개항기 번역관의 신설과 운영

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to examine the background of establishing an official translator system in the period of Port Opening and how to run that system. Since the period of Port Opening, I tried to study the situation to meet the need of times which the system of translator had to be set up and the effort of how much they tried to train competent people in the Western oriented international changing order. In the Eastern Asian order focused on Ming and Qing, Chosun which developed the diplomatic relation got busy to contact with Western countries and had a growing interest in translating and interpreting. Thus the government of Dynasty made a try to establish the education institute like Dongmoonhak(a government school for training official English interpretator) or Yookyoungongwon(the Royal English School) to teach a foreign language and they tried to raise up talented people. Moreover, talent who were trained at this institute were recruited as translator, had a plan to use negotiating the foreign policy. Chosun’s translators appeared around times of turning out Dongmoonhak’s graduates from 1885(the 22th year of Gojong who was Chosun’s King). They were deployed for Western officers, Maritime Customs and diplomatic officers to be appointed in Chosun newly. They spoke English, Russian, Japanese, made a difference from the previous translators. Also, because they belonged to Tongrikoysubtongsangsamuamun (that was the foreign office), but the previous translators belonged to Sayeokwon, they had a difference to play their roles. They translated papers and interpreted basically, and also did a foreign policy. But, Translators were not served as a higher position in the system. They were appointed as from 9th to 5th Pooms which was a lower position, routinized to work for a long-term, even if they had 30 month-term. It could be known that Chosun’s awareness about translating was still lower than now, considering the point that they also was not excepted even if their major were a western language. There were three types of translator to be appointed as an official. The first type was those who graduated from Dongmoonhak or Yookyoungongwon. They studied English and were majorities of translators. The 2nd type was Japanese translators, and was able to do activities of translating with the base of prominen tability of Japanese language. The 3rd type was people who came from the area near to foreign country, those who studied oversea, or those who learned a foreign language to contact with foreigners. By the way, most of translators had experienced the Western culture directly or indirectly. They also had aimed at the Westernization better than their tradition. It was encouraging cases with the point of that time that somebody among Yangban class had entered into the translating job, free from their traditional value. Translators had got to learn a foreign language when they took charge of a foreign policy, or got the opportunity to expand their knowledge through oversea service. Therefore, they had been growing a professional bureaucracy taking charge of diplomacy and modern technology. Besides, some of them introduced scientific technology which was necessary for accepting Western knowledge to Chosun through their translating, sought to Chosun’s civilization, enlightenment, and national prosperity with participating in the activities of Dokribheophoi(Independent Association), contributed to change the traditional order and the system.