개화기 飜譯官 양성을 위한 외국어 교육과 그 문제점

Abstract

Before opening the port, Joseon Dynasty had been engaged in the international relations based on the Ye(禮) of Sadaegyorin(事大交隣) in the top-down hierarchical structure. At this time, the international relations were approached at the level of the Ye and under the direction of the Ministry of Rites(禮曹), and the foreign business was performed in the form of assistances from the Seungmunwon(承文院) which was in charge of the diplomatic documentation and the Sayeogwon(司譯院) which was responsible for communicating and processing works. Official interpreters of Chinese language(漢語), Japanese langugage(日語), Jurchen language and Mongolian language belong to the Sayeogwon and it was solely responsible for the language communication and exchange. But after the port opening, the foreign affair system of Joseon experienced a big change. Western powers forced Joseon to adopt their international law and diplomacy order by their superior strength and this meant that it should be converted into a modern diplomacy order which is based on the international law(萬國公法). Joseon was trying to respond to this by accepting the western diplomacy system and being equipped with a professional bureaucracy dedicated to diplomacy affairs. Therefore, while taking the diplomacy affair as an independent area by separating from the Ministry of Rites, they established the diplomatic department and expanded its diplomacy target including western countries. In this sprocess, Tongrigimuamun(統理機務衙門) had been established as a diplomacy department which was responsible for the treaties and the trade business with foreign countries and it had been changed to Tongrigyoseoptongsangsamuamun(統理交涉通商事務衙門), Oimuamun(外務衙門) after the Gabo reform period, Oibu(外部), etc. Meanwhile, the need for professional business organization which should serve on the modern diplomacy system had led to the birth of official interpreters. They appeared on record since 1885. While being responsible for interpreting and translation belonging to the diplomacy department, they mainly majored in western languages such as English, Russian and etc. While they were mainly placed in maritime customs(海關) and missions abroad(公館), since the Gabo reform, they were responsible for the diplomacy business work belonging to the central department. In order to successfully establish a modern diplomacy system, Joseon tried to establish the new training and selection process for the human resource development. For the official interpreter, the government educational institutions were established and the foreign language education was carried out. The foreign language which was initially limited to English expanded to Japanese and Chinese as well as French, German and Russian. Along with these institutional changes, the knowledge, which the interpreter had to equip with, such as history, geography, law, economics, science, gymnastics, etc. started to be trained. In that selection as well, graduates from good foreign language schools were primarily to be appointed. The effort of Joseon trying to establish the modern diplomacy system as such was carried out independently and autonomously. However, the foreign intervention trying to plant their influence through the language education during the education and selection of the official interpreter also can not be overlooked. Western countries were aggressive in their language education for their own positioning and interest in Joseon. Therefore, regarding the establishment of the language school after Dongmunhak(同文學) or Yukyounggongwon(育英公院), there were always aggressive proposals by Western countries for the establishment of educational facilities and these led to proposals on teacher recommendations and educational contents. Therefore, even the education philosophy of the country was injected in each language school. And also, each foreign legations(公使館) influenced even in the selection of the interpreter. While Joseon government demanded interpreters to work strictly for the national interest, these factors shown in the education and employment of interpreters also had the side effects such as sometimes causing the confusion in the identity of interpreters.