Kang Young-hoon

Who is Kang Young-hoon?

Kang Young-Hoon was the Prime Minister of South Korea from 5 December 1988 until 27 December 1990, and acting Prime Minister until 16 December 1988.

Kang holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and a M.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

Kang served in the military, reaching the rank of Chungjang and ending his career as the Superintendent of the Korean Military Academy; he left the military in 1961, the same year as a bloodless military coup that he opposed. As a civilian, he worked for the Republic of Korea in several capacities: He was a member of the 13th National Assembly. He served as President of the National Red Cross; an organization that played a major role in negotiations between South and North Korea. He served as the Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Vatican, and Ireland; and he was Chancellor of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security.

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.