Yang Hyong-sop

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

Yang Hyong-sop (born 1 October 1925)^[1] is a North Korean politician. He was Chairman of the Supreme People's Assembly from 1983^[2] to 1998. He has subsequently served as Vice President of the Presidium of the SPA.

Life and career

Born at Hamhung in 1925, 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 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 Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly in 1983, after having been a vice-chairman 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 reassigned; however, actual power was held by 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 Politburo of the Workers' Party. On 6 January 2007, at a mass rally in Pyongyang, he gave a speech praising the North Korean government for building nuclear weapons.^[4]

Career accomplishments

• October 1961: Appointed President of the Central Committee Party School (DPRK Workers' Party)
• October 1962: Elected Supreme People's Assembly Vice-Chairman for 2nd–12th Assemblies of SPA.(currently held)
• October 1979: Appointed Chairman of the Democratic Front for Unification (currently held)
• October 1980: Appointed Chairman of the Academy of Social Science

References

1. 양형섭 (楊亨燮) (in Korean). Information Center on North Korea, South Korean Unification Ministry. 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.1984.24.1.01p0120n. JSTOR 2644170.
3. Martin, Bradley (2006). Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader. Macmillan. ISBN 0-312-32221-6.
4. "Usher in a great heyday of Songun Korea full of confidence in victory". The Pyongyang Times. 6 January 2007. p. 1.

External links

• "Yang Hyong-sop". Private Institute for Korean Studies in Japan. Archived from the original on March 5, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2008.