• The Korean Journal of Archival Studies
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• no.34
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• pp.3-28
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• 2012

The year of 2013 is the first year that the new president takes the power and administrates the national affairs. In Korea, when the new president comes, the new administration brings big changes in the politics, economy, and society. The government management style has been changed according to the orientation and styles of the new president. Public records management is a critical and effective business tool to establish and carry out the government policies as well as an essential tool for democracy. Modern democracy is based on good governance. Creation and free use of full and accurate public records makes the good communication between the government and the public possible, and people's participation in the policy-making and surveillance of government activities for public good can work. During the present administration, communication between the president and the people was cutoff and people's participation in the national affairs have been further limited. Furthermore, in the present administration, the public records management was not regarded important, Whatever new administration comes, the year of 2013 is the time for the new administration to realize again the importance of the public records management and put it back to the normal track. Here are the major issues in the public records management to be concerned and resolved; (1) to ensure technological and institutional management of the electronic records in the government and safe transfer of the massive electronic records, (2) to establish an independent national records management and archives authority to be based on good governance, (3) to innovate the public records management in the public agencies including their agency records offices (RMO) and records management systems (RMS) (4) to establish local government archives and document local government policies and activities (5) supporting and promotion for documentation of the total society as a public service (6) expanding employment of professional records managers and archivists in the central and local governments, and standardization of professional competency and certification. In this paper, I will introduce the major issues in the public records management and suggest the policies and solutions that the Korean records professionals considered and discussed. This analysis and suggestions are the outcome of our professional considerations and discussions.