조선 후기 영조 연간부터 매년 국왕이 공인과 계인, 시전 상인에게 폐단을 물어보았던 공시인 순막이 시행되었다. 국왕이 공시인 순막을 행하라는 명을 내리면 비변사의 제조 중 공시당상이 공인과 계인, 시전 상인을 인솔하여 공시인 순막을 시행하였다. 공시인 순막이 끝나면 국왕은 비변사에게 공시인 순막 소회를 참작하여 다시 국왕에게 回啓하도록 하였다. 비변사가 회계한 공시인 순막 소회를 보고 국왕이 그 폐단을 釐正해 주거나 그대로 놔두는 조처를 내렸다.
고종 초 비변사가 합설 의정부에 합속되자, 비변사에서 관장하였던 공시 문제는 합설 의정부에서 관장하게 되었다. 고종 1년의 「분장절목」에서는 의정부 소관으로 분장하였고, 고종 2년의 「의정부체통연혁별단」에서는 비변사의 당상을 정부당상으로 차하함으로써, 공시당상도 정부당상에 포함되었다. 고종 4년의 『육전조례』 의정부조 공시조항에서는 합설 의정부가 공시 문제를 관장하고 의정부 당상인 공시당상이 공시인 순막시 공시인을 인솔한다는 내용이 확인된다.
고종 초 시전상황에 영향을 미치는 요인으로는 경복궁 중건, 서양 면포 수입 금지, 당백전의 주조, 문세 징수, 淸錢[=호전]의 유통 문제 등이 있었다. 당시의 시전상황을 『육전조례』各廛 조항과 앞선 시기 편찬․간행된 『만기요람』의 各廛과 비교해 본 결과는 1전과 2분역이 증가하였지만 대체적으로 큰 변화양상이 없었음을 알 수 있다.
대원군 집정기 공시인 순막은 정조 연간에 확립된 ‘신해통공’과 헌종 연간에 이정된 ‘정유결처’과 ‘병오통공’의 원칙을 유지하였다. 도고․난전의 폐단을 금지해 달라는 시전 상인의 폐막에 대해서는 해소해 주려 했고, 한번 정해진 물종의 금난전권을 복구해 달라는 폐막에 대해서는 들어주지 않는 원칙을 이어나갔다. 특히 물건 값이 오른 만큼 물건 값을 달라는 요구와 수입물종에 대한 독점권과 금난전권 행사 요구가 관철되지 못했다.
고종 5년 의정부가 공시인 순막을 裁處하였고, 공시인 순막 직전 공시당상의 잦은 교체와 임명이 이루어졌다. 고종 6년 시전의 화재문제에 대해 대원군에게 품처토록 하는 등의 ‘대원위 분부’․‘대원위 정령’이라는 막강한 권력행사를 확인할 수 있다. 이를 용인했던 고종의 조처는 어린 나이에 정사를 전적으로 맡아서 하지 않았던 사례들이라고 할 수 있다. 이후 고종은 재위 10년경 22살로 성장하여 정사를 전적으로 맡아서 ‘대원위 분부’․‘대원군 정령’이 아닌 고종 스스로의 국왕권을 행사하였던 것이다.
고종 친정 후, 내척세력이자 종친인 이최응, 외척세력인 여흥 민문 민치상․민겸호, 광산 김문 김보현․김재현, 안동 김문 김병시․김병국 등이 대신과 정부당상․호조판서․공시당상․평시서 제조 등을 역임하였다. 재위 11년 청전 통용 혁파가 이루어졌으나 영의정 이유원, 우의정 박규수, 호조판서 김세균 등은 무용지물이 된 청천의 처리와 상평통보로만 운영해야할 중앙재정과 호조재정의 경비 부족을 우려하였다. 고종 13년 개항과 ‘丙子年 大荒’으로 중앙재정의 부족 상황은 더욱 열악해졌으며, 그 여파는 고종 14년 공시인 수가 미지급 사태를 초래하였다. 고종 15년 우의정 김병국은 사창 환곡 4만석을 호조에 획부하고 중앙재정으로 확보하여 공시인 수가를 지급하고자 하였고, 고종은 왕실 자금인 內帑金 運用을 통해 貢市人受價 支給을 해결하고자 노력하였다. 그럼에도 불구하고 누적되어 산적한 중앙의 재정 부족은 군대․이예․공시인에게 지급해야할 비용을 지불하지 못했다.
고종 19년 임오군란 후, 청나라와 체결한 「朝淸商民水陸貿易章程」으로 인해 개항장 위주였던 청국 상인들의 서울과 가까운 내지 침투 상업행위가 용인되었고, 이듬해에는 일본을 비롯한 다른 나라 상인들도 용인되었다. 이후 서울의 시전상인을 비롯한 국내의 모든 상인들은 외국의 상인들과 금난전권의 유무에 상관없이, 정부의 특혜 유무와도 상관없는 자율 경쟁 시장 상황으로 바뀌었던 것이다.
이듬해, 총리대신 홍순목은 軍餉, 貢價와 料布를 지급하고자 當五錢을 주조를 요청하였고, 한편으로 정부는 보부상 세력의 상업활동인 惠商公局을 용인하였다. 이러한 정부의 재정정책은 시전상인 이외의 새로운 상업세력과 상호 정치․경제적 측면에서의 유착을 불러왔다.
고종 23년에도 물가가 날로 폭등하여 책정해 준 본래의 값을 시장 값에 비교하면 본전보다 몇 배나 더 심하게 손해를 본다는 落本 문제와 받아야 할 물건 값을 받지 못한 것이 해마다 쌓이고 쌓여 재산을 탕진하여 지탱하기 어려워진 필연적인 형세인 수가 미지급 문제가 지속되었다. 이제 시전 상인은 물건을 살 비용이 없어서 살 수 없는 지경에 이르렀고, 진배 또한 할 수 없게 되었다. 제때에 진배를 수행할 수 없게 된 시전은 더 이상 그 존재의 의미가 무의미해진 것이었다. 고종 31년(1894) 甲午更張으로 육의전의 금난전권까지 혁파되면서, 정조 15년(1791) ‘신해통공’으로 육의전에만 남겨놓았던 금난전권은 100여 년만에 철폐되었고, 서울 육의전 시전 상인들의 특권은 500여 년만에 사라졌다.
During the reign of King Yeongjo in the Joseon period’s latter half, the so-called “Gong/Shi-in Sunmak(貢市人詢瘼)” practice, in which the King would hear the problems and plights of Proxy taxpayers, Gye-in figures and market merchants every year, began. Whenever the king ordered the practice for the year to be commenced, among the Bibyeon-sa office’s Jejo figures the “Gongshi Dangsang” would round up all of them, lead them to the palace and provide them with a royal audience. And when it was all over, the king would order Bibyeon-sa to look over what was said, and then report back to the king. Later the king, after examining Bibyeon-sa’s report, would issue orders to solve some problems for them, or decide not to do anything at all.
When the Bibyeon-sa office was absorbed into the United Euijeong-bu council this issue which had been supervised by the Bibyeon-sa office was also newly placed under the jurisdiction of the United Euijeong-bu council. It was so designated for the first time in 「Bunjang Jeolmok」 which was declared in the first year of King Gojong’s reign, and in 「Euijeong-bu Chetong Yeon’hyeok Byeoldan」 which was declared the next year established(“Chaha”) the Dangsang official of the Bibyeon-sa office as a Dangsang figure of the Euijeong-bu as well, rendering the Dangsang official in charge of this issue (“Gongshi Dangsang”) also included in the Euijeong-bu Dangsang group. According to the <Euijeong-bu> chapter’s “Gongshi” section of 『Yukjeon Jo’rye』 from King Gojong’s 4th year, the United Euijeong-bu council was once again dictated to oversee this issue, and the Gongshi Dangsang figure (as part of the Euijeong-bu Dangsang group) was put in charge of rounding up the appealers.
There were certain situations unfolding in the early years of King Gojong’s reign that affected the market, such as the Gyeongbok-gung palace renovation, ban on the import of Western cotton, production of the Dangbaek-jeon coin, the launch of the “Munse” taxation, and the circulation of “cheongjeon[淸錢=Hojeon] currency,” etc. If we compare the market situation of the time with situations described in either 『Yukjeon Jo’rye』’s ‘Kakjeon(各廛, individual shops)’ section or the earlier 『Man’gi Yoram』’s references to individual shops, we can detect certain increase in one Jeon unit and two Bun’yeok units, but the overall situation did not change that much.
During the time when Dae’weon-gun was in control of the government, the ‘Gong/Shi-in Sunmak’ practice continued to maintain the “Shinhae-year Tong’gong” rules established by King Jeongjo, as well as other principles dictated(“Iljeong”) through the “Jeong’yu Gyeol’cheo” order and the “Byeong’oh-year Tong’gong” rules from the reign of King Heonjong. The authorities were sympathetic to the market merchants’ appeal asking for the elimination of the problems that were being caused by Dogo figures and Nanjeon shops, and tried to come up with solutions, but were not so accommodating to the request of the reinstatement of the “Geum-Nanjeon- gweon(禁亂廛權)” practice, so they remained firm on upholding previously established principles. In the meantime, the request for compensation (regarding deficits caused by some items’ elevated price), and the establishment of exclusive rights and a Geum-Nanjeon-gweon reinstatement only for import items, were not that well received either.
In the 5th year of King Gojong’s reign, Euijeong-bu council ruled(“裁處”) over cases concerning proxy taxpayers, Gye-in figures and market merchants, but right before hearing their problems the Gongshi Dangsang figures in charge were frequently reassigned to other duties and replaced by others. Regarding a fire accident that broke out in King Gojong’s 6th year, the council had the issue reported to the king’s father Dae’weon-gun(Dae’weon-gun’s instructions were issued in the form of “Dae’weon-wi Bunbu” or “Dae’weon-wi Jeong’ryeong”), which shows us that the council was wielding a considerable amount of power then. Gojong was still young and was not directly involved in governance just yet, so he let the council to do so. Then when he became 22 in his 10th year in reign, he began to take over the matter.
Ever since, Yi Chwe-eung (who was a Naecheok figure and also a royal family member), Min Chi-sang and Min Gyeom-ho (from the Yeoheung Min house, which was also the In-law family of Gojong), Kim Bo-hyeon and Kim Jae-hyeon (from the Gwangsan Kim house), and Kim Byeong-shi and Kim Byeong-guk (from the Andong Kim house), were all assigned to important posts such as Prime Ministers, Jeongbu Dangsang figures, the Hojo Minister, Gongshi Dangsang posts, and the Pyeongshi-seo office’s Jejo seat. In the 11th year of Gojong’s reign, the Cheongjeon(淸錢) coin was abolished. Yeong’eui-jeong Councilor Yi Yu-weon, Wu’eui-jeong Councilor Park Gyu-su and Financial Minister Kim Se-gyun were concerned about what to do with all the now devalued Cheongjeon currency while fearing that the budget of the central government and the “Hojo” Ministry of Finance would dry out with only the Sangpyeong-jeon coins left to be used. The situation worsened when a huge draught struck Joseon in Gojong’s 13th year, draining the central budget further, and rendered the central government unable to pay the proxy taxpayers, Gye-in figures and market merchants the next year. In Gojong’s 15th year, Wu’eui-jeong Councilor Kim Byeong-guk diverted 40 thousand Rent-rice from the Sachang depository to the Hojo Ministry of Finance, securing it as part of the central budget and tried to solve the aforementioned payment problem. And Gojong also tried to fix the problem by using Naetang-geum(內帑金) properties of the royal family. But the budgetary shortage was massive, and enough resource to pay for the military, clerks and proxy taxpayers & market merchants was never secured.
This prompted the merchants to affiliate themselves with the ‘governmental translaters’ in an effort to generate profit elsewhere.
In Gojong’s 19th year in reign, and after the Imo-year military revolt, according to the treaty signed between Joseon and Qing (the Jocheong Sangmin Suryuk Muyeok Jangjeong[朝淸商民水陸貿易章程]), the Qing merchants―who had been operating mainly in the open ports―were newly allowed to approach and operate in regions near the capital. And in the next year, merchants from other countries―including Japan―were allowed to do so as well. Not only the Joseon merchants in the capital’s central marketplace, but also Joseon merchants throughout the country, were all exposed to a situation in which they would have to engage in free competitions with foreign counterparts. And in Gojong’s 20th year, the Hyemin Gongguk(惠商公局) office was opened, and began to supervise―and support―the Bobusang merchants’ operations. This was an attempt on the government’s part to form a political and economic alliance with a commercial force other than the Central marketplace’s merchants.
In 1886, the 23rd year of Gojong’s reign, commodity prices continued to skyrocket, and the merchants were suffering severe deficits, as the payments from the government were nowhere near adequate levels and sometimes were never made at all. The merchants were literally going bankruptcy, and their deteriorated status prevented them from purchasing necessary items which they would have to sell to customers or provide the government with. In the end, the Central marketplace lost its most primary function of offering vital items to the government. And in 1894, the 31st year of Gojong’s reign, because of the Gabo-year “reform”(甲午更張) the Six Main Shops(“Yug’eui’jeon”) lost its exclusive rights (Geum-Nanjeon-gweon) as well. This marked the final abolition of the last remaining right of such kind, which had been spared from the 1791’s “Shinhae-year Tong’gong” order. A five centuries-old traditional right, enjoyed by the Central marketplace’s Six main shops, was finally taken away.
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