Yang Hyong-sop

Yang Hyong-sop
Chosŏn'gŭl 양형섭
Hancha 楊亨燮
McCune–Reischauer Yang Hyŏng-sŏp
Revised Romanization Yang Hyeong-seop

Yang Hyong-sop (born October 1, 1925, Hamhung)[1] is a North Korean politician. He was elected chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly in 1983,[2] and served until 1998. He is currently vice president of the Presidium of the SPA. Yang attended Moscow State University and Kim Il-sung University, and is married to Kim Shin-sook, a cousin of Kim Il sung.[3]

According to the official biography released by the Korean Central News Agency, he joined the Korean People's Army in June 1950 (approximately when the Korean War started); after graduating from the Kim Il-sung University, he served as section chief and then secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, director of the Central Party School, minister of Higher Education, and president of the Academy of Social Sciences.

He was elected President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly in 1983, after having been a vice-president since 1962; in this capacity, he assumed the functions of de facto head of State after Kim Il-sung's death in 1994, as the post of President of the DPRK was never re-assigned; he was however under the actual leadership of the new leader Kim Jong-il. In 1998, a new Constitution passed the President's powers to the President of the Presidium; in the same year, Yang was replaced by Kim Yong-nam in that capacity, but continued to serve as vice-president again.

He is also a member of the WPK Politburo.

Career Accomplishments

References

  1. ^ "양형섭 (楊亨燮)" (in Korean). Information Center on North Korea, South Korean Unification Ministry. http://unibook.unikorea.go.kr/new2/tongiljeongbo/p_1_detail_view.jsp?code=273. Retrieved February 3, 2008. 
  2. ^ Kihl, Young Whan (January 1984). "North Korea in 1983: Transforming "The Hermit Kingdom"?". Asian Survey 24 (1): 100–111. doi:10.1525/as.1984.24 January 2001p0120n. JSTOR 2644170. 
  3. ^ Martin, Bradley (2006). Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader. Macmillan. ISBN 0312322216. 

External links

Political offices
Preceded by
Hwang Jang-yop
President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly
1983–1998
Succeeded by
Kim Yong-nam
Preceded by
Kim Il-sung
as President of North Korea
Head of State of North Korea
De facto as President of the SPA Presidium

1994–1998
Succeeded by
Kim Yong-nam
as President of the SPA Presidium