KJC Korea
Journal Central

This study aims to explore the concepts and nature of records in digital environments based on analyzing recent theoretical studies of records. This is not intended to defining records for management in a specific environment. This study is divided into two parts. Firstly, it classifies the definitions of records in three perspectives; evidence, information, and representation of activities, and explores the concepts and theoretical backgrounds underlying each definition. Secondly, it articulates some implications for understanding the concept and nature of records in digital environments by four categories such as i) fixity, ii) materiality, iii) activity and context, and iv) trustworthiness, which were derived from the definition of “persistent representation of activities” by Geoffrey Yeo.

With the rapid changes in the digital technology, it is necessary to shift to a new paradigm corresponding to the changing environment was recognized. This study actively explores the possibility of applying new technologies for recordkeeping. This study aimed to investigate the applicability of blockchain to recordkeeping and to develop a new model for recordkeeping based on it. Through a conceptual analysis of blockchain and consideration of the recordkeeping process, a blockchain model that is suitable for the authentication of records was proposed. For this the network structure, the structure of blockchain blocks, a consensus algorithm, and recordkeeping blockchain model were designed. It also predicted potential changes in digital records management when applying blockchain. It predicted change in governance aspects to implement a horizontal cooperation system among the archives.

As research of oral history improved, not only public institutions but also private sectors actively collected and managed too. Despite these demands, however, there was not enough systematic analysis of systems targeted at oral archives. In this study, which started from this problem equation, the characteristics of oral archives and systems were analyzed and the institution that manages and serves current oral archives was selected to derive problems. It also analyzed the information required by the Presidential Archives, which collects oral archives but plans to build a system design. I will present suggestions for the establishment of a systematic oral archives management system focusing on problems and improvement measures that arise in the process.

This paper examines the characteristic records management activities and meanings of the regional council of the Gunma Prefectural Archives and the Tottori Prefectural Archives. Gunma Prefectural Archives and the Tottori Prefectural Archives have established a cooperation system between the municipalities and the municipalities and have promoted the establishment of the regional archives and developed various methodologies to improve the records management. This case study of the Japanese local archives will provide insights on the direction of the archives of the Korean local archives in the new transition period and the work design, especially the ‘cooperation and cooperation’ program with the local government.

This study aims to analyze the details of the executive order of the president of the United States, which have been developed in the country’s administrative system to institutionalize the guarantee of the people’s right to know the classified records, as well as to protecting national secrets. This study also aims to present any implications for the development of the classified record management system of Korea. To this end, the previously issued EO concerning the classified records management were reviewed in terms of its classification, safeguard, and declassification. The analysis results showed that the EO by the president established and prescribed the special access program for national secrets, the system to exempt and suspend the automatic declassification, and the sanctions for protecting national secrets. The EO also established and prescribed the appointment system for the person with the authority to classify record, automatic declassification program, and Mandatory declassification review system, as well as the procedures for historical researcher and certain former government personal to access the classified records with the purpose of guaranteeing people’s right to know. As a result, this study identified implications for the development of Korea’s classified record management system, as follows : First, it is necessary to restructure the current classified record management system, by changing the operations that is dependent on the director of the National Intelligence Service to the one that is dependent on the President. Second, it is necessary to legislate a separate special law for the classified record management system. Third, a standing supervisory body should be established for the integrated management and for the consistent and routine supervision of the classified record management. Fourth, it is necessary to establish procedures to further review the classification of classified record to correct the defects of the current classification system, which has been abused and mismanaged by the national agencies and organizations that produce classified record.

This archiving project of the survivors of suicide was done with the survivor supporting team of the Seoul Suicide Prevention Center. The survivor supporting team was operating a Self-help Support Group for the emotional support of the survivors of suicide. A Self-help Support Group is a place for the survivors of suicide to regularly meet and share their suffering by talking of topics hard to discuss elsewhere. As the Self-help Support Group progressed members who acted as the leader of the group appeared. They formed an essay group that writes together. Two fathers who lost their sons, two mothers who lost their daughters, a mother who lost her son, a wife who lost his husband. The essay group met each week in a place facing Sajik Park. Through the windows that took up the whole side of the room, evening was coming in. The things that happened during the day went away towards Inwang mountain following the setting sun. Ten people (six members of the essay group, three from the survivor support team, a historian for unique conversation) sat around a table, facing each other. “Now, what shall we do?” History for unique conversation is a time that archives life by sharing conversations. At times a complete stranger, and other times people who share their ordinary lives sit around together (3-9 people, sometimes about 15). On the table there is coffee, bread, fruits and salads, and sometimes a dish someone heartily prepared. When a bottle of wine is placed on the table, each takes a glass. Morning, afternoon, the time the evening is welcomed in, late night. It does not matter which. For six months, 3 hours when meeting every week, 6 hours when at every other week. A room where the ambience is like that of a kitchen where sunlight enters, or a cozy living room is the best location. However, there are many times when it is held in a multipurpose room in the suburbs where many meetings are held, or in a classroom of a school. The meeting place is decided according to different situations of the time. There are no participation requirements as it is said to be for themselves to write down according to archiving form while looking back their lives thoroughly, and they are the only ones to stop themselves. The archives landscape from far away would seem like trying to do some talking. However, when going into a microscopic situation one must leave themselves to the emotional dynamics. It is because it archives the frustration and failures one experienced through life. A participator of history for unique conversation must face the sufferings of their life. The archiving project took place in 2013 to 2014. Many years have passed. Has the objective distance for archiving the situation of that time been secured? That may be uncertain, but I will speak of a few stray thoughts on archiving while depicting the process and method of operation.

‘Memory discourse’ takes an important role in the paradigm shift of archival science. Memory points to the limitation of ‘records as evidence’ that had been assumed to be representable and redefines the record as an infinite interpretable medium by captured memory. Now, recordkeeping are given a new question as ‘what world to remember’ beyond ‘how to remember the world’ between ‘visible’ records and ‘invisible’ memories. And, the power of memory’s personal, present, and everyday aspect is linked to the argument that the keeping of memory and records itself can take a social justice role. In this article, we examine the western archival science’s memory discourse landscape comprehensively and reconstruct it to examine the possibility of memories’ social justice or archival justice.

As the function and role of the Record Center that manage the processing department, which is the producer of records, are very passive and limited, there are growing demands for expansion of work and organization along with change in this.In order to strengthen the function and role of the Record Center, it is necessary to enrich the substance through identification of the value of preservation and utilization of records under the Record Center, development of various tasks, and the construction of independent Record Center, etc. in addition to complementing institutional devices. In this paper, we examine the construction background and process, the remaining tasks of Record Center in Ministry of Justice, and intend to find out what matters and procedures the central administrative agency should consider when establishing the Record Center based on relevant case study.