Kang was subsequently elected to the National Assembly, but left the office to accept an appointment to the Control Yuan, a position he held until 2002.

Born in 1938, Kang was raised in Wanhua and graduated from National Chung Hsing University, where he studied public administration.

[1][2] Kang began his political career while Taiwan was still under martial law and is considered an early leader of the Tangwai movement.

[14] Kang ran for another term in the Legislative Yuan election of 1983, and due to the efforts of what became the New Tide faction,[15] suffered a surprising defeat.

[1] Shortly after co-founding the Democratic Progressive Party,[19] Kang contested the 1986 Legislative Yuan elections as a representative for Taipei and finished second in the total vote count for the district, serving until 1990.

[1] While a member of the Control Yuan, Kang played a lead role investigating the murder of Yin Ching-feng [zh] and the related La Fayette-class frigate scandal.

[33][34] Kang was named the head of the National Security Council in February 2003,[35] and during his tenure adopted a direct management style designed to enhance transparency within the institution.

[39][40] Shortly after leaving the National Security Council, Kang was named a senior adviser to President Chen Shui-bian.

[47] Kang met with Chinese politicians at the Democratic National Convention in the United States later that year, and made his opposition to the "one country, two systems" formula known.