Can US missionary descendant reinvent ruling party? 미국 선교사 후손이 개혁할 수 있을까?

[김우정]

귀화한 미국인 의사 인요한씨가 국민의 힘 혁신위원장을 맡았습니다.
그는 전북 전주의 선교사 집안에서태어나 전남 순천에서 자랐습니다. 
"아내와 자식을 빼고 다 바꾸자"는 이건희 회장의 말을 인용하면서 모든 것을 바꾸겠다고 말했습니다.
일부에서는 그의 서대문구 출마설을 말하며 부정적인 시각도 있습니다.
모쪼록 다양한 묵소리를 수렴하여 국민의 힘에 새로운 바람을 일으키기를 기대합니다.
 
Can US missionary descendant reinvent ruling party?
미국 선교사 후손이 집권당을 개혁할 수 있을까?

By Lee Hyo-jin 이효진 기자
Posted : 2023-10-24 16:47 Updated : 2023-10-25 16:05
Korea Times

Ihn Yo-han, chairman of the innovation committee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), speaks to reporters during his way to the office at the party's headquarters in Seoul's Yeouido, Tuesday. Yonhap 집권여당인 국민의당(PPP)의 혁신위원장인 임요한 의원이 화요일 서울 여의도 국민의힘 당사에서 사무실로 출근하는 도중 기자들과 이야기를 나누고 있다. 연합

PPP innovation committee chief Ihn Yo-han draws both high hopes and lingering doubts
높은 희망과 의심을 동시에 갖게 하는 인요한 국민의힘 혁신위원장
 
A fresh face has emerged in Korean politics. Ihn Yo-han, a naturalized Korean physician, has come to the rescue for the ruling People Power Party (PPP) as the conservative bloc gears up for a momentous change in preparation for the general elections slated for April next year.
한국 정치에 새로운 얼굴이 나타났다. 귀화한 대한민국 국민인 인요한 의사가 보수세력이 다가오는 내년 4월 예정 국회의원 선거를 대비하여 진행 중인 국민의 힘을 구하기위해 위해 나섰다.

Ihn, also known as John Linton, was appointed as chairman of the PPP's innovation committee, Monday. He is tasked with leading the reform of the ruling party as it strives to regain voters’ trust ahead of the parliamentary elections.
월요일, 존 린튼으로도 알려진 인 위원장이 월요일 국민의 힘 혁신위원장으로 임명되었다. 그는 총선을 앞두고 유권자들의 신뢰를 회복하기 위해 노력하고 있는 여당의 개혁을 주도하는 역할을 맡고 있다. 

Political commentators viewed that the PPP's appointment of Ihn shows its commitment to drastic change, but said it remains to be seen how big a role the physician will play.
정치평론가들은 국민의 힘이 인 위원장을 임명한 것은 과감한 변화에 대한 의지를 보여주는 것이라고 평가하면서도 인 위원장이 얼마나 큰 역할을 할지는 두고 봐야 한다고 말했다.

"By appointing Ihn as the innovation committee chief, the PPP has succeeded in grabbing public attention and delivering a message that things are going to change,” said Shin Yul, a professor of political science at Myongji University.
신율 명지대 정치학과 교수는 "인 위원장을 혁신위원장으로 임명함으로써 국민의 힘은 대중의 관심을 끌고 상황이 바뀔 것이라는 메시지를 전달하는 데 성공했다"고 말했다.

"It also sends a positive message that people of diverse backgrounds are playing a major role in Korean politics.”
"또한 다양한 배경을 가진 사람들이 한국정치에서 주요한 역할을 하고 있다는 긍정적인 메시지를 전달하고 있다."

Ihn is the first special naturalized Korean citizen, earning the status in 2012 thanks to his contributions to the country, such as the development of an ambulance customized for Korea in 1992.
인씨는 1992년 한국 맞춤형 구급차를 개발하는 등 국가에 기여한 공로로 2012년 특별귀화한 최초의 한국국민이다.

He is currently the director at the International Health Care Center of Yonsei University Severance Hospital.
그는 현재 연세대학교 세브란스병원 국제건강관리센터 소장을 맡고 있다.

The 64-year-old doctor comes from a family with a long history of contributions to Korea.
64세의 이 의사는 한국에 기여한 오랜 역사를 가진 가정에서 태어났다.
 

A photo of Ihn Yo-han, center, as a child / Korea Times file 중앙에 있는 어린이 인요한의 사진 / 코리아 타임즈 파일

 
He is the great-grandson of American Southern Presbyterian missionary Eugene Bell who was dispatched to Korea in 1895. The missionary established several churches and schools in southwestern Korea. After Bell’s passing, his descendants carried on the work, teaching in schools and establishing medical centers.
그는 1895년 한국에 파송된 미국 남장로교 선교사 유진 벨의 증손자이다. 그 선교사는 한국 남서부에 여러 교회와 학교를 세웠다. 벨이 세상을 떠난 후 그의 후손들은 학교에서 가르치고 의료센터를 설립하는 등 일을 계속했다.

In 1995, Ihn established the Eugene Bell Foundation in the United States with his brother Stephen Linton and other descendants of Bell. The foundation aims to give humanitarian aid to North Korea.
그는 1995년 형인 스티븐 린튼 등 벨의 후손들과 함께 미국에 유진벨 재단을 설립해 대북 인도적 지원을 목적으로 하고 있다.

Ihn himself has visited North Korea 29 times so far to help build hospitals and supply medical aid including the donation of ambulances.
인위원장은 지금까지 29차례 병원건립과 구급차기증 등 의료 지원을 위해 방북했다.
 
The doctor also worked as an interpreter during the Gwangju Democratization Movement, a pro-democracy uprising that occured in the southwestern city of Gwangju in 1980.
그는 또한 1980년 우리나라 남서부에 있는 광주에서 일어난 민주화운동기간 동안 통역사로 일했다.

Shin spoke highly of Ihn’s family background, but said it is too early to comment on whether the naturalized Korean will succeed in his role to shake up the party, as not much is known about his influence within the party.
신의원은 인 위원장의 집안배경을 높이 평가했지만, 당내 영향력에 대해서는 알려진 바가 별로 없는 만큼 귀화한 한국인이 당을 뒤흔드는 역할을 성공시킬지에 대해서는 아직 언급하기 이르다고 말했다.

Political commentator Rhee Jong-hun, on the other hand, described Ihn as a "not-so-new" figure.
반면 이종훈 정치평론가는 "새롭지 않은 인물"이라고 평가했다.

"He does give the impression that the PPP is trying to reform itself. However, considering that Ihn has long been trying to find his place in the conservative party, he isn't a fresh face,” he said.
그는 "그는 국민의 힘이 스스로 개혁을 시도하고 있다는 인상을 준다. 그러나, 인 위원장이 오랫동안 보수정당에서 자신의 자리를 찾기 위해 노력해온 것을 고려하면, 그는 신선한 얼굴이 아니다"라고 말했다.

Ihn was a key member of the presidential transition committee for the Park Geun-hye administration in 2013. In August this year, he gave a lecture at a forum organized by PPP lawmakers who are close to President Yoon Suk Yeol.
2013년 박근혜 정부인수위 핵심위원으로 활동했던 그는 올해 8월에는 윤석열 대통령과 친분이 있는 국민의 힘 의원들이 주최한 포럼에서 강연을 하기도 했다.

Recently, he has been mentioned as a potential recruit of the PPP for next year’s parliamentary elections, with rumors that he may run for a constituency in western Seoul's Seodaemun District, where the hospital where he works is located.
최근에는 자신이 근무하는 병원이 있는 서울 서대문구 지역구에 출마할 수도 있다는 소문이 돌면서 내년 국회의원 선거에 국민의 힘 영입 후보로 거론되고 있다.
 
Rhee described Ihn as a conservative figure from the country's southwestern region encompassing Gwangju, South Jeolla Province and North Jeolla Province ― a traditional stonghold of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea.
이씨는 민주당의 전통적 텃밭인 광주, 전라남도, 전라북도를 아우르는 서남권 출신의 보수적인 인물이라고 묘사했다.
 
 
 

Ihn Yo-han, director at the International Health Care Center of Yonsei University Severance Hospital, smiles during an interview with The Korea Times, May 22, 2007. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul 연세대학교 세브란스병원 국제보건센터 인요한 원장이 코리아 타임즈와의 인터뷰 중 미소 짓고 있다. 코리아 타임즈 심현철 사진

 
Ihn has been stressing his strong connection to the region. He was born in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, and raised in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province. In 2006, he published a biography called "My hometown is Jeolla Province, My Soul is Korean," and often introduces himself as "a country boy from Jeolla” in media interviews.
지역과의 강한 인연을 강조해 온 그는 전북 전주에서 태어나 전남 순천에서 자랐다. 2006년에는 '내 고향은 전라도, 내 영혼은 한국인'이라는 전기를 출간했고 언론 인터뷰에서도 종종 자신을 “전라도 출신 시골 소년”이라고 소개하고 있다.

The ruling party's unusual pick of its innovation committee leader shows its desperation to regain voters’ trust, Rhee said.
여당이 이례적으로 혁신위원장을 발탁한 것은 유권자들의 신뢰를 회복하려는 간절함을 보여주는 것이라고 이씨는 말했다.
Upon being appointed as chairman of the innovation committee, Ihn said “everything should change” under his leadership. He is set to announce the list of members of the innovation committee later this week.
인 위원장은 혁신위원장으로 임명된 뒤 "모든 것이 바뀌어야 한다"며 이번 주 후반 혁신위원 명단을 발표할 예정이다.

Ihn expressed hopes for more women to be included in his team. He also hinted at the possibility to recruit PPP lawmakers who have been critical of Yoon, in what is viewed as a move to embrace diverse voices within the party.
인 위원장은 더 많은 여성이 소속팀에 포함되기를 희망하고, 당내 다양한 목소리를 수렴하기 위한 것으로 보이는 윤 의원에 대해 비판적인 국민의 힘 의원 영입 가능성도 시사했다.

#미국선교사후손US missionary descendant #집권당개혁 Ruling party reform #혁신위원장임명 Appointment as innovation committee chief #유권자들의신뢰회복Regaining voters' trust #귀화한한국의사 Naturalized Korean physician #귀화과정 및공로 Naturalization process and contributions #가족배경 Family background #대북인도적지원 Humanitarian aid to North Korea #정치활동경험 Political involvement experience #지역적연결성강조Emphasis on regional connection