1. Biography
Kye Ung Sang's life encompassed significant academic pursuits and research activities across various periods, from his humble beginnings to his influential role in post-liberation North Korea.
1.1. Early Life and Education
Kye Ung Sang was born on December 27, 1893, in Chongju, North Pyongan Province, into a poor peasant family. His ancestral seat was Suan Kye clan. Despite his impoverished background, he pursued his education with determination, financing his studies through private tutoring in Seoul and Japan. He undertook advanced studies in agriculture overseas, eventually earning Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees in Japan. During his early academic career, he demonstrated his scientific aptitude by publishing five theses focusing on the anatomy, physiology, and genetics of silkworms.
1.2. Activities during Japanese Colonial Period
During the period of Japanese colonial rule over Korea, Kye Ung Sang engaged in significant academic and research work. In 1930, he published eight additional theses while serving as a professor of agriculture at a local university in Guangzhou, China. He also held a professorship in physiology in both Japan and China. His desire to advance sericulture led him to travel extensively, visiting locations such as Haiphong, Hanoi, Kobe, and Hong Kong. He attempted to conduct scientific research at the Chaeryong research center for sericulture in Korea, but his efforts were severely limited and hindered by the Japanese colonial authorities, who restricted his scientific endeavors.
1.3. Post-Liberation Activities in North Korea
Following Korea's liberation from Japanese rule, Kye Ung Sang returned to his homeland and dedicated himself to developing the nation's sericulture industry. However, under the U.S. military government, he faced difficulties in continuing his research and sericulture work. This led to his significant decision to move to North Korea.
1.3.1. Move to North Korea and Early Research Foundations
In 1946, Kye Ung Sang relocated to North Korea. Shortly after his arrival, in October 1946, he had a crucial meeting with Kim Il Sung, the future leader of North Korea. During this meeting, they discussed specific plans and directions for developing the nation's sericulture industry. Kye Ung Sang initially became a professor at Pyongyang Medical University before being appointed a professor at Kim Il Sung University in the same year, laying the groundwork for his future academic and research contributions in North Korea.
1.3.2. Educational and Academic Activities
Kye Ung Sang quickly established himself as a leading educator and scholar in North Korea. In 1948, he was officially appointed to a professorial position and received his doctoral degree, becoming North Korea's first ever PhD holder. That same year, he was appointed professor of Sericulture at Wonsan Agricultural University and concurrently held positions as the director of the Central Sericulture Experiment Station and the head of the university's Sericulture Department. His contributions to science were further recognized when he was elected an academician of the Academy of Sciences in April 1952. On January 10, 1956, he was appointed chairman of the Agricultural Science Committee. Throughout his career, he meticulously documented his scientific research outcomes and practical production experiences from the field, compiling numerous academic papers and scientific and technical books. He was also elected as a delegate to the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's highest legislative body.
1.3.3. Criticism of Lysenkoism and Scientific Conviction
Kye Ung Sang is particularly noted for his steadfast critical stance against the genetic theories of Trofim Lysenko, which were gaining significant traction in North Korea due to Soviet influence. Lysenkoism rejected Mendelian genetics, instead proclaiming a "genetics mixed with genes and environmental factors" that acknowledged the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
In early autumn of 1949, amidst growing Soviet influence, North Korea attempted to abolish classical genetics in favor of Lysenkoism. An inspection team, comprising officials from the Ministry of Education and the Sericulture Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, visited the Central Sericulture Experiment Station and Wonsan Agricultural University, where Kye Ung Sang was working. Following a week-long "understanding work" (inspection), the team decided to dismiss Kye Ung Sang from his positions as director of the Central Sericulture Experiment Station and head of the Sericulture Department at Wonsan Agricultural University.
The decision to dismiss Kye Ung Sang was based on two primary reasons: first, alleged issues with the "Gukjam 43" and "Gukjam 47" silkworm varieties he had developed and distributed, which were claimed to have weak vitality and led to crop failures in some farms. Second, and more critically, he was accused of actively studying Western genetics, which was criticized as "bourgeois science" in the Soviet Union, and of using fruit flies, a key subject of Morgan's genetic experiments, in his genetics lectures. The inspection team deemed his ideological alignment suspicious and planned to relieve him of his duties to conduct an ideological review.
Upon learning of this, Kim Il Sung immediately visited the Central Sericulture Experiment Station and intervened. He questioned the inspection team's decision, urging them to reconsider it. Kim Il Sung famously stated that "examining the ideology of scientists is a very foolish thing." He acknowledged that some research results might fall short of expectations and that past associations with Japanese colonial institutions were mistakes, but he emphasized that scientific research does not always yield immediate success. He also pointed out that as colonial intellectuals, Kye and his colleagues had experienced oppression and discrimination, and that they held anti-imperialist convictions, even if not fully aligned with a specific ideology. Most importantly, he highlighted that Kye Ung Sang was working day and night to enrich the lives of the Korean people.
When the inspection team insisted that following Western genetics, which the Soviet Union had already declared "bourgeois science," was problematic, Kim Il Sung firmly responded that "blindly following the Soviet Union's decisions is problematic. The Soviet Union has its own circumstances, and we have ours." He stressed that for any theory to be confirmed as truth, it must be supported by sufficient evidence, and that among all evidence, truth verified through practice and understood by the people is the most powerful. He asserted that Kye Ung Sang had made outstanding contributions by cultivating numerous excellent silkworm varieties crucial for building the new nation, enabling millions of farmers to wear silk clothes and live comfortably. He concluded that such a distinguished scientist should not be labeled a "reactionary scholar" for minor mistakes. Kim Il Sung also condemned any attempts to dissolve the sericulture experiment station, stating that such actions contradicted the government's new intellectual policy, which sought to involve anyone in nation-building, regardless of their past, as long as they demonstrated willingness. He immediately ordered the inspection team to reconvene and reconsider their decision.
Thanks to Kim Il Sung's intervention, Kye Ung Sang was saved from dismissal. He staunchly refused to accept Lysenkoism and continued his research in North Korea based on classical genetics. He even directly debated Lysenko in the Soviet Academy of Sciences, asserting that Soviet agriculture would collapse if Lysenko's agricultural theories were followed. His unwavering conviction highlighted his intellectual courage and his dedication to scientific truth over political dogma.
2. Major Achievements
Kye Ung Sang's scientific career was marked by significant breakthroughs, particularly in sericulture and the development of new silkworm breeds, which were crucial for economic development.
2.1. Sericulture Research and Breed Development
Kye Ung Sang made unique and impactful contributions to silkworm research and breeding. He successfully developed several innovative varieties of silkworms, including "Gaduknue 54" and "Gaduknue 64," which were specifically adapted to thrive in the climate of North Korea. He also developed "Pimajunue," a type of silkworm. Furthermore, he achieved a world-first by cultivating a castor oil plant silkworm variety that can overwinter in temperate regions. This was accomplished by using the original castor oil plant silkworm species as a starting material and cross-breeding it with the wild-growing *Ailanthus* silkworm. His work systematically organized the cocoon production technology for both wild silkworms and castor oil plant silkworms in the Korean peninsula. His developments significantly advanced the field of sericulture and contributed to the economic well-being of the agricultural sector.
2.2. Publications
Kye Ung Sang authored several significant academic works that systematized his extensive research and practical experience. His major publications include:
- Jakjamhak (작잠학JakjamhakKorean, a treatise on wild silkworms)
- Pimajunue (피마잠PimajamnueKorean, focusing on the castor oil silkworm)
- Kye Ung Sang Selected Works (계응상선집Gye Ung Sang SeonjipKorean, published in 1 to 3 volumes)
These works codified his findings and insights, providing foundational texts for sericulture and genetics in Korea and demonstrating his profound academic contributions.
3. Scientific Philosophy and Principles
Kye Ung Sang's scientific philosophy was rooted in a firm conviction in classical genetics and the paramount importance of pursuing scientific truth, often in defiance of dogmatic or politically-driven scientific theories. His intellectual independence was most evident in his unwavering opposition to Trofim Lysenko's environmental genetics and mixed genetics theories. He maintained that scientific principles must be verified through practice and contribute to the well-being of the people, rather than being dictated by political ideology. This perspective underscored his commitment to empirical evidence and the practical application of scientific knowledge for social progress. He believed that the truth of any theory must be confirmed through practical application, a principle that he defended even when it put him at odds with influential scientific and political currents of his time.
4. Death
Kye Ung Sang died unexpectedly on April 25, 1967, at the age of 74. His death was the result of a car accident.
5. Legacy and Honors
Kye Ung Sang's contributions were recognized both during his lifetime and posthumously, solidifying his place as an important figure in North Korean science and agriculture.
5.1. Awards and Positive Recognition
Kye Ung Sang's significant academic achievements and contributions to national development were highly valued. In 1963, he was awarded the prestigious title of Hero of Labor and the People's Prize by the Korean Workers' Party and the government. These awards underscored the state's positive evaluation of his research in sericulture and his impact on the country's development.
5.2. Posthumous Impact and Commemoration
The impact of Kye Ung Sang's research and ideas extended beyond his lifetime. After his death, he was interred in the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery in Pyongyang, a resting place reserved for distinguished individuals who made significant contributions to the nation. Further commemorating his legacy, in 1990, the Kye Ung-sang University (formerly known as Sariwon Agricultural University) was established in Sariwon, North Hwanghae Province, bearing his name as a tribute to his pioneering work in agricultural science.