이 글은 해금 이후 30년 동안 ‘근대문학사의 복원’이라는 문제가 어떤 경로를 거쳐 왔고 그 의의는 무엇인지를 해명하는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 이 글은 먼저 월북문인들이 공백 처리된 문학사의 윤곽을 더듬어보고, 1988년 해금조치를 전후로 한 여러 배경을 살펴보는 한편, 해금 이후 30년 동안 근대문학사의 복원이 어떤 경과를 거쳤으며 어떤 한계를 드러내고 있는지를 논의했다. 해금조치 30년을 맞은 지금에도 납북, 월북 문인들의 사상적 복권은 유보된 채 몇몇 문인들의 해방 이전 작품들만이 유통되는 경향을 보인다. 이는 해방 이후 분화되어간 남북체제의 문학에 대한 이해를 차단하는 제도적 실정력이 여전함을 의미한다. 해금조치의 불구성은 북한문학과 통일문학에 대한 통합적 시각과 연구 붐이 불과 10년을 넘기지 못하고 급격히 퇴조한 점에서도 잘 확인된다. 그러나 붐이 사라진 90년대 이후 국문학계는 근대성 재검토, 월북문인과 재북문인, 북한문학, 통일문학사와 관련된 문학사적 복원 노력을 지속해 왔다.

The purpose of this study is to investigate what 'the reconstruction of history of modern literature' had been through and what it meant to be during 30years since the removal action of embargo. To approach the purpose, this essay roughly looked through the outline of literature which were missed for writer who defected to North Korea. It was discussed that reviewed various background before or after the removal action of embargo in 1988 and discussed also what 'the reconstruction of history of modern literature' had been through also what limitation had at that time. Since then, now it has been 30years and prominent reality showed the gap which was distributed by only the writings of some writers before liberation. On the other hand, the ideal reinstatement of writers who defected to North Korea or kidnapped were postponed. In other words, the reality exists that blocked the understanding for the literature divided into North and South since liberation. The removal action of embargo was not composed well so it brought that the study and the integrated perspective about the North Korea literature and unification literature were rapidly declined and did not continue over 10 years. However, Korean literature kept trying to reconstruct literature history which was related to modernity review, writer who defected to North Korea, North Korean writers, North Korean literature and unification of literature history.