South Korea citizenship test: format, requirements and practice quiz
South Korea has an official citizenship knowledge test. This page explains the test format and the naturalisation rules, links to the official source, and offers a free 16-question practice quiz on the content areas it covers. The quiz is not the official exam.
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Is there an official South Korea citizenship test? Yes. The format, who must take it, exemptions and the official source are summarised below. The quiz on this page is an independent practice quiz on the same content areas and is not linked to any official process.
The South Korea citizenship test and how naturalisation works
Last reviewed: October 22, 2026 · Checked against the official source linked on this page.
South Korea has a citizenship test. Most applicants for naturalisation must pass the 귀화용 종합평가 (naturalisation comprehensive evaluation), set by the Ministry of Justice and administered by the Korea Immigration Foundation, and then a naturalisation interview at their immigration office.
Format and pass mark
The evaluation has about 45 items in 70 minutes: 36 multiple-choice questions (50 minutes) on the Korean language and on Korean society, culture, history, politics and law, a short writing task (10 minutes) and five oral questions (10 minutes). The objective part is worth 65 points, writing 10 and oral 25. You pass with 60 out of 100; decimals are dropped, so 59.5 is a fail. It costs about ₩38,000 per sitting, with refunds tapering from 100% during registration to nothing in the last two days. You register at kiiptest.org and see results on socinet.go.kr. The naturalisation version goes deeper into history, politics and law than the version used for permanent residence. Applicants who did not come through KIIP reportedly get three sittings within a year of applying, and failing all three means refusal.
The KIIP route and the interview
If you complete Stage 5 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP, 사회통합프로그램) and pass the naturalisation evaluation, you are exempt from the separate written test and the interview. Otherwise the interview checks your Korean, your attitude as a future citizen and your understanding of the free democratic basic order; applicants commonly report reading a passage aloud, reciting the national anthem and answering civics questions. Applicants then take the citizenship oath, and citizenship begins when the naturalisation certificate is handed over.
Residence, fees and dual citizenship
General naturalisation needs five years of continuous residence and permanent residence (F-5). Spouses of Korean citizens can apply after two years of marriage and two years in Korea, or three years of marriage and one year in Korea; children of Korean nationals use simplified naturalisation after three years. The application fee is ₩300,000 and general cases are reported to take 18 to 24 months. Most naturalised citizens must give up their previous nationality; some groups, including married migrants who are still married, may instead pledge not to use the foreign nationality in Korea. A law promulgated on 2 June 2026 (in force 3 December 2026) eases simplified naturalisation for some descendants of independence activists; the test format has not changed.
Our questions are written in English on the same content areas — the Constitution, institutions, history, holidays and symbols — so that you know the material; the real evaluation is in Korean.
| Official citizenship test | Yes: κ·νμ© μ’ ν©νκ° β Naturalisation Comprehensive Evaluation (Ministry of Justice, via the Korea Immigration Foundation) and naturalisation interview. See the format and official source below. |
|---|---|
| How naturalisation works | About 45 items in 70 minutes: 36 multiple-choice questions on Korean language, society, culture, history, politics and law (50 minutes, paper OMR or computer), a short writing task (10 minutes) and 5 oral questions (10 minutes). Points: objective 65, writing 10, oral 25. Pass mark 60 out of 100 (decimals dropped, so 59.5 fails). Fee about β©38,000 per sitting. Registration at kiiptest.org; results on socinet.go.kr. A naturalisation interview follows. |
| Language requirement | Korean, assessed inside the evaluation and at the interview; there is no separate language test. |
| Who it applies to | Applicants for naturalisation: general route 5 years of continuous residence with permanent residence (F-5); spouses of Korean citizens after 2 years of marriage and 2 years in Korea, or 3 years of marriage and 1 year in Korea; children of Korean nationals after 3 years (simplified naturalisation). |
| Exemptions | Applicants who complete KIIP (Korea Immigration and Integration Program) Stage 5 and pass the naturalisation evaluation are exempt from the separate written test and the interview. Married migrants who are still married are reported to be exempt from the interview. Applicants outside KIIP reportedly get 3 sittings within a year of applying; failing all three leads to refusal. |
Content areas in the official test (and in this quiz)
- Constitution and governmentHead of state, parliament, courts and the constitution.3 questions
- History and national symbolsIndependence, key dates, flag, anthem and other national symbols.10 questions
- Geography and societyCapital, geography, languages, currency and public holidays.2 questions
- Naturalisation rulesWhat the law requires for citizenship: residence, language, tests, fees and dual nationality.1 questions
Sample questions
Answer: Seoul. Seoul has been the capital since the Republic of Korea was founded in 1948.
Answer: It is unicameral. Korea's legislature has one chamber; members serve four-year terms.
Answer: The March 1st Movement. On 1 March 1919 a Declaration of Independence was read and nationwide protests followed.
How to prepare
Decide early between the KIIP route (Stage 5 plus the evaluation, no interview) and the direct evaluation plus interview.
Study in Korean: the evaluation tests the language as well as civics, and the interview includes reading aloud.
Learn the anthem (Aegukga), national holidays and the structure of the 1987 Constitution β common interview topics.
South Korea citizenship FAQ
Is there a citizenship test in South Korea?
Yes. Most applicants must pass the naturalisation comprehensive evaluation with 60 out of 100 or more and then a naturalisation interview. Applicants who finish KIIP Stage 5 and pass the evaluation are exempt from the separate written test and interview.
What are Korean naturalization test questions like?
About 36 multiple-choice questions on the Korean language, society, culture, history, politics and law, a short writing task and five oral questions, in 70 minutes. Typical topics are the Constitution, government bodies, national holidays, symbols and everyday Korean.
What is the pass mark for the Korean naturalization test?
60 out of 100, with written and oral scores combined and decimals dropped, so 59.5 fails. Applicants outside KIIP reportedly get three attempts within one year of applying.
How long until I can naturalize in Korea?
General naturalisation needs 5 years of residence and permanent residence (F-5). Spouses of Korean citizens can apply after 2 years of marriage and residence, or 3 years of marriage with 1 year in Korea.
Can I keep my original citizenship if I naturalize in Korea?
Usually not. Most applicants must renounce it. Some groups, such as married migrants who are still married, may instead sign a pledge not to use the foreign nationality inside Korea.