조선 전기 격동기 신숙주의 정치적 역할과 그 의미

Abstract

After becoming the new king, Sejo employed certain pro-public policies while also launching institutions designed to enhance the government’s fiscal situation as well as the integrity of the military. By doing so he intended to solidify his leadership, and spawn by such intentions were also several legal or historical publication projects which led to the compilation of Gyeong’guk Daejeon and Dong’guk Tong’gam. This was all to legitimize his own enthronement and overcome his own immoral image, and these efforts eventually paid off, as they contributed to the bettering of Sejo’s overall image. He also frequently visited Buddhist monasteries like Beobju-sa and Sang’weon-sa, in order to appease the people and enhance his authority at the same time. The evaluation of Shin Suk-ju varies depending on what kind of criteria is (or was) used, and many opinions on King Sejo were (and are) reflected in the opinions on Shin. The king’s strengthened ruling authority not to mention accumulated political capital for the government in general was ultimately what enabled all kinds of political and cultural accomplishments during the reign of King Seongjong, and Shin Suk-ju was an integral part of King Sejo’s rule which set off the entire process. After Sejo took over the throne, Shin served the government as the Minister of Military Affairs as well as the Right Chancellor. In 1466, he became the Central Chancellor and continued to serve Sejo faithfully. Sejo explicitly trusted him to the extent of calling him his most trusted and wise advisor(智將), and virtually on the level of the renowned Chinese figure Wi Jing(魏徵). He even ordered the official historian to write that down in the Official Annals. Also he wrote 『Haedongjegookgi(海東諸國紀)』. During the turbulent times of Joseon’s early years, political stability was what the government most needed, and Shin Suk-ju played the most instrumental part in all sorts of policies conceived for that end, such as the establishment of a central authority, reinforced leadership of the king, comforted population and upgraded dynastic defense. Probably, the fact that Shin had already been acquainted with Sejo from the old days when Sejo was still Su’yang Daegun, and that he wholeheartedly believed in him, made this all possible. Shin Suk-ju was indeed one of the most dignified talents, an academician/governmental official, who enabled Joseon to overcome the initial confusions and mistakes and to create a politically and culturally stable platform for future prosperity that would last for centuries to come.