Did applicants hide their college degrees to apply to SK hynix Inc.? The "Hynix Exam" is stirring up attention

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\r\n[Financial News] As the deadline for SK hynix Inc.'s open recruitment for production workers approaches, the possibility of some applicants trying to apply with a lower educational background has been found to be virtually impossible.
SK hynix Inc. is accepting applications through its recruitment website until the 22nd for technical office positions and full-time production roles. The hiring targets high school graduates or junior college graduates who can start work in July or August, and work sites include campuses in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Yongin, and Chungbuk Cheongju.
The jobs are divided into "Equipment Maintenance Engineer," who handle semiconductor production lines and equipment maintenance, and "Operator," who perform quality inspections and related tasks.
As SK hynix Inc. is expected to post record-high earnings, the hiring process has drawn intense attention online and is being dubbed a so-called "national audition." The securities industry expects operating profit this year to reach around 25 trillion won, while the pool for Profit Sharing (PS) could amount to about 2.5 trillion won. Based on a simple division across all employees, some are even speculating that each worker could receive bonuses worth hundreds of millions of won.
According to forecasts from a Global investment bank, operating profit next year is expected to expand further, which could significantly increase the size of bonuses as well.
However, because bonuses are calculated based on base salary, production workers may receive less than regular office employees since their base pay is lower. According to currently known information, the starting monthly base salary for new college graduates is about 2.75 million won, while that for junior college graduates is about 2.38 million won.
This year's bonus payout was about 30 times base salary, and some expect the bonus pool to grow even larger if earnings continue to rise. However, the production and equipment management positions being hired now will start in August, leaving them with only four months of work this year, so their chances of receiving a short-term bonus appear limited. Still, if the company's growth continues, future bonuses could rise to the tens of millions of won.
As a result, some applicants have shown interest in trying to conceal their educational background in hopes of better compensation, but such attempts are said to be highly unlikely to succeed. During the online application process, whether an applicant has graduated from a four-year university is verified through consent to the use of personal information, and any false academic record could lead to the cancellation of employment.
Still, job seekers remain highly enthusiastic. Career education companies are rolling out short-term courses covering company analysis, self-introduction writing, interview preparation, and SK Comprehensive Competency Test (SKCT) prep in an effort to capture demand. Related study guides are also ranking near the top of online bookstore bestseller lists, reflecting the feverish interest behind the newly coined term "Hynix Exam."
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hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter