Kang Young-hoon

{{Short description|Prime Minister of South Korea from 1988 to 1990}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = His Excellency

| name = Kang Young-Hoon
강영훈

| image = Kang young-hoon.jpg

| order = Prime Minister of South Korea

| president = Roh Tae-woo

| term_start = 16 December 1988

| term_end = 27 December 1990

| predecessor = Lee Hyun-jae

| successor = Ro Jai-bong

| office2 = South Korean Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland

| term_start2 = 1981

| term_end2 = 1984

| predecessor2 =

| successor2 =

| president2 = Chun Doo-hwan

| office1 = South Korean Ambassador to the Vatican City

| term_start1 = 1984

| term_end1 = 1987

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| president1 = Chun Doo-hwan

| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|05|30|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Shōjō-gun, Korea, Empire of Japan
(now Changsong County, North Korea)

| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|05|10|1922|05|30|df=yes}}

| death_place = Seoul, South Korea

| alma_mater = Kenkoku University
University of Southern California (MA, PhD)

| party = Democratic Justice

| module = {{Infobox Korean name

|hangul=강영훈

|hanja={{linktext|姜|英|勳}}

|rr=Gang Yeong-hun

|mr=Kang Yŏnghun

| child = yes}}

}}

Kang Young-Hoon ({{Korean|hangul=강영훈}}, 30 May 1922 – 10 May 2016) was a South Korean diplomat and politician who served as the prime minister of South Korea from 1988 to 1990 under President Chun Doo-hwan.

Beginning his career in the military, Kang entered politics through the diplomatic foreign ministry before being elected to the National Assembly in 1987. He was appointed prime minister a year later in President Roh Tae-woo's first cabinet reshuffle. His two-year tenure as prime minister was marked by his rapprochement towards North Korea, under Roh's Nordpolitik policy. After leaving government, Kang went on to become president of the South Korean National Red Cross from 1991 to 1997.

Early life and education

Kang was born in Shōjō-gun, Heianhoku-dō when Korea was under Japanese rule in 1922. He joined the National Defense Forces, a precursor to the Republic of Korea Army, shortly after his graduation from the Kenkoku University towards the end of World War II. He served as a division commander during the Korean War{{cite book|last1=Hoare|first1=James E.|last2=Nahm|first2=Andrew C.|title=Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Korea|date=2004|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, Md.|isbn=9780810849495|pages=81–82|edition=2nd}} and a military attaché in the Embassy of South Korea, Washington, D.C. in 1952{{cite book|editor =世界政経調査会 |title=韓国・北朝鮮人名辞典 1979年版上巻|year=1980 |publisher=世界政経調査会 |language=ja | pages =54}} before becoming director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Ministry of National Defense in 1954. After a brief spell in the United States at the Army Command and General Staff College, Kang eventually reached the rank of Chungjang (Lieutenant General) and ended his career as the superintendent of the Korean Military Academy in 1961, the same year as a bloodless military coup that he opposed.Susan Chira, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE5DA113BF936A35751C1A96E948260 Seoul Leader Shuffles Cabinet], The New York Times, 5 December 1988, Retrieved 31 March 2008. He was detained in Seodaemun Prison for his role against the coup.{{cite news|title=[발자취-강영훈 前 국무총리] 김일성과 회담…소신·원칙 지킨 2인자|url=http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/05/10/2016051003302.html|access-date=12 May 2016|work=The Chosun Ilbo|language=ko}}

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.[http://www.usc.edu/programs/asia/steering/kang.html Steering Committee: Young-Hoon Kang] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080224201537/http://www.usc.edu/programs/asia/steering/kang.html |date=24 February 2008 }}, USC Asia Conference 2004, Retrieved 31 March 2008. During his doctorate studies, he founded the Research Institute on Korean Affairs in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Political career

Kang returned to South Korea in 1976, taking up the post of graduate school dean at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. His first foray into politics occurred in 1978 when he was appointed head of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, the training institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He then served as the ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland (1981–84), and the Vatican (1984–87). After the pro-democracy protests of 1987, Kang ran for election and was elected to the 13th National Assembly as a member of the ruling Democratic Justice Party.

Prime minister

Kang was appointed prime minister by President Roh 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. A moderate, Kang supported the democratic transition between the previous military regimes and civilian rule.{{cite book|last1=Roehrig|first1=Terence|title=The Prosecution of Former Military Leaders in Newly Democratic Nations : the cases of Argentina, Greece and South Korea|date=2002|publisher=McFarland|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=0786410914|page=166}} 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.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEEDA1339F930A35756C0A96F948260 6 Korea Police Die In Raid On Campus], Associated Press, 3 May 1989, Retrieved 31 March 2008.David E. Sanger, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4DF153BF937A35756C0A96F948260 Korea Chief Urges Calm After Clash], The New York Times, 4 May 1989, Retrieved 31 March 2008. 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.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4DD153BF932A25756C0A96F948260 South Korea Prime Minister Conditionally Offers to Quit], Associated Press, 11 May 1989, Retrieved 31 March 2008.

=Relations with North Korea=

After months of negotiations, Kang took part in historic talks with his North Korean counterpart, Prime Minister Yon Hyong-muk.Susan Chira, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE3D91E31F934A25752C0A96F948260 Koreas Agree to Hold High-Level Talks], The New York Times, 17 January 1989, Retrieved 31 March 2008.Steven R. Weisman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE0DE1031F933A15754C0A966958260 Seoul to Open Border With North Briefly], The New York Times, 20 July 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008.[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5037/is_199009/ai_n18316059 When Mr Yon met Mr Kang]{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (paid archive), The Economist, September 1990, Retrieved 31 March 1990. 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.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE5D8163EF932A0575BC0A966958260 Premiers of the Koreas Plan to Meet Tuesday], Reuters, 31 August 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008. 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.Steven R. Weisman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE3D91730F936A3575AC0A966958260 North-South Korea Talks Begin Today], The New York Times, 5 September 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008.

The prime ministers met a second time on 17–18 October 1990, this time in Pyongyang, culminating in a meeting with Kim Il Sung.{{cite news|title=Former PM Kang Young-hoon dies at age 94|url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2016/05/10/0/0200000000AEN20160510010000315F.html|access-date=12 May 2016|agency=Yonhap News Agency|language=en}} 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.Steven R. Weisman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CEFDE1530F934A25753C1A966958260 Korea Talks Resume; Seoul Sees Reasons for Caution], The New York Times, 17 October 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008.Steven R. Weisman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE6DF163BF93BA25753C1A966958260 Koreas Revert to Form: Squabbling], The New York Times, 18 October 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008. 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. Even with the dismissive position of North Korean officials, soccer matches and folk-music-concert exchanges did take place in the subsequent months.Steven R. Weisman, [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE4D61430F930A25751C1A966958260 Koreas Exchange Bitter Polemics] The New York Times, 13 December 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008. The third meeting in December failed to come to a compromise over a proposed "declaration of non-aggression,"{{cite book|last1=Harrison|first1=Selig|title=Korean Endgame: A Strategy for Reunification and U.S. Disengagement|date=2002|publisher=Princeton University Press|location=Princeton, N.J.|isbn=9781400824915|pages=143–144}} which had been on the table since September; however both sides agreed yet again to continue talks the following February.

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|date=June 2016}}, a chief aide, Kang had reportedly asked to retire from public life.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE7D7153BF934A15751C1A966958260 Seoul Names a New Premier In a Shake-Up of the Cabinet], Associated Press, 27 December 1990, Retrieved 31 March 2008. 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.{{cite web|title=Korea Newsreview, Volume 20|work=The Korea Herald|date=1991|pages=8–9}} 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.{{cite web|title=Young Hoon Kang|url=http://globalconference2013.usc.edu/2013/05/02/young-hoon-kang/|publisher=USC Global Conference 2013|access-date=12 May 2016|archive-date=13 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513073848/http://globalconference2013.usc.edu/2013/05/02/young-hoon-kang/|url-status=dead}} 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.{{cite web|title=Kang Young-hoon, ex-PM dies at 94|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/people/2016/05/178_204453.html|work=The Korea Times|access-date=10 May 2016|date=10 May 2016}}