ang Dong-un was born in South Korea in 1973. Unlike some of the younger members of the Chijon Family who had no significant criminal records before joining, Kang already had two convictions for special larceny. His early life was marked by petty theft, unstable work, and brushes with the law.

By his early twenties, Kang had no steady career and survived mostly through construction or factory jobs, often alongside other troubled young men. In the summer of 1993, Kang encountered Kim Gi-hwan and his growing group of disillusioned ex-convicts. Persuaded by their doctrine of hating the wealthy and seeking quick wealth through extortion, Kang joined the group.

Through his relationship with Lee Kyung-sook, a 23-year-old woman who later became associated with the gang, Kang deepened his personal and criminal ties. Lee reportedly fell in love with him after meeting him at a coffee house, and Kang paid off her debts.

Kang Dong-un was actively involved in the Chijon Family’s crimes between 1993 and 1994. He joined in the gang’s first murder on July 18, 1993, when the group abducted and killed Miss Choi, a young farmer’s daughter. The act was treated as a rehearsal for later kidnappings, with Kang among those who raped her before she was strangled to death.

In August 1993, Kang participated in the murder of fellow member Song Bong-un, who had fled with gang money. The group found Song hiding at a relative’s home, abducted him, and executed him by shooting him in the head. The killing reinforced their doctrine of absolute loyalty.

Kang was present during the September 8, 1994 abduction of Lee Jeong-su and her boyfriend. The boyfriend, mistakenly identified as wealthy because he drove a Hyundai Grandeur, was suffocated and killed. Kang helped guard the captives and later took part in the gang’s repeated assaults on Lee.

On September 13, 1994, Kang also took part in the kidnapping of Mr. So and Mrs. Park, a married couple from Seoul. After extorting ransom money, the gang executed them both and destroyed their bodies in their incineration facility. Some members admitted to ritualistic cannibalism during this crime, making it one of the most gruesome acts attributed to the gang.

After these murders, Kang continued to work closely with Kim Gi-hwan and the others, but the group’s downfall was imminent. When survivor Lee Jeong-su escaped and contacted police, the authorities quickly traced the gang. Kang was the first member arrested on September 19, 1994, when he returned to his apartment in a pickup truck. Police were waiting for him after staking out the location. His arrest was used as bait to lure the other members, who were told he had been seriously injured and taken to a hospital. This ruse led to the capture of the rest of the gang.

At trial, Kang was convicted of multiple murders, rapes, and kidnappings. On November 1, 1994, he was sentenced to death along with the other principal members. He was executed by hanging on November 2, 1995, at Seoul Detention Center.