Who becomes a civil servant? Evidence from a decade of youth panel analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID7165776
AuthorsDon S Lee (0000-0001-9138-9661, Sungkyunkwan University), Kee Hoon Chung (0000-0002-2030-375X, University of Ulsan, corresponding author), Inbok Rhee (0000-0003-2081-0652, Yonsei University)
Year2025
Volume27
Issue9
Pages2148-2171
Publication date2025-09-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Management Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1471-9037 • E-ISSN: 1471-9045
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14719037.2024.2327616
OpenAlexW4392953588
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited75

This article explores the patterns of bureaucratic recruitment—focusing on who prepares for and passes the civil service examination—using unique panel data that capture and track career aspirations, socioeconomic backgrounds, and actual career trajectories of tens of thousands of Korean youth for 12 years. Our analysis shows that those who are better educated, prosocial, and well-off are positively correlated with the likelihood of preparing for the examination. Moreover, we find that, contrary to some worries, the likelihood of passing the examination is positively correlated with talented and prosocial candidates with no strong connection to more affluent family backgrounds

Advertising · Business · Civil servant · Civil servants · Econometrics · Economics · Panel analysis · Panel data · Panel discussion · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Labor market dynamics and wage inequality · Law · Public Administration · Retirement, Disability, and Employment · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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