한국과 일본의 외교기록 공개 정책에 관한 비교연구

Abstract

The policy of disclosing diplomatic records needs to consider both perspectives: the public records perspective of transparent government operation and the special records perspective of protecting national security interests. Unlike developed countries in North America and Europe, the two countries of Korea and Japan introduced the disclosure system of diplomatic records and the modern records management system that supports it only around 2000. There are many similarities between the two countries’ diplomatic record disclosure policies in terms of the timing and context of introduction, but there are also many differences in details. This study comparatively analyzed Korea and Japan’s diplomatic record disclosure policies through content analysis of literature. Through this, this study was able to identify the similarities and differences between the two countries and determine the direction of the two countries regarding government transparency and guaranteeing the people’s right to know as seen in their diplomatic records disclosure policy. In addition, we were able to estimate the scope of access to diplomatic documents through the diplomatic archives of the two countries. Although Japan opened the diplomatic archives and disclosed diplomatic records about 10 years before Korea, Korea established the legal basis and system for actually operating them about 10 years before Japan. In Korea and Japan, a series of screening procedures are used to determine whether diplomatic documents that have been produced or received more than 30 years ago will be disclosed to the general public. Aside from these similarities, the main differences are as follows: First, First, there were significant differences in the scope and role of records managed by diplomatic archives in Korea and Japan. Second, the subjects and procedures for reviewing whether diplomatic records are disclosed are more extensive and systematic in Korea than in Japan. Third, Korea is establishing detailed standards for confidential information regarding diplomatic records. Lastly, Korea has a larger disclosure scope and number of diplomatic records than Japan. Korea also has excellent ease of access, including providing access online through the digitization of diplomatic records. In Japan, the re-examination system based on usage claims is operated efficiently. In operating the diplomatic records disclosure policy, there may always be conflicting positions between government transparency and guaranteeing national security interests. The most important thing here is a balanced perspective. Additionally, in order to realize consistent policies and maintain sustainable records, it will be important to establish more specific and clear policies and systems. This system may be more important at the production stage than at the disclosure stage of diplomatic records.