earticle

영어

Examined in this article is how the status of the Nammyeong school members (who were politically kicked out of the government right before the 1590’s war with the Japanese through the ‘Gichuk-year purge (己丑獄 事)’) were actually later reinstated and elevated to power. This examination is made keeping in mind the role of King Seonjo who planned and led the purge. It was King Seonjo’s resolve and hard-line attitude (to find accomplices to a treasonous plot) that caused the expansion of the Gichuk-year purge. In that purge Choi Yeong-gyeong (崔永慶) died in jail after being interrogated for accusations (of joining Jeong Yeo-rib/鄭汝立’s conspiracy of treason) made against him in the 23rd year of King Seonjo’s reign. But when the Northerners (北人) achieved huge victories in the war against the Japanese, the situation changed. In the 27th year of his reign, King Seonjo posthumously promoted Choi Yeong-gyeong to Daesaheon (大司憲), which was no less than labelling the Gichuk-year purge as a purge that was initiated based upon a ‘false accusation.’ But Jeong Cheol and Seong Hon were stripped of their titles - for an entirely different reason. Jeong Cheol had been ordered to leave the government for forming a political party [朋黨]. He also had to leave for stepping over King Seonjo’s authority with his arbitrary actions during his stay in Ming as a diplomatic emissary during the war against the Japanese. Meanwhile, Seong Hon was accused of failing to greet the king’s party during the war. He was also blamed for trying to vindicate Yi Jeong-am (李廷馣) who had earlier condoned the idea of making peace with the enemy. He was asked to leave the government as well. After they died, the Nammyeong school emphasized their role and responsibility in the Gichuk-year purge and King Seonjo publicly agreed with the assessment by denying his role in the matter and depriving Jeong Cheol and Seong Hon of their titles. As a result, Jeong Cheol was labeled as a sanctimonious vassal who framed honorable figures, and Seong Hon was labeled as a person who would side with such figure. This was an outright criticism thrown against the ruling of the country by Westerners. This criticism included Jeong and Seong. As a result, in the second half of King Seonjo’s reign, members of the Nammyeong school were newly invited and recruited to conduct crucial roles in dynastic governing.

한국어

본고는 임진왜란 직전 己丑獄事에 연루되어 정치적으로 숙청되었던 남명학파의 집권 세력으로의 위상 제고 과정을 옥사 확대의 실질적인 주역이었던 선조의 역할에 주목하여 정리한 것이다. 선조 23년 鄭汝立 역모 사건에 연루되어 문초를 받던 崔永慶이 옥사하는 등 기축옥 사가 확대된 것은 연루자에 대한 색출 의지를 표방한 선조의 강경한 입장에 따른 것이었 다. 하지만 임진왜란 당시 북인들이 의병 활동으로 큰 전과를 거두면서 상황이 바뀌었다. 선조 27년 최영경은 대사헌으로 追贈되었는데, 기축옥사를 무옥으로 규정한 데 따른 것이었다. 하지만 정철과 성혼의 관작삭탈의 근본적인 원인은 다른 것이었다. 정철은 붕당을 결성하고 임진왜란 당시 명에 사신으로 가서 독단적인 행위를 하여 선조의 권위를 무시 하여 조정을 떠났고, 성혼은 임진왜란 당시 御駕를 맞지 않은 혐의에 화친을 주장한 李廷馣을 옹호하는 발언을 계기로 조정에서 떠났다. 이들의 사망 후 남명학파는 기축옥사에 대한 이들의 책임성을 부각시켰으며, 선조는 자신의 관련성을 부정하고 정철과 성혼의 관작을 추탈함으로써 이를 공인하였다. 그 결 과 정철은 현인을 모함하는 奸臣으로, 성혼은 그에 偏黨하는 존재로 규정되었다. 이는 정철과 성혼을 구심으로 하는 서인의 국가운영을 근본적으로 비판하는 것이었다. 이에 따라 선조후반에는 남명학파가 국가운영의 핵심적인 역할을 수행하는 정국 개편이 이루 어졌다.