무슨 정보인지도 안 알려주고…‘요식행위’ 전락한 정보공개심의회

A recent information disclosure review committee (IDRC) in Busan's Jung-gu, comprised of only anonymous members, has come under scrutiny for its ineffective practice of public disclosure reviews. Professor Kim Ha-woon, a member of the IDRC who holds the position of a professor at Busan National University's Graduate School of Law, voiced his concerns over the committee's vote-based system, where he did not even know the names or faces of his fellow reviewers.

The committee primarily relies on written submissions and, due to the limited nature of these submissions, the reviews often amount to little more than "imaginative deliberations."

In response to Professor Kim's objections, the IDRC opted to conduct reviews through written submissions instead of direct meetings. Professor Kim lodged a grievance against the chairman of the IDRC, the Busan Jung-gu Deputy Office Chief, for alleged misuse of his position. Kim argues that the review process undermines the right to access information and the rights of the review committee members.

The Information Disclosure Review Committee system is designed to enable the government and public institutions to evaluate the disclosure of sensitive information from an external perspective. However, due to the lack of meaningful discussions and debates among review committee members, the system has been reduced to an 'empty gesture.'

According to the Information Disclosure Review Committee, at least 26 of the 59 central administrative agencies operated solely through written submissions between 2022 and 2024, highlighting significant shortcomings in the system's effectiveness.

Critics argue that the lack of genuine dialogue between review committee members and the limited access to relevant information render the review process ineffective and fail to protect the fundamental right to information. Professor Kim suggests that without meaningful deliberations and the ability to consider opposing viewpoints, the review process falls short of the principles of transparency and accountability that informed disclosure seeks to uphold.