South Korea approves jeans for civil service job interviews but says no to ties, formal dress shoes

SEOUL – Jeans, sneakers and other casual attire will not only be allowed but recommended for national civil service job interviews in South Korea, replacing the traditional expectation that applicants wear suits.The Ministry of Personnel Management issued detailed guidelines on interview attire on Sept 11, accompanied by example images. The new guidelines will take effect in October.The ministry provided AI-generated images to show suitable clothing for men and women. Examples included jeans and sneakers as well as jackets, shirts, knitwear, slacks, chinos and flats.Hiking clothes, athletic wear, shorts, sleeveless tops, high heels and slippers are not recommended, while ties and formal dress shoes are specifically prohibited.The ministry noted it has encouraged more casual attire, such as omitting ties, for several years. However, many applicants continue to choose black suits and formal shoes, which are widely seen as the safest option for interviews.The government explained that dress shoes are banned specifically because their noise has, at times, disrupted exam administration.“Recommending casual attire aims to reduce applicants’ financial and psychological burdens and help them perform more comfortably,” the ministry said in a statement.The announcement has quickly spread across online communities and social media, attracting significant attention from civil service exam applicants.Online reactions have been mixed.“I like that there is change. It was wasteful to buy a suit that I would only wear for job interviews,” one commenter wrote.Others expressed scepticism that the new guidelines would result in significant change.“Everyone will wear suits anyway,” another commenter wrote. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK