성년후견제도의 자기결정존중 원리를 중심으로 본 고령자 권리

So far, there has been a lot of criticism with respect to the ‘Incompetence System’ which is stated in the Civil Code. As an alternative to this system, in 2011 the National Assembly passed the Civil Code amendment as to adult guardianship and is expecting to enforce it in 2013. In proportion as the aging trend is getting greater, there has been massive amount of discussion on the social rights of the aged in a very extensive manner. Especially the issue of legal system in the life world of the aged is very important in that their rights are specifically realized in the real area. This study attempts to connect Old Age Discourse with substantial formation and realization of adult guardianship. Existing studies on adult guardianship have several ideas or principles in common, which adult guardianship pursues. These commonly emphasized ideas or principles include the respect of self-determination. Basic principles which adult guardianship is pursuing show a close nexus with international ones that have been suggested so far. In addition, researches on adult guardianship and proposal on the introduction of it have been examined in this study. Common reasons why adult guardianship has been introduced is that prior incompetent system has started to be reevaluated and that people have begun to respond to the social change like aging trend. Especially with regards to elderly care, adult guardianship is a system which has a substantial impact on realizing various rights of the aged and their quality of life. Rights to elderly care means that when the aged need care because they cannot take care of themselves due to degeneration of physical or mental function or to physical impairment, they are entitled to it as they are taken care of by family or society in a safe and secure circumstance, with their dignity and right of self-determination respected. Therefore for the purpose of enforcing adult guardianship,we need to take the desires of the aged into consideration: from whom they want to receive care, in what circumstances they want to have it and what kind of care they want to have. Adult guardianship should be put into practice, with needs and dignity of the aged respected and taken into account as extensively as possible.