NCS Information Skills: Collecting, Analyzing, and Managing Data at Work

Information skills (정보능력) has grown significantly in importance as Korean public enterprises have digitized their operations. This NCS competency tests whether you can effectively collect, evaluate, organize, and apply information — and whether you understand the basics of computer-based tools and information security.

Sub-Competencies

Sub-competency	Korean	Focus
Computer literacy	컴퓨터활용능력	Hardware, software, spreadsheets, databases
Information processing	정보처리능력	Collecting, analyzing, and applying information

1. Information vs Data vs Knowledge

Data: Raw, unprocessed facts and figures. (Sales numbers: 4,230, 3,890, 5,120…) Information: Data processed and organized to be meaningful. (Sales increased 14% in Q3.) Knowledge: Information applied and integrated with experience and context. (Q3 sales spike correlates with summer promotions — repeat this strategy.) Wisdom: Applying knowledge with good judgment for optimal decisions.

The hierarchy: Data → Information → Knowledge → Wisdom

2. Information Collection

Primary vs Secondary Information

Type	Description	Examples
Primary	Collected directly for the current purpose	Surveys, interviews, experiments
Secondary	Previously collected for another purpose	Government statistics, academic papers, industry reports

Evaluating Information Quality

Accuracy: Is it factually correct? Cross-reference multiple sources. Currency: When was it published? Is it still valid? Relevance: Does it address the specific question? Authority: Is the source credible and authoritative? Purpose: Why was it created? Potential bias?

Search Strategies

Boolean operators:

AND: narrows results (CEO AND 기업윤리)
OR: broadens results (CSR OR ESG)
NOT: excludes terms (경영 NOT 마케팅)
Quotation marks: exact phrase (“공기업 채용 공고”)

3. Computer Literacy (컴퓨터활용능력)

Spreadsheet Skills (Excel/Sheets)

Essential functions for NCS:

Function	Purpose	Example
SUM	Add values	=SUM(B2:B10)
AVERAGE	Mean of values	=AVERAGE(C2:C10)
COUNT / COUNTA	Count cells	=COUNT(D2:D20)
IF	Conditional	=IF(A2>90,“Pass”,“Fail”)
VLOOKUP	Find value in table	=VLOOKUP(id, table, col, 0)
COUNTIF	Conditional count	=COUNTIF(A2:A20,“Seoul”)
SUMIF	Conditional sum	=SUMIF(A2:A20,“부산”,B2:B20)

Data analysis tools:

Sorting and filtering
Pivot tables (피벗 테이블) — summarize large datasets
Conditional formatting — visualize patterns in data

Database Basics

Table structure: Each row = one record, each column = one field.

Query operations:

SELECT: retrieve specific fields
WHERE: filter records by condition
GROUP BY: aggregate by category
ORDER BY: sort results

Relational database: Tables linked by primary/foreign keys. Prevents data duplication.

Network and Internet

LAN vs WAN: LAN = local network (office), WAN = wide area network (internet).

IP address: Unique identifier for each device on a network.

Cloud storage: Files stored on remote servers — accessible from any device, requires internet.

Bandwidth: Data transfer capacity — affects speed of file uploads/downloads and video calls.

4. Information Security (정보 보안)

Types of Threats

Threat	Description
Phishing	Fake emails/sites that steal credentials
Malware	Viruses, ransomware, spyware
Social engineering	Manipulating people to reveal information
Data breach	Unauthorized access to private data
DDoS attack	Flooding a server to disable it

Security Best Practices (NCS exam content)

Strong passwords: 8+ characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols; no personal information
Two-factor authentication (2FA): Password + additional verification
Regular updates: Patch vulnerabilities in OS and software
Backup: 3-2-1 rule — 3 copies, 2 different media types, 1 offsite
Least privilege: Users should have only the access they need

Information Classification

Korean public sector information classification:

비밀: classified (requires clearance)
대외비: confidential (limited distribution)
일반: general (no restriction)

Mishandling classified information is a serious legal violation under the Personal Information Protection Act (개인정보보호법) and other regulations.

5. Information Ethics and Legal Issues

Personal Information Protection Act (개인정보보호법)

Key principles:

Collect only what is necessary (최소 수집 원칙)
Use only for stated purpose (목적 외 사용 금지)
Secure storage and transmission
Right to access, correction, and deletion by the data subject

Sensitive information requires explicit consent: race, religion, political views, health, criminal record, biometrics.

Intellectual Property

Copyright: Automatic protection from creation; covers original works of authorship
Patent: Protects inventions; requires registration; 20-year term
Trademark: Protects brand identifiers (logos, names)
Trade secret: Confidential business information with economic value

Fair use: Limited use of copyrighted material for education, commentary, or research without permission — assessed case by case.

Data → Information → Knowledge hierarchy
Evaluating source quality (ACRAP criteria)
Core spreadsheet functions (SUM, IF, VLOOKUP)
Personal Information Protection Act key principles
Information classification (비밀/대외비/일반)
Common security threats and prevention
Explicit vs tacit knowledge distinction