Kang Young-Hoon (Korean: 강영훈, 30 May 1922 – 10 May 2016) was a South Korean politician who served as the prime minister of the sixth South Korean republic, from 16 December 1988 until 27 December 1990.
On his release from prison, Kang headed back to America, gaining a M.A. in international relations (1966) and a Ph.D. in political science (1973) from the University of Southern California.[4] During his doctorate studies, he founded the Research Institute on Korean Affairs in Silver Spring, Maryland.[1]
Kang was appointed prime minister by PresidentRoh Tae-woo, who at the same time replaced 19 of 23 Cabinet members in a major shake up meant to separate himself from his disgraced predecessor, President Chun Doo-hwan. Kang was chosen, in part, because of his opposition to the Park Chung Hee-led coup of 1961.[5] A moderate, Kang supported the democratic transition between the previous military regimes and civilian rule.[7] During his tenure, political violence continued at universities throughout South Korea as groups labeled by the regime as "leftist radicals" advocated for the overthrow of the Government.[8][9] After a rise in violence during the spring of 1989, Kang offered to follow opposition party demands to resign if he were held responsible for mishandling state affairs surrounding the violence.[10]
Relations with North Korea
After months of negotiations, Kang took part in historic talks with his North Korean counterpart, Prime Minister Yon Hyong-muk.[11][12][13] The highest-level contact between the two Governments since 1945, the exchange of visits by respective prime ministers were aimed at reducing tension on the peninsula and an eventual reunification.[14] The first meeting occurred on 5–6 September 1990 in Seoul, permitting both sides to directly address their concerns on issues regarding disarmament, United States troop withdrawal, the release of political prisoners, visitation rights, and reunification; the tone remained amiable.[15]
The prime ministers met a second time on 17–18 October 1990, this time in Pyongyang, culminating in a meeting with Kim Il Sung.[16] After initially maintaining the positive tone of the earlier meeting, tensions rose as both sides dropped their earlier civil tone and accused each other of bad faith.[17][18] Both sides became suspicious that the other was using the talks to further its political agenda; Kang accused the North Koreans of "doing things that foment division and further put off peace" as well as using the talks to interfere with South Korean internal affairs while North Korean representatives criticized South Korea's suggestions to increase trade, cultural and humanitarian exchanges. Despite a lack of mutual agreement on substantive issues, the two sides agreed to another round of talks in Seoul from 11 to 14 December.[18] Even with the dismissive position of North Korean officials, soccer matches and folk-music-concert exchanges did take place in the subsequent months.[18][19] The third meeting in December failed to come to a compromise over a proposed "declaration of non-aggression,"[20] which had been on the table since September; however both sides agreed yet again to continue talks the following February.[19]
Post-political career
On 27 December 1990 Roh replaced Kang in another cabinet shuffle intended to improve his party's image before the following year's elections. Replaced by Ro Jai-bong[citation needed], a chief aide, Kang had reportedly asked to retire from public life.[21] Shortly after his replacement, he went on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East to canvass support for South Korea's membership to the United Nations.[22] He went on to serve as president of the National Red Cross (1991–1997), an organization that played a major role in negotiations between South and North Korea, during a period where the north was suffering a dire famine. In 1995, he has created an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II. Kang subsequently served as chairman of the Sejong Institute, and as chairman of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Korea Committee.[3] Kang died on 10 May 2016 at the age of 93 of natural causes at the Seoul National University Hospital 20 days shortly before his 94th birthday. Kang was survived by his wife and three children.[23]
References
^ abcdHoare, James E.; Nahm, Andrew C. (2004). Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Korea (2nd ed.). Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. pp. 81–82. ISBN9780810849495.
^世界政経調査会, ed. (1980). 韓国・北朝鮮人名辞典 1979年版 上巻 (in Japanese). 世界政経調査会. p. 54.
^Roehrig, Terence (2002). The Prosecution of Former Military Leaders in Newly Democratic Nations : the cases of Argentina, Greece and South Korea. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 166. ISBN0786410914.
^Harrison, Selig (2002). Korean Endgame: A Strategy for Reunification and U.S. Disengagement. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. pp. 143–144. ISBN9781400824915.
