[Opinion] Yu Sung-ryong and Lee Sun-shin

According to `Jingbi-rok` written by Yu Sung-ryong, Chosun was a pathetic country. Even when war clouds hung over the Korean Peninsula, the government neglected preparing for a possible war and was helplessly invaded by Japanese forces. What is more appalling is that the ruling class was so confused about what was happening around the country. Generals dispatched to stall the Japanese forces in the south, cut off the heads of innocent peasants who were giving them information about the invasion. They found the farmers guilty of spreading rumors. After being defeated by the Japanese, the government armies led by the generals killed many voluntary soldiers, believing they were rebels.

Based on the records of the book, it seems that the country deserved to lose to the Japanese forces. But it won, defeating the Japanese invaders. What made this possible, then? It was because the country had great figures at a time of crisis. Yu, who served as a top-ranking official, kneeled down before Lee Yeo-song, a general sent by the Chinese Myung Dynasty. He was chided by the Chinese general for being last in delivering food for Chinese soldiers. He was willing to be humiliated, however, keen to save his country. Jin Lin, a Chinese admiral, even tied the necks of high-ranking officials with a rope and carried those people he found unpleasing around. When Jin Lin headed to the south to join Korean navy forces, the government was put on full alert. Then, Admiral Lee Sun-shin did what people never expected. He treated his Chinese counterpart very well and even sent 50 heads of Japanese soldiers to please him.

The way Yu and Lee behaved might be seen as an act of humiliation in a glance, but what they did was put aside their pride and ego to save their country. And there was a man who made a stark contrast to Yu and Lee. It was Kim Sung-il who was sent to Japan in 1590. As a Korean diplomat, he asked the Japanese government for respect and was treated well while staying in Japan. Then when he retuned to his home country, he insisted that Japan had no intention to invade Chosun in opposition with Hwang Yun-gil. He explained that he tried to counter Hwang`s concern, which he saw could fuel feelings of insecurity among the people. Chosun was later engulfed in war due to the man who was more concerned about his rival`s move than the future of the country.

The story serves as a good reminder for politicians who remain too attached to what they think is right and are reluctant to listen to others. Officials in the Roh government must turn their eyes to the future rather than the past and to the people rather than their comrades. They need to put their political faith or egos aside for the sake of the country. Instead of sharing thoughts with those who agree with them, they need to be wise enough to cooperate with or sometimes make compromises with people who disagree with them as Yu and Yi did.

Ahn Se-young, Guest Writer, Professor at Sogang University, syahn@ccs.sogang.ac.kr