South Korea bans neckties and dress shoes for government job interviews

South Korea will ban neckties and dress shoes at interviews for central government positions from October, in a move to create a more comfortable atmosphere and encourage applicants to wear casual but neat outfits.

The Ministry of Personnel Management said Thursday that it had issued guidelines recommending comfortable attire that does not interfere with applicants' ability to demonstrate their skills.

Applicants are advised to avoid suits, while those who wear neckties will be asked to remove them and those wearing dress shoes will be asked to put covers over them.

The ministry also provided examples of “simple but neat” outfits, recommending jumpers, casual shirts, knitwear, slacks, cotton pants, jeans, casual shoes and sneakers.

At the same time, it drew a line between casual and overly informal clothing. Hiking clothes, tracksuits, sportswear, shorts, sleeveless tops and slippers were listed among outfits that are not recommended.

“Even though we have recommended casual attire for interviews, most applicants have continued to wear suits,” a ministry official said. “This has made the interview atmosphere feel unnatural, while the noise from dress shoes can be distracting during interviews.”

Public-sector jobs have become less popular among young Koreans in recent years, but competition for government positions remains fierce because of their relative job stability.

That competition has led many applicants to prepare for interviews in a highly formal manner, with some buying suits and getting their hair and makeup done at salons hours before their interviews.

The announcement drew mixed reactions online.

Many welcomed it as a way to eliminate unnecessary burdens, noting that there are few occasions after the interview when they would have a reason to wear a full suit.

Others, however, worried that the new guidelines could create a different kind of anxiety: deciding how casual is appropriate for an interview for a public-sector position.

“Ultimately, I worry that it could end up testing how well applicants understand the intention behind the rule not to wear suits,” a 31-year-old man preparing for a government job told The Korea Herald.

“There could be people inside the interview room saying, ‘They told you to wear jeans, but did you really have to wear jeans?’ That’s what I'm afraid of.”