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통일 미래 길잡이/외국인대학생기자단

Hwang Jang-yop, the highest ranking North Korean defector

I do not have the right to die…”


Hwang Jang-yop ,born on 17 February 1923 and died on 10 October 2010, is the highest ranking defector. He was largely responsible for making Juche, North Korea’s official state ideology. He was born in Kandong, south Pyongyang province and graduated from Pyonyang commercial school in 1941. He joined Worker’s party of Korea in 1946, just after the foundation of the party. From 1949 to 1953, he was sent to study at Moscow university. He became lecturer in philosophy at Kim Il-sung University, upon his return. In april 1965, he became the president of Kim Il-sung University. In 1972, Hwang became Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People’s Assembly until 1983. He was inspired by Kim Il-sung’s speech “Juche means Chosun’s revolution”. He wanted to make his own version of Marxism-Leninism. He also supervised rewriting of Korean communist history. In 1983 he was removed from assembly; though he left teacher at Kim Il-sung University. During his official trip to the Tokyo in February 1997, he went to South Korean embassy in Beijing and sought protection. When the North Korean government heard about this, North Korea threatened its relationship with China resulting five week diplomatic standoff with China. The embassy of South Korea in Beijing was sealed off due to diplomatic strain between them. At last, North Koreans gave a message seem to accepting his defection. After several weeks, Chinese officials permitted Mr. Hwang leave via Philippines. After his defection, his wife commited suicide while her daughter died in mysterious circumstances. His family members, friends as well as his students were sent to labor camp. He became harsh critic of North Korea. He wrote more than 10 books and treatises. When Sun-shine policy introduced he was removed from the chairmanship of the Unification Policy Research Institute. In June 2010, South Korean officials found 2 assassins prepared for years to assassin Jang-yop and sentenced 10 years. He died in October 2010 in his highly protected apartment.


( photo from wikipedia)

References:

http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk01100&num=1666

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hwang_Jang-yop

Sites:

https://uchiblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/31/hwang-jang-yop-the-highest-ranking-north-korean-defector/