數位時代我國政府保密資訊法制的困境與展望——美國13526號行政命令的規範借鏡與反思

Can Taiwan’s Classified Government Information Regime Endure in the Digital Era? Lessons from U.S. Executive Order 13526

本文旨在探討我國政府保密資訊法制的歷史路徑及其造成當代司法實務的困境與改革方向。自立國以來，立法者陸續制定軍事機密、國防秘密、公務秘密及國家機密等多軌法制體系。終止動員戡亂後，立法者維持多軌並行的政府保密資訊體系。然我國長期採行的多軌法制架構，已難因應當代數位治理的挑戰。本文以美國政府保密資訊的立法模式與行政實踐為參照，檢視我國尚未完成轉型的政府保密資訊體系，並聚焦探討二項難題：1.政府保密資訊是否須經「核定」方具法律效力？2.國家機密保護法在適用上，是否應為刑法、陸海空軍刑法與國家安全法之特別法或基本法？上述問題長期困擾司法實務，亟待釐清。本文探究司法實務對多軌立法困境的兩種解決模式，分析美國13526號行政命令建立的政府資訊保密與管理制度，借鏡其在平衡表意自由與國家安全之間的法制經驗與學界反思，作為我國政府保密資訊的多軌刑事法體系的立法論建議，期拋磚引玉，為推動國安法制改革，盡棉薄之力！

This article examines the historical development of the ROC (Taiwan)’s legal regime governing classified government information, analyzes the challenges it poses to contemporary judicial practice, and proposes potential avenues for reform. Since the establishment of the Republic of China, the legislature has successively enacted separate legal regimes governing military secrets, national defense secrets, official secrets, and classified national security information, thereby creating a multi-track system. Following the termination of the Period of National Mobilization for Suppression of the Communist Rebellion, the legislature retained this multi-track framework for classified information. This long-standing structure, however, has become increasingly ill-suited to the challenges of governance in the digital era.
Drawing on the legislative model and administrative practices governing classified information in the United States, this article examines Taiwan’s still-incomplete transition toward a modern system of classified government information and focuses on two issues in particular. First, must government information be formally classified before its secrecy is legally recognized? Second, in its application should the Classified National Security Information Protection Act operate as a special law or as a fundamental law in relation to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces, and the National Security Act?
This article examines two judicial approaches developed to address the systemic challenges stemming from Taiwan’s multi-track legislative framework for classified information. It further analyzes the classification and management scheme established under U.S. Executive Order 13526. Drawing on the U.S. legal experience and scholarly reflections concerning the balance between freedom of expression and national security, the article offers concrete legislative recommendations for reforming Taiwan’s multi-track system of criminal laws governing classified government information, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on national security law reform in Taiwan.