He, who was born into a poor worker family on August 29, Juche 28 (1939), was a revolutionary soldier faithful to President Kim Il Sung and leader Kim Jong Il, steadfast revolutionary comrade of Marshal Kim Jong Un and a fine son of the WPK and people as he devotedly worked for the final victory of the cause of the Juche revolution.

He started his work in the diplomatic field before long ago. Working as an instructor and section chief of the International Affairs Department of the C.C., WPK from 1969, he dedicated all his wisdom and efforts to implementing the foreign policy of the WPK.

Working as vice foreign minister and first vice foreign minister from January, 1984, vice-premier of the Cabinet from September, 2010 and secretary and concurrently director of the International Affairs Department of the C.C., WPK from April 2014, he greatly contributed to strengthening the Party and ensuring the international prestige of the country.

He worked as alternate member and member of the Party Central Committee from October, 1987 and member of the Political Bureau of the Party Central Committee from September, 2010 to early May, 2016.

He has been a deputy to the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) since the 8th SPA in 1987.

He was awarded Order of Kim Il Sung and Order of Kim Jong Il, the supreme orders of the DPRK, the title of labor hero, Order of National Flag First Class and many other state citations for his distinguished feats performed for the party and revolution, the country and its people.

An obituary was issued in the joint name of the WPK Central Committee and the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK on Friday.

The obituary said the death of Kang Sok Ju is a great loss to the WPK and the Korean people. It said though he passed away, the devoted efforts and exploits he performed for the party and the revolution, the cause of building a thriving socialist nation and the realization of the foreign policy of the party and the state will last forever.

The WPK Central Committee and the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK announced that the late Kang Sok Ju would be accorded a state funeral, and formed a state funeral committee with Choe Ryong Hae as chairman and with 52 persons including Hwang Pyong So, Pak Pong Ju and Kim Ki Nam as members.

The funeral committee said the bier of the late Kang Sok Ju is laid in the Sojang Club of Pothonggang District, Pyongyang City and it would receive mourners from 16:00 to 20:00 on Saturday and that the cortege will leave the club at 8:00 on Sunday.