은행의 경영지배구조는 최근의 글로벌 금융위기 이후 금융법규에서 특히 중요한 연구 과제의 하나이다. 금융감독당국은 가칭 「금융회사의 경영지배구조에 관한 법률」의 제정을 추진 중에 있고 이러한 과정 중에 지난 해 발생한 국내 은행에서의 경영권 분쟁 사례는 은행의 CEO와 관련한 지배구조에 대하여 근본적인 재검토를 요구한다. 이사회의 경우 은행장과 이사 등에 대한 견제와 감독기능을 강화하기 위해 사외이사제도를 도입하였으나 사외이사의 독립성에 한계가 있으므로 그 역할을 강화하기 위해서는 은행의 실무에 정통한 사외이사를 선임할 수 있도록 자격요건 및 경력 등을 정할 필요가 있다. 은행장에 대한 권한 집중과 장기집권을 막기 위해서는 은행장후보추천위원회제를 법정하여 은행장 선임절차의 공정성과 투명성을 제고할 필요가 있으며, 임기와 연령에 대한 제한 및 업무에 대한 책임을 명확히 할 수 있는 절차의 마련이 필요하다. 그리고 은행에서 널리 이용되고 있는 집행임원과 관련하여 개정 상법이 도입한 집행임원제 적용을 강제함으로써 업무집행에 대한 책임관계를 명확히 하고 이사회의 감독기능을 강화할 필요가 있다. 끝으로 은행의 임원에 대하여는 엄격한 자격요건이 적용되고 있으나, 감독기관이 실질적으로 이를 심사할 수 있는 체계가 마련되어 있지 않고 실무적으로 심사가 제대로 이루어지지도 않고 있는 점을 감안할 때 감독당국이 사전에 임원의 적격성 심사를 할 수 있는 법적 근거를 명확히 할 필요가 있다.

Corporate governance of bank is especially important academic subject after recent global financial crisis. Korean supervisory authority is under contemplation to enact new act tentatively named 「Corporate Governance of Financial Company Act」. During its process, a Korean financial group had a management control struggle last year, which called for fundamental reexamination on corporate governance regarding bank CEOs. Concerning the board, outside director was introduced to enhance the function of check and oversight on the bank CEO and other directors. Because there is, however, some limitation in their independence, we still need to improve the procedure to select outside director such as qualification and experience etc. to strengthen their role. In order to prevent concentration and long-term seizure of power by bank CEO, we need to improve fairness and transparency in procedure of selecting bank CEO by stipulation of the recommendation committee of bank CEO candidate in law; and prepare the procedure to limit their term in office and retirement age and to clarify their responsibility. Executive officer was widely used in banks but there was no legal foundation. So, requiring mandatory application of executive officer system that was enacted in commercial law lately can make their responsibility for business clear and can strengthen the oversight function of the board. Finally, directors have to satisfy strict qualifications but supervisory authority has no practical tool to examine their qualification and the supervisory examination is not performed sufficiently. Therefore, supervisory authority needs to have clear legal foundation for fit and proper test in advance.

Corporate governance of bank is especially important academic subject after recent global financial crisis. Korean supervisory authority is under contemplation to enact new act tentatively named 「Corporate Governance of Financial Company Act」. During its process, a Korean financial group had a management control struggle last year, which called for fundamental reexamination on corporate governance regarding bank CEOs. Concerning the board, outside director was introduced to enhance the function of check and oversight on the bank CEO and other directors. Because there is, however, some limitation in their independence, we still need to improve the procedure to select outside director such as qualification and experience etc. to strengthen their role. In order to prevent concentration and long-term seizure of power by bank CEO, we need to improve fairness and transparency in procedure of selecting bank CEO by stipulation of the recommendation committee of bank CEO candidate in law; and prepare the procedure to limit their term in office and retirement age and to clarify their responsibility. Executive officer was widely used in banks but there was no legal foundation. So, requiring mandatory application of executive officer system that was enacted in commercial law lately can make their responsibility for business clear and can strengthen the oversight function of the board. Finally, directors have to satisfy strict qualifications but supervisory authority has no practical tool to examine their qualification and the supervisory examination is not performed sufficiently. Therefore, supervisory authority needs to have clear legal foundation for fit and proper test in advance.

corporate governance of bank, CEO risk,outside director, officer, bank CEO