Start with the department and the reference year

A Korean university competition ratio is a printed disclosure statistic for a defined population. To use it, identify the university code, department code, publication year and reference year. A similar English department name is not enough to establish that two records describe the same population.

Open the Korean department admission directory and search for an original Korean name or seven-digit source code. Each history keeps the original labels alongside the annual counts. Publication year (공시연도) and reference year (기준연도) remain separate, even when they happen to match.

Which numbers answer which question?

Source label What to inspect What still needs checking
입학정원수 Printed admission quota Whether the quota covers your applicant route
모집인원 Recruitment places and their stated in/out-quota parts Which recruitment category applies to you
지원자 Printed applicant count Whether applications represent unique people
입학자 Printed entrants and population breakdown How entrants differ from admitted applicants
경쟁률 Source competition ratio Exact denominator and disclosure definition
정원내 신입생 충원율 Printed in-quota freshman filling rate Population and reporting basis

The dataset does not establish that applicants are unique individuals across universities or departments. Entrants are also not an admitted-applicant count. Dividing entrants by applicants therefore does not produce a verified acceptance rate.

Why the ratio does not give your admission probability

A historical ratio describes the recorded population. Your route may have different eligibility, selection rules, language requirements or places. The record does not supply those conditions. A high or low printed ratio cannot replace the institution's current application guidance.

For a shortlist, save the exact source codes and years, then ask the university which current route and qualification the department offers. Check the application period and teaching campus separately. Historical positive recruitment is evidence of a recorded activity; it does not establish an open application today.

Comparing two years without changing the population

Compare the same school and department codes first. Then inspect original names, school-state labels, recruitment breakdowns and reference years. Keep a zero row visible rather than treating it as proof that a department closed. A blank classification remains unspecified and is not converted to a US major category.

Record the raw ratio beside the underlying counts. If a printed value looks inconsistent, inspect the linked source observation and retain the discrepancy as a question. Replacing the source ratio with an unlabelled calculation hides the evidence needed to resolve it.

Continue with the Korea data directory or South Korea planning resources.