유교의 관점에서 본 한국인의 죽음관：죽음의 의미, 성격 그리고 태도를 중심으로*

Recent advancements in medical treatment have led to a new understanding of death, which diverges from the understanding of death in traditional Korean culture. As human life can now be prolonged through new medical treatments and technologies, such as respirators, the distinction between death by nature and death by human means has become blurred. This has resulted in public interest and debate in Korea concerning “death with dignity” and a patient’s “right to die.” This article contends that the concept of “death with dignity” actually undermines a patient’s dignity and the concept of a “right to die” reduces a patient’s rights. Furthermore, it is argued that there is a need to redefine the legal definition and meaning of “natural-death” and “artificialdeath” in the context of Korean ethics, which cannot be decoupled from Korean thought and culture with its deep roots in Confucianism. This article sheds light on the meaning and characteristics of death from the point of view of Korean Confucianism. An account is also given of the associated notion of “sympathy” as developed by the philosopher Mencius. This account is intended to provide an understanding of death from a traditional Korean perspective.