○ [News Story] From Business Owner to Level 9 Civil Service Exam Prep: 30-Somethings Heading to Noryangjin (Broadcast on October 24, 2026)

Why Are 30-Somethings Choosing Civil Service Jobs?
Most of the test-prep students in their 30s met by the reporting team had worked at other jobs at least once. The primary reason they choose civil service is "stability." One test-taker in their late 30s said there were layoffs at both of the regular companies they worked for, adding, "I don't want to go through the stress of that instability ever again." Fair opportunities are also a reason. A 34-year-old who finally passed the civil service exam this year said, "Graduates from regional universities have fewer chances to challenge themselves at major corporations," adding, "I am grateful for an exam that judges solely based on ability." Kim Seong-hee, director of the Institute for Industrial and Labor Policy Research, noted that the increasingly delayed entry of young people into the labor market itself is a red flag, stating, "We must not leave young people abandoned in a game where only a minority pass and the majority are bound to fail."

Reported by Seo Kyeong-chae | Produced by Lee Seyoung | Camera by Choi Joon-shik | Produced by SBS Digital News