Two different faces of frugality (KOR)

JANG WON-SEOK
The author is a stock market news reporter of the JoongAng Ilbo.

Yan Hui, a disciple of Confucius, was a great scholar but also known for living in extreme poverty. He often skipped meals but never neglected learning. In the book of Yong Ye in the Analects, Confucius praised Yan Hui, “Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd of water, and living in his mean narrow lane while others could not have endured the distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui.” The poor yet honest scholar originates from here.

In 1993, the first year of public officials’ asset disclosure, former Supreme Court Justice Cho Moo-je came in last among 103 high-ranking judges subject to reporting their wealth to the authorities. At that time, his assets were only 64 million won ($47,833), including a small apartment.

When he was appointed to the Supreme Court five years later, he had only 72 million won. After leaving office, he rejected the sweet temptation of using his former post as a privilege and chose to become a professor. When he worked as a court mediation committee member, he asked for a pay cut, saying he was getting more than his work.

You don’t have to be poor to be honorable. Kim Jang-ha, former head of the Namseongdang Pharmacy in Jinju, proved that even if you are rich, you can live a life not driven by wealth. He made more than 10 billion won from the herbal medicine pharmacy and generously shared his wealth over several decades. He helped local students and democratization activists and went wherever he found discrimination and inequality. All he had left for himself was a small house and a few suits.

Honest and simple lives take various forms, but they have something in common. Those people consider such lifestyles natural and do not show off. Yan Hui considered his lacking circumstances sufficient and did not pursue a public career.

Supreme Court Justice Cho did not like his nickname “Mr. Frugal” because he didn’t want judges being labeled so. Kim Jang-ha, the traditional medicine practitioner, refused all interviews that would have made him famous. Earlier this year, a book on his life was published with the title “After You Give, That’s All.”

So, it is strange to see someone who claims to be frugal and honest. A lawmaker who claims he eats instant noodles every day, wears old sneakers, wears the same glasses for 20 years and drives a car handed down from his father is being investigated in relation to his cryptocurrency investments. I thought he was the modern-day Yan Hui. But as he had billions of won in his suspicious account, he must not have eaten instant noodles as he didn’t have money. Aside from judicial judgment, the sentence for insulting ‘poverty’ would be quite long.

청빈 호소인
장원석 증권부 기자

공자의 제자 안회는 학문이 뛰어났지만 지독한 가난으로도 유명했다. 워낙 가진 게 없어 끼니를 거르는 일이 허다했는데도 배움을 게을리하지 않았다. 『논어』 옹야편엔 공자가 이런 안회를 칭찬하는 장면이 나온다. “한 그릇의 밥과 한 표주박의 물로 누추한 곳에 살면 다른 이는 근심을 견디지 못할 진데 안회는 즐거움을 잃지 않으니 참으로 어질다.” 청빈한 선비를 이르는 ‘단사표음(簞食瓢飮)’이 여기서 나왔다.

공직자 재산공개 첫해였던 1993년 조무제 전 대법관은 신고 대상 고위법관 103명 중 꼴찌를 했다. 당시 그의 재산은 25평짜리 아파트 한 채를 포함해 겨우 6400만원이었다. 5년 뒤 대법관에 임명될 때도 7200만원에 불과했다. 퇴임 후엔 ‘전관’이라는 달콤한 유혹을 뿌리치고 교수직을 택했다. 법원조정위원으로 근무할 때는 일에 비해 수당이 너무 많다며 삭감을 요청한 적도 있다.

꼭 가난해야 청빈한 것은 아니다. 김장하 전 진주 남성당한약방 원장은 부자여도 재물이 목적이 아닌 삶이 가능하다는 걸 보여줬다. 그는 한약방을 하며 번 100억원 넘는 돈을 수십 년에 걸쳐 아낌없이 나눴다. 지역사회 고학생과 민주화운동을 하던 이들을 도왔고, 차별과 불평등이 있는 곳엔 어디든 나섰다. 자신을 위해 남긴 건 작은 집과 허름한 양복 몇 벌이었다.

청빈의 형태는 다양해도 관통하는 공통점은 있다. 그런 삶을 당연하게 여길 뿐, 절대 내세우지 않는다는 점이다. 부족한 환경조차 충분하다 여겼던 안회는 결국 벼슬길에 나서지 않았다. 조 대법관은 ‘딸깍발이 판사’란 별명을 좋아하지 않았는데 법관이 그런 식으로 포장되는 걸 경계해서다. 김 원장은 자신을 알리는 모든 인터뷰를 거절했다. 연초 김 원장의 일생을 다룬 책이 출간됐는데 제목부터 『줬으면 그만이지』다.

청빈 호소인의 등장은 그래서 생경하다. 매일 라면을 먹고, 낡은 운동화를 신고, 20년 동안 같은 안경을 쓰고, 아버지가 물려준 차를 탈 만큼 아끼고 살았다던 한 국회의원이 가상화폐 투자 의혹으로 수사 대상이 됐다. 현대판 단사표음인 줄 알았는데 계좌에 수십억을 쌓아둔 걸 보면 돈이 없어 라면을 먹은 건 아닌 듯하다. 사법적 판단은 둘째 치고 가난을 모독한 죄는 형량이 꽤 길 것 같다.