Roh Moo-hyun (Hangul: 노무현; Hanja: 盧武鉉; Korean pronunciation: [no mu hjʌn]) GOM (1 September 1946 – 23 May 2009) was the 16th President of South Korea (2003–2008).

Roh's pre-presidential political career was focused on human rights advocacy for student activists in South Korea. His electoral career later expanded to a focus on overcoming regionalism in South Korean politics, culminating in his election to the presidency. He achieved a large following among younger internet users, particularly at the website OhMyNews, which aided his success in the presidential election.

Roh's election was notable for the arrival in power of a new generation of Korean politicians, the so-called 386 Generation, (i.e. people in their thirties when the term was coined, who had attended university in the 1980s, and who were born in the 1960s). This generation had been veterans of student protests against authoritarian rule, and advocated a conciliatory approach towards North Korea, even at the expense of good relations with the USA.

Kim Jong-il (born Yuri Irsenovich Kim; 16 February 1941; official biography claims 1942 – 17 December 2011) was the supreme leader of North Korea (DPRK) from 1994 to 2011. He succeeded his father and founder of the DPRK Kim Il-sung following the elder Kim's death in 1994. Kim Jong-il was the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of North Korea, and the supreme commander of the Korean People's Army, the fourth-largest standing army in the world.

In April 2009, North Korea's constitution was amended to refer to him as the "supreme leader". He was also referred to as the "Dear Leader", "our Father", and "the General", among others. His son Kim Jong-un was promoted to a senior position in the ruling Workers' Party and is his successor. In 2010, he was ranked 31st in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's Most Powerful People. The North Korean government announced his death on 19 December 2011.

Following his demise, he was succeeded by his third son Kim Jong-un. He was proclaimed the Eternal General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Eternal Chairman of the National Defence Commission in 2012. His birthday is a public holiday in the country.

Alex Parks (born Alexandra Rebecca Parks, 26 July 1984) is an English singer-songwriter. She is best known for winning Fame Academy in 2003, for her singles, and for the albums, Introduction and Honesty. One of the contestants of the popular BBC Television show "Fame Academy" was Alex Parks, who was supposed to go to clown school, however her father had entered her into the Fame Academy show instead. Alex went on to win Fame Academy. The grand prize consisted of a record deal, a fancy car and an apartment in Notting Hill, London. Soon after winning Fame Academy, Alex released her first album entitled "Introduction", which went double platinum in the United Kingdom and gold in several other European countries. In 2005 she released her second album entitled "Honesty". Alex had several disagreements with her record label, Polydor, UK and she decided to put a stop to her music career.

Parks was born in 1984, the youngest of four children. She was born and grew up in the village of Mount Hawke, Cornwall. She went to college at The Hub in St Austell and studied theatre studies, dance, acrobatics and clowning. In 2003 when she was 19, her father entered her into BBC television talent competition Fame Academy which she eventually won.

Kim Yong-nam (born 4 February 1928) is the North Korean Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, a position held since 1998. He was elected a member of the presidium of the politburo of the central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea in 2010.

He was born in the Central District, Heijo (now called Pyongyang), on February 4, 1928. After graduating from a university, he worked as a teacher at the central party School, vice-department director of the WPK Central Committee, vice-minister of foreign affairs, and first vice-department director, department director and secretary of the WPK Central Committee, vice-premier of the administration council and concurrently minister of Foreign Affairs.

As chairman of the Presidium, he is considered the de facto head of state of North Korea. Although he is not de jure head of state of North Korea (as no such office exists), he accepts the credentials of ambassadors, conducts foreign relations and signs treaties. He has held this office since 5 September 1998, and he previously served as foreign minister from 1983 to 1998. Kim represents North Korea on all state visits and receives visiting heads of state. In theory, he, Premier Choe Yong-rim, and National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un form a tripartite executive, each having powers equal to a third of a president's in Presidential systems, controlling foreign relations, government and domestic affairs, and defense, respectively. In practice, Kim Jong-un, like his father, Kim Jong-il, before him, exercises absolute control over the country, and the Chairman of the Presidium is considered a junior position.