Kang Sok-ju
Encyclopedia
Kang Sok-ju (born August 29, 1939 in Pyongwon
, South Pyongan) is a North Korea
n diplomat and politician.
Having obtained a Bachelor's degree
in French
from the University of International Affairs in Pyongyang
, Kang began a diplomatic career. His first significant position was as the Korean Workers' Party's deputy director for international affairs, and then director. In 1980, he was appointed section leader of his bureau. In 1984, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 1986 he became First Vice Foreign Minister, a position which he held until 2010.
In the 1990s, he was prominently involved in diplomatic talks with the United States over the issue of his country's nuclear programme
. He was subsequently in charge of supervising North Korea's relations with the United States, which became his area of expertise. Reuters
states that Kang "engineered the development of the North's nuclear programme that [...] has been the key source of regional security tensions".
KBS describes him as being "among a handful of well-known North Korean officials", who has "gained global attention", and adds: "Considered too aggressive at times, Kang has caused problems with his pushy demeanor. In the early 1990s, he made several crucial decisions without consulting the party and was sent to a concentration camp for training in revolutionary discipline".
In September 2010, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Premier of the North Korean Government
, under Premier Choe Yong-rim
. His specific assignment was to oversee foreign policy. Kim Kye-gwan replaced him as First Vice Foreign Minister.
The BBC
has described him as "a confidant of leader Kim Jong-il
".
Pyongwon
Pyongwon is a county of the province of South Pyongan in North Korea.-Administrative districts:The district is split into one ŭp , two rodongjagu and 29 ri .-External links:...
, South Pyongan) is a North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n diplomat and politician.
Having obtained a Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
from the University of International Affairs in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, Kang began a diplomatic career. His first significant position was as the Korean Workers' Party's deputy director for international affairs, and then director. In 1980, he was appointed section leader of his bureau. In 1984, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 1986 he became First Vice Foreign Minister, a position which he held until 2010.
In the 1990s, he was prominently involved in diplomatic talks with the United States over the issue of his country's nuclear programme
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
North Korea has declared that it has nuclear weapons and is believed by many to have nuclear weapons. The CIA assesses that North Korea also has a substantial arsenal of chemical weapons...
. He was subsequently in charge of supervising North Korea's relations with the United States, which became his area of expertise. Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
states that Kang "engineered the development of the North's nuclear programme that [...] has been the key source of regional security tensions".
KBS describes him as being "among a handful of well-known North Korean officials", who has "gained global attention", and adds: "Considered too aggressive at times, Kang has caused problems with his pushy demeanor. In the early 1990s, he made several crucial decisions without consulting the party and was sent to a concentration camp for training in revolutionary discipline".
In September 2010, he was promoted to the position of Deputy Premier of the North Korean Government
Government of North Korea
The North Korean government is the executive branch of the state, according to the Constitution of North Korea. In practice, the highest decisions are made by the National Defence Commission of North Korea which is led by its Chairman Kim Jong-il....
, under Premier Choe Yong-rim
Choe Yong-rim
Choe Yong-rim is the Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea since May 2011 and Workers' Party of Korea central committee presidium member since September 2010., KCNA, 29 September 2010.Choe is described by the New York Times as a "KWP insider" and a...
. His specific assignment was to oversee foreign policy. Kim Kye-gwan replaced him as First Vice Foreign Minister.
The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
has described him as "a confidant of leader Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
".