Human Resources Development Service of Korea (한국산업인력공단) / Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

3 subjects (8 areas): Period 1: Social Welfare Foundations (사회복지기초, 50 questions / 50 min — Human Behavior & Social Welfare Research); Period 2: Social Welfare Practice (사회복지실천, 75 questions / 75 min — Practice Theory, Practice Techniques, Community Welfare); Period 3: Social Welfare Policy and Systems (사회복지정책과 제도, 75 questions / 75 min — Policy, Administration, Law); total 200 questions in 200 minutes.

Time Limit

200 minutes of testing across 3 periods (09:30–13:50 including scheduled intermissions)

Passing Score

40% minimum in each of the 3 subjects (매 과목 40점 이상) and 60% of the 200-point total (전 과목 총점의 60% 이상 = 120점)

Exam / Certification Fees

KRW 25,000

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%

Subject 1: Social Welfare Foundations (사회복지기초)

Covers Human Behavior and the Social Environment (인간행동과 사회환경: Freud, Erikson, Piaget, Skinner, Bandura, Rogers, Maslow, Adler, and ecological systems across life-cycle developmental stages) and Social Welfare Research Methods (사회복지조사론: scientific inquiry, quantitative vs qualitative paradigms, experimental designs, measurement validity and reliability, probability sampling, and single-subject designs).

38%

Subject 2: Social Welfare Practice (사회복지실천)

Covers Social Welfare Practice (사회복지실천론: social work values and ethics, NASW/KASW codes, Biestek's 7 casework principles, intake, assessment, genograms, ecomaps, and termination), Practice Techniques (사회복지실천기술론: psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, task-centered, crisis intervention, solution-focused therapy, Minuchin structural and Bowen family therapies, and group development stages), and Community Welfare (지역사회복지론: Rothman and Weil-Gamble models, community security councils, and comprehensive welfare centers).

37%

Subject 3: Social Welfare Policy and Systems (사회복지정책과 제도)

Covers Social Welfare Policy (사회복지정책론: historical British/German welfare development, Esping-Andersen welfare regimes, universalism vs selectivity, and financing mechanisms), Social Welfare Administration (사회복지행정론: leadership theories, organizational structures, supervision, logic model program design, and line-item vs zero-base budgeting), and Social Welfare Law (사회복지법제론: Constitution Article 34, Framework Act on Social Security, Social Welfare Services Act, 5 major social insurances, and National Basic Living Security Act).

Preparing for the Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 40% minimum in each of the 3 subjects (매 과목 40점 이상) and 60% of the 200-point total (전 과목 총점의 60% 이상 = 120점)
  • Assessment: 3 subjects (8 areas): Period 1: Social Welfare Foundations (사회복지기초, 50 questions / 50 min — Human Behavior & Social Welfare Research); Period 2: Social Welfare Practice (사회복지실천, 75 questions / 75 min — Practice Theory, Practice Techniques, Community Welfare); Period 3: Social Welfare Policy and Systems (사회복지정책과 제도, 75 questions / 75 min — Policy, Administration, Law); total 200 questions in 200 minutes.
  • Time limit: 200 minutes of testing across 3 periods (09:30–13:50 including scheduled intermissions)
  • Exam / certification fees: KRW 25,000 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

Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급): Suggested Study Strategy

1Master Biestek's 7 Principles of Casework: Thoroughly understand individualization, purposeful expression of feelings, controlled emotional involvement, acceptance, nonjudgmental attitude, client self-determination, and confidentiality.
2Differentiate Life-Cycle Developmental Theories: Contrast Freud's psychosexual stages, Erikson's psychosocial crises, Piaget's cognitive stages, and Kohlberg's moral development stages, especially regarding adolescence and older adulthood.
3Review Family Therapy Schools: Be ready to distinguish Minuchin's structural boundaries (rigid, diffuse, clear), Bowen's differentiation of self and multi-generational transmission, and Satir's communication stances (placater, blamer, super-reasonable, irrelevant).
4Memorize Rothman's Community Models: Know the key assumptions, client roles, and practitioner strategies for Locality Development (지역사회개발), Social Planning (사회계획), and Social Action (사회행동).
5Understand the National Basic Living Security System: Review the four statutory benefit types (Livelihood 생계, Medical 의료, Housing 주거, Education 교육급여), their respective median income thresholds (기준 중위소득), and individual benefit entitlement criteria.
6Review Five Major Social Insurances: Know the financing mechanisms, insured populations, contribution sharing ratios between employer and employee, and administering public corporations for NHIS, NPS, COMWEL, and MOEL.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Korea Social Worker Grade 1 certification and which bodies administer it?

Korea Social Worker Grade 1 (사회복지사 1급) is a national professional qualification established under Article 11 of the Social Welfare Services Act. The written examination is administered by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (한국산업인력공단 / HRD Korea) via Q-Net on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (보건복지부), with eligibility document audits conducted by the Korea Association of Social Workers (한국사회복지사협회).

What is the structure, question count, and schedule of the official examination?

The official examination is held once annually and comprises 200 five-option multiple-choice questions administered across three distinct periods: Period 1 (50 questions, 50 minutes: Human Behavior and Research Methods), Period 2 (75 questions, 75 minutes: Practice Theory, Practice Techniques, Community Welfare), and Period 3 (75 questions, 75 minutes: Policy, Administration, Social Welfare Law).

What are the passing criteria and failing threshold (과락)?

To pass, candidates must score at least 40% in each of the three subject papers (meaning at least 20 points in Subject 1, 30 points in Subject 2, and 30 points in Subject 3) and achieve an aggregate score of 60% or higher across all 200 questions (at least 120 correct answers). Scoring below 40% in any single subject results in immediate disqualification.

What is the difference between Social Worker Grade 1 and Grade 2 in South Korea?

Grade 2 is awarded upon completing designated university coursework and practicum hours without a national examination. In contrast, Grade 1 requires passing the rigorous 200-question national qualifying examination. Grade 1 is legally required for specialized clinical fields (medical, psychiatric, and school social work), supervisory roles, and leadership appointments in social welfare centers.

Which Korean social welfare statutes are tested in Subject 3?

Key tested statutes include the Framework Act on Social Security (사회보장기본법), Social Welfare Services Act (사회복지사업법), National Basic Living Security Act (국민기초생활보장법), Emergency Welfare Support Act (긴급복지지원법), and the five statutory social insurances: National Health Insurance, National Pension, Industrial Accident Compensation, Employment Insurance, and Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly (노인장기요양보험법).

Why is this OpenExamPrep bank presented in English with Korean legal terms?

While the official examination is conducted in Korean, this bank provides a comprehensive bilingual adaptation for international students, clinical researchers, and bilingual practitioners. Crucial legal frameworks, statutory articles, and clinical terminology (e.g., 비에스텍 7대 원칙, 지역사회보장협의체, 맞춤형 급여, 국민기초생활보장법) are preserved verbatim in Korean alongside exact English explanations. This is an independent English-language study adaptation, not an official translation and not a format simulation: the official paper uses five options per item (객관식 5지 택일형) over 200 questions in three sessions, whereas this bank uses the site's four-option format over 100 questions.