Kang Ryang-uk

Kang was born on 7 December 1903.[2][3]

Kang was the maternal uncle of North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. Kim's mother, Kang's cousin, was Kang Pan-sok, who was also a devout Presbyterian.[4] In his early years, Kang he was a school teacher (one of his pupils was Kim Il Sung). In the 1940s he studied Theology at the Pyongyang University, and after he completed his study he became a minister.

Kang became a close adviser to Kim Il Sung shortly after his return from the Soviet Union in October 1945. In 1946 he became the Chairman of the Christian League, later called the Korean Christian Federation.[4] This organisation was in close contact with the Communist Party. In 1949 all Protestant Ministers were forced to join Kang's Christian Federation.

In the late 1940s, Kang became Vice Chairman of the Korean Social Democratic Party, which was a close ally of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

He became the chairman of the party in November 1958.[1]

Kang later served as a Vice President of North Korea and a secretary of the Supreme People's Assembly. He was appointed as vice president by the Supreme People's Assembly on 28 December 1972. He was re-endorsed for the role on 15 December 1977, and eventually left the office in 1982.[5][6][7]

He died on 9 January 1983. Kim Il Sung mourned his death at a ceremony shortly afterwards. According to the 12 January 1983 announcement of his death, a state funeral was planned for him.[7]

Kang's second son, Kang Yong-sop, later succeeded him as head of the Korean Christian Federation.[8]

• O Myong Kum (2021). Kim Il Sung and His Mentor (PDF). Translated by Choe Kyong Nam; Jong Myong Jin. Korea: Foreign Languages Publishing House. ISBN 978-9946-0-1996-3.