기본 정보
| 항목 | 내용 |
|---|---|
| 이름 | 우근민 |
| 직책 | 제주도지사 |
| 재임 기간 | 1991년 12월–1996년경 |
| 역할 | 제주 지역 정치 지도자, 행정 수장 |
| 활동 분야 | 지방행정, 지역 정책, 4·3 문제 대응 |
역할과 활동
우근민은 1991년 12월 11일 열린 제69회 제주도의회 정례회에서 당시 도지사로 도정 질문을 받아 4·3 문제에 대한 행정부의 입장을 공개적으로 표현한 인물이다.1 이는 1991년 제4대 도의회 구성 이후 제주도정 차원에서 4·3 문제가 공식적으로 처음 다루어진 사례였다.1
이 자리에서 양금석 의원(남원읍·민자당)은 4·3의 비극을 치유하기 위한 도민 화합 방안 모색, 억울한 원혼을 달래기 위한 위령탑 건립 계획, 진상을 규명하기 위한 범도민 4·3진상위원회 설치 계획 등을 질문했다.2 이에 대하여 우근민 지사는 부정적이지만은 않았으나, 신중한 태도를 보였다.
우근민 지사는 “4·3사건의 상처를 치유해야 되겠다는 생각을 가지고 있다”는 전제 하에 도지사가 아닌 개인적인 일단의 생각도 드러냈다. 즉, “제주대학교 같은 데서 용역을 맡아 학자적인 양심을 갖고 편견 없이 역사 자료를 수집 정리해서 연구를 해 나가는 것이 좋을 것 같다”는 의견을 제시했다.3 이는 당시 도정이 4·3에 대해 신중하면서도 학술적 접근을 원하고 있었음을 보여주는 사례다.
1991년 도의회 4·3 문제 제기와의 관계
우근민의 도지사 재임 시기는 1991년 도의회에서 4·3이 공식적으로 제기되는 중요한 전환점이었다. 비록 우근민 지사 자신이 주도적으로 4·3 문제를 제기하지는 않았지만, 도의원들의 질문에 대응하면서 지방 행정부 차원에서 4·3 문제의 중요성을 인정하는 첫 발걸음이 되었다.3
1991년 도의회의 4·3 관련 질의는 이후 도의회 차원의 4·3특별위원회 구성과 ‘4·3관계기구설치준비위원회’ 구성으로 이어졌다.4 이러한 전개 과정에서 우근민 도지사는 도정이 4·3 문제를 선제적으로 추진하지는 않았으나, 도의회의 주도권 하에 지역 4·3 운동이 제도화되는 것을 용인하는 입장을 취했다.
지방행정과 4·3 정책
우근민 도지사의 임기는 4·3이 1990년대 초 지역 정치에 처음 공식화되는 시기와 일치했다. 당시 제주 지역은 4·3 추모식의 개최, 위령탑 건립, 진상규명 조직의 구성 등이 도의회 주도로 이루어지고 있었으며, 도 행정부는 이에 대응하는 입장을 취했다.
1996년 1월 19일 제주MBC라디오의 ‘4·3 50주년을 앞두고’라는 특별 방송에서, 우근민은 당시 도지사로서 4·3 문제에 대한 행정 차원의 관점을 제시했다. 이는 도지사가 4·3 문제를 공개적으로 다루기 시작하는 신호였다.
4·3 진상규명과의 관계
우근민은 진상규명 운동의 주도자가 아니었으나, 지역의 최고 행정 수장으로서 4·3 문제가 지역 정치 안건으로 공식화되는 과정에서 중요한 역할을 했다. 도의회의 주도권을 인정하면서도 행정 차원의 지원이 필요한 부분을 협력하는 입장을 취했으며, 이는 4·3 문제가 보수 진영에서도 점진적으로 수용되기 시작한 시대적 변화를 반영했다.
학술적 의의
우근민 도지사의 역할은 1990년대 초 제주 지역의 정치 지형 변화를 보여준다. 지방 행정부 장(長)이 여전히 4·3 문제에 신중한 태도를 유지하면서도, 도의회의 적극적 제기를 수용하는 형태로 4·3이 지역 정치의 중요 안건으로 부상했음을 의미한다. 이는 1990년대 중반 이후 도민연대 구성, 범국민위원회 형성, 특별법 제정으로 이어지는 과정의 출발점이 되었다.
Basic Information
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Name | Woo Geun-min (우근민) |
| Title | Governor of Jeju Province |
| Term | December 1991–around 1996 |
| Role | Regional political leader, head of provincial administration |
| Field | Local administration, regional policy, 4·3 issue response |
Role and Activities
Woo Geun-min was the governor answering questions about the 4·3 issue at the 69th regular session of the Jeju Provincial Assembly held on December 11, 1991, publicly expressing the administration’s position.1 This was the first instance the 4·3 issue was officially addressed at the provincial government level following the assembly’s 4th term composition in 1991.1
At this session, Assemblyman Yang Geum-seok (Nam-won-eup, Democratic Liberal Party) questioned approaches to healing the 4·3 tragedy through citizen harmony, construction of a memorial tower for aggrieved spirits, and establishment of a pan-civic 4·3 truth-finding committee.2 Governor Woo’s response, while not entirely negative, demonstrated caution.
Governor Woo stated, “I have the thought that we need to heal the wounds of the 4·3 incident,” and expressed personal views beyond his official position as governor. Specifically, he suggested, “It would be good if an institution like Jeju National University undertook a commissioned study to collect and organize historical materials with scholarly conscience and without prejudice.”3 This example demonstrated that at the time, the provincial government sought a cautious yet scholarly approach to 4·3.
Relationship to 1991 Assembly’s 4·3 Issue Raising
Governor Woo’s tenure coincided with a crucial turning point when 4·3 was officially raised in the 1991 provincial assembly. Though Woo himself did not take the initiative in raising the 4·3 issue, responding to assemblymen’s questions marked the first step for the provincial administration to acknowledge 4·3’s importance at the local government level.3
The 1991 assembly’s inquiries on 4·3 subsequently led to formation of a 4·3 special committee and establishment of a “4·3-related Organization Preparatory Committee.”4 In this development, Governor Woo did not proactively advance 4·3 issues, but adopted a position allowing the regionalization of the 4·3 movement through assembly initiative.
Local Administration and 4·3 Policy
Governor Woo’s tenure coincided with the period when 4·3 was first officially addressed in regional politics in the early 1990s. During this time, Jeju’s 4·3 commemorative ceremonies, memorial tower construction, and organization of truth-finding bodies were undertaken under assembly initiative, with the provincial administration taking a responsive position.
On January 19, 1996, in a special broadcast titled “Approaching the 50th Anniversary of 4·3” on Jeju MBC Radio, Governor Woo presented the provincial administration’s perspective on the 4·3 issue, signaling the beginning of the governor’s public engagement with 4·3.
Relationship to 4·3 Truth-Finding Movement
Woo was not a leading figure in the truth-finding movement, but as the region’s highest-ranking administrator, he played an important role in the process of 4·3 becoming an official regional political issue. While acknowledging the assembly’s initiative, he took a position of cooperating in areas requiring administrative support, reflecting the era’s changes where 4·3 began gaining gradual acceptance even within conservative circles.
Academic Significance
Governor Woo’s role reflects changes in Jeju’s political landscape in the early 1990s. Though the provincial administration chief maintained a cautious position on the 4·3 issue, 4·3 emerged as a major regional political issue through accepting the assembly’s active initiative. This served as the starting point for subsequent developments leading to civic association formation in the mid-1990s, national committee organization, and special law enactment.
English
Basic Information
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Name | Woo Geun-min (우근민) |
| Title | Governor of Jeju Province |
| Term | December 1991–around 1996 |
| Role | Regional political leader, head of provincial administration |
| Field | Local administration, regional policy, 4·3 issue response |
Role and Activities
Woo Geun-min was the governor answering questions about the 4·3 issue at the 69th regular session of the Jeju Provincial Assembly held on December 11, 1991, publicly expressing the administration’s position.5 This was the first instance the 4·3 issue was officially addressed at the provincial government level following the assembly’s 4th term composition in 1991.5
At this session, Assemblyman Yang Geum-seok (Nam-won-eup, Democratic Liberal Party) questioned approaches to healing the 4·3 tragedy through citizen harmony, construction of a memorial tower for aggrieved spirits, and establishment of a pan-civic 4·3 truth-finding committee.6 Governor Woo’s response, while not entirely negative, demonstrated caution.
Governor Woo stated, “I have the thought that we need to heal the wounds of the 4·3 incident,” and expressed personal views beyond his official position as governor. Specifically, he suggested, “It would be good if an institution like Jeju National University undertook a commissioned study to collect and organize historical materials with scholarly conscience and without prejudice.”7 This example demonstrated that at the time, the provincial government sought a cautious yet scholarly approach to 4·3.
Relationship to 1991 Assembly’s 4·3 Issue Raising
Governor Woo’s tenure coincided with a crucial turning point when 4·3 was officially raised in the 1991 provincial assembly. Though Woo himself did not take the initiative in raising the 4·3 issue, responding to assemblymen’s questions marked the first step for the provincial administration to acknowledge 4·3’s importance at the local government level.7
The 1991 assembly’s inquiries on 4·3 subsequently led to formation of a 4·3 special committee and establishment of a “4·3-related Organization Preparatory Committee.”8 In this development, Governor Woo did not proactively advance 4·3 issues, but adopted a position allowing the regionalization of the 4·3 movement through assembly initiative.
Local Administration and 4·3 Policy
Governor Woo’s tenure coincided with the period when 4·3 was first officially addressed in regional politics in the early 1990s. During this time, Jeju’s 4·3 commemorative ceremonies, memorial tower construction, and organization of truth-finding bodies were undertaken under assembly initiative, with the provincial administration taking a responsive position.
On January 19, 1996, in a special broadcast titled “Approaching the 50th Anniversary of 4·3” on Jeju MBC Radio, Governor Woo presented the provincial administration’s perspective on the 4·3 issue, signaling the beginning of the governor’s public engagement with 4·3.
Relationship to 4·3 Truth-Finding Movement
Woo was not a leading figure in the truth-finding movement, but as the region’s highest-ranking administrator, he played an important role in the process of 4·3 becoming an official regional political issue. While acknowledging the assembly’s initiative, he took a position of cooperating in areas requiring administrative support, reflecting the era’s changes where 4·3 began gaining gradual acceptance even within conservative circles.
Academic Significance
Governor Woo’s role reflects changes in Jeju’s political landscape in the early 1990s. Though the provincial administration chief maintained a cautious position on the 4·3 issue, 4·3 emerged as a major regional political issue through accepting the assembly’s active initiative. This served as the starting point for subsequent developments leading to civic association formation in the mid-1990s, national committee organization, and special law enactment.
See Also
- 제주도의회 4·3 특별위원회 / Jeju Provincial Assembly 4·3 Special Committee
- 1990년대 제주 정치 변화 / Changes in Jeju Politics in the 1990s
- 4·3의 제도화 / Institutionalization of 4·3
- 지방정부와 4·3 정책 / Local Government and 4·3 Policy
관련 항목
제주도의회 4·3 특별위원회 1990년대 제주 정치 변화 4·3의 제도화 지방정부와 4·3 정책
Footnotes
-
Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation, From Darkness to Light: 70th Anniversary, 2018, p.547. ↩ ↩2
-
Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation, From Darkness to Light: 70th Anniversary, 2018, pp.548-549. ↩
-
Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation, From Darkness to Light: 70th Anniversary, 2018, p.549. ↩ ↩2
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Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation, From Darkness to Light: 70th Anniversary, 2018, p.550. ↩