임란 극복의 주역, 류성룡 축출 과정과 그 배경 - ‘재조산하’에서 ‘재조지은’으로 = The Dismissal of Ryu Seong-ryong, the Hero of the Imjin WAr From “Remaking the Country” to “Returning the Favor”

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Ryu Seong-ryong was impeached and ousted from the court although he was the hero of the Imjin War. Scholars tend to explain away this issue by pointing to his refusal to serve as special envoy to the Ming after Jeong Eungtae(丁應泰) submitted three memorials to the Ming court. Some simply repeat the accusation of the late 16th century factional struggle that Ryu Seong-ryong “ruined the state with his conciliatory policy toward Japan.” However, Ryu Seong-ryong’s tragic dismissal was not only due to the fundamental contradiction of a reactionary Joseon, but also to the self-centered motives of King Seonjo, the Ming Emperor, and partisans confronting the extreme realities of war. In other words, ideological conflicts over urgent issues as well as factional struggle among individuals and groups formed the complex background against which Ryu took was impeached.
Under such difficult and confusing conditions, Ryu Seong-ryong pulled through reforms to overcome the national crisis as well as to prepare for the future. It would be no exaggeration to say that his reforms were to remake the mountains and rivers of the country. Particularly, he enlisted slaves in the regiment troops, which undermined the status system of Joseon society, and implemented the Tribute Cultivation Act, which eliminated the ills of tribute contracting (indirect payment) and imposed higher rates of taxation on the rich. However, the ruling class which enjoyed social and economic privileges in the old system adamantly resisted Ryu’s groundbreaking reforms. King Seonjo tried only to maintain the despotic government while being subservient to the Ming court. Accordingly, Ryu Seong-ryong became a target of the old party, and his relationship with King Seonjo became increasingly conflictual. Moreover, Ryu Seong-ryong who had been in charge of state affairs and endured as Yi Sun-shin’s guardian began to lose power in the wake of the Second Japanese Invasion of 1597 and Yi Sun-shin’s dismissal and imprisonment.
In addition, Ryu Seong-ryong had to undergo the intensifying ordeal because the Ming headquarters tried to remove him as he pursued Joseon’s independence. Toward the end of the Imjin War, the so-called “Jeong Eung-tae Incident of False Accusation” occurred. This incident was due to the factional struggle of the Ming court; however, King Seonjo was fixated on his obligation to save Yang Hao 楊鎬 (? - 1629) who had guaranteed his throne.
The Northerners plotted to use this incident to oust Ryu Seon-ryong. Accordingly, they impeached Ryu Seong-ryong on the ground that he was being disloyal for having refused to serve as special envoy to the Ming. In addition they made a false accusation that he ruined the state with his conciliatory attitude toward the Japanese. King Seonjo who disliked Ryu Seong-ryong’s presence at the court instigated the impeachment in the background.
As a result, Ryu Seong-ryong, the hero of the Imjin War, was dismissed and returned home. Ryu Seong-ryong, the reform-minded top-tier meritorious minister as defeated by those reactionary and subservient ministers. A pre-modern absurdity of an reform-minded upright minister being ousted due to factional struggle can also be found in the histories of other countries: Joseon was no exception. Despite the tremendous external impact, the establishment of the Joseon state since King Sejo’s reign remained still too powerful. Therefore, Ryu could not avoid being impeached. With the dismissal of Ryu Seong-ryong, in a post-war Joseon, the will to remake mountains and rivers of the country was replaced by the sense of indebtedness to repay the favor. The misfortune of the late Joseon period was conceived when Ryu Seong-ryong was dismissed.