gwageo

Gwageo, also transliterated as gwa-geo, was the national examination system used in Korea to select government officials. It originated in the Goryeo period and continued through the Joseon era as the principal route for entering civil and, in some periods, military service. The system consisted of multiple levels, starting with local examinations and culminating in national-level tests. Examinations assessed knowledge of Confucian classics, history, poetry, and prose, as well as the ability to interpret and apply classical texts to governance.

Passing the gwageo granted access to official positions and helped sustain the scholar-official class, known as the yangban. While the exams provided a pathway for capable individuals, in practice the system favored those with access to education and resources, reinforcing elite status. The gwageo also shaped the broader culture of education and bureaucratic life in Korea, promoting the study of Confucian literature and ethics as essential credentials for public service.

The system began to decline in the late 19th century as Korea underwent modernization and reform, and it was gradually phased out in favor of Western-style administrative practices. The official abolition occurred as part of broader reforms during the late Joseon period, leading to the development of new civil service mechanisms in the subsequent modern era. Today, the gwageo remains a central topic in Korean history, illustrating longstanding patterns of elite recruitment, education, and state ideology in premodern Korea.