노촌(老村) 이약동(李約東, 1416∼1493)은 조선 전기의 문신으로서 태종 연간에 태어나서 성종 때까지 활동한 인물이다. 조선시대의 대표적인 청백리(淸白吏)로 알려진 이약동은 여러 가지 측면에서 조선전기의 인물 가운데서 전형성을 보이는 인물이다. 그는 문과로 과거 급제를 하였음에도 불구하고 유장(儒將)으로 천거되어 문무를 겸비하였다. 또 관료로서 내직과 외직을 고루 거쳤다. 특히 외직으로 지방행정에서 뛰어난 능력을 발휘한 점은 그가 관료로서 매우 유능하였다는 사실을 말해준다.
그가 활동한 시기는 초기 사림들이 진출하는 시기이기는 하지만 성종대의 경우 아직 사림세력의 활동이 충분하지 않은 때였다. 이약동은 새로운 변화가 일어나는 이 시기에 많은 문제에 봉착하여서 자신의 경험을 최대한 활용하여 적극적으로 대처하였다. 구성절제사, 제주목사, 전라도관찰사 등의 경험은 현실의 문제를 절실하게 다룰 수 있는 힘을 기르는 데에 기여하였다. 중앙의 내직에 있으면서도 이러한 경험을 통해 문제가 되었던 현실을 바꾸는 데 노력하였다. 바로 이러한 점은 그의 청백리 정신과 함께 관료로서 전범(典範)이 될 수 있는 측면이었다.
중앙관직으로 나가서 이약동은 그 사이에 문제가 되었던 유향소의 복립을 청하는 등 사림들과 입장을 같이하였다. 이약동은 김종직과 막역한 교유를 가져서 자신이 지방관으로 내려갈 때 전별시를 주고 받을 정도였다. 지역적 연결성을 기반으로 하고 있지만 그것은 단지 지연(地緣)만의 문제는 아니었고, 정치적 지향(指向)과 관련된 문제였다고 볼 수 있다. 비록 당장은 이들의 지향이 현실에서 충분하게 소통되지는 못했지만 결국 사림들이 조선을 바꾸는 데 일조하였다고 할 수 있다.
청렴이라는 가치를 내면화하고, 지방에서 수령으로서 백성들에게 부당하게 내려지는 세금이나 억압을 줄이려고 했던 것, 합리적인 행정을 지향한 것, 일방적인 통치보다는 사대부 사회의 자율성을 존중하는 태도 모두 이전의 장점을 활용하면서도 새로운 시대에 부합하는 새로운 모습이었다. 초기사림으로 평가받는 김종직(金宗直), 또 함께 신진 사림의 기풍이 있었던 조위(曺偉)와 함께 이약동이 김천(金泉)에서 최초로 세워지는 서원에 모셔졌던 사실은 그만큼 그가 새로운 시대정신을 공유하였던 인물이었음을 대변하는 것이다.
Growth of the Sarim figures in the 16th century, and Nochon(老村) Yi Yak-dong(李約東)
Jung, Jae-hoon
〔Abstract〕
Nochon(老村) Yi Yak-dong(李約東, 1416∼1493) was a civil governmental official who lived in the early half period of Joseon. He was born during King Taejong’s reign, and served the government through King Seongjong’s reign. He was one of the most well known “Cheong’baek’ri(淸白吏)” officials– cleanhanded and uncorrupted governmental officials - of the time, and may also be labelled as quite a typical figure of this particular time period.
He applied to and successfully passed the Civil state competitive exam, but was also recommended to a governmental seat as a “Yujang(儒將, Confucian Military leader)” figure, so we can see that he was well versed in both literary skills and martial art. He also served the government both in the central government and from local regions, and particularly excelled as a regional administrator.
His days of serving the government witnessed the first wave of Sarim figures entering the Joseon government, yet even during the reign of king Seongjong their activities were still minor and insufficient to be recognized. He had to face many problems of the Joseon society and tried to deal with them with his experience and expertise. The things he saw and heard while he served in Guseong(as the Jeolje-sa official), Jeju island(as the Moksa Prefect) and the Jeolla-do province(as the Gwanchal-sa official) helped him analyze situations at hand and devise proper methods to address them. And he also did the same when he was serving the central government. Along with his integrity, his capability as an official was part of his most noble qualities, and it set a standard for colleagues and successors.
Inside the central government Yi Yak-dong sided with the Sarim figures, and argued that the Yu’hyang-so offices should be reconstructed. He was also close with Kim Jong-jik, and exchanged farewell correspondence with him when himself was on route to his new local post. The areas they (Kim and Yi) were from were very close to each other, but what they formed was no mere regional closeness(地緣), as they did share political aspirations too. They were not able to communicate their ideas with the world as clearly as they would have hoped for, but eventually their ideas, which came to be inseminated in the minds of all Sarim figures, helped change the Joseon society in the following periods.
Aspects he featured, a deeply ingrained sense of integrity, efforts (which he employed as a prefect) to reduce unfair taxes or to eliminate oppression, his aspiration for a reasonable administration, and his respect of the Sadaebu figures and their autonomous order, were all qualities that he inherited from the past but newly reinforced for the new age. The fact that Yi Yak-dong was enshrined alongside Kim Jong-jik(金宗直), who was the “first” Sarim figure, and Jo Wi(曺偉), who was also a worthy member of early day Sarim figures, at a Kimcheon(金泉) Seo’weon which was also the first to be founded in the area, indeed shows us that he was a figure who embodied the time’s trends and aspirations.
(Kyungpook National University / jinsojung@knu.ac.kr)