Kim Pyong-sik

Summary

Kim Pyong-sik (Korean김병식; February 10, 1919 – July 21, 1999) was a North Korean politician who served as Vice President of North Korea and chairman of the Korean Social Democratic Party.

Kim Pyong-sik
Vice President of North Korea
In office
December 11, 1993 – October 1997
Preceded byKim Yong-ju
Succeeded byPost abolished
Personal details
Born(1919-02-10)February 10, 1919
Zenranan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan
DiedJuly 21, 1999(1999-07-21) (aged 80)
Political partyKorean Social Democratic Party
Korean name
Hangul
김병식
Hanja
金炳植
Revised RomanizationKim Byeongsik
McCune–ReischauerKim Pyŏngsik

History edit

He was born in Zenranan-dō, Korea, Empire of Japan. Kim worked for the Union of Korean Students in Japan and the North Korean Central News Agency. After the creation of the General Association of Koreans residing in Japan (Chongryon, pro-communist organization) in 1955, he held important positions within this organization. Later, he returned to North Korea and joined the Korean Social Democratic Party, a party that became pro-communist under Choi Yong-kun which closely related with the Workers' Party of Korea. Kim Pyong-sik was a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Korean Social Democratic Party and later became its president. After his resignation as president, he continued to work as an adviser to the Central Committee of the Social Democratic Party and had influence over the party. From 1994 until 1998, he was vice-president of North Korea.[1]

Kim Pyong-sik was also vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's unicameral parliament.[2]

Kim died on July 21, 1999. He was given a state funeral with 18 persons on the funeral committee including Hong Song-nam.[3] He was posthumously awarded the National Reunification Prize on August 5, 1999.[4]

Works edit

  • Kim, Byong Sik (1970). Perlo, Victor (ed.). Modern Korea: The Socialist North, Revolutionary Perspectives in the South, and Unification. Translated by Haga, Takeshi. New York: International Publishers. OCLC 939856066.

References edit

  1. ^ "総連第20回全体大会に向け知ろう総連の歩み(11)". Chosun Sinbo. February 5, 2004. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  2. ^ "金日成が韓国人拉致、金正日は外国人も拉致を指令-拉致の全貌". 北朝鮮に拉致された日本人を救出するための全国協議会. August 8, 2006. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
  3. ^ "Kim Pyong Sik passes away". KCNA. July 22, 1999. Archived from the original on October 12, 2014.
  4. ^ "'National Reunification Prize' awarded". KCNA. August 14, 1999. Archived from the original on November 24, 2019.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Ri Kye-baek
Leader of the Korean Social Democratic Party
1933–1993
Succeeded by