1.1 Official EPS-TOPIK Structure, CBT/UBT Delivery, Scoring, and E-9 Selection

1.1 Official EPS-TOPIK Structure, Scoring, and E-9 Selection

Verified snapshot: The general EPS-TOPIK (고용허가제 한국어능력시험) is HRD Korea's Korean-language screening test for Employment Permit System applicants. It contains 40 four-option multiple-choice questions: 20 Reading and 20 Listening. Reading lasts 25 minutes and Listening lasts 25 minutes. Each section is worth 50 points, so the maximum is 100 points.

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1. Identity: Which Test Is This?

EPS-TOPIK is administered by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea (HRD Korea / 한국산업인력공단) under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. It supports recruitment for the E-9 Employment Permit System. It is not the academic TOPIK administered by NIIED, and it is not the separate Special EPS-TOPIK used in a different reemployment pathway.

That distinction matters because the separate Special EPS-TOPIK page uses a different 200-point scale. The current official page for the ordinary EPS-TOPIK uses a 100-point scale. When a blog, old handout, or coaching video says “80 out of 200,” first check whether it has copied the Special EPS-TOPIK rules or an obsolete format.

EPS recruitment is government-to-government. A candidate registers through the designated sending agency in an EPS partner country, not through a private broker. The current country recruitment notice is the controlling document for application dates, fees in local currency, identity documents, venue, delivery method, and later selection stages.

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2. Current Structure

The official testing criteria describe content categories, not a guaranteed sequence of question numbers. A practice set may place vocabulary first and passages later, but do not memorize a rigid item-number architecture as if HRD Korea promises it. Read the on-screen directions for the administration you actually take.

Reading demands

Reading is practical rather than academic. A candidate may need to match a picture to a noun or action, complete a sentence with suitable vocabulary or grammar, interpret a safety sign, extract a time or price from a notice, understand a job advertisement, follow machinery instructions, or identify the main point of a short passage. Efficient readers first identify the task word—such as 맞는 것 (matching/correct), 다른 것 (different), or 알맞은 것 (appropriate)—and then verify the relevant detail.

Listening demands

Listening begins with accurate sound-to-spelling recognition and extends to numbers, visual situations, response selection, and comprehension of short conversations or stories. The subject matter can be daily life, workplace activity, Korean culture, or safety and health. Preview any visible picture and choices, listen for the speaker's purpose, and record dates, quantities, locations, and negation carefully. Audio playback details are test-day instructions, not a permanent rule to infer from an unofficial mock test.

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3. Scoring and Selection

The present official industry floors are:

• Manufacturing: at least 60 out of 100.
• Other industries: at least 45 out of 100.
• Fisheries special exception: at least 30 out of 100.

A floor is not a guaranteed job offer. HRD Korea describes selection as a relative evaluation: among candidates who clear the applicable floor, candidates are selected in descending score order within the planned number for the industry. The effective selected score can therefore be higher than the floor and can change with the recruitment cycle. Do not rely on invented country-by-country cutoff ranges.

A strong score may be followed by skills testing or competency evaluation under the point system. The exact sequence is announced for each recruitment program. Passing the language test, entering a roster, signing a standard labor contract, receiving an employment permit, and receiving an E-9 visa are separate steps.

Country recruitment notice
        ↓
Registration and identity check
        ↓
EPS-TOPIK: Reading 20 + Listening 20 = 100 points
        ↓
Clear the applicable industry floor
        ↓
Competitive ranking within the planned intake
        ↓
Any announced skills/competency stage
        ↓
Job-seeker roster and employer matching
        ↓
Standard labor contract, employment permit, and E-9 process

The recruitment notice also controls deadlines and the usable roster period. Treat an old cycle's deadline as historical, not as a permanent promise.

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4. CBT and UBT

HRD Korea uses Computer-Based Testing (CBT) and tablet-based UBT. Both deliver four-option Reading and Listening questions. Beyond that basic distinction, local implementations can differ. Do not assume a particular tablet brand, stylus, biometric device, screen size, review button, or instant score display unless the current notice or test center states it.

Before test day, verify the required identification, reporting time, prohibited belongings, and venue rules in the official country notice. During the test, follow the proctor and the on-screen tutorial. For Listening, set the permitted volume during the sound check. For Reading, watch the section timer and make a selection for every item if the interface allows review.

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5. EPS-TOPIK Compared with Academic TOPIK

The safest preparation source is the current HRD Korea standard textbook and official sample material. Actual EPS-TOPIK items have been confidential since 2013; official samples demonstrate type and difficulty but are not a public bank of questions that will appear verbatim.