해방 후 우익 여성단체의 조직과 활동 연구 (1945~50)

Abstract

본 논문은 1945년 8월 15일 해방 후부터 1950년 6월 한국전쟁 이전까지 미군정 및 이승만 세력을 지지한 남한 우익 여성단체 조직들이 어떻게 등장, 변화하였고, 그 정치․ 사회 활동이 어떠하였는지를 분석하는 것이다. 본 논문은 이를 통하여 이 시기 우익 여성단체의 성격을 규명해보는 것을 목적으로 한다. 해방 직후부터 1948년 남북한 국가 건설 때까지의 시기는 한국 사회의 각 정치세력이 미소 분할점령이라는 조건 아래서 자신들의 정치 이념과 노선을 표방하며 새로운 국가건설 활동을 전개한 시기였다. 새로운 국가수립을 두고 벌어졌던 좌우익 정치 갈등은 여성단체의 조직과 활동에도 큰 영향을 미쳤다. 해방 후 최초로 결성된 좌우연합 여성단체인 ‘건국부녀동맹’은 이러한 정치 상황을 배경으로 좌익의 ‘조선부녀총동맹’, 우익의 ‘조선여자국민당’과 ‘한국애국부인회’로 분리되었다. 초기 우익 여성운동을 대표한 조선여자국민당과 한국애국부인회는 우익 정치세력의 세력 확장을 배경으로 반탁운동에 적극 참여하였다. ‘독립촉성중앙부인단’은 우익 여성단체들의 반탁운동의 산물로 결성되었다. 미군의 진주와 신탁통치반대운동, 제1차 미소공동위원회의 결렬 등 일련의 과정을 거치면서, 초기 우익 여성단체들은 다시 ‘독립촉성애국부인회’로 조직을 통합하고 전국적인 통일을 꾀하였다. ‘전국여성단체총연맹’의 구성단체로도 참여하며, 조직을 확대한 독립촉성애국부인회는 이후 국제적인 냉전 구도가 심화되는 상황에서, 미국의 대한정책, 그리고 이승만과 ‘한국민주당’ 세력의 지원을 발판으로 남한 단독정부 수립운동에 적극 참여하였다. 해방 후 우익 여성단체는 미군정기 신설된 ‘부녀국’․ ‘여자경찰’과도 협력 체제를 형성하며 활동을 전개하였다. 하지만 그 과정은 좌익 여성단체의 세력을 약화시켜 나가면서, 하층 여성 대중의 생존권적인 요구를 외면해가는 과정이었다. 또한 우익 여성단체는 행정 권력을 매개로 의회 진출과 입법 활동에도 참여하였지만, 의회 진출에는 실패하였다. 그 후 우익 여성단체들은 남한 단독정부 수립이라는 정치노선을 취하였던 이승만의 정치활동을 적극 지지하였다. 그 결과 대한민국 정부수립 후, 독립촉성애국부인회는 이승만의 관민합작을 통한 전 국민적인 조직화 사업을 배경으로 서울시 부인회와 통합하여 ‘대한부인회’로 재조직되었다. 이처럼 해방 후 우익 여성단체들의 등장과 조직․ 활동의 변천과정은 해방 후 좌우익 정치세력이 상호 경합하는 가운데 전개되었다고 하겠다. 본 연구는 이러한 점을 염두에 두고, 우익 여성단체의 조직과 활동을 살펴보았다. 본 연구의 기본적인 문제의식은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 미군정 및 초기 대한민국 정부수립기는 현대 여성단체 형성의 원형을 제공한 시기였다. 그럼에도 불구하고 이 시기 여성단체에 관한 연구는 좌익 여성단체 연구만 있을 뿐, 우익 여성단체에 관한 총괄적인 연구가 거의 전무하다는 점이다. 둘째, 1950~70년대 여성단체는 국가권력 기구와 유착하여 대중과 유리된 채, 인텔리 여성 중심으로 결성된 조직이라 비판받아왔다. 따라서 현대 한국 여성단체의 성격을 이해하기 위해서는 여성단체의 모태가 된 이 시기에 관심을 가질 수밖에 없다. 현대 한국 여성단체가 여성 대중에 기반한 독자적인 사회단체로 자립, 독립하지 못하였던 이유와 한국의 여성단체들이 남성 중심적 관점의 정치･ 사회와 역사에 대해 효과적인 저항을 할 수 없었던 이유를 심층적으로 이해하기 위하여, 기원이 되는 이 시기 우익 여성단체에 관한 연구는 필요하다는 점이다. 이상과 같은 문제의식에 기초하여, 본 연구는 미군정기부터 정부수립 초기까지를 대상 시기로 하여, 이 시기 여성단체의 역사를 다음의 몇 가지 사항에 초점을 두고 분석하였다. 첫째, 이 시기 우익 여성단체들의 조직 변천과정을 통해 우익 여성운동의 구체적인 모습을 재구성하고자 하였다. 이 때 해방 후 좌우익 갈등의 정치 상황이 여성단체 결성 과정에 어떤 영향을 미쳤는가를 살펴보았다. 또한 여성단체 지도자와 구성원의 인적 사항 및 활동 경력을 분석하여 그 특징을 고찰하였다. 둘째, 미군정 및 이승만 정권과 우익 여성단체의 유착관계를 살펴보았다. 미군정 및 이승만은 통치기구를 확립하면서 여성단체 또한 그들의 통제범위 내에 포함시켰다. 아울러 여성단체를 통해 여성 대중들을 지지기반으로 끌어들이고자 하였다. 여성단체 또한 국가권력의 지원을 받으면서 여성 대중들을 스스로의 기반으로 삼으려 하였다. 때문에 국가권력과 여성단체는 서로 유착관계를 형성할 수 있었다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 유착관계의 형성 과정과 서로간의 이해관계에 대해 깊이 있게 살펴보았다. 셋째, 이 시기 우익 여성단체의 정치․ 사회 활동을 우익 여성단체의 독자성과 대중성 문제에 초점을 맞춰 살펴보았다. 이 시기 여성단체들은 여성들의 권익 신장운동, 그리고 여성들의 계몽운동과 같은 고유한 활동 외에도, 반탁운동이나 단독정부 수립 지지운동과 같은 정치적인 활동도 함께 전개하였다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 활동이 구체적으로 어떻게 전개되었는지를 살펴보고, 특히 후자와 관련하여 당시 정치권력과 어떤 역학관계 하에서 그러한 운동이 전개되었는지를 살펴보았다. 그리고 이들 우익 여성단체들이 왜 정치권력과 유착관계를 갖게 되었는지 그 배경에 대해 검토해보았다. 아울러 이들 여성단체들은 당시 정치권력에 의해 단순히 동원되는 존재였는지, 아니면 나름대로의 독자성을 가지면서 정치권력을 활용하려 하였는지에 대해 관심을 두었다. 그리고 이들 여성단체들이 하층 여성들의 생존권 문제에 대해서는 어떠한 인식을 가졌는지도 함께 검토하였다. 이상 해방 후 우익 여성단체들의 등장과 조직, 활동의 변천과정에 대한 분석을 기반으로, 이 시기 우익 여성단체의 특징들을 살펴보면 다음과 같다. 첫째, 일제말기 친일 여성단체, 미군정기 독촉부인회, 그리고 대한민국 정부수립 후 대한부인회로 대표되는 우익 여성단체 지도자들의 이념, 노선, 활동 방향 등에는 일정한 연속성이 있었다. 이들은 대부분 기독교 여성 중심의 민족주의 계열의 여성들이었으며, 친미․ 반공, 그리고 국가주의적 성향이 농후한 이들이었다. 둘째, 미군정기 우익 여성단체는 여성들의 지위 향상과 권익 신장을 그 목표로 내걸었지만, 그들의 활동은 오히려 반탁운동, 좌익 세력의 약화와 우익 세력의 기반 구축, 이승만 정권의 창출과 유지, 그리고 친미․ 반공의 통치체제의 구축 등에 더 비중을 두었다. 이는 이들 우익 여성단체의 지도자들이 여성의 지위 향상과 권익 신장과 같은 과제는 정부수립 이후의 과제이며, 여성운동은 먼저 정부수립 운동에 힘을 보태야 한다고 생각하였기 때문이다. 곧 우익 여성운동가들은 아직도 여성운동을 민족이나 국가를 위한 운동에 종속시켜 생각하였다. 셋째, 우익 여성단체는 부녀국․ 여자경찰을 비롯한 각종 행정조직 및 준 국가기구와 유착하여 자신의 영향력을 확보하고자 하였다. 우익 여성단체들은 대중적 기반의 확보보다는 여성운동 지도자들이 직접 행정이나 입법에 참여하는 데 더 관심이 있었다. 그것은 여성의 지위 향상과 권익 신장을 위해서는 행정이나 입법에 직접 참여하는 것이 지름길이라고 생각했기 때문이다. 그 결과, 우익 여성단체들은 권력 의존적, 권력 지향적 성격을 강하게 드러내었다. 그리고 우익 여성단체들은 미군정이나 이승만 정부의 행정조직과 유착하여 활동하였지만, 입법부에 여성의원들을 진출시키는 데에는 사실상 실패하였다. 여성 대중들의 지원이 없는 상황에서 의원으로 참여하는 것은 불가능했기 때문이다. 결국 자립적인 기반을 마련하지 못한 이 시기 우익 여성운동은 국가권력에 의해 조종되는 관변기구로 전락할 수밖에 없었다.; This study aims to analyze how the rightist women's organizations that supported the US military government in Korea and power of Syngman Lee after Korea's independence in 1945 before the Korean War emerged and changed and how their political and social activities were. This started from a critical mind as follows. First, the period of US military government in Korea and establishment of early government of the Republic of Korea was the one to provide a prototype for formation of modern women's organization. Nevertheless, there was only a study on the leftist women's organization in terms of a study on the women's organization at this period, and there was almost no general study on the rightist women's organization at all. Second, women's organization of 1950-70s was criticized for it was closely connected with state power structure, isolated from the people, and formed around the intellectual women. Therefore, you cannot help being interested in this period which became the mother's womb of women's organization in order to understand the characteristic of modern Korean women's organization. The point is that a study on the rightist women's organization at this period which becomes the origin is necessary in order to understand in-depth the reason why modern Korean women's organization didn't become independent as an independent social organization which was based on the women people and the reason why Korean women's organizations couldn't resist men-dominated politics, society and history effectively. Based on a critical mind as above, this thesis, first, reconstructed concrete aspect of the rightist women's movement through the development process of organizational change of the rightist women's organizations at this period. Second, it analyzed the activity of rightist women's organizations with the focus on considering at the political and social level which is a conflict of left and right-wing political power and the relationship between the rightist women's organizations and state power structure. The outcome of above could be summarized as follows. First, the rightist women's organizations emerged in the women's movement of colonial time and its legacy after liberation. The tradition and experience of nationalism women's movement with the focus on Christian women which had been developed from Japanese colonial period had a huge effect on the formation and activity of female organization which was developed in left and right breakup after liberation. Especially, careers of Japanese colonial period of the rightist women's organization leaders determined the direction of political activities after liberation. The Founding Women's Association created after the liberation was an organization between left-ring sections and right-wing sections around the creation of organizations preparing for the foundation of a new state. However, after the People's Republic was founded and the US military government in Korea supported right-wing sections, the situation where the left-wing dominated politics in South Korea was changed. As a result, the Founding Women's Association dissolved. Based on the support from the US military government, Korean Women's National Party and the Korean Patriot Women's Association were founded. Meanwhile, the leftist women's movement section created a nation-wide organization called the Korean Women Aliance called Chosun Bunyochongdongmeng or Buchong. Since then, South Korean women's organizations were acutely divided into leftist and rightist women's organizations in their ideologies and organization activities. Second, the rightist women's organizations achieved organized integration and concentration based on anti-trusteeship movements from early 1946 to the second US-USSR Joint Committee. The Korean Women's National Party and the Korean Patriot Women's Association joined anti-trusteeship movements. As a result of such anti-trusteeship movements, Independence Promotion Central Women's Association was created. Early the rightist women's organizations were weaker than the leftist women's movement sections in terms of organizations and activities. Also, the US military government had not yet added various institutions to support policies related to women's issues. However, the Korean Patriot Women's Association and the Independence Promotion Central Women's Association was integrated into the Independence Promotion Patriotic Women's Association, or Dokchokbuinhwe upon the movement to unify the right-wing political sections during the first US-USSR Joint Committee. Dokchokbuinhwe advanced after Buchong was dissolved as a result of US military government's pressure on the left-wing sections after the failure of the first US-USSR Joint Committee, total strike in September in 1946, and people's resistance in October. The rightist women's organization based on the formation of Dokchokbuinhwe advanced organizational requirements compared to other early organizations. The characteristics as organizations to oppose the left-wing sections were also clearer. After the disintegration of the first US-USSR Joint Committee, Dokchokbuinhwe and Korean Women's National Party united to support Syngman Lee and they acted to promote and propagandize his political lines. Furthermore, they installed Nation-wide Women's Total Association or Yeochong aiming to unify the rightist women's political power. Bunyogook, an organization of women's administration also participated in Yeochong. That was a preview of the later directions of organizations and activities of the rightist women's section. Third, as the leftist and rightist women's organizations of the pre-foundation were unified independently, Buchong emphasized more on women's reform politics. As a result, the US military government added Bunyogook and police women at the administrative level while forming mutual assistance system with the rightist women's organizations in an effort to organize women's movements. However, it was a compromised reform policy excluding and suppressing leftist women's organizations. The movement to annihilate public prostitution was a good example. Also, the US military government founded the South Chosun Interim Legislation Assembly or Gwadoipui on the legislation level and allowed the rightist women's movement practitioners join in it. However, there was a limit for the Gwadoipui to become a representative body as the early democratic assembly and Gwadoipui were merely advisory institutions for the US military government. Furthermore, in case of Gwadoipui, the women's members of rightist assembly were appointed through government selection. Accordingly, leftist and rightist women's movements were opposing each other around the participation of Gwadoipui during the processes of founding a new state and enactments Common Election Law and Public Prostitution Prohibition Law around the Gwadoipui. There were signs of compromises for Korean problem solutions through the US-USSR Joint Committee upon the Second US-USSR Joint Committee, but the agreements couldn't be reached because of the issue of choosing the subjects for negotiation. In this context, the rightist women's organization's unified body Yeochong commenced political activities in the name of Absolute Opposition to Trusteeship. Upon the failure of Joint Committee and the transfer of the Korean problem to the United Nations, the Syngman Lee section transformed the rightist women's organizations to prepare for the general election to achieve the foundation of independent government. Yeochong concentrated on mobilizing women after creating women's central election preparation committee. Especially Dokchokbuinhwe and Bunyogook helped to the movement of establishing independent election and independent government through election enlightenment movements. The 5.10 general election resulted in a failure. The failure gave the rightist women's movement participants an opportunity of self-examination. However, it stopped after merely identifying the importance of enlightening activities for 'ignorant' women people. Fourth, after the establishment of government, the creation of Daehan Buinhwe was accomplished because Dokchok National Association was transformed into an organization half official and half civil. Moreover, there was the need to spread anti-communism among the people after the Yeosun incident. Accordingly, Daehan Buinhwe was created by integrating Dokchokbuinhwe with the Seoul city government's Buinhwe. The various women's associations centering on Dokchokbuinhwe was restructured into a system of a unified association upon the creation of Daehan Buinhwe. The members and branches of Daehan Buinhwe were not changed from those of the rightist women's organizations during the US military government. The systematic relationship between Daehan Buinhwe and Bunyogook also followed the mutual assistance system between Dokchokbuinhwe and Bunyogook during the US military government. Especially the employees at Bunyogook were also members of Daehan Buinhwe. Moreover, Daehan Buinhwe received funding from the government. On the surface, it was in the name of National Movement Funding, Maintenance Funding for various social institutions such as Daehan Buinhwe. Daehan Buinhwe was mobilized and used in key government political activities, enlightenment movements for women, and relief and support activities with operational money (support money) from some of the money received from the government. The nature of pro-government and pro-Lee of Daehan Buinhwe is well reflected in the movement to oppose the withdrawal of the US Armed Forces in Korea, and the movement to oppose the legislation of the parliamentary cabinet system. They were the public agendas of anti-communism. Whenever Syngman Lee faced a political crisis, he mobilized various public associations such as Daehan Buinhwe to spread the discussions of anti-communism agendas throughout the country. Daehan Buinhwe in meeting his demands chose anti-communistic activities and anti-communistic struggles as their central objective. The New Living Movement of Daehan Buinhwe approached the political goal of national movement through indirect methods. Daehan Buinhwe lead the New Living Movement along with Seoul City Government's Bunyogook. Movements such as the New Living Life, Save Energy Movement, Rebuild National Life Movement, and so on created various, comprehensive, and specific rules for ordinary lives. On the surface, it was similar to the mechanism by the Japanese Empire to regulate daily lifes during the late period of the Pacific War. The purpose of the national movements of Daehan Buinhwe was to control the whole aspects of the lifes of citizens to instill anti-communism deeper. On the other hand, Daehan Buinhwe tried to enter the parliament even after it was transformed to an organization half official and half civil working with administrative institutions to commence various systematic projects for the nation. Daehan Buinhwe participated in the 5.30 general ection in 1950 to constitute the second national assembly. The number of candidates was reduced to 11 from the first assembly, but Youngshin Lim from the Women's Nationalist Party and Suncheon Park of Daehan Buinhwe won. Daehan Buinhwe controlled a vast sphere of influence based on the administrative power of a system with Syngman Lee on the top even when it insisted it was non-political, non-party, and non-faction, and tried to control the institutional political space represented by the national assembly. Based on the analysis of organizations and activities of the post-liberation the rightist women's organizations, their main characteristics are as the following. First, the rightist women's organizations that performed important roles in the processes to establish the government by the Syngman Lee political section and the formation processes to found the state were gradually unified. Moreover, there was a continuing pattern of the pro-Japanese women's organizations to Dokchokbuinhwe under the US military government and Daehan Buinhwe after the foundation of the state. Especially, most of the leaders were those leading nationalist women's movements based on Christian women. Second, the rightist women's organizations tried to consolidate their influence by working with various administrative and semi-state organizations such as Bunyogook and police women. Also, they tried to enter political sphere representated as the national assembly based on such. Third, the rightist women's organizations performed the central role in creating and maintaining the Syngman Lee regime and excluding the leftist women's organizations that opposed the Syngman Lee section through political and social activities.