전자정부와 개인정보보호의 조화 - 이념적 측면을 중심으로

Why Do We Need the Harmonization of E-government and Personal Information Protection?

&nbsp;&nbsp;With the advent of information society, two competing concerns draw our attention: the necessity of e-government and the crisis of personal information. This short essay aims to find a way to the harmonization of these two concerns.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;Two preliminary arguments were demonstrated. First, without the proper protection system for personal information, there would be no future for liberal democratic e-government because it may demolish the basis of liberal democracy, that is, the autonomy of individuals. Second, personal information has not only private but also public values so that the level of personal information protection be decided in the democratic process unless this decision falls outside of the constitutional boundary.<BR>&nbsp;&nbsp;This essay‘s conclusion is that the absolute autonomy on the part of the individual in the stage of collecting personal information cannot be guaranteed while legal mechanisms designed to facilitate democratic use of personal information without endangering private autonomy itself should be set up. The required protection system includes the decentralization of personal information management system, the establishment of external control system for the personal information protection and the constitutional or legal recognition of the right of personal information.