Reform on Administrative Transparency in Local Government: The Case of Korea

Administrative transparency is an emerging concept guiding reform in government administration. This study examines the problems of administrative transparency in Korean local government and suggests policy measures for improving it. The main questions of this study are: what are the theoretical constructs and consequences of administrative transparency and what policy measures are needed? To answer the questions, the author conceptualizes transparency and seeks a theoretical framework. After analyzing major transparency-related policies of local government, the author suggests the alternatives that can be introduced to further it. The policy steps recommended here include expanding e-government services; revision of the Act on Disclosure of Information by Public Agencies; introduction of a full-scale independent special counsel system and legal protection of whistleblowers; improving the information classification system; and strengthening loyalties of government administrators to their own residents. In conclusion, this paper argues that in Korean local government, the problems of transparency are not simply a matter of less information, but a matter of information quality.