Early life and educational activities Kang was born in
Tokchon,
Pyongan Province,
Joseon. He spent his childhood in
Jinju and
Miryang, both in
Gyeongsang Province. Kang studied
Korean medicine from a young age after returning home to Tokchon in Pyongan Province. In 1884, he moved to
Hongwon,
Hamgyong Province, where he served as a Korean medicine doctor while teaching children
Neo-Confucianism. He reportedly fled there as his personal security was jeopardized because he was involved in Korean patriotic movements. Kang reportedly went to Hongwon with a large sum of money, and engaged in commerce there. He ran a general merchandise store with his son Jung Geon on Nammun Street in the center of Hongwon. The store mainly sold
paint,
cigarettes, and cotton thread. At the same time, he lent traders money at low interest. In the fall of 1910, Kang decided to seek asylum and moved members of his family to
Khabarovsk. where he ran a herbal medicine shop. In 1915, he moved to Yo-dong in Liaohe County, Jilin, and traveled to and from
Vladivostok to work for independence. He reclaimed farmland around Yoha to build Shinheungchon, a Korean village. The village later became the main base for independence forces operating in
Siberia and North Manchuria. In 1917, Kang founded Gwandong Middle School in
Tonghua County,
Jilin Province,
Northeast China. He worked hard to promote the spirit of independence by educating his fellow countrymen. As a Christian
Presbyterian, he worked in the school of the church, using his position to promote anti-Japanese sentiment among students and Koreans living nearby. Kang condemned Japanese
war crimes when teaching the students. He occasionally gathered villagers in the school auditorium to promote national consciousness. In the
March First Movement in 1919, Kang gathered students and their compatriots at Gwandong School. He organized the independence movement with a focus on Yeohyeon. Kang did not believe that a simple independence movement would lead to the independence of his country, so he went to
Vladivostok, where Lee Dong-hwi was active. He served as chief of Yo Ha-yeon's branch in the Senior Citizen's Association with Lee Seung-kyo, Lee Dong-hwi's father. On September 2, 1919, due to internal and external strife, Japanese admiral
Saitō Makoto had been appointed to replace
Hasegawa Yoshimichi as the governor-general. On the day Saitō arrived Korea, Kang attempted to assassinate Saitō by throwing a bomb at him. The explosion missed Saito but injured several onlookers. The
El Paso Herald reported that twenty were injured including an American, a relative of former Chicago Mayor
Carter Harrison Sr., who coincidentally had been assassinated in 1893. After the failed assassination attempt, Kang went into hiding. According to
Oh Tae-young, Kang hid in Jang Ik-kyu and Lim Seung-hwa's house. He was later caught by Kim Tae-seok and jailed on September 17. Five others were also arrested in connection to the bomb attack.
Death Kang was sentenced to death for attempted murder and a charge of civilian casualties. Even after his death sentence was confirmed, Kang read the
Bible every day, prayed in the morning and evening, and waited for his last day with a relaxed mind. After the attack the Japanese increased the Korean police presence in the region from 12,000 to 20,000 members. == After death ==