정보기관에 대한 통제의 효율성 제고 방안

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to diagnose present Korean situation and to deduce implications under the circumstances of democracy where controling intelligence agency is necessary in order to protect basic human rights of the people and satisfy their right to know, based on the cases of advanced countries. When it comes to intelligence control in major countries, the necessity of intelligence control was not emphasized because when the intelligence agency like these days has born at the beginning of the Cold War, a perspective of confidentiality of intelligence activities was prioritized in the aspect of national security, but by the 1970s when deviant behaviors of intelligence agency arouse social problems, finally the importance of intelligence control started to be focused and institutional foundation was formed but practical intelligence control based on mutual trust between intelligence agency and control principle. From this perspective, policy implications for effective intelligence control by the field of main principles of intelligence control, the executive, the legislature, the judiciary and the press, are as in the following. First, in controling the executive, currently there is no other means but by the president or internal self control, there is controversy over objectiveness. It could be possible to establish a secure and professional independent control agency free from party relations. Secondly, institutional foundation for control by the legislature is formed by establishing intelligence committee, but the party relations are still concerned and it is not practically but operated with mere formality due to intelligence committee members have lack of information, security and professionality. Therefore, institutional amendment for more efficient operation such as strengthening intelligence committee member and make policy on consecutive terms. Third, it also should be considered to establish an independent legal institution in order to effectively control electronic communication surveillance activities of intelligence agency and to protect national secret intelligence when intelligence process of relevance to the judiciary control. Fourth, intelligence control by the press also harms national security and interest due to indiscriminate disclosures so efforts to build a secure and professional communication channel in between is required. In conclusion, Korea's unique security situation where South and North face each other and international intelligence circumstance where new security threat is increasing, the importance and the role of national intelligence agency cannot be exaggerated. But basic rights of the people and transparency, accountability and legitimacy of intelligence activity are democratic values that cannot be given up so both should be well harmonized. Therefore, by referring the cases of advanced countries, it is an urgent policy task not to constrict original activities of intelligence agency and to set democratic control in order to reform it as 21st century's leading intelligence agency position of public trust.