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A short notice (안내 or 공지) tells people about a change or an event. Almost every notice answers four questions: who, when, where and what. If you can find these four pieces of information quickly, most notice questions become easy, even when you do not know every word.
Words that help you find who, when, where and what
| Question | Look for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Who? | 대상 (who it is for), 모든 (all), 직원 (staff), 신입 (new) | 대상: 신입 직원 — For: new staff |
| When? | 일시 (date and time), 부터 (from), 까지 (until), 오전/오후 (a.m./p.m.) | 일시: 11월 4일(수) 오후 3시 |
| Where? | 장소 (place), 층 (floor), 앞 (in front of) | 장소: 2층 회의실 — Place: 2nd-floor meeting room |
| What? | 내용 (content), the title, the last verb | 안전 교육 — safety training |
Days of the week are often shortened in brackets: (월) Monday, (화) Tuesday, (수) Wednesday, (목) Thursday, (금) Friday, (토) Saturday, (일) Sunday.
Common title words: 안내 (information), 공지 (notice), 변경 (change), 휴무 (closed, day off), 점검 (inspection).
Example 1: a schedule change
출근 시간 변경 안내
다음 주 월요일부터 출근 시간이 오전 8시에서 오전 9시로 바뀝니다.
퇴근 시간은 바뀌지 않습니다.
Meaning: Start time change. From next Monday, the start time changes from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The finish time does not change.
- Who: all workers (no group is named, so it is everyone)
- When: from next Monday
- Where: not stated (the workplace)
- What: work starts at 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.
Watch out: the old time (8 a.m.) also appears. 에서 shows the old time and 으로/로 shows the new time. Questions usually ask about the new information.
Example 2: a holiday
휴무 안내
10월 9일(금)은 공휴일이라서 공장이 쉽니다.
10월 12일(월)부터 다시 일합니다.
Meaning: Day-off notice. Friday 9 October is a public holiday, so the factory is closed. Work starts again on Monday 12 October.
- When is the day off? 10월 9일, Friday
- When does work start again? 10월 12일, Monday
Be careful with 월: 10월 means October, but (월) in brackets means Monday.
Example 3: the cafeteria
식당 이용 안내
식당 공사 때문에 다음 주 화요일에는 식당을 이용할 수 없습니다.
점심 도시락은 12시에 1층 휴게실에서 받으세요.
Meaning: Cafeteria notice. Because of building work, the cafeteria cannot be used next Tuesday. Pick up your lunch box at 12:00 in the first-floor break room.
- What: the cafeteria is closed, and lunch is a lunch box (도시락)
- When: next Tuesday, 12:00
- Where: the break room on the first floor, not the cafeteria
Example 4: the dormitory
기숙사 대청소 안내
이번 주 토요일 오전 10시에 기숙사 대청소를 합니다.
기숙사에 사는 직원은 모두 1층 로비로 모여 주세요.
Meaning: Dormitory cleaning notice. There is a big cleaning of the dormitory this Saturday at 10 a.m. All staff who live in the dormitory, please gather in the first-floor lobby.
- Who: staff who live in the dormitory
- When: this Saturday, 10 a.m.
- Where: the first-floor lobby
- What: a big cleaning (대청소)
Example 5: a meeting
생산팀 회의 안내
일시: 11월 4일(수) 오후 3시~4시
장소: 2층 회의실
대상: 생산팀 전 직원
내용: 다음 달 작업 계획
회의에 꼭 참석해 주세요.
Meaning: Production team meeting. Date and time: Wednesday 4 November, 3-4 p.m. Place: 2nd-floor meeting room. For: all production team staff. Topic: next month's work plan. Please be sure to attend.
This notice uses labels, so the answers are easy to find: 대상 = who, 일시 = when, 장소 = where, 내용 = what.
Common traps in notice questions
- 부터 and 까지: 부터 means "from" and 까지 means "until". 1시부터 5시까지 = from 1 until 5.
- Old and new information: in a change notice, both appear. Find the new one.
- Negatives: 이용할 수 없습니다 (cannot use), 바뀌지 않습니다 (does not change). One small word changes the answer.
- 오전 and 오후: 오전 is a.m. and 오후 is p.m.
- Month or day of the week: 5월 is May. (월) or 월요일 is Monday.
Numbers are everywhere in notices. If they still slow you down, review Korean numbers and counting.
A four-step routine
- Read the title. It tells you the topic.
- Read the question. Decide if it asks who, when, where or what.
- Scan the notice for the matching key words.
- Check the option against the exact words, especially numbers, days and negatives.
For more on checking options, see finding the answer in a short passage.
Mini self-check
엘리베이터 점검 안내
11월 20일(금) 오후 1시부터 5시까지 엘리베이터를 점검합니다.
이 시간에는 계단을 이용해 주세요.
- What time does the inspection start?
- What should people use during this time?
- True or false: you can use the elevator at 3 p.m. on 20 November.
Answers: 1. 1 p.m. (오후 1시) 2. The stairs (계단) 3. False. The inspection is from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
Next step
Practise notice questions in the EPS reading practice set. If signs still feel hard, start with reading workplace signs in Korean. More lessons are on the grammar and reading topic page. For official test information, check the EPS official portal.
Sources
- EPS (Employment Permit System) official portal (checked 1 October 2026)
Next scheduled review: 1 January 2027. Found an error? Request a correction.
