The forklift operator license, held by actor Sung Hoon and pop artist Nancy Lang, has cemented its place as South Korea's most popular technician-level certification. As interest grows in hands-on credentials that can be used to land a job or switch careers, the forklift operator certification swept the No. 1 spot as the most preferred technician-level qualification across every age group, from people in their 20s to those 60 and older.
No. 1 From 20s to 60s — Forklift Becomes the Nation's Technician License
According to the 2026 Basic Status of National Technical Qualification Test Takers released by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea on the 30th, a survey of the 1,856,264 people who actually sat for written exams for national technical qualifications last year found that the forklift operator certification stood out among technician-level qualifications.
By age, the forklift operator certification ranked first as the preferred technician-level qualification among test takers in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s and older.
Employed test takers preferred the forklift operator certification most, followed by electrical, excavator operator, Korean cuisine and architectural painting technician certifications. Job seekers also put forklift operation first, followed by electrical, Korean cuisine, bread-making and pastry technician certifications. Among the self-employed, the forklift operator certification also drew the highest preference.
The number of actual test takers is also large. Data released by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea in June showed that 110,316 people sat for the forklift operator exam last year, ranking near the top among major national technical qualifications behind Level 2 computer proficiency (247,841) and Level 1 (151,464). Among those in their 50s and 60s and older in particular, the forklift operator exam drew the most test takers of any qualification.
Also notable is that 38.5% of all national technical qualification test takers cited "employment" as their reason for pursuing a certification. Self-development followed at 25.8% and improving job performance at 12.6%. The number of job seekers taking the exams rose 11.7% from a year earlier.
Starting Pay of 2.5 Million to 3.5 Million Won — What About Pass Rates?
A forklift is a machine fitted with a fork-shaped attachment at the front to lift and move cargo. It is widely used in warehouses, construction sites and logistics and transport operations.
Holders of the forklift operator certification can find work at construction firms as well as construction equipment rental companies, civil engineering contractors, construction equipment manufacturers, metal product manufacturers, port loading and unloading companies, transport and warehousing firms and municipal and provincial construction offices.
There are no eligibility restrictions on taking the exam. Because even high school students can sit for it, the certification is also pursued by people preparing to enlist as military engineering specialists and by middle-aged and older people looking for new work after retirement.
The exam is divided into written and practical tests. According to Q-Net, operated by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, the written test covers forklift driving, loading, transporting and unloading cargo, and safety management. Test takers must answer 60 multiple-choice questions with four options each within 60 minutes.
The practical test, covering forklift operation and road driving, runs about four minutes. It is a performance-based exam requiring test takers to complete a set course accurately in a short time.
The difficulty tends to rise in the practical test. According to the data provided, the pass rate for the written test over the past five years averaged 55% to 65%, while the practical test stayed at 35% to 45%.
Pay after landing a job varies with experience and skill level. Job postings on Q-Net list starting monthly pay of about 2.5 million to 3.5 million won ($1,800 to $2,500), rising to 4 million to 5 million won a month after three to five years depending on skill level. Actual pay can differ by work arrangement, experience and workplace.
Certifications Split by Purpose — Forklift, Information Processing and Industrial Safety for Jobs
While the forklift certification stood out across all age groups, preferred qualifications varied by certification level and purpose.
At the engineer level, test takers seeking employment most preferred the information processing engineer certification, followed by industrial safety engineer, electrical engineer, general machinery engineer and construction safety engineer. Among test takers who were already employed, however, the industrial safety engineer certification drew the highest preference.
Differences by age were also clear. Among engineer-level qualifications, those in their 20s most preferred the information processing engineer certification, while those in their 30s and 40s chose industrial safety engineer and those in their 50s and 60s and older most often chose electrical engineer.
At the industrial engineer level, the top choice among those seeking employment was the industrial safety industrial engineer certification, followed by electrical, hazardous materials, air-conditioning and refrigeration machinery, and information processing industrial engineer certifications. In the service field, both employed test takers and job seekers gave the highest preference to the Level 2 vocational counselor certification.
Total survey respondents numbered 1,856,264 last year, up from 1,756,557 a year earlier. By age, those in their 20s accounted for the largest share at 32.0%, followed by those in their 30s at 19.2%, teenagers at 15.6%, those in their 40s at 14.3%, those in their 50s at 12.9% and those 60 and older at 6.0%.
