제중원의 ‘이중적 지위’와 그 변화-­ 서울대병원의 ‘제중원 계승’ 주장과 관련하여

Abstract

While Jejungwon was officially a government hospital, western medical missionaries took charge of the facility’s medical duties. This means that the government and the mission shared responsibility for the operation of Jejungwon. This was why Jejungwon was under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (統理交涉通商事務衙門). In 1894, full management rights were transferred to the mission by Oliver R. Avison. The mission­handled work of Jejungwon included medical duties, human resources affairs, and financial affairs, while property rights remained under the government. In 1904, Jejungwon moved out of Namdaemun with the construction of Severance Hospital. Severance Hospital became a totally missionary hospital as it restored governmental buildings and lands. It also inherited the traditions of Jejungwon and, for a time, used both names. SNUH, meanwhile, also sees itself as Jejungwon’s successor, stating that they are both national hospitals. However, SNUH was built after Korea’s liberation in 1946. What were, in fact, transferred to SNUH were the facilities of the Medical Department of Keijo Imperial University (京城帝國大學). There is no connection between Jejungwon and SNUH. SNUH insists that they succeeded Gwangjewon (1899), Daehan Hospital (1907), and the hospital of Keijo Imperial University. However, the belief that they originated with Japanese colonization is a great misconception in Korean history.