As of October 2026, the last sitting of the Korean History Proficiency Test (KHPT, often called Hanneungeom) this year is the 81st test on Saturday 28 November 2026 at 10:00 KST. Regular registration opens on Tuesday 3 November at 10:00 KST, but not for everyone at once: the window rotates through Korea's regions over four days, ending with a nationwide window that closes on 10 November at 17:00. Only the Advanced (Simhwa) test is offered this time, so the Basic test (Levels 4 to 6) is not available until a 2027 sitting. The dates below come from the official KHPT website and the National Institute of Korean History's 2026 schedule announcement. All times are Korea Standard Time.
The regional registration windows
The exam website says traffic has been causing delays, and it splits regular registration by "region eligible to register":
← Swipe to see more
| Window (KST) | Regions |
|---|---|
| 3 Nov 10:00 – 4 Nov 09:00 | Incheon, Gyeonggi |
| 4 Nov 10:00 – 5 Nov 09:00 | Daejeon, Sejong, Gwangju, South and North Chungcheong, South and North Jeolla |
| 5 Nov 10:00 – 6 Nov 09:00 | Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, South and North Gyeongsang |
| 6 Nov 10:00 – 12:00 | Seoul, Gangwon, Jeju |
| 6 Nov 13:00 – 10 Nov 17:00 | All regions |
Between the waves there are closed hours. From 09:00 to 10:00 on 4, 5 and 6 November, registration is shown as unavailable while the system switches regions, and it pauses again from 12:00 to 13:00 on 6 November before the nationwide window begins. Note how short the Seoul, Gangwon and Jeju slot is: just two hours. Miss it and you compete with applicants from every region for whatever seats remain after 13:00.
The site labels the column "region eligible to register" without spelling out whether that means where you live or where you plan to sit the test. If those differ for you, check the sitting's application guidelines or call the KHPT help line (1577-8322) before your slot opens, rather than guessing and losing your turn.
The site also warns that abnormal access or automated programs can lead to restricted service and legal action, so skip refresh bots and proxy-booking tools. The practical preparation is simpler: confirm that your account login works and that your details are current before 3 November, so you can go straight to choosing a venue when your window opens.
What happens after you register
Registration starts a chain of deadlines for the 81st sitting:
- Photo upload or change: 11 Nov 10:00 – 28 Nov 10:00
- Venue change: 11 Nov 10:00 – 20 Nov 17:00
- Admission ticket printing: 24 Nov 10:00 – 28 Nov 10:00
- Test day: 28 Nov, 10:00
- Question objections: 30 Nov 10:00 – 1 Dec 17:00, with the outcome on 7 Dec at 16:00
- Results: 11 Dec, 10:00
Venue changes close a week before test day, while the photo window stays open until the morning of the test. If you could not upload a photo during registration, finish it within that window. Admission tickets become printable four days before the exam, which is a good moment to recheck your venue and travel time.
Results arrive on Friday 11 December at 10:00. If you need a KHPT level for a late-2026 job application or an early-2027 recruitment exam, compare that date with the cut-off in the specific notice you are applying to. Each employer or exam can set its own recognition date, so this guide treats only the KHPT release date as fixed.
Refunds and the cancelled-seat window
The National Institute of Korean History's 2026 schedule sets two refund bands for the 81st test:
- Full refund: 3 Nov 10:00 – 17 Nov 17:00
- 50% refund: 18 Nov 10:00 – 20 Nov 17:00
After 17:00 on 20 November the schedule lists no further refund period. The venue-change deadline falls at the same moment, so if your assigned venue is inconvenient, decide by then whether to switch venues or withdraw. For a full refund, the date to remember is 17 November.
A cancelled-seat registration runs from 11 November 10:00 to 13 November 17:00 for all regions. The website states that it only takes place when seats are left over after regular registration, so it is a second chance rather than a guarantee. One more detail: the attachment table in the institute's announcement lists a 13:00 start for this window in one place, while the website shows 10:00. Check the latest notice on the exam site just before you try.
Why Grade 9 civil service candidates care
Demand is high because of a change in Korea's public-sector hiring. According to Korea.kr's explainer on the 2027 Grade 9 exam reform, from 2027 the Korean history subject in the written exams for national and local Grade 9 open recruitment is replaced by KHPT Level 3 or higher. The remaining subjects, such as Korean and English plus specialist subjects like public administration, rise from 20 to 25 questions each, keeping a total of 100 questions in 110 minutes.
The same explainer says the KHPT has no validity period for this purpose: Level 3 or above counts whenever you earned it. If you already hold an Advanced Level 3 or better, you may not need to sit again. If you do not, remember that Level 3 is only awarded through the Advanced test. The 81st sitting grades Advanced candidates as Level 1, 2 or 3, and no Basic test runs this time.
The institute said it added one extra Advanced sitting in 2026, making five sittings in total (five Advanced, two Basic), to meet demand created by this change. With that many candidates, expect seats in popular areas to go quickly once each regional window opens.
The 2026 schedule itself was announced on 31 October 2025. When I checked the exam homepage on 31 October 2026, it still showed only the 81st sitting. If you plan to wait for 2027, work from the official announcement once it appears and treat any predicted dates you see elsewhere as unconfirmed.
Avoiding a voided result on test day
The institute's report on the 76th sitting listed 19 misconduct cases, and 16 of them were electronic devices, including phones, making a sound during the exam. Under the rules, those cases were handled as a voided result or as a voided result plus a ban from the next three consecutive sittings. Follow the device instructions in the application guidelines and from invigilators, and put smartwatches and similar gadgets away before the test starts.
The same report shows a no-show rate of 11.23% and an average pass rate of 49.26% for the 76th test. Roughly one registered candidate in ten did not turn up. If your plans are uncertain, the full-refund window until 17 November is a better option than simply skipping the exam.
Check the identification rules too. The institute's announcement points to the ID requirements under the exam site's test information menu. If you plan to use a document whose acceptance you are unsure about, read that page the week before the exam.
Quick checklist before 3 November
- Find your regional window in the table and set an alarm. Seoul, Gangwon and Jeju: 6 November, 10:00 to 12:00 KST.
- If it is unclear which region applies to you, confirm with the guidelines or the help line (1577-8322).
- Test your account login and have a photo file ready.
- For Grade 9 civil service exams, aim for Advanced Level 3 or above, and check whether you already hold a qualifying level.
- Note 17 November (full refund) and 20 November (venue change and 50% refund).
- Print your admission ticket from 24 November and switch off devices on the day.
- Make sure the 11 December result date works with your target job notice.
