Korean Columns:

베팅으로 만드는 미래예측시장

금융권의 도박을 막아야 한다

CEO 급여는 과연 지나친가

美 건강보험이 악순환에 빠진 이유

세금으로 사교육 잡아야

매경 인터뷰 (2009.01.06)

중 앙일보 인터뷰 (2007.07.26)

" 시장원리 도입… 학교 선택의 자유를 許하라" (조선일보, 2008.03.28)

유월항 (Yoo Wol-Hang): Aug 13, 1926 – Oct 26, 2018

 She was born in August 13, 1926, Moon-mak, Gangwon Province (South Korea), as the eldest of four siblings.  Her father ran a successful business of transport and warehousing along the Han river.  Known as a child prodigy, she won a top academic award in her Gangwon Province, and was offered a scholarship to study in Japan.  Worried about sending a young girl abroad, however, her father forbade her from taking that opportunity. Around 1941, she enrolled 京城第二公立高等女學校(currently 首都女子高等學校), which was at that time a top high school for a Korean girl, as 京城第一公立高等女學校 was reserved for Japanese expats (under its colonial rule).  After graduation, she started her job at the Bank of Joseon (later became Bank of Korea).  At the bank, she worked for foreign exchange and treasury divisions, among others. While working for the bank, she also completed a college degree at Seoul Yangje Hakwon (which later became Myongji University).

Soon, she would witness the end of the Second World War and Korean Independence in 1945 as a 19 year old girl, and 5 years later in 1950, the Korean war.  In the beginning of the war, she was trapped in Seoul and had to go to work at the Bank now controlled by the North Korean force. Under the mounting pressure from communists, however, she left her work one day and escaped to her home town, Moon-mak.  After the Restoration of Seoul on September 28, 1950, she made a daring return back to her job in Seoul hiding in the back of the Bank truck which was carrying new currency notes as part of the 1950 currency reform.  Like many in her generation, she witnessed horrors of the war.  I had been told a number of times about the tragic loss of her close cousin, Yoo Tae-jin. Forced into the North Korean militia, he suffered a leg injury during a U.S. air-raid, and contracted a tetanus, which ultimately proved fatal, for a penicillin couldn’t be obtained in time despite all-out efforts by her and her family.

After the January 4th Retreat from Seoul in 1951, she and her family escaped to Daejeon.  She reported to work at the Daejeon Branch of the Bank of Korea.  During this time, she met my father.  Their marriage was arranged by my great uncle.  By all accounts, there was little courtship. My father used to tell me that he went to the Bank to check her out; he found her so little (which I interpreted as really “cute”) that he felt that he could almost put her in his pocket.  My mother’s first impression: he looked manly and trustworthy.  They married on February 3, 1953.  Soon after, she was pregnant of her first child and had to quit her job.  She now joined my father’s extended family in Shim-cheon, Youngdong-gun, Chung-cheong buk-do.  

Her life as newly-minted bride was hardly glamorous.  She had to care for a big family, including a grand-mother-in-law, mother- and father-in-laws, as well several siblings of my father.  When my father moved to Daejeon for his job, my mother followed him.  In time, she would have four children, a boy, a girl, a girl, and a boy.  Their well-being and success would soon become the central purpose of her life. Meanwhile, she bravely embraced the extra-ordinary sacrifices imposed on her to care for her ailing grand-mother-in-law and then later her mother-in-law until both passed away.  

Fast forward to the adulthood of her children.  In the mid-80s, my parents and my older brother’s family relocated near Seoul National University of Education, in Seoul.  She enjoyed early morning walk in its stadium, learning harmonica, which she performed in several concerts with her friends; she also enjoyed learning line dancing, Enka (Japanese songs) and Taoism.  She had a life-long passion for gardening, in particular, tending for a variety of flowers, cacti, and fruit trees.  She was also a life-long lover of animals; we had at different times two dogs, birds, chickens, exotic fishes, and bunnies; she would put out food at her garden for stray cats. 

Through her life, she was genuinely loyal to her family and friends, and a fierce advocate of her four children. The central focus and purpose of her life was to do all she could to make sure that her children become happy, healthy and successful.  Accomplishing that goal and seeing her 6 grand children thrive were her greatest joy and fulfillment.  In 2016, she would see the arrival of her first great-grand daughter, whom she doted on immensely.  

Until the last day, she was full of energy, had a clear sense of judgement and opinion on matters, and yet was remarkably open-minded and unfettered by the constraint of her time, convention or prejudices.  Above all, she had an unparalleled love, kindness, and understanding.  For all of these and more, she will be deeply missed by all whose lives she touched.  I am already missing her smile, conversations, and our regular Saturday lunches.

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어머니는 1926년 8월 13일 강원도 문막에서 4남매중 첫째 딸로 태어 났습니다. 어머니의 부친께선 한강을 이용한 물류, 창고, 운송사업을 하셨습니다.  어렸을 때 부터 공부잘하고 총명하여 강원도지사상을 받고 일본 유학의 기회를 얻었으나, 부친의 반대로 고향에 남기로합니다. 1941년 경, 어머니는 경성 제2공립 고등여학교(현재 수도여자 고등학교)에 입학했는데, 당시에는 한국여학생이 갈수 있는 최고 명문이었다 합니다. (참고로 경성 제1공립 고등여학교는 일제하에 일본시민으로 입학이 제한 되었음.) 졸업후 어머니는 조선 은행 (나중에 한국 은행이 됨)에서 취직하였습니다. 은행에선 외환 및 국고업무를 담당 하셨고.  은행에서 일하면서, 동시에 양재학원 (나중에 명지대학교가 됨)에서 대학을 수료하셨습니다.

1945년 어머니는 19세 소녀로 해방을 맞이하고, 5년후인 1950년엔 6.25 전쟁을 경험하게 됩니다. 전쟁 초기에, 한강다리 폭파로 서울을 빠져나오지 못한 어머니는 북한치하의 은행에 출근하였습니다. 그러나 날이 갈 수록 선전과 의용군 참여를 종용하는 공산당의 압박에 못이겨 은행을 그만두고 문막으로 귀향합니다.  1950년 9월 28일 서울수복후, 어머니는 서울 한국은행에 복귀합니다.  그 과정이 극적인데, 아직 남한이 완벽히 수복되지 않은 상황에서, 새 화폐를 실어나르던 은행트럭에 숨어서 귀환 하였다고 합니다. (참고로 당시 화폐개혁으로 새로운 화폐를 유통하고 있었습니다.)  어머니도 그 시대의 많은 분들처럼 전쟁의 상흔을 갖고 계셨습니다.  가까운 사촌인 태진의 죽음을 오랜기간 안타까와 하셨지요.  그분은 북한 의용군으로 끌려가, 미군 공습때 다리를 잃고 파상풍으로 고생 하시다가 돌아 가셨습니다;  페니실린이 있었더라면 살렸을 텐데, 어머니가 백방으로 구하려다녔다는 말씀 여러번 들었습니다.

1951년 1.4 후퇴 때, 어머니와 가족은 대전으로 피난하셨습니다.  어머니는 다시 한국은행의 대전지점에서 (당시 본점이 이동했다고 추정됨)에서 근무를 시작 하였지요. 이 기간 동안, 아버지를 만나 결혼하게 됩니다. 큰 아버지가 중매 하셨는데, 당시는 만혼으로 여겨져 사귀는 기간없이 바로 결혼 하셨던 것 같습니다.  나중 말씀인데, 아버지가 은행에 가셔서 모른척하고 어머니를 훔쳐 보았다고 합니다.  아버지의 첫인상은 어머니가 너무 귀여워서 호주머니에 넣고 다닐 수 있다고 생각했답니다.  어머니의 아버지의 첫 인상은 믿음직스런 호남형이었다구요. 두분은 1953년 2월 3일에 결혼하게 됩니다.  곧, 어머니는 첫 아이를 갖게되어 직장을 그만 두어야했습니다.  그리고 아버지를 따라 충북 영동군 심천면 용당리에 정착하게됩니다.

그러나 시골에서의 새신부의 삶은 녹록치 만은 않았습니다. 어머니는 시할머니, 시어머니, 시아버지, 그리고 시동생들을 포함하는 대가족을 돌보아야 했습니다. 곧이어 아버지가 대전에 새직장을 구하게 되어서, 어머니는 대전에 새롭게 가정을 꾸미게 됩니다. 그리고 저희 사 남매의 어머니가 되셨지요. 그후부턴 저희 사 남매의 복지와 성공이 어머니의 최대의 목표가 되었습니다. 동시에 치매를 앓고 계신 시어머니를 돌아가실 때까지 돌보셨습니다.

아이들이 모두 장성한 후.  80년대 중반에, 아버님과 어머니는 저희 형님 가족과 함께 서울교대근처로 이주하였습니다. 거기에서 손자들을 돌보고, 교대에서 아침마다 산책 하셨지요. (돌아가시는 아침에도 산책을 하셨습니다.) 근처 복지관에 가셔서 하모니카, 라인댄싱, 엔카등를 배우셨습니다.  하모니카는 항상 그러 하셨듯이 열심히 연습하여, 친구 분들과 몇차례 공연도 하셨습니다.  집안에서는 또 주역공부에 몰두하셨습니다.  평생, 정원의 꽃, 나무, 채소를 기르는데 열정적 이었습니다.  어린시절 각양각색의 꽃과 나무를 키우셨던 기억이 납니다.  그리고 동물들을 좋아하셔서, 토끼, 강아지, 닭, 십자매, 열대어등과 저희 어린시절을 보낼 수 있었습니다.

평생 모든이들을 신의와 의리로 대하셨고.  무엇 보다도, 자식들의 행복, 건강, 그리고 성공에 모든 것을 바치셨습니다. 사 남매가 번창하고 여섯 손자 손녀들이 장성하는 모습을 보는 것이 어머니의 가장 큰 기쁨이었습니다. 2016년 10월, 어머니는 첫번째 증손녀라는 큰 선물을 받게 됩니다.

어머니께선 마지막 가시기 전날까지도, 분명한 사고 분별과 견해, 그리고 시대와 편견에서 자유로운 합리적 사고의 소유자셨습니다.  물론, 무한한 사랑과 다정함이 그분 영혼의 중심에 있었구요.  어머님과 두런두런 나누던 대화, 그리고 우리들만의 토요일 점심이, 벌써 그리워집니다.