공공기관의 정보 비공개 행태에 관한 연구: 행정심판례 쟁점분석을 중심으로

The Freedom of Information Act in South Korea was enacted on Dec. 31, 1996 and taking effect one year later, which provides that any individual has a right to obtain access to government agency information, except to the extent that such records or portions of them are protected from public disclosure outlined by law and constitution. Information means matters recorded in documents, drawings, pictures, films, slides and other media, etc. corresponding thereto that are all made, acquired and managed by public institutions in oder to discharge their respective duties. Right to information has replaced freedom of information in South Korea. Information requires korean government agencies to push information out into the public space and make information available and accessible to all members of a society, unless there is a good reason not to. Therefore policies, formal procedures and legal systems have been dealt with so far for improved access to government-held information on government affairs, departments, local councils and public authorities such as all branches of the executive power of a state, province, municipality for any information citizens are interested in seeing. This research studies korean agencies' attitude of how to deal with information requests in the aspect of individual freedom using the Administrative appeals tribunals as formal procedures for improved access to government-held information. This study concludes that government and korean agencies need to pay serious attention to rethink the balance between disclosure of information and its protection to actualize the individual right to know in practice as well as meet the needs of contemporary society.