무위당 장일순의 사상과 SDGs/ESG 연계: 한국적 생명 지혜와 ‘생명수양경영’을 통한 지속가능성 담론의 심화 연구

This study comprehensively analyses the life and coexistence philosophy of Jang Il-soon (1928-1994), a 20th-century Korean thinker, from a historical perspective. It explores its potential connections with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) discourse. Jang’s thoughts, which criticized the “logic of death” inherent in anthropocentric modernity and advocated a life-centric worldview grounded in the “wholeness” and “spirituality” of all beings, offer humanistic insights for the qualitative deepening of the global sustainability paradigm. This paper critically examines 18 selected core articles from 46 KCI-listed (including candidate) articles on Jang’s thoughts, delineating their intellectual landscape and core concepts. It illuminates his syncretic connections with Korean and East Asian traditional thought, including Donghak, Daoism(Laozi-Zhuangzi), and Buddhism, and discusses the implications of his practical philosophy in contemporary society. Notably, this research proposes Life Cultivation Management (生命修養經營; Spiritual Sustenance Management) as a new, practical concept rooted in his thoughts. It transcends material outcomes, emphasizing life reverence and inner reflection to realize sustainable life management. The study analyzes how Jang’s philosophical concepts connect with SDG and ESG, highlighting their complementary potential. It acknowledges the gaps between his philosophy and existing SDGs/ESG discourse, proposing Life Cultivation Management for bridging these gaps. It broadens the horizons of Korean humanities and proposes practical tasks by integrating his thoughts with global sustainability discussions.