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Blockchain E-voting System and Governance: The Case of Korean National Pension Service

블록체인 기술을 활용한 전자투표시스템과 지배구조: 국민연금 사례를 중심으로

  • Chung, Hae Jin (Department of Business Administration, Sejong University)
  • Received : 2019.04.02
  • Accepted : 2019.10.10
  • Published : 2019.11.30

Abstract

Blockchain technology prevents tampering of central authorities that manage voting process, enhancing trust in the vote results. This technology enables citizens to participate more directly in the areas where delegation was inevitable due to the difficulties in polling fair and trustworthy public opinions. There are many projects around the world proposing to implement voting system for public decision making using blockchain technology. The blockchain voting system is expected to work as a transparent and fair channel for polling public opinions, which will transform the public decision-making process and governance. Korean National Pension Service (NPS) recently introduced stewardship code to better represent the interest of beneficiaries. However, because of the mistrust in governance of NPS, introduction of stewardship code is facing criticism for potential misuse of their voting rights against the interest of beneficiaries and for government's interference with corporate management. This study proposes a voting system applying blockchain technology for polling the opinions of National Pension Fund's beneficiaries to support public decision-making, and discusses social and institutional conditions for implementation of the proposed system.

블록체인 기술은 분권화를 통해 투표 과정에서 이루어질 수 있는 부당한 개입과 조작을 방지하여 투표 결과의 신뢰성을 높여 공정한 여론 수렴의 어려움으로 인해 대리 의사결정이 이루어지던 많은 분야에서 직접 의사결정의 가능성을 열어 주었다. 전세계적으로 공공 의사결정에 블록체인 기술을 활용한 투표 시스템을 도입하려는 시도가 이루어지고 있으며, 이는 투명하고 공정한 여론 수렴 채널로 기능하여 공공 의사결정 과정과 지배구조에 큰 변화를 가져올 것으로 기대된다. 최근 스튜어드십 코드를 도입한 국민연금의 경우, 지배구조에 대한 불신으로 인해 스튜어드십 코드 도입 취지와 달리 국민연금 가입자의 이해에 반하는 주주권 행사와 지나친 경영 간섭이 일어날 것이란 우려가 제기 되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 국민연금 사례를 중심으로 가입자 의견 수렴과 공공 의사결정을 위한 블록체인 기술을 응용한 투표 시스템을 제안하고 이를 도입하기 위해 마련되어야 할 사회적 제도적 제반 여건에 대해 논의한다.

Keywords

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