[Exclusive] National Police Agency to strengthen recruitment interview questions and introduce new standardized questions next year

[Financial News] The National Police Agency is preparing new standardized interview questions to more closely assess applicants' job competencies and public-service values during recruitment interviews.
According to Financial News reporting on the 20th, the National Police Agency plans to strengthen its existing recruitment interview questions and introduce new standardized questions next year.
The move is understood to reflect the assessment that applicants' awareness of basic human rights, gender sensitivity and ethical awareness—qualities required of police officers—must be thoroughly examined from the recruitment stage. Because inappropriate remarks or conduct, sexual misconduct and integrity issues involving police officers can affect public trust in the organization, the agency plans to assess applicants' judgment criteria and approaches to handling situations from the outset.
Police officer recruitment interviews comprehensively assess job performance capabilities, situational judgment, communication skills and a sense of responsibility—qualities that are difficult to evaluate through written tests and physical examinations alone. Since 2025, the National Police Agency has assessed applicants primarily in five areas under a revised recruitment interview evaluation system: situational judgment and problem-solving skills; communication skills; police ethics, including fairness, a sense of mission and integrity; diligence and responsibility; and teamwork capabilities. These evaluation criteria are stipulated in the Enforcement Rule of the Decree on the Appointment of Police Officials. In March, law-abidingness was additionally specified as a detailed factor in assessing police ethics.
The National Police Agency plans to strengthen the questions to improve fairness in the recruitment process. However, the specific questions and evaluation methods will be finalized after commissioned research and internal consultations.
An NPA official explained, "We plan to determine the specific evaluation methods through discussions going forward."
Experts advise that the process of strengthening the questions should also consider criteria and methods capable of accurately assessing applicants' actual abilities. They say it is important to review evaluation criteria and interview administration procedures together so that applicants' judgment and ability to respond in real-world situations can be assessed comprehensively, rather than relying solely on their answers to the questions.
[email protected] Seo Ji-yoon Reporter