Civil petitions and appeals in Korea : investigating rhetoric and institutional settings

This study raises one of the fundamental questions on the role and function of the ‘civil petition/appeal,’ and the relevant institutional settings in Korean government that would foster positive contribution of such in the policy-making process and good governance. This study finds that the civil petition/appeal process of Korea possesses quite a unique aspect compared to other democratic society, and mostly functions as ‘symbolic’ gestures by the government, lacking the proper feedback functions that would ideally lead to changes in law/regulations and eventually changes in institutional settings and practices. To promote grass-roots democracy and good governance, this study recommends a major change in the institutional setups that would put the National Assembly more accountable for feedback role/functions by becoming the core institution which must handle ‘civil petition/appeal’ in a form of case works