57 examinees to retake general mechanical engineer test after questions leaked online

The Human Resources Development Service of Korea will hold a retest for all examinees who sat for the practical portion of the national general mechanical engineer certification exam after questions were leaked to an online community before the test.

The agency said Monday it had confirmed that questions for the 2026 second-round general mechanical engineer practical skills exam, held Sunday, had been disclosed before the test. It decided to administer a retest to all 57 examinees in the interest of fairness and equity.

According to the agency, a staff member and an examiner accidentally opened and used the practical exam questions on Saturday — the day before the test. The contents of those questions were subsequently shared on online communities used by test-takers.

The agency determined that the incident posed a serious risk to the integrity of the exam and decided to require all 57 examinees who sat for Sunday's test to retake it.

The schedule, venue and procedures for the retest will be finalized as soon as possible and announced through Q-Net, the national technical qualification exam portal, with individual notices sent to affected examinees.

The retest will run from Friday through Aug. 5. Affected examinees may choose any date within that period, and testing will be conducted at agency-affiliated facilities in their preferred region. The agency also plans to pay compensation to affected examinees in accordance with relevant guidelines.

The agency will conduct an internal special audit to determine the exact cause of the incident and will take strict disciplinary action against the staff member and examiner responsible. It also plans to overhaul exam management procedures and related processes to prevent a recurrence.

"We sincerely apologize for undermining public trust in the national qualification exam system and for the concern this has caused examinees and all those involved," the agency said. "We will implement all necessary measures as swiftly as possible and do our utmost to restore public confidence in the national qualification exam."