Shin Young-bok, a philosopher born under military oppression

I was surprised at how deep a person could contemplate in prison when Shin Young-bok’s first book “Reflections from Prison” was published, and I was once again surprised at the fact that the author was a political prisoner. A Korean alcohol company created its brand using his handwriting style as the main font. I was also amazed by his expansive knowledge and fresh views reading his lecture notes and discussions.

Shin Young-bok is a philosopher born under the oppression by Kim Hyung-wook. Shin was accused of being part of the Unification Revolution Party in 1968, when he was a graduate student studying economics at Seoul National University. Investigations by the Central Intelligence Agency would have been harsh. Shin could have been suspected to be more deeply involved in the incident than how he actually was. Spending 20 years in prison, he unexpectedly became a philosopher. Inspired by his cellmate Lee Gu-yeong, a Chinese literature scholar, he learned Chinese thoughts and had nothing but time to contemplate himself, away from the nuisance of the world.

In an interview with Han Hong-gu, Shin said he supported the revolution when asked if so. He was an upper liaison for Park Sung-jun, husband of a pro-Roh politician Han Myeong-sook. Many figures including Ahn Byung-jik, a former SNU professor, testified the truth of the Unification Revolution Party. Many political criminals sentenced during the military regime were granted amnesty after requesting for retrial later, but Shin did not do so. Even though he claimed that his accusation was exaggerated, he did not want to deny the fact that he had dreamed revolution.

In the movie Doctor Zhivago, there is a scene where a person opposed to the Bolshevik Revolution saying that he still likes Bolshevik as a person. Some Koreans say they don’t drink the alcohol brand with Shin`s font on because they don’t like him, but his thoughts were largely beloved by Koreans regardless of ideological difference. Shin`s banal lesson that a warm heart rather than a cool head, and actions rather than words work better in changing the world, still resonates today. Ideology would mean nothing for Shin Young-bok who is now gone for an eternal rest.

pisong@donga.com