Study guide
6.1 Manufacturing Tasks: Pressing, Milling, Welding, and Assembly
EPS-TOPIK Employment Permit System Korean Proficiency Test
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1 Chapter 1: Exam Overview & Korean Language Foundations
1.1 Official EPS-TOPIK Structure, CBT/UBT Delivery, Scoring, and E-9 Selection 1.2 Hangul Script, Workplace Pronunciation, Sound Shifts, and Liaison Rules 1.3 Core Sentence Structure, Speech Levels (존댓말/반말), and Essential Particles
2 Chapter 2: Numbers, Time & Daily Workplace Scheduling
2.1 Sino-Korean vs. Native Korean Numbers, Counters, and Monetary Calculations 2.2 Time Expressions, Dates, Days of the Week, and Shift Rotations 2.3 Attendance, Commuting, Lateness, Overtime, and Absence Reporting
3 Chapter 3: Daily Life, Living Facilities & Public Services
3.1 Factory Dormitory Life, Facility Rules, and Shared Living Etiquette 3.2 Banking, Remittances, Foreign Exchange, and Financial Vocabulary 3.3 Medical Clinic Visits, Symptoms, Injuries, and Pharmacy Purchases 3.4 Public Transportation, Directions, Post Office, and Public Services 3.5 Shopping, Ordering Food, Household Chores, Clothing, and Housing 3.6 Weather, Seasons, Weekend Plans, Hobbies, and Digital Life
4 Chapter 4: Workplace Hierarchy, Communication & Etiquette
4.1 Workplace Hierarchy, Titles, Greetings, and Professional Etiquette 4.2 Following Instructions, Asking for Help, and Clarifying Tasks 4.3 Requesting Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Outings 4.4 Conflict Resolution, Grievance Counseling, and Harassment Prevention 4.5 Korean Housing, Food, Holidays, Etiquette, and Popular Culture
5 Chapter 5: Tools, Equipment & Workshop Management
5.1 Essential Hand Tools, Fasteners, and Workshop Hardware 5.2 Power Tools, Industrial Machinery, Switches, and Controls 5.3 Workshop Organization, Cleaning (5S / 정리정돈), and Waste Separation 5.4 Machine Malfunctions, Error Signs, Inspection, and Maintenance Reporting
6 Chapter 6: Industry Sectors & Job-Specific Terminology
6.1 Manufacturing Tasks: Pressing, Milling, Welding, and Assembly 6.2 Construction Site Operations, Rebar, Concrete, Scaffolding, and Safety Nets 6.3 Agricultural Cultivation, Greenhouses, Livestock Farming, and Feed Management 6.4 Coastal Fishing, Aquaculture, Net Handling, and Maritime Equipment 6.5 Shipment, Textiles, Furniture, Shipbuilding, Mining, Forestry, Lodging, and Food Service
7 Chapter 7: Industrial Safety, Hazard Signs & Emergency Response
7.1 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE / 보호구) Types and Protocols 7.2 Official Industrial Safety and Warning Signs (산업안전보건표지) 7.3 Major Workplace Hazards: Falls, Entanglement, Electric Shock, and Fires 7.4 Emergency Response, First Aid Procedures, and 119 Reporting Protocols
8 Chapter 8: Employment Permit System, Labor Standards & Worker Rights
8.1 Standard Employment Contract (표준근로계약서), Probation, and Renewals 8.2 Wages, Overtime Pay, Statutory Allowances, and Pay Slips (급여명세서) 8.3 Alien Registration, Visa Extensions, and Workplace Transfer Regulations 8.4 Four Social Insurances and Foreign Worker Special Insurances
9 Chapter 9: Listening Comprehension (듣기) Strategies & Question Types
9.1 Identifying Pictures, Tools, Numbers, and Ongoing Actions 9.2 Selecting Appropriate Conversational Responses (이어질 말 고르기) 9.3 Comprehending Multi-Turn Workplace Dialogues and Logistics 9.4 Analyzing Public Announcements, Instructions, and Danger Warnings
10 Chapter 10: Reading Comprehension (읽기) Strategies & Question Types
10.1 Workplace Vocabulary, Synonyms, Antonyms, and Associative Words 10.2 Fill-in-the-Blank Grammar, Connectors, and Auxiliary Verbs 10.3 Reading Safety Signs, Workplace Notices, Forms, and Visual Charts 10.4 Short Workplace Passages, Central Idea, and Sentence Sequencing
6.1 Manufacturing Tasks: Pressing, Milling, Welding, and Assembly
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
Manufacturing (제조업) accounts for over 70% of foreign worker placements under the E-9 visa, divided into specialized sectors including metal processing (금속가공), plastic/rubber molding (플라스틱/고무 성형), machine assembly (기계조립), electronic parts (전자부품), furniture making (가구제작), and textiles/garments (섬유/봉제).
Primary metal and material processing methods tested on the EPS-TOPIK include casting (주조 / pouring molten metal into molds), forging (단조 / hammering heated metal), welding (용접 / joining metal via arc or gas torch), painting (도장 / protective spray coating), and electroplating (도금 / chemical immersion against corrosion).
Core workshop action verbs require precise distinction: cutting fabric or patterns according to blueprints is 재단하다 (distinct from generic 자르다), fitting parts together is 조립하다 (antonym: 분해하다), and securing threaded hardware is 볼트를 체결하다 or 조이다.
Quality control (품질 관리) protocols require workers to classify output into finished goods (완제품), semi-finished goods (반제품), and defects (불량품) by conducting dimensional inspections (치수 측정) with vernier calipers (버니어캘리퍼스) or tape measures (줄자).
Last updated: September 2026
6.1 Manufacturing Tasks: Pressing, Milling, Welding, and Assembly
Core Vocational Reality: Manufacturing ( 제조업 ) is the industrial backbone of South Korea's Employment Permit System (EPS), absorbing over 70% of all E-9 visa holders. In Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs / 중소기업), factory operations require strict adherence to standardized work instructions ( 작업지시서 ), technical terminology, and precision measurement. On the EPS-TOPIK, manufacturing questions appear extensively in visual vocabulary matching (short visual or vocabulary items), listening dialogue comprehension (workplace dialogue items), and reading procedure analysis (passage-comprehension items). Candidates must accurately distinguish specialized verbs for cutting, fastening, and surface treatment, while understanding quality control classifications.
1. E-9 Manufacturing Subsectors (제조업 세부 업종 분류)
South Korea's Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) allocates foreign manufacturing workers across six principal subsectors. Each environment features specialized machinery, hazards, and occupational terminology:
Subsector (업종) Korean Term Primary Operations & Equipment Common Materials & Products
Metal Processing 금속가공 Stamping (프레스), milling (밀링), lathe turning (선반), grinding (연마/연삭) Steel plates (철판), aluminum pipes (알루미늄 파이프), auto parts (자동차 부품)
Plastic & Rubber Molding 플라스틱/고무 성형 Injection molding (사출 성형), extrusion (압출), compression molding (압축 성형) Resin pellets (수지 펠릿), synthetic rubber seals (고무 패킹), containers (용기)
Machine Assembly 기계조립 Component fitting (부품 조립), bolt fastening (볼트 체결), wiring harnesses (배선 작업) Industrial motors (모터), pumps (펌프), home appliances (가전제품)
Electronic Components 전자부품 Soldering (납땜), printed circuit boards (PCB 기판 조립), cleanroom sorting (클린룸 선별) Microchips (반도체 칩), sensors (센서), display panels (디스플레이 패널)
Furniture Making 가구제작 Wood sawing (목재 재단), planing (대패질), sanding (사포질), varnishing (칠/도장) Timber (원목), plywood boards (합판), desks/chairs (책상/의자)
Textiles & Garment Sewing 섬유/봉제 Pattern cutting (원단 재단), sewing machine stitching (재봉틀/미싱 작업), ironing (다림질) Fabrics (원단), thread spools (실타래), workwear/shirts (작업복/셔츠)
2. Thermal Fabrication & Surface Treatment Vocabulary
In raw material processing, workers shape, fuse, and protect metal parts through high-temperature thermal and chemical processes. These technical terms are tested heavily on the EPS-TOPIK:
Primary Thermal Shaping: 주조 (Casting) vs. 단조 (Forging)
주조 (Casting / Foundry): The process of melting metal ingots into liquid molten iron ( 쇳물 ) and pouring it into refractory sand or metal molds ( 주형/틀 ). Once cooled, the mold is broken open to extract the molded component. Key Korean collocation: 쇳물을 틀에 붓다 (to pour molten metal into a mold).
단조 (Forging): The process of heating metal billets in a furnace until malleable and hammering or pressing them into high-strength tools, connecting rods, and crankshafts. Key Korean collocation: 달군 쇠를 두드리다 (to hammer red-hot iron).
Welding (용접 / Joining Metals)
Welding is the thermal fusion of two metal components using electric current or combusted gas. EPS-TOPIK questions may test the distinction between welding modalities and their required personal protective equipment (PPE):
아크용접 (Arc Welding / Electric Welding): Uses high-voltage electric discharge (스파크) between an electrode rod ( 용접봉 ) and the workpiece to melt joint seams. Generates intense ultraviolet light and flying sparks ( 불티 ).
가스용접 (Gas Welding / Oxy-Fuel Welding): Uses a combustion torch mixing oxygen and acetylene gas ( 산소-아세틸렌 가스 ) to melt metal seams. Requires careful pressure regulator checks to prevent backfires ( 역화 ).
Mandatory Welding Gear: 용접면 (welding face shield with protective dark filter lens), 용접 장갑 (heavy leather heat-resistant gloves), and 용접 토시 (leather protective arm sleeves).
Surface Finishing: 도장 (Coating/Painting) vs. 도금 (Electroplating)
Untreated metal quickly rusts when exposed to ambient moisture. Korean factories employ two main anti-corrosion treatments:
도장 / 페인트칠 (Surface Painting / Spray Coating): Applying protective paint or powder coating to finished surfaces using a spray gun ( 스프레이건 ) or immersion dip. Protects against oxidation and provides aesthetic coloration. Key collocation: 페인트를 칠하다 / 도장 작업을 하다 .
도금 (Electroplating / Galvanizing): Submerging metal parts into an electrolyte chemical bath to coat them with a microscopic layer of zinc, chrome, or nickel via electrical current. Prevents rust and increases surface hardness. Key collocation: 도금 탱크에 담그다 (to submerge in a plating tank).
3. Workshop Action Verbs: Cutting, Fastening, and Mechanical Assembly
The EPS-TOPIK demands precise knowledge of verb collocations. Using an informal or generic verb where a technical verb is required leads to incorrect answer choices:
Korean Verb Infinitive Form Precise Industrial Meaning Typical Workplace Collocations
재단하다 jae-dan-ha-da To cut patterns or sheet material to blueprint measurements 원단을 치수에 맞게 재단하다 (cut fabric to measured dimensions)
조립하다 jo-rip-ha-da To fit individual components together into a functional unit 부품을 순서대로 조립하다 (assemble parts in sequence)
분해하다 bun-hae-ha-da To disassemble or strip down a machine (antonym of 조립하다) 수리를 위해 모터를 분해하다 (disassemble motor for repairs)
체결하다 che-gyeol-ha-da To securely fasten threaded fasteners (bolts, nuts, screws) 볼트와 너트를 단단히 체결하다 (fasten bolts and nuts tightly)
조이다 jo-i-da To tighten fasteners using a wrench or screwdriver 스패너로 나사를 꽉 조이다 (tighten screws firmly with a spanner)
풀다 pul-da To loosen or remove threaded fasteners (antonym of 조이다) 렌치로 볼트를 시계 반대 방향으로 풀다 (loosen bolts counter-clockwise)
타공하다 / 뚫다 ta-gong-ha-da To punch or drill holes into sheet metal or leather 드릴로 철판에 구멍을 뚫다 (drill holes into steel plate)
절곡하다 / 구부리다 jeol-gok-ha-da To bend sheet metal at precise angles using a press brake 프레스기로 철판을 90도로 절곡하다 (bend sheet metal 90 degrees)
연마하다 / 사포질하다 yeon-ma-ha-da To grind, polish, or sand rough surface burrs 거친 표면을 매끄럽게 연마하다 (grind rough surfaces smooth)
4. Quality Control (품질 관리) & Dimensional Inspection
Every production line in South Korea operates under strict quality benchmarks. Products are categorized into three distinct operational states: [반제품 (Semi-Finished Goods)] ──(조립/가공)──> [완제품 (Finished Goods)] ──(검사)──┬─> [정상/양품 (Accepted)] ─> 출고
- └─> [불량품 (Defective)] ─> 폐기/재작업
- Classification of Manufactured Goods
완제품 (Finished Goods / 완성품): Completely fabricated, assembled, and packaged units that meet all customer specifications and are ready for warehouse shipping ( 출고 ).
반제품 (Semi-Finished Goods): Incomplete items that have undergone initial fabrication (e.g., pressed sheet metal shells) but still require secondary processing, wiring, or final assembly before becoming functional.
불량품 (Defective Goods / 결함품): Items with structural cracks, incorrect dimensions, surface scratches, or assembly faults. Defective parts must be segregated immediately to prevent contamination of finished batches.
양품 / 정상 제품 (Acceptable / Good Goods): The direct opposite of 불량품 . Units that pass dimensional tolerance testing.
Precision Measuring Tools & Inspection Protocols
Factory workers must master dimensional measurement ( 치수 측정 ) using workshop gauges:
버니어캘리퍼스 (Vernier Caliper): The premier precision instrument tested on the EPS-TOPIK. Used to measure inner diameters ( 내경 ), outer diameters ( 외경 ), depth ( 깊이 ), and step thickness down to 0.02 mm or 0.05 mm. Key collocation: 버니어캘리퍼스로 외경 치수를 재다 .
줄자 (Tape Measure): Flexible steel measuring tape used for longer linear dimensions in woodworking, furniture framing, and construction. Key collocation: 줄자로 목재 길이를 측정하다 .
마이크로미터 (Micrometer): High-precision screw gauge used for measuring microscopic thicknesses of metal foil and wire diameters.
직각자 (Square / L-square): L-shaped steel ruler used to verify perpendicular 90-degree right angles in furniture and frame assembly.
5. Authentic Factory Workplace Dialogue
Setting: A precision automotive parts stamping plant in Incheon. Production Manager Choi (최 과장) inspects the afternoon shift line with Budi (부디), an E-9 foreign worker from Indonesia.
최 과장 (Manager Choi): 부디 씨, 프레스 작업 끝난 반제품들 치수 측정 다 해 봤어요? (Budi, did you finish measuring the dimensions of all the semi-finished parts from the press run?)
부디 (Budi): 네, 과장님. 버니어캘리퍼스로 외경과 두께를 검사했습니다. 그런데 열 개 정도 규격보다 1밀리미터 정도 크게 나왔습니다. (Yes, Manager. I inspected the outer diameter and thickness with vernier calipers. However, about ten pieces came out roughly 1 millimeter larger than standard specification.)
최 과장 (Manager Choi): 그래요? 규격이 안 맞으면 조립 라인에서 볼트 체결이 제대로 안 돼요. 그건 불량품이니까 따로 불량 상자에 분리해 두세요. (Really? If dimensions don't match, bolt fastening cannot be done properly on the assembly line. Those are defects, so segregate them into the defect box separately.)
부디 (Budi): 알겠습니다. 불량품은 따로 빼놓고, 정상 제품만 조립실로 옮기겠습니다. 다음 작업은 뭘 하면 됩니까? (Understood. I will pull aside the defects and move only the acceptable products to the assembly room. What should I do for the next task?)
최 과장 (Manager Choi): 조립실 선반 위에 있는 원단을 도면에 맞춰서 재단해 놓으세요. 칼 쓸 때 안전장갑 착용하는 것 잊지 말고요. (Cut the fabric on the assembly room shelf according to the blueprint. And don't forget to wear safety gloves when using the utility cutter.)
- 6. EPS-TOPIK Question Traps & High-Yield Distractors
- The Verb Selection Trap: 자르다 vs. 재단하다 vs. 절단하다
자르다 is generic cutting (scissors cutting paper or hair).
재단하다 specifically means cutting cloth, leather, or wood according to tailored patterns or blueprint dimensions in garment and furniture manufacturing.
절단하다 means heavy industrial severing of steel bars, pipes, or thick cables using high-speed abrasive wheels or saws.
The Fastener Trap: 조이다 vs. 풀다 vs. 체결하다
When tightening bolts or screws, prompts often use either 볼트를 체결하다 or 볼트를 조이다 . If the prompt asks for an antonym ( 반대말 ), the answer is 풀다 (to loosen/unfasten).
Quality Status Classification:
Examination questions may present an image of an inspector examining a part with a vernier caliper next to a red rejection bin marked 불량품 . Candidates must recognize that rejected parts are 불량품 and the ongoing action is 검사하다 or 치수를 측정하다 .