한국형 사법 전문 연구기관 설립을 위한스위스 연방 비교법연구소 모델의 연구

This study analyzes the institutional structure and operational framework of the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law as a comparative model for establishing a Korean Civil Law research institute. Motivated by the recognition of the lack of a public infrastructure for comparative legal research, Switzerland enacted the Federal Act on the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law in 1978 and established an independent federal institute in Ecublens, near Lausanne. The Institute provides legal opinions and comparative studies on foreign law to the federal and cantonal administrations, courts, and private legal practitioners, while functioning as a major national infrastructure for comparative legal research through its extensive specialized library. During its establishment, major issues included whether comparative law research could be centralized, how to create a structure that supports rather than replaces university-based comparative law research, and how to balance the dual functions of a documentation center and an independent research institute. The Swiss model underscores the importance of establishing a specialized institution in Korea that can systematically support comparative legal research in core private law fields such as civil and commercial law. In Korea, comparative legal research remains largely dependent on individual scholars or universities, and there is still a lack of national-level support and information infrastructure. From the Swiss experience, Ultimately, the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law represents a paradigmatic example of institutionalizing both the academic and practical functions of comparative legal research at the national level. It offers a valuable model for designing a Korean civil law research institute that achieves an effective balance between public responsibility and academic independence.