Applicants run the 100-meter dash during a physical fitness test for entry-level police officer recruitment at Munhak Main Stadium in Michuhol District, Incheon, Apr. 14, 2025. Yonhap
Korea’s first unified, gender-neutral hiring process for entry-level police officers resulted in women comprising a record 37.8 percent of the selected candidates.
The National Police Agency (NPA) announced Monday that women accounted for 1,112 of the 2,941 applicants selected in the final round for the first half of 2026. This marks the first time women exceeded 30 percent of new hires, aligning with their 37.1 percent share of all applicants. Men accounted for 62.9 percent of the applicant pool and 1,829 of the final selections, or 62.2 percent.
A chart generated by artificial intelligence shows the gender breakdown of entry-level police recruits for the first half of 2026, where women accounted for a record 37.8 percent of final selections.
Under the previous system, the agency enforced strict gender quotas that generally capped female recruits near 20 percent. Under the new process, candidates faced identical written exams, interviews and physical fitness tests. The agency also shifted the physical evaluation from graded metrics to a pass-fail standard.
