KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study analyzes the current status and challenges of records management among private subsidy program operators to ensure accountability in administering government subsidies derived from public funds and proposes measures to strengthen their records management practices. The research examined related laws and regulations in the United States, the European Union, and Australia, investigating cases of records management support for privately operated government-funded agencies. The analysis reveals that international jurisdictions provide records management support to private government-funded agencies receiving public funds. In addition, an examination of domestic government subsidy records management identifies significant gaps: records pertaining to subsidy program operations and performance lack integrated management, and no public support system exists for records management by private subsidy program operators. In-depth interviews illuminate how inadequate documentation of program operations and performance by private subsidy program operators leads to the weakening of government subsidy programs. Based on these findings, the study proposes improvements to the Subsidy Management Act and recommends records management education to support the establishment of systematic records management frameworks for private subsidy program operators.

This study aims to analyze the suitability of the records held by the National Archives of Korea with the permanent preservation standards outlined in Appendix 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Public Records Management Act. It seeks to identify the current status and issues, providing the implications necessary for establishing a national records appraisal policy. The study classifies the permanent records held by the National Archives of Korea into three categories: documenting government activities, providing evidence for citizens’ rights, and recording national experiences. Through this analysis, several cases where the standards prescribed by the law and the guidelines for retention periods differed were identified. Furthermore, matching the records inventory with Appendix 1 revealed that records related to providing evidence for citizens’ rights were most frequently identified, while those related to recording national experiences were the least identified. Ultimately, this study highlights the need for specific and practical appraisal criteria and policy frameworks through the analysis of actual records holdings, emphasizing the necessity of establishing appraisal and selection standards to ensure objectivity and consistency in records appraisal.

The National Archives of Korea (NAK) provides comprehensive records management oversight to designated public institutions, a framework established through multiple designation phases in 2007, 2009, and 2012. These institutional designations, determined by varying criteria, have remained unchanged since implementation. This study examined the challenges within the NAK supervision designation system and proposed strategic enhancements to its operational framework. The research methodology incorporates qualitative interviews with records managers from public institutions to gather operational insights. Quantitative analysis of the public institution management performance evaluation results spanning 2017–2021 demonstrated statistically significant superior performance among NAK-supervised institutions than self-managed entities. Drawing from these findings, the study emphasizes the need for the strategic expansion of NAK’s institutional supervision framework. The proposed enhancement measures encompass four key dimensions: reformulation of designation criteria, implementation of systematic operational protocols, integration with management evaluation frameworks, and adoption of ISO 30301 Information and Documentation – Management Systems for Records – Requirements.