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Key Facts: Certified Technical Consultant Exam

125 items

Official Stage 1 count (5 subjects × 25 items)

공고 제2026-005호 (2026-01-09)

125 minutes

Official Stage 1 duration (09:30–11:35)

공고 제2026-005호 (2026-01-09)

40 / 60

Passing mark (40% minimum per subject, 60% overall average)

Act on Management and Technical Consultants Enforcement Decree

KRW 40,000 / 40,000

Stage 1 / Stage 2 examination fees

Q-Net fee schedule (2026)

실무수습

Statutory practical training required after Stage 2 before MSS registration

Act on Management and Technical Consultants Article 10

1 consecutive sitting

Stage 1 pass exemption period for Stage 2

Act on Management and Technical Consultants Art. 9

기술지도사 is a high-level national professional qualification certified by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The Stage 1 exam comprises 125 questions across five core subjects (SME Laws, Industrial Management, Natural Sciences, Technical Diagnosis, Research Methodology; 25 questions each in 125 minutes) requiring 40+ points per subject and a 60-point overall average. Stage 2 consists of specialized written essay papers in candidate technical fields.

Sample Certified Technical Consultant Practice Questions

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

1Under the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises (중소기업기본법), which criterion must an enterprise satisfy regarding ownership and managerial independence (소유와 경영의 실질적 독립성 기준) to maintain its SME status?
A.A foreign investor must not hold any voting shares regardless of total assets
B.No corporate entity whose total assets are KRW 500 billion or more may be its largest shareholder holding 30% or more of voting shares
C.The chief executive officer must directly hold at least 51% of total equity
D.The enterprise must not be listed on the KOSDAQ or KONEX exchange markets
Explanation: Under Article 2 of the Framework Act on SMEs and Article 3 of its Enforcement Decree, an enterprise fails the substantive independence test if a large enterprise or conglomerate with total assets of KRW 500 billion or more (자산총액 5,000억 원 이상) is its largest shareholder holding 30% or more of voting equity (including related affiliates). Foreign equity or public listing on KOSDAQ/KONEX does not automatically revoke SME status if independence thresholds are maintained.
2According to current Table 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises, what is the highest 3-year average annual sales ceiling used for any listed SME industry group?
A.KRW 80 billion (800억 원)
B.KRW 100 billion (1,000억 원)
C.KRW 180 billion (1,800억 원)
D.KRW 200 billion (2,000억 원)
Explanation: Current Table 1 uses industry-specific 3-year average annual sales ceilings, and the highest listed ceiling is KRW 180 billion (1,800억원). Other manufacturing groups can have lower ceilings, so a firm must be matched to its precise Korean Standard Industrial Classification.
3Under current Table 3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises, what 3-year average annual sales ceiling applies to textile-product manufacturing for small-enterprise (소기업) classification?
A.KRW 14 billion (140억 원)
B.KRW 12 billion (120억 원)
C.KRW 8 billion (80억 원)
D.KRW 5 billion (50억 원)
Explanation: Current Table 3 places textile-product manufacturing in the KRW 14 billion (140억원) 3-year average annual sales tier for small-enterprise classification. This is a small-enterprise threshold, not the much larger general SME ceiling in Table 1.
4Under current Article 2(3) of the Framework Act on Small and Medium Enterprises, what is the general grace period (유예기간) during which a qualifying enterprise that outgrows the SME size criteria remains deemed an SME?
A.1 year
B.3 years
C.5 years
D.7 years
Explanation: The current Framework Act on SMEs generally preserves SME status for 5 years after a qualifying enterprise ceases to meet the size criteria. The former general period was 3 years; current cases must also be checked against the statute's exclusions.
5Under Korean small business legislation (소상공인기본법 및 중소기업기본법), what is the maximum number of full-time regular workers (상시근로자 수) for a manufacturing or construction business to be classified as a micro-enterprise (소상공인)?
A.Fewer than 5 regular workers
B.Fewer than 10 regular workers
C.Fewer than 20 regular workers
D.Fewer than 50 regular workers
Explanation: Under Article 2 of the Framework Act on Micro Enterprises (소상공인기본법), a micro-enterprise (소상공인) is a small enterprise whose number of regular workers is fewer than 10 (10인 미만) in mining, manufacturing, construction, and transportation sectors. In all other service and wholesale/retail sectors, the threshold is fewer than 5 regular workers (5인 미만).
6Under the SME Startup Support Act (중소기업창업 지원법), which of the following scenarios legally constitutes a genuine 'establishment/startup' (창업)?
A.An individual sole proprietor incorporates their existing business without changing the line of business or assets
B.A founder establishes a completely new corporation in a new technical sector without inheriting or succeeding existing assets or operational liabilities
C.An existing corporation spins off a division while retaining 100% subsidiary shareholding to conduct the identical business
D.A successor inherits a family manufacturing firm and re-registers the business under a newly amended trade name
Explanation: Article 2 of the SME Startup Support Act defines startup (창업) as newly establishing a business to initiate enterprise activity. Article 4 of its Enforcement Decree explicitly excludes mere organizational changes (incorporating a sole proprietorship), corporate spin-offs/demergers where identical operations continue, and business successions (사업승계) from being recognized as genuine startups.
7Under the SME Startup Support Act (중소기업창업 지원법), what is the statutory operating duration threshold from the business commencement date for an enterprise to qualify as a 'Startup Enterprise' (창업기업)?
A.Within 7 years from the date of establishment
B.Within 3 years from the date of establishment
C.Within 5 years from the date of establishment
D.Within 10 years from the date of establishment
Explanation: Article 2(2) of the SME Startup Support Act establishes that a 'Startup Enterprise' (창업기업) is an enterprise for which not more than 7 years have elapsed since the date the business commenced (개업연월일 or corporate registration date). Enterprises within 3 years are classified as early-stage startups (초기창업자) for specialized grant schemes, but the overarching statutory startup window is 7 years.
8To encourage manufacturing investments, Article 39 of the SME Startup Support Act exempts qualifying early-stage manufacturing startups from specified statutory levies (부담금 면제). Which of the following levies is exempt under this statutory incentive?
A.Corporate Income Tax (법인세)
B.Value Added Tax (부가가치세)
C.National Health Insurance employer contributions (국민건강보험료)
D.Farmland Preservation Charge (농지보전부담금) and Alternative Forest Resource Creation Cost (대체산림자원조성비)
Explanation: Article 39 of the SME Startup Support Act provides targeted exemptions from public development and environmental levies for manufacturing startups within their initial years (typically 3 to 7 years depending on location and business type). Exemptions include the Farmland Preservation Charge (농지보전부담금), Alternative Forest Resource Creation Cost (대체산림자원조성비), Development Charges (개발부담금), and Water Quality Improvement Levies.
9Under the SME Startup Support Act, what is a mandatory statutory requirement for registering a professional Startup Accelerator (창업기획자) with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS)?
A.The entity must have at least KRW 5 billion in commercial bank loan facilities
B.The entity must employ at least 2 full-time qualified investment professionals (전문인력) and satisfy capital requirements
C.The entity must be structured exclusively as a publicly traded corporation
D.The entity must hold at least 5 registered domestic utility patents
Explanation: Article 24 of the SME Startup Support Act and its Enforcement Decree mandate that an accelerator (창업기획자) must be a corporation or non-profit/university foundation possessing minimum paid-in capital (KRW 100 million for commercial corporations, or KRW 50 million for university technology holding companies) and employing at least 2 full-time specialized investment professionals (전문인력 2인 이상) with qualifying venture capital or technical investment credentials.
10Under the Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of Venture Businesses (벤처기업육성에 관한 특별조치법), which three official confirmation types (벤처기업 확인 유형) exist following the private-sector-led reorganization of the venture certification system?
A.Venture Investment Type, R&D Type, and Innovation Growth Type
B.Bank Loan Type, KOSDAQ Listing Type, and Intellectual Property Type
C.Government Grant Type, Export Guarantee Type, and Digital Platform Type
D.Technology Guarantee Type, SME Policy Fund Type, and Inno-Biz Type
Explanation: Under the revamped Venture Business Confirmation System (enforced February 2021 under Article 2-2 of the Venture Business Special Act), public agency guarantee/loan-based verification was replaced by three distinct confirmation types: Venture Investment Type (벤처투자유형), Research and Development Type (연구개발유형), and Innovation Growth Type (혁신성장유형).

About the Certified Technical Consultant Exam

Certified Technical Consultant (기술지도사) is South Korea's statutory national professional qualification for technology and industrial management consulting, governed under the Act on Management and Technical Consultants (경영지도사 및 기술지도사에 관한 법률) by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) and administered by HRD Korea (Q-Net). Technical consultants diagnose, evaluate, and guide SMEs in technical capacity, production and process innovation, quality control, R&D strategy, and technology commercialization.

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

Assessment

Stage 1 (1차): 125 five-option multiple-choice items across 5 subjects (중소기업관련법령, 산업경영공학, 자연과학개론, 기업진단론, 조사방법론; 25 items each, 125 minutes total). Stage 2 (2차): Subjective written essay examination in 3 subjects within candidate's technical field (Mechanical, Metal, Electrical/Electronics, Chemical, Production, IT, Environment, Bio; 90 minutes per subject, 270 minutes total).

Time Limit

125 minutes for Stage 1 (09:30–11:35)

Passing Score

Stage 1: 40+ per subject and 60 average; Stage 2: 40+ per subject and 60 average

Exam / Certification Fees

KRW 40,000 Stage 1 / KRW 40,000 Stage 2 (공고 제2026-005호)

Exam sponsor website

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

Official sources

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.

20%

SME-related Laws and Regulations (중소기업관련법령)

Legal foundations governing Korean small and medium enterprises: Framework Act on SMEs (중소기업기본법) criteria and grace periods, SME Startup Support Act (중소기업창업 지원법), Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of Venture Businesses (벤처기업육성에 관한 특별조치법), SME Technology Innovation Promotion Act (중소기업 기술혁신 촉진법), and technology transfer/patent commercialization frameworks.

20%

Industrial Management (산업경영공학)

Production operations and industrial engineering principles: aggregate production planning, master production scheduling (MPS), line balancing, facility layout (cellular, process, product), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) pillars, statistical quality control (Shewhart control charts, process capability indices Cp and Cpk), ergonomics and time study methods, and inventory control (EOQ, safety stock, JIT/Kanban).

20%

Introduction to Natural Sciences (자연과학개론)

Fundamental scientific principles essential for technical diagnosis: Newtonian mechanics, work-energy theorems, laws of thermodynamics, heat transfer mechanisms, chemical stoichiometry, redox reactions, materials science (tensile properties, crystal defects, phase diagrams, polymer/ceramic characteristics), atmospheric/water environmental chemistry, and fundamental industrial biotechnology.

20%

Corporate Technical Diagnosis (기업진단론)

Methodologies for evaluating factory and enterprise technological competitiveness: technical capability assessment, value stream mapping and process bottleneck identification, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE = Availability × Performance × Quality), factory energy audits (ISO 50001, specific energy consumption), smart factory readiness levels (Level 1 to Level 5), and technology valuation methodologies (Cost, Market, and Income/DCF approaches).

20%

Research Methodology (조사방법론)

Applied scientific and empirical diagnostic research techniques: problem formulation, experimental design types (pre-experimental, quasi-experimental, true experimental), technical data collection instruments, probability and non-probability sampling techniques, statistical hypothesis testing (Type I and Type II errors, paired/independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Chi-square tests of independence), and correlation and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis.

Preparing for the Certified Technical Consultant Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Stage 1: 40+ per subject and 60 average; Stage 2: 40+ per subject and 60 average
  • Assessment: Stage 1 (1차): 125 five-option multiple-choice items across 5 subjects (중소기업관련법령, 산업경영공학, 자연과학개론, 기업진단론, 조사방법론; 25 items each, 125 minutes total). Stage 2 (2차): Subjective written essay examination in 3 subjects within candidate's technical field (Mechanical, Metal, Electrical/Electronics, Chemical, Production, IT, Environment, Bio; 90 minutes per subject, 270 minutes total).
  • Time limit: 125 minutes for Stage 1 (09:30–11:35)
  • Exam / certification fees: KRW 40,000 Stage 1 / KRW 40,000 Stage 2 (공고 제2026-005호) 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

Certified Technical Consultant: Suggested Study Strategy

1Review the current SME legal definitions: industry-specific 3-year average revenue ceilings reaching KRW 180 billion, current small-enterprise tiers, independence criteria, and the general 5-year post-growth grace period.
2Practice quantitative calculations in Industrial Management and Diagnostics: Be prepared to calculate Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE = Availability × Performance × Quality), Economic Order Quantity (EOQ), Process Capability Indices (Cp, Cpk), and standard time with rating factors.
3Review core natural science formulas: Commit key equations in mechanics (F=ma, kinetic/potential energy), thermodynamics (first and second laws, Carnot efficiency η = 1 - Tc/Th), and basic chemistry (ideal gas law, molarity, pH).
4Distinguish research and statistical testing methods: Clearly understand when to apply independent two-sample t-tests, paired t-tests, one-way ANOVA (F-test), Chi-square contingency tables, and how to interpret coefficient of determination (R-squared) in regression.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role and legal scope of a Certified Technical Consultant (기술지도사)?

Under the Act on Management and Technical Consultants (경영지도사 및 기술지도사에 관한 법률), a Certified Technical Consultant is authorized to perform technical diagnosis, feasibility studies, process improvement guidance, R&D strategy planning, quality control, smart factory roadmap formulation, and technology valuation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

How is the Stage 1 (1차) examination structured and scored?

The Stage 1 examination consists of 125 five-option multiple-choice questions across five subjects (중소기업관련법령, 산업경영공학, 자연과학개론, 기업진단론, 조사방법론; 25 items per subject, 125 minutes total). To pass, candidates must achieve at least 40 points in every individual subject (과락 40점 floor) and maintain an overall weighted average of 60 points or higher out of 100.

What foreign language requirement must be satisfied before taking Stage 1?

English is not an on-site Stage 1 paper. Submit a qualifying language-test score listed in 공고 제2026-005호 before Stage 1 registration.

What is the format of the Stage 2 (2차) examination?

Stage 2 is a subjective essay and short-answer examination (주관식 논술 및 약술형) divided into technical specialization tracks (Mechanical, Metal, Electrical/Electronics, Chemical, Production, IT, Environment, and Bio). Candidates sit for three specialized subjects within their track (90 minutes each, 300 points total).

What happens after passing both Stage 1 and Stage 2 examinations?

Passers must complete the statutory practical training (실무수습) required before registering as Certified Technical Consultants with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups under Article 10.