한국지방자치와 시민참여에 관한 연구 : Citizen Governance를 향하여

Abstract

It is the purpose of this study to search for the way of increasing the citizen participation in Korea. This study analyzes three variable factors namely: institutional and non institutional system, decentralization of power, and citizen culture and social capital. Local autonomy system has existed since founding of Korea legally. However, in reality, local autonomy system in Korea has been a nominal system and the national administration system was retained after the local assembly was reconstituted in 1991. The centralized national administration system has contributed to Korea's economic success, but on the other hand, it has resulted into a political and social crisis. An integrated mobilization of national energy to cope with rapid social changes is considered as success while the lack of democracy and autonomy is often estimated as crisis. As one of the solutions to change 'crisis' to 'success', Korea paid great attention to local autonomy system and started its gigantic social experiment in 1991. The perfect local autonomy system was completed in 1995 through which the heads of self-governing bodies as well as local assemblymen were elected directly by the citizens. Ten years after the resurrection of local autonomy, there are now manydifferent appraisals about the result of local autonomy. Notwithstanding many different opinions, the case of a country like Korea having successfully settled down its local autonomy system in such a short period of time is very rare anywhere else in the world. On the other hand, any legal systematic citizen's participation system has not been arranged yet. Thus, it may be difficult for such direct participation system of the citizens to be activated. In order for democracy roots to make steady progress, policy developments conforming to the diverse desires of the local citizens should be realized, and in such policy development stem, a system which can realize citizen's participation requires to be changed. First of all, the study conducts a theoretical approach upon local autonomy and citizen's participation in public administration. The study examines the meaning and functions of citizens' participation in public administration. After that, the study analyzes the status and problems of it particularly seen from the researches carried out by scholars. The study also emphasizes the need to materialize citizens'participation in public administration and to find ways to expand it. And then, the study analyzes the status and problems of administrative systems that carry out local administration and the surroundings and citizens that speak for both requests and support to local administration on the premise that local administration is interrelated with administrative environment, administrative systems, and citizens. In particular, the study places it's concentration on such detailed subordinate variables as civil servants that organize the administrative system, administrative atmosphere, norms and citizens participating channels in public administration while focusing on administrative systems that give great influence upon citizen's practical participation in public administration in addition to policy process. Based on study findings, it is concluded that the community identity was awakened by the NGO. The community citizens' sense of identity was successfully mobilized and confirmed by the surrounding community's environment. In conclusion, the success of local autonomy depends on how well citizens participate in public administration. In order to secure the success, various participating channels should be made and citizens should really participate in public administration. The study tries to find solutions with such elements of local administration as administrative surroundings, administrative systems, and citizens as key variables. The solutions will be found effectively and efficiently only when local self-governing bodies and their citizens work together in harmony. This was then finally social capitalized leading to the successful community movement.