READ Famous People From North Korea

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List of famous people from North Korea, including photos when available. The people below are listed by their popularity, so the most recognizable names are at the top of the list. Some of the people below are celebrities born in North Korea, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from North Korea you might already know that these prominent figures are also from your hometown, but some of the names below may really surprise you. This list includes people who were born and raised in North Korea, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

List features Ok Jeon, Jo Kwang and more people.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from North Korea?" or "Which celebrities were born in North Korea?" then this list is a great resource for you.

Kim Jong-chul age 36 - Kim Jong-chul is the middle son of Kim Jong-il, the former leader of North Korea. His older half-brother is Kim Jong-nam. His younger brother is Kim Jong-un, now the leader of North Korea. In ...more

Seung Sahn Died at 77 (1927-2004) - Seung Sahn Haeng Won Dae Soen-sa, born Duk-In Lee, was a South Korean Jogye Seon master and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen—the largest Zen institution present in the western ...more

Younghill Kang Died at 69 (1903-1972) - Younghill Kang was an important early Asian American writer. He is best known for his 1931 novel The Grass Roof and its sequel, the 1937 fictionalized memoir East Goes West: The Making of an ...more

Shin Sang-ok Died at 80 (1926-2006) - Shin Sang-ok was a prolific South Korean film producer and director, with more than 100 producer and 70 director credits. His best known films were made in the 1950s and 60s when he was known as ...more

Lee Soon-jae age 82 - Lee Soon-jae is a South Korean actor. He has had a prolific career on the small and big screen spanning nearly six decades.

Om Yun-Chol age 26 - Om Yun-chol is a weightlifter representing North Korea. He is 152 cm / 5'0" and weighs 56 kg /123 lbs. He won the gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics at the men's 56 kg event. He became ...more

Kim Kum-Sok age 30 - Kim Kum-Sok is a North Korean weightlifter. He is competing for North Korea at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Sohn Kee-chung Died at 88 (1914-2002) - Sohn Kee-Chung became the first medal-winning Korean Olympian, when he won the gold medal in the marathon at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a member of the Japanese delegation. He competed under ...more

Choe Yong-rim age 87 - Choe Yong-rim was the Premier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from June 2011 to April 2013 and Workers' Party of Korea central committee presidium member since September 2010. He ...more

Dragon Lee age 59 - Dragon Lee is an actor and practitioner of Taekwondo and Hapkido. He made a name for himself as a martial arts film star in the 1970s and 80s. His birth name is Moon Kyoung-seok, but he has also ...more

Gwang-hun Kim age 55 - Gwang-hun Kim is a film director.

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Kim Su-Gyong age 23 - Kim Su-Gyong is a women's soccer player.

Choi In-Gyu Died at 39 (1911-1950) - Choi In-Gyu was a film director, film editor and film producer.

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Yu Jong Im age 24 - Yu Jong Im is a women's soccer player.

Yun Hyon Hui age 25 - Yun Hyon Hui is a women's soccer player.

Jon Myong-Hwa age 24 - Jon Myong-Hwa is a women's soccer player.

O Chang-Ran age 25 - O Chang-Ran is a women's soccer player.

Kim Mi-Gyong age 26 - Kim Mi-gyong is a North Korean long-distance runner. She competed in the marathon at the 2012 Summer Olympics, placing 74th with a time of 2:38:33. At the age of fifteen she represented her ...more

O Hui-Sun age 24 - O Hui-Sun is a women's soccer player.

Pong Son-Hwa age 25 - Pong Son-Hwa is a women's soccer player.

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Kim Nam-Hui age 24 - Kim Nam-Hui is a women's soccer player.

Yang Gi-tak Died at 67 (1871-1938) - Yang Gi-tak was one of the leaders of Korean independence movement who served as the 9th president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea from 1933 to 1935.

Kim Myong-Hyok age 27 - Kim Myong-hyok is a North Korean weightlifter. He is competing for North Korea at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Phyo Yong-myong age 28 - Phyo Yong-myong is a North Korean figure skater who has competed internationally as both a singles skater and a pairs skater. As a pair skater, she competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics with ...more

Kim Myeong-sun Died at 55 (1896-1951) - Kim Myeong-sun was a female Korean novelist and poet of the early 20th century.

Ri Hyun-Ju age 22 - Ri Hyon-ju is a North Korean diver. He competed in the 10 metre platform at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Jong Yong-hyok age 30 - Jong Yong-hyok is a North Korean pair skater. He competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics with partner Phyo Yong-myong, with whom he teamed up in the fall of 2005. They withdrew after the short ...more

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Jang Sung-taek Died at 67 (1946-2013) - Jang Sung-taek, also romanized as Chang Sŏng-t'aek, was a leading figure in the government of North Korea. He was married to Kim Kyong-hui, the only daughter of former North Korean supreme ...more

An Jung-geun Died at 31 (1879-1910) - Ahn Jung-Geun or An Jung-geun was a Korean independence activist, nationalist, and pan-Asianist. On October 26, 1909, he assassinated Itō Hirobumi, a four-time Prime Minister of Japan and former ...more

Han Hyeong-Mo Died at 82 (1917-1999) - Han Hyeong-Mo was a film director and cinematographer.

Jo Kwang age 23 - Jo Kwang is a North Korean football player.

Jo Yong-Suk age 29 - Jo Yong-Suk is an athlete.

Ri Ye Gyong age 28 - Ri Ye Gyong is a women's soccer player.

Pak Kwang-ryong age 25 - Pak Kwang-ryong is a North Korean professional footballer who plays as a striker for Vaduz in the Swiss Challenge League, on loan from Swiss Super League club Basel.

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Han Kum-Ok age 30 - Han Kum-ok is a North Korean freestyle wrestler. She competed in the freestyle 55 kg event at the 2012 Summer Olympics and was eliminated in the 1/8 finals by Jackeline Rentería.

Kim Kwang-Hyok age 30 - Kim Kwang-Hyok is a North Korean long-distance runner. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the Men's marathon, finishing in 53rd place.

Kim Pyong-il age 63 - Kim Pyong-il is the younger paternal half-brother of the former leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and the son of former leader Kim Il-sung. He is the current ambassador of North Korea to the ...more

Jang Song-Hyok age 27 - Jang Song-Hyok is a Korean football player who currently plays for Rimyongsu.

Kim Won-Sik age 26 - Kim Won-Sik is a South Korean football player who currently plays for FC Seoul.

Jo Young Nam age 73 - Jo Young-nam is a singer.

Kim Un-Hyang age 24 - Kim Un-Hyang is a women's soccer player.

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Choe Un-Ju age 27 - Choe Un-Ju is a women's soccer player.

Kim Song-Nam age 25 - Kim Song-Nam is an athlete. He represents Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Kim Un-Hyang age 26 - Kim Un-hyang is a North Korean diver. She competed in the 10 metre platform event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.