Supreme Court eases hiring limits and expands transfer eligibility for court staff

The Supreme Court said Wednesday it has revised regulations to ease eligibility limits for specialized hiring exams and expand the scope of officials eligible for lateral transfers within the judiciary. The changes took effect immediately.

Under the amended rules, applicants for specialized recruitment exams targeting small groups are now limited to three attempts for the same position and grade level. Those who fail by scoring below 40 percent in any single subject are barred from retaking the exam for six months.

The revision removes previous barriers to promotion for individuals hired through competitive career recruitment channels. By deleting clauses that restricted upward mobility, the new framework ensures that personnel selected through career competition can be promoted according to their abilities.

Lateral transfer opportunities have been broadened to include civil servants from the Constitutional Court and the National Election Commission, in addition to those from the National Assembly. These incoming officials will undergo transfer examinations conducted under the same methods prescribed for career competitive recruitment under the State Public Officials Act.

Point allocation and subject composition for court clerk recruitment, promotion, and transfer exams have also been adjusted.

Chief Justice Cho Hee-daeg signed the amendment to the Court Public Official Rules on July 29.