Kim Dae Jung
PRESIDENT, REPUBLIC OF KOREA
BORN Dec. 3, 1925, Hugwang-ri, South Cholla Province, Korea
EDUCATION Kyunghee University, Seoul
FAMILY Married to Lee Hee Ho, three sons (two from deceased first wife Cha Yong Ae)
POWER POINTS Kim was elected president amid economic collapse. But now South Korea is the darling of investors in Asia, widely admired for persevering with tough, painful reforms. Kim has stuck to the recovery program implemented by the International Monetary Fund. Though unemployment has risen sharply, growth is expected to turn positive this year after a severe contraction in 1998. "D.J." continues to push the country's chaebol to restructure. His approval ratings have soared, but critics say he behaves like a dictator.
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Zhu Rongji
PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL, CHINA
BORN Oct. 20, 1928, in Changsha, Hunan province, China
EDUCATION Electrical engineering graduate from Qinghua University, Beijing
FAMILY Married to Lao An, one son, one daughter
POWER POINTS Despite opposition to some of his reform policies and to the far-reaching concessions offered to gain entry to the WTO, Zhu remains firmly in power. However, he continues to tread the tightrope between sustained economic growth and political stability. Zhu knows when to push hard, and when to take a step back to regroup. He has shown resolve in pursuing reforms for the long-term benefit of China. And by holding firm on the renminbi, he has shown the world that China can be a responsible member of the global community.
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