[앵커브리핑] 그 검고 어두운 단어…'계엄'의 기억 (The dark chapter … memories of “martial law”)

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[앵커브리핑] 그 검고 어두운 단어…'계엄'의 기억 (The dark chapter … memories of “martial law”)




뉴스룸의 앵커브리핑을 시작하겠습니다.

This is today’s anchor briefing.





40년 가까운 얘기가 됐습니다.

Forty years have passed since the death of former President Park Chung Hee.





1979년의 깊은 가을날…

On one fine autumn day in 1979… 





이제 막 교육생티를 조금씩 벗어나고 있던 저를 비롯한 신병들은 아침 일찍 시내에 있는 구청으로 향했습니다.

Newly recruited military soldiers, including myself, who just finished their training at boot camp, were heading towards a district office in Seoul, early in the morning. 



* boot camp: 신병 훈련소




불과 며칠 전에 이른바 '유고'라는 생소한 단어로 세상에 알려졌던 대통령의 서거…

Just a few days prior, the death of former President Park Chung Hee had been officially announced by Public Information Minister Kim Seong-jin, 12 hours after the shooting took place. He said that “Park was shot accidentally and killed by Central Intelligence Director Kim Jae-kyu at 7:50 p.m. Friday.”




구청 앞마당에는 서거한 대통령을 위한 분향소가 차려져 있었고, 서울의 아침은 짙은 안개와 내려앉은 구름으로 인해서 온통 회색빛 우울함이 깔려 있었지요.

In front of the district office, there was an altar for the deceased president. Seoul’s skies were filled with dark fog and gloomy clouds, creating a grey depression throughout the whole area. 


*altar: 분향소




"꽃이 피어날 봄인지, 겨울 속으로 돌아갈 봄인지…
안개 정국이라고나 할까…"

- 김종필 당시 공화당 총재

“It is not certain whether we’ll progress forward to a flowery spring or back to a cold winter… We are in the midst of a political fog
- Kim Jong-pil, then chairman of the Democratic Republican Party


* political fog: 안개 정국




그래서 누군가는 그때를 칭해 '안개 정국' 이라 했던가…

That is why some people refer to this period as Korea’s political fog…





과연 그 이후에 전개된 세상은 계엄령 하에서 모두가 입을 다물고 오랜 시간을 견뎌내야 했던…

Under martial law, people were forced to refrain from speaking their minds and endure infringements upon their rights for a long time. 



* infringement: 위반





한국전쟁 이후에 자국의 군대에 의해서 양민이 피를 흘려야 했던 검디검은 역사의 연속이었습니다.

Even after the brutal Korean War, the blood of citizens was shed at the hands of their own nation’s army. This cycle of inflicting violence on citizens repeated again and again. 





계엄령, 그 검은 단어는 우리의 현대사를 어둡게 물들인, 기억하고 싶지 않은 단어였지요.


Martial law refers to a dark chapter in our modern history. It is a term that we desperately don’t want to recall.




돌이켜보면…


If we look back….




그 계엄령이 내려질 뻔한 적은 또 있었습니다.

There was a time that the government almost proclaimed martial law again. 





1987년의 벽두를 깨고 나온 '탁하고 치니 억하고 쓰러졌다'는 희대의 강변 속에 한 젊은이가 스러졌고(박종철 고문치사 사건 - 1987년), 그해 초여름 또 한 명의 젊은이가 스러지면서(이한열 사망 사건 - 1987년) 계엄령이 내려질 것이라는 소문은 날개를 달았습니다.

In 1987, there were rumors that martial law would be imposed once again due to the death of student activists Park Jong-chul and Lee Han-yeol. Park’s death was caused by the police on Jan. 14, while Lee was hit by a tear gas canister shot by riot police at student protesters in the summer of 1987.



* tear gas: 최루가스 *canister: (총기류로 쏘아 터뜨리는, 가스나 화학 물질이 든) 금속 용기




결국 광장을 메운 시민들의 힘으로 계엄은 피했으나 그 어두운 단어에 대한 트라우마는 시민들을 피해가지 않았습니다.

Thanks to the strong resistance of citizens, who filled the square, martial law was not imposed, but still many feared the word.

* square: 광장 





그리고 2017년.

And in 2017.





탄핵심판 결과에 불복한 시위대의 청와대, 헌법재판소 점거 시도.

In case anti-Park Geun-hye protestors forced their way to the Blue House, if mobs tried to take over the Constitutional Court of Korea, or if the Constitutional Court ruled against the National Assembly impeachment of Park, there were allegations that martial law would be imposed.



* Blue House: 청와대 *Constitutional Court of Korea: 헌법재판소 * impeachment: 탄핵





화염병 투척 등 과격양상 심화, 특정 인사의 선동…


Throwing Molotov Cocktails, instigating chaos…

*Molotov Cocktail: 화염병 *instigate: 선동하다




시위대의 경찰서 난입, 방화, 무기탈취…


Trespassing police stations, committing arson, seizing weapons … 



* trespassing: 난입 * arson: 방화




참으로 오랜만에 들어보는 단어들의 나열 끝에 그들이 내민 것은 또다시 그 검은 빛의 계엄령…


What comes after these words is “martial law.” It’s been a long time since I’ve heard this word. It reemerged when a ruling party lawmaker disclosed a document that the Defense Security Command drafted to proclaim martial law if Park Geun-hye’s impeachment was rejected.

*Defense Security Command: 국군기무사령부




북한의 도발 위협이 크다면서도 정예 병력을 서울로 집결시키는 계획 또한 수십 년 전의 그것과 다르지 않았습니다.

This is nothing different from their previous actions, when they moved elite troops from the frontlines to Seoul many years ago even though there still remained the fear of a North Korean invasion.





강산이 네 번 변할 만큼의 시간 동안 그들은 혼자서 변하지 않았는가…

Even though Korea’s landscape has changed four times over several decades, why do they still remain the same? 





기억하시겠습니다만… 지난 1월 25일, 영하 15도의 엄동설한에 기무사 장성들은 차가운 물에 손을 씻었습니다.

You may remember… January 25, when generals from the Defense Security Command washed their hands in icy water while standing outside in 15-degree Celsius weather. 





각종 정치공작에 개입했던 과거의 관행을 버리겠다는 각오였다 하니 그들은 정말 변할 것인가…

Apparently, this was to show that they would abandon previous practices of meddling in various political activities. I wonder if they really did change for good… 





'탁치니 억하고 쓰러졌다' 는 강변의 주인공이 며칠 전에 세상을 떠났다는 소식이 들려온 오늘(9일).

Kang Min-chang, the head of public security at the time, passed away on July 9. Kang was severely criticized by the press for his remarks that ‘[Park Jong-chul] suddenly died due to the shock when we slammed the desk.’





우리가 영원히 이별해야 할 과거가 아직도 많다는 것을 또 한 번 새기게 되는 오늘.

Today (July 9) should be a reminder for all of us that we should never forget the tragic incidents that occurred due to martial law and never allow it again in this country.




앵커브리핑이었습니다.

That is all for today’s anchor briefing.



Broadcast on July 9
Translated and edited by Jeonghyun Lee & Brolley Genster


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