본 논문은 유급제의 이론적 기초를 제공하는 데 주요 목적이 있다. 유급제의 의원 보수인상이 의정의 전문성을 높이는 데 어떤 의의를 지니며, 어떠한 효과를 기대할 수 있는지, 그리고 실제 그러한 효과는 어떠한 전제 조건 하에서 가능한 것인지를 논의하는 데 중점을 두었다. 이를 위해 미국의 경험적 사례를 통해 유급제의 논리 구조를 파악하는 한편, 한국의 의원 유급제가 지닌 한계와 문제점을 분석하여 제도적 개선방안에 시사점을 찾고자 하였다. 분석 결과, 미국의 의정 전문화 개혁에서 의원 보수 인상은 공직의 기회비용을 바꿈으로써 의원직을 직업으로 삼는 의원이 증가되고 의원 교체율을 낮추어 의정의 지속성이 제고되는 충원 효과가 의정 전문성을 높이는 전제 요건이었다. 그러나 한국의 경우, 유급제의 도입에도 여전히 심각한 수준의 의원 교체율은 의원 보수 인상의 충원효과가 매우 제한적임을 보여주는 것이었다. 이는 유급제 도입 당시 처음 책정된 의원 보수가 미흡한 수준 때문이었을 수도 있지만, 정당이 공천을 통해 충원에 절대적인 영향력을 행사하고 있는 현실에서는 공직의 기회비용을 바꾸는 것만으로 유급제의 충원 효과가 발휘되기 힘들다는 것을 뜻한다. 따라서 유급제의 충원 효과를 높이기 위한 방안 모색에는 의정의 연속성을 크게 저해시킨 정당 공천제의 개선이 함께 고려되어야 할 필요성을 강조하였다.

As devolution of power to local governments is implemented, responsibilities of legislators in local councils have increased, as has appraisal of legislative performance in order. The notable change is the Local Autonomy Act. This is a law allowing each local government to decide the level of compensation for its legislators and it was also made to strengthen the institutional performance as well as the capacity of local legislatures. However, there has been a controversy as to whether a higher level of compensation will result in a more professional service and independent legislature, and little systematic inquiry into theoretical or empirical bases of increased legislative salaries has been undertaken. This paper is to clarify the concept of legislative professionalism and to show a clearer link between professionalization and legislative compensation by examining the cases of the American professionalization movement in the 1960s. This study finds that increased salaries are the crucial factor in realizing legislative professionalization. As professionalization lowers the opportunity costs of entering government service, it will attract full-time legislators with long-term career goals. This attitude will be reflected both on legislators' performance and retention rate. In Korea, however, the analysis shows that the increased legislative compensation has little impact on turnover rate, in that political parties play a major role in local elections, but they tend to change the party incumbents in the candidate nomination process.

As devolution of power to local governments is implemented, responsibilities of legislators in local councils have increased, as has appraisal of legislative performance in order. The notable change is the Local Autonomy Act. This is a law allowing each local government to decide the level of compensation for its legislators and it was also made to strengthen the institutional performance as well as the capacity of local legislatures. However, there has been a controversy as to whether a higher level of compensation will result in a more professional service and independent legislature, and little systematic inquiry into theoretical or empirical bases of increased legislative salaries has been undertaken. This paper is to clarify the concept of legislative professionalism and to show a clearer link between professionalization and legislative compensation by examining the cases of the American professionalization movement in the 1960s. This study finds that increased salaries are the crucial factor in realizing legislative professionalization. As professionalization lowers the opportunity costs of entering government service, it will attract full-time legislators with long-term career goals. This attitude will be reflected both on legislators' performance and retention rate. In Korea, however, the analysis shows that the increased legislative compensation has little impact on turnover rate, in that political parties play a major role in local elections, but they tend to change the party incumbents in the candidate nomination process.

local council, legislative professionalism, legislators' salaries, opportunity cost of entering government service