Dr Kang Won Yong

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

We have received with great sadness the news, from Dr. Ahn Jae Woong and the PROK (Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea), of the sudden passing away of Dr. Kang Won Yong.  The Christian Conference of Asia, on behalf of her member Churches and ecumenical councils in Asia, wish to express our deepest sympathy and condolences to his family members at this time of bereavement.

Dr. Kang Won Yong is well known to all of us.  He was in the presidium of CCA (Christian Conference of Asia) together with Dr. T.B. Simatupang (Indonesia), Rev. John V. Samuel (Pakistan) and Ms. Jurgette Honculada (Philippines) from 1973-1977.

In 1945, Rev. Kang Won Yong established Kyoung Dong Presbyterian Church in Seoul, later described as “the seedbed of the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea” serving as minister there from 1949-1986 and as Minister Emeritus until his death.  He served on various committees of the PROK; General Secretary of the Korean Student Christian Federation in 1947; President of the National Council of Churches in Korea in 1964 and 1980; member of the WCC-Central Committee from 1968-1983; President of Korean Peace Forum; and Chairperson of Korean Foundation for Working Together.

Dr. Kang Won Yong, an active advocate of ecumenism believed in the wider and contextual meaning of ecumenism that is rooted on the life and struggle of the people of Asia.  He adequately provided a leeway on how the churches and councils can reach the grass roots people in a way that the church will become the voice of the voiceless and disenfranchised people of Asia. 

The funeral service will be held in Seoul on August 21, 2006 at 10:00 A.M. at Kyoung Dong Presbyterian Church in Seoul. 

Let us continue to pray to God Almighty to strengthen members of Dr. Kang Won Yong’s family in this time of grief.

Prawate Khid-arn
General Secretary