남·북한 과학소설에서 나타나는 과학입국과 강대국으로의 열망 - 한낙원의 『잃어버린 소년』과 황정상의 『푸른이삭』을 중심으로

Science-Driven National Development and Aspirations for a Great Power in South and North Korean Science Fiction : Focusing on Han Nak-won’s The Lost Boyand Hwang Jung-sang’s Blue Ears of Grain

이 연구는 한낙원의 『잃어버린 소년』(1959)과 황정상의 『푸른 이삭』(1988)을중심으로, 남북한이 과학을 통해 국가를 재건하고 강대국으로 도약하려 했던 열망을 살펴본다. 6·25전쟁 이후 한국은 과학을 국가 발전의 핵심 도구로 삼아 아동·청소년을대상으로 한 과학 교육을 강화했다. 한낙원은 이러한 시대적 흐름 속에서 과학소설을 통해 핵기술과 국가 발전의 중요성을 강조했다. 반면 북한에서는 과학소설이 보다 체계적으로 발전했으며, 황정상은 『과학환상문학창작』(1993)을 통해 북한의 과학소설 이론을 정립했다. 북한의 과학소설은 인간 중심적이지만, 동시에북한의 과학 기술 우수성을 선전하는 역할도 수행했다. 이 연구는 『잃어버린 소년』과 『푸른 이삭』을 통해 남과 북이 과학을 바라보는방식과 과학을 통한 국가 발전의 비전을 비교하고, 한국 과학소설 연구에 기여하고자 한다.

This study examines the aspirations for national reconstruction and the rise to a great power through scientific advancement, focusing on Han Nak-won’s science fiction The Lost Boy(1959) and Hwang Jung-sang’s mid-length science fiction Blue Ears of Grain(1988). Following the Korean War, South Korea sought to rebuild its devastated nation and envisioned a path to becoming a powerful country through science and technology. Institutionally, efforts were made to foster interest in science among children and adolescents, utilizing it as a tool for modernization and progress. This enthusiasm for a science-driven nation stemmed from witnessing the impact of nuclear weapons that ended World War II. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union post-World War II was closely tied to nuclear weapons development, influencing South Korea’s scientific ambitions. In South Korea, science fiction evolved as an educational and ideological tool aimed at young readers. With the onset of the Cold War and the prominence of anti-communist ideology, science fiction no longer remained a realm of mere imagination but became a means to inspire youth towards national reconstruction and scientific advancement. Han Nak-won, a major writer of children’s and adolescent science fiction, actively contributed to scientific discourse beyond fiction, emphasizing the crucial role of science in postwar Korea’s national restoration and advancement. His works particularly addressed nuclear technology, reflecting the socio-political climate of the time, in which nuclear power was a symbol of global dominance. Meanwhile, North Korea institutionalized science fiction as a means of ideological education. Hwang Jung-sang presented a systematic theory of science fiction in The Creation of Science Fantasy Literature(1993). While North Korean science fiction fundamentally focuses on human themes, it also serves as a medium to highlight the nation’s scientific and technological superiority, reinforcing its status as a scientific power. This study explores South and North Korea’s perspectives on science and their aspirations for national strength through scientific advancement, as reflected in The Lost Boyand Blue Ears of Grain. Despite the historical gap between the two works, with one marking the beginning of the Cold War and the other its end, analyzing their approaches to science during this period contributes significantly to the study of Korean science fiction.