MODERNIZATION OF ARCHIVES MANAGEMENT

GYUNG-YUL CHOE, assistant director of the Government Archives and Records Service, the Republic of Korea

Honorable Chairman, Members, Ladies and Gentlemen :

I am GYUNG-YUL CHOE, assistant director of the Government Archives and Records Service, the Republic of Korea.

I am very pleased to be here with you, and have a great pleasure in expressing on "the Modernization of Archives Management".

Generally speaking, the meaning of the term "modernization" is that an object is adapted itself to the modern circumstances and environments.

Therefore, I think that "the Modernization of Archives Management" means adapting archives management to the modern circumstances and environments to improve its method.

So, I would like to think about "the modern circumstances and environments" which symbolize the characteristic of modern times in which we live.

What should we do to manage the archives in modern circumstances and environments?

And then I am going to introduce the modernization of archives management in case of the Republic of Korea.

As you know, we can explain "the Modernization of Archives Management" from the various viewpoints.

But, I want to express four major points which are the automation of archives management, the protection of privacy, the maximum permission for access to government holding archives and the alternative tendency of appraisal standard for archives.

First, I'd like to talk to you about the necessity for the automation of archives management.

In addition to, the archives such as official documents, books, photos, audio-visual records are on the increase as geometric progression series, those are being produced, circulated and used by the up-to-date electronic technics and information media.

Therefore, it is necessary to convert hand-work into automation for production, acquisition, classification, arrangement, conservation, information- retrieval and use of archives to manage it efficiently and systematically, because the hand-work management for a huge sum of archives is inefficient and insystematic.

In case of the Republic of Korea, the essential records, like presidential records holding in the Government Archives and Records Service, are being computerized for retrieval index since 1990.

And we have equipped the Document Image Management System to input even the image data as the contents of papers on June this year.

Second, I'd like to talk to you about the necessity for the protection of privacy.

As you know, personal computer has come into world wide use as the necessaries of life and the related technics are being developed day by day as well.

Many people of global village today are coming into contact with "on-line multimedia system" in their life, and they would often use "INTERNET" which is the largest computer network system in the world now.

Today, general idea on time and space is quite different from the ancient to obtain the information. It is possible to obtain prompt information by computer system today.

But, it is also possible to intrude upon a person's privacy, because his private information is being opened by computer system and it is difficult to control it.

So, many people would frequently raise the necessity for protecting provision of a person’s privacy against the intrusion which may arise by computer system.

In case of the Republic of Korea, "the Privacy Act" is already enacted, and it is in force since January this year.

Third, I am going to talk about the necessity for the maximum permission for access to government holding archives.

According to raising democratic senses of citizen, the needs for extension of the right to know are growing day by day, and the cultural desires are strengthening in accordance with the elevation of the standard of living.

Accordingly, the demand for materials concerning above is growing also.

Therefore, I think that the government holding information are to be opened to the public with the maximum except the intrusion upon another's privacy, the public order and the national interests as national security, etc.

In case of the Republic of Korea, "the Access to Information Act" is being prepared for enact in order to fulfil the right to know for citizen.

And we have to voluntarily make the circumstances as archives exhibition for easy access to archives.

Archives exhibitions is the most efficient educational way for citizen to increase their archives cultural sense, as you know.

At the Government Archives and Records Service of the Republic of Korea, we have held the archives exhibition at two or three years intervals, and we have held it this year also.

Forth, I'd like to talk to you about the alternative tendency of appraisal standard for archives.

Comparing today with the before, the appraisal standards for various kind of things show a tendency to alter.

For example, it is told by many scholars the values of a localism, a sectionalism and nationalism show a tendency to descend : on the other hand, the values toward the human race as humanism and internationalism show a tendency to ascend.

Accordingly, the appraisal standards for records which are worth while to preserve, show a tendency to alter also.

The globe is the only roost in which we, all human being, live.

However, one of the most serious problems on the globe is the greenhouse effect, the destruction of the ozonosphere and the exterminatory crisis of a stock by the environmental disruption and pollution which are caused by mankind and use of fossil fuels I think.

But, about one hundred years ago, the recognitions and viewpoints on global environment problems were different from nowadays.

As the Government Archives and Records Service of Korea, we are interested in the archives on environmental integrity like ecological adaptation research, as to appraisal of records.

Finally, I want to thank you for the privilege and the opportunity of talking to you about this subject and express my sincere hope that this meeting will produce mutually helpful results for all participants.

Thank you for listening.