「스티븐스」중위는 「메릴랜드 주 볼티모어」시(市) 출신으로 명문 「존스홉킨스」大 지질학과를 졸업하고 R.O.T.C 장교로 임관, 한국전선에 파견된 분이다. 유능하고 명석하고, 독실한 기독교인인지라 생활태도가 반듯했다. 그렇다고 해서 딱딱한 원칙주의자가 아니라, 필요하면 융통성도 충분히 발휘할 줄 알았다.
할아버지가 Sweden에서 이민 왔고, 아버지는 바이킹 후예답게 해양대학을 나와 대형 상선의 선장으로 세계를 누비고 계시다 했다. 따라서 「스티븐스」 박사는 일찍부터 외국에 대한 이해가 많고, 타 문화에 대해 많은 호기심과 존중심을 가지고 있었다. 거의 매일 부인에게서 일기처럼 편지가 오는 것으로 봐서, 부부금슬도 특별한 것 같았다. 나하고는 이념적인 성향, 그리고 약간 aristocratic한 면에 있어서 서로 공감 상통하는 바가 많았다. 식성도 비슷했다.
지금 나의 영어의 기초는 이분이 만들어 주신 것이다. 필체 그리고 어법도 많이 닮았다. 지금도 가끔 잘못된 문장이 나오면 “이것, 당신한테서 배운거요.”하면 박장대소를 한다. 이런 좋은 분과의 만남을 통하여 나의 지식영역이 넓어졌고, 미국 유학까지 할 수 있었다.
그분은 외아들로 자랐던 탓인지 항상 형님이나 동생이 없는 것을 서운해 했다. 나와는 의형제를 맺고 60년 가까이 의(義)와 애정의 관계를 유지하고 있다. 교수님의 1남 3녀들도 깎듯이 Uncle Kim 이라는 호칭으로 나를 부른다.
교수님은 특히 야외활동, 여행, 문화재 탐방이 취미였다. 전쟁이 끝나면 나를 부자로 만들어 주겠다며, 지질학도들의 필수품 쇠망치를 언제나 가지고 다니며, 좀 특이한 돌들을 두들겨 깨 보는 광물 찾기도 열심이었다. 아마도 지금은 DMZ 內이겠지만, 흑연이 매장된 지역을 발견한 적도 있다.
주말이면 운전병과 나를 데리고 동해안 사찰들을 탐방했다. 당시 미시령이 겨우 작전도로로 개설되어 속초, 양양으로 빠른 시간에 갈 수 있었다. 마침 설악산 신흥사를 찾아 갔을 때였다. 1953년 초, 아직 잔설(殘雪)이 남아있을 때, 밤이면 난방 없이는 견디기 힘든 전방 지대이다. 여러 개의 개울을 건너, 우마차만이 간신히 다니는 촌길을 지나 절에 도착했을 때는 해가 뉘엿뉘엿 넘어가는 오후였다.
사찰에 승려들은 전혀 없고, 대웅전을 비롯해 칠성당 등에서의 불상 등 존치물들이 어지럽게 너부러져 있었고, 불상 이마 쪽에 붙어있던 수정 등 보석도 다 없어진 황폐한 상태다. 그곳은 수복지구였으므로 공산 치하에서야 대접을 받았겠나 싶었지만, 그때는 우리 통치가 미치는 곳인데 너무나 방치되어 있었다.
그런데 이것이 웬일인가. 한국군(후에 알았지만 어느 사단의 수색중대)이 주둔하고 있는데, 병사들이 사찰 강당에 깔려있는 마룻장을 뜯어 화목(火木)으로 쓰고 있는 것이다. 가까운 뒷산에 땔감이 즐비한데, 거기 가서 나무하기가 힘들다고 그 귀중한 문화재를 마구 부숴 화목으로 불사르는 것이다. 「스티븐스」교수는 너무 황당했던지 “Savages!”(야만인들)이라고 소리를 빽 질렀다.
그곳의 중대장이라고 하는 대위 한 사람이 나타났다. 스티븐스 교수는 날 보고 한마디도 빼지 말고 그대로 통역하라는 분부와 함께 그 중대장을 닦아세우는데 그 성직자 같은 사람이 어디서 그런 분노가 터지는지 나도 아찔했다. 군단장(軍團長 : 이형근 소장)에게 서면보고(書面報告)를 하겠다고 으름장을 놓으니, 그 중대장이 계속해서 “아이 엠 쏘리, 아이 엠 쏘리.”를 연발한다. 그때 상황을 내가영문으로 작성해 스티븐스 박사 금혼식 논문집에 게재해 놓은 것을 여기에 소개한다.
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Following is an unforgettable incident, which took place at the Eastern Front during the Korean War in early fiftieth. Mr. George R. Stevens was a dignified and serious young army lieutenant. He was the Chief Intellegence Officer of 116th Combat Engineer Battalion under the direct command of the 10th Corp of the US Army, the major war machine responsible for the battles at the Eastern Sector of the Korean penisular. Also, George was in charge of the personnel affairs of the Korean indigenous people employed by the unit plus taking care of a battalion size of the Korean Service Corp(KSC:Supporting hands for the war effort at the front line; served in the area such as the supply road construction & maintenance, bunker construction and delivery of logistic supplies). At that time, I served as his interpreter, still with the status of 18 years old high school senior; schools were closed.
It was early spring in the later part of Korean conflict, February 1953 I think. It was still cold out there. There were ferocious artillery bombardment, air strikes everyday and occasional bunker skirmishes, but the war activities in general had been relatively stagnant and both sides very much dug in, and the armistice was being negotiated at Panmoonjum area. So we were able to enjoy some leisure.
George was a geologist and execellent in map reading. He also had great interest in cultural and historical things. So when we had a day off or spare time, we often visited or looked around the ruins of old buddhist temples or damaged school buildings in the area.
Once we made a trip to the East Coast, three of us, George, a soldier driver and myself. And our destination that time was Shin Hung Sa Temple, which was of course picked up by George with his war map. After about four of five hour drive through the main supply road, we came to a jeep trail, a narrow and bumpy one ran into mountain area and occasionally had to cross the open streams, Finally we reached a large and old temple surrounded by the thick forest. It was first created in early Shilla Dynasty, about 7 AD and served as the principal temple of the Eastern coastal area. The structure of the temple was intact and looked so beautiful from outside.
When entered through the main gate, to our great surprise, we witnessed a vandalism being taken place. A flock of Korean soldiers staying there were tearing the floor of the temple hall for fire wood. The statutes of Buddha were broken down and scattered around the floor in other prayer buildings. No body cared about and in utter chaos. George was angry at this sight and really up-set. I had never seen George become so furious as that, ever before and there after. Upon asking me to translate exactly what he would be going to say, he started scolding those soldiers involved in such a relentless tearing of floorings. His voice was high pitched. The denotation of his hollering was something like this "You, fellow soldiers! You should be ashamed of your-selves. You are destroying your cultural and historical assets; this is an act of barbarians", including a few other blunt remarks, he added. I myself felt bad about their irresponsible be-havior. They could easily fetch fire woods in the forest near by or they could also arrange some of those cultural properties in order. But they were too lazy to do so and also very much thoughtless toward the national treasures. It was a sad scene. To such a roar, the soldiers are taken aback and stopped their working. Shortly, a captain of the troop had shown up and saw what his soldiers were doing. He apologized. George reminded the captain of the value of those historical things and advocated the protection of those properties, even in amid of the war. We found that the troop was a detachment of the Reconnaissance Company from the Korean Army division near by. The captain explained to us that the area of the temple was occupied by the North Korean regime before the war and there were no care takers working for the temple. It had been abandoned. Any way, Mr. Captain promised to take care it as best as he can during his stay there. That promise was very well kept.
About tweleve years later, in 1965, I made a trip there for mountain climbing while serving as the Secretary to the Prime Minister and found the temple standing intact and beautifully repaired. The area is now called Surak National Park and one of the best tourist attraction and thousand and thousands of the people are now visiting the temple and the beautiful national mountain park.
Often, I make trip to the place and would talk with the chief monks there. They are so appreciative of George's high moral act. |
