(3) Relevant public institutions shall decide on an objection raised within seven days from the date on
which such objection is raised and notify the relevant applicant of outcomes thereof without delay in
writing: Provided, That when public institutions cannot make a decision within a fixed period due to
inevitable grounds, such period may be extended by up to seven days when calculated from the day
following the date when such fixed period expires, and applicant shall be notified of the grounds for such
extension.
(4) Where public institutions decide to dismiss or reject an objection, they shall notify applicants of the
fact that applicants may file for an administrative appeal or administrative litigation, along with
notification on the outcomes under paragraph (3).
Article 19 (Administrative Appeal)
(1) When any applicant is dissatisfied with a decision made by a public institution in connection with
information disclosure, or when no decision is made about whether to disclose information even after 20
days elapse after a request for information disclosure was made, he/she may file an administrative appeal
as prescribed by the Administrative Appeals Act. In such case, the administrative agency that supervises
the decision of a public institution, other than state agencies and local governments, shall be the head of
the relevant central administrative agency or the head of the relevant local government.
(2) An applicant may file an administrative appeal without going through the procedures for filing
administrative appeals under Article 18.
(3) Any member who is involved in administrative appeals against decisions on whether or not to disclose
information, from among the members of the Administrative Appeal Committee, shall not divulge secrets
that the he/she has learned while performing his/her duties not only during his/her tenure and but also after
his/her retirement.
(4) The members of the Administrative Appeal Committee referred to in paragraph (3) shall be deemed
public officials in the application of the Criminal Act and the penalty provisions of other Acts.
Article 20 (Administrative Litigation)
(1) Where an applicant is dissatisfied with a decision made by a public institution in connection with
information disclosure, or when no decision is made about whether to disclose information even after 20
days elapse after a request for information disclosure was made, he/she may file for an administrative
litigation as prescribed by the Administrative Litigation Act.
(2) The presiding judge may, if deemed necessary, peruse or examine the information, the disclosure of
which is requested, in private, without involving parties therein.
(3) Where the subject of an administrative litigation is a disposition not to disclose or to partially disclose
information pertaining to national security, national defense, or diplomatic relations, from among the
information provided for in Article 9 (1) 2, the presiding judge may order not to submit the relevant
information if the relevant public institution substantiates procedures for classifying the information, the
levels, types, and nature of the classification, practical reasons for keeping the information secret, and the
grounds for not disclosing the information, etc.