자치와 분권화는 국가경쟁력의 핵심이며 지방자치는 헌법이 보장해 온 국가 구성의 초석이다. 국정, 다시 말해 국가 입법 및 정책결정과정에 있어 중앙집권적 타성이 지배해 왔기 때문에 지방자치단체의 국정 참여는, 그 책임의 소재와 무관하게, 극히 저조한 수준에 머무르고 있다. 지방자치단체의 국정 참여는 법제도, 규범 그리고 현실 모든 면에서 크게 미흡하다. 그렇다면, 지방자치단체의 국정 참여, 왜, 어디까지, 어떻게 할 것인가? 이 논문은 지방자치단체의 입법․정책에 대한 참여 문제를 그 현황과 문제점, 대안과 실천방안을 중심으로 모색한 후 그 법정책적 대안을 헌법개정, 법률 수준, 특히 국회법, 지방자치법 등 일반법 수준, 각각의 개별법 수준, 법률하위법령 수준, 또는 비입법적 정책 수준으로 나누어 제시하고 있다.

Participation of Local Autonomy Authorities in National Legislation and Policy Making Hong, Joon Hyung The Local Autonomy and Decentralization is the core element fo national competitiveness. Particularly, the local autonomy constitutes an indispensable foundation of the government structure under Korean Constitutional law. In Korea, local autonomy authorities still have very little participation in the process of national legislation and policy making. This is due to the persistent tendency of government centralization from previous constitutions in Korea. This article explores some issues regarding local authorities' participation in national level legislation and policy making, focusing on their current status, related problems and some innovation measures. The article proposes alternatives, from the perspective of legal policy, divided into four categories: Constitutional amendment, Statutory revision of those acts like National Assembly Act, Local Autonomy Act, and other relevant acts, and other initiatives at non-legislative policy level.

Participation of Local Autonomy Authorities in National Legislation and Policy Making Hong, Joon Hyung The Local Autonomy and Decentralization is the core element fo national competitiveness. Particularly, the local autonomy constitutes an indispensable foundation of the government structure under Korean Constitutional law. In Korea, local autonomy authorities still have very little participation in the process of national legislation and policy making. This is due to the persistent tendency of government centralization from previous constitutions in Korea. This article explores some issues regarding local authorities' participation in national level legislation and policy making, focusing on their current status, related problems and some innovation measures. The article proposes alternatives, from the perspective of legal policy, divided into four categories: Constitutional amendment, Statutory revision of those acts like National Assembly Act, Local Autonomy Act, and other relevant acts, and other initiatives at non-legislative policy level.

The Local Autonomy, Decentralization, Participation in the Process of National Legislation and Policy Making, Local Autonomy Act