19세기 암행어사 파견 양상과 성격 (The Fashion of Dispatching Secret Royal Inspectors in the 19th century, and Their Nature)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국역사연구회
· 수록지 정보 : 역사와 현실 / 128호 / 17 ~ 59페이지
· 저자명 : 박범

초록

본 연구는 19세기 암행어사가 어떠한 과정 속에서 파견되었는가를 살펴본 연구이다. 이를 통해 19세기 암행어사가 가지는 위상과 역할을 추적할 수 있었다. 암행어사 중에서 관심을 두지 않았던 부분은 임명 과정이었다. 누가 암행어사가 되는가를 살펴보면 그 성격이 분명하게 드러날 수 있었다. 암행어사는 삼정승의 합의를 통해 추천된 인물 중에서 국왕이 선발하였다. 국왕의 의지가 반영될 수 있으나 19세기 사회라면 세도정권의 기본 구도에서 크게 벗어나지 않았다. 그 과정 속에서 암행어사는 삼사(三司)의 비판을 받기도 하고 감사와 갈등을 일으키기도 하였다. 감사와 암행어사가 모두 벌열 가문 혹은 경화사족이었기 때문에 가능한 일이었다. 암행어사는 인적 구성 덕분에 19세기 중반 이후가 되면 더 깊이 지역사회에 개입할 수 있었다. 감사나 수령이 해야 할 업무 중 해결되지 못한 사안은 암행어사가 해결할 수 있었다. 중앙에 감찰 사실을 보고하는 역할에서 지역 문제에 적극 개입하여 해결하는 역할로 전환되었다. 암행어사가 지방통치의 한 수단으로 자리매김을 한 셈이다.

영어초록

Pursued in this article are answers to certain issues such as through what kind of process, and under which circumstances the Secret Royal Inspectors were dispatched in the 19th century. With such goal, this author researched the status and role they displayed in this period. What has rather been neglected in previous studies was above all else, things that would have unfolded during the appointment stage. Such neglection was rather unfortunate, as the nature of people who were named as inspectors tend to reveal the nature of the Inspector initiative itself.
The Secret Royal Inspectors were appointed by the Joseon King, from a pool of personnel selected and then recommended unanimously by the three Jeongseung(政丞) ministers. The King did have a say in choosing the one to be finally dispatched as a Secret Inspector, but in the 19th century the Sedo(世道) regime was quite strong, so the King’s choice could not deviate that much from their collective will and preference. As a result, sometimes the Secret Royal Inspectors’ performance would be criticized by officials at the Samsa(三司, Saheon-bu/司憲府, Sagan-weon/司諫院 and Hongmun-gwan/弘文館 offices, in charge of monitoring and remonstration) offices, and sometimes they would clash with the provincial magistrates(Gamsa, 監司), as both inspectors and high-ranking local officials were all from powerful Beol’yeol(閥閱) houses or members of the Gyeong’hwa Sajok clan(京華士族, prestigious clans residing in the capital area).
Due to such background of the Secret Royal Inspectors appointed in this period, they would involve themselves even more in governing local communities and intervene in their affairs during the 19th century’s latter half. Any issue or project that could not be tackled with or seen through by prefects or even magistrates would be resolved by the Secret Royal Inspectors. In other words, their original role, which was to just inspect the local regions and report what they saw and heard to the central government, was expanded to include active engagement in local situations and resolving issues there as well. They literally became part of local governance, and served as a method to control local regions.

참고자료

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