이 논문은 한국의 정보공개운동의 역사적 전개 과정과 현재적 쟁점, 새로운 전환의 성격을 정치과정론에 입각한 단체 간 비교연구를 통해 분석하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 1998년 정보공개법의 시행을 전후하여 본격적으로 시작된 한국의 정보공개운동은, 이후 10여 년 동안 ‘확장’과 ‘확산’(1999년~2004년), ‘제도화’와 ‘탈제도화’(2005년~2008년)의 시기를 거쳐 전개되어 왔다. 특히 1998년 설립된 참여연대 정보공개사업단은 정보공개제도의 개선, 관행의 혁파를 주도하며 초기 정보공개운동을 이끌었다. 그러나 역설적으로 노무현 정부에서 중요한 제도적 진전이 있은 이후, 정보공개운동의 활력이 약화되는 양상도 보였다. 정보공개제도와 관행이 후퇴하고 있는 이명박 정부에서는, 기존의 정보공개운동 주도세력들이 아닌 새로운 주체들이 등장하여 운동의 ‘이중적 전환’을 이끌고 있음이 확인된다. 2008년 창립한 투명사회를 위한 정보공개센터에는 법률가나 시민운동가 이외에 언론인, 기록학계, 일반 시민 등이 적극적으로 참여하고 있고, 블로그형 홈페이지를 통해 수많은 정보들이 ‘공개’되고 ‘공유’되고 있다. 다양한 시민교육 프로그램은 센터를 시민과 소통케 하고, 회원을 확보하는 쌍방향의 통로가 되고 있다. 정보공개센터는 과거 참여연대 정보공개사업단과 달리, 정책제안이나 정보공개소송, 논평이나 성명, 토론회 개최 등의 전통적 방식과 의제들과 구분되는 운동을 펼치고 있는 것이다. 이들은 ‘대변형’ 운동을 ‘역량강화형’ 운동으로, 그리고 정보공개운동의 프레임을 ‘공개’에서 ‘공유’로, 정보공개운동의 ‘이중적 전환’을 이끌고 있다.

This paper aims-through comparative research on two organizations and use of political process theory-to analyze the historical development of, current issues related to and the characteristics of the new transformation of the Freedom of Information Movements (FOIMs) in South Korea. In the ten years since the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) took effect in 1998, Korean FOIMs have developed along the following course: ‘emergence’ (1998), ‘expansion and extension’ (1999-2004), ‘institutionalization and retro-institutionalization-’ (2005-2008). Specifically, in the early stage of FOIMs, the Freedom of Information (FOI) department of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, established in 1998, had led the FOI movement by initiating reform of the FOI institution and advocating an end to old practices. Paradoxically, however, following the institutional progress of FOI under the Roh Moo Hyun government, the vitality of FOIMs seemed to be weakening. And under the Lee Myung Bak government, which is showing regression in both the FOI institution and practices, the ‘dual transformation’ of the FOIMs is being led not by old groups but by new ones. The Center for Freedom of Information and Transparent Society(CFOI), which was founded in 2008, has journalists, researchers of archival studies, citizens, lawyers and nongovernmental activists as members. Through its blog style Homepage, countless reports are becoming “open to the public” and “share with the public.” And its various civic education programs are interactive bridges which enable mutual communication between the Center and citizens. CFOI is expanding the FOI movement in different ways than the traditional activists such as the FOI department of the PSPD department, which worked through methods such as policy proposals, disclosing information litigation, comments and public statements, and hosting forums. CFOI is leading the ‘dual process of transformation’ of FOIMs, namely the transformation from an ‘advocacy’ movement to an ‘empowerment’ movement and transformation of the FOI movement’s framework from “open to the public” to “share with the public.”

This paper aims-through comparative research on two organizations and use of political process theory-to analyze the historical development of, current issues related to and the characteristics of the new transformation of the Freedom of Information Movements (FOIMs) in South Korea. In the ten years since the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) took effect in 1998, Korean FOIMs have developed along the following course: ‘emergence’ (1998), ‘expansion and extension’ (1999-2004), ‘institutionalization and retro-institutionalization-’ (2005-2008). Specifically, in the early stage of FOIMs, the Freedom of Information (FOI) department of the People’s Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, established in 1998, had led the FOI movement by initiating reform of the FOI institution and advocating an end to old practices. Paradoxically, however, following the institutional progress of FOI under the Roh Moo Hyun government, the vitality of FOIMs seemed to be weakening. And under the Lee Myung Bak government, which is showing regression in both the FOI institution and practices, the ‘dual transformation’ of the FOIMs is being led not by old groups but by new ones. The Center for Freedom of Information and Transparent Society(CFOI), which was founded in 2008, has journalists, researchers of archival studies, citizens, lawyers and nongovernmental activists as members. Through its blog style Homepage, countless reports are becoming “open to the public” and “share with the public.” And its various civic education programs are interactive bridges which enable mutual communication between the Center and citizens. CFOI is expanding the FOI movement in different ways than the traditional activists such as the FOI department of the PSPD department, which worked through methods such as policy proposals, disclosing information litigation, comments and public statements, and hosting forums. CFOI is leading the ‘dual process of transformation’ of FOIMs, namely the transformation from an ‘advocacy’ movement to an ‘empowerment’ movement and transformation of the FOI movement’s framework from “open to the public” to “share with the public.”

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Freedom of Information Act, Freedom of Information Movement, PSPD, CFOI, political process theory, advocacy, empowerment, open to the public, share with public, dual transformation