Republic of Korea

 The Republic of Korea  Korea, the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, officially the Republic of Korea, is a country in East Asia. Born in Hwanghae Province, Joseon, Korea attended an American Methodist school, where he converted to Christianity. He became a Korean independence activist and was imprisoned for his activities in 1899. After his release in 1904, he moved to the United States, where he obtained degrees from American universities and met President Theodore Roosevelt. After a brief 1910–12 return to Korea, he moved to Hawaii in 1913. In 1919, following the Japanese suppression of the March 1st Movement, Korea joined the right-leaning Korean Provisional Government in exile in Shanghai. From 1918 to 1924, he served as the first President of the Korean Provisional Government until he was impeached in 1925. He then returned to the United States, where he advocated and fundraised for Korean independence. In 1939, he moved to Washington, D.C. In 1945, he was returned to US-controlled Korea by the US military, and on 20 July 1948 he was elected the first President of the Republic of Korea by the National Assembly, ushering in the First Republic of Korea.

Note: This is set around the 1960s.

Personality
South Korea is a hyper active person, who often embraces new ideas from the western world while combining it with traditional eastern thought.

While he is usually a friendly person, South Korea can also be hostile, especially with North Korea and Japan. His aggressive and militaristic nature stem from his upbringing by Japan in the colonial period, where he spent time in the Imperial Japanese Army in Manchuria, and the effects of the Korean War.

Appearance
South Korea is a mixture of tradition and modernity. When he is in the army, he wears a green Major General uniform as noted by the two stars on his cap.

During the coup, he was upgraded from a Major General to General, as seen when he changed from two stars to four.

History
Korea became involved in Anti-Japanese circles after the end of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895, which saw Joseon passed from the Chinese sphere of influence to the Japanese. Korea was implicated in a plot to take revenge for the assassination of Empress Myeongseong, the wife of King Gojong who was assassinated by Japanese agents (known in Korean history as the Chunsaengmun incident); however, a female American physician Georgiana E. Whiting helped him avoid the charges by disguising him as her patient and go to his sister's house. Korea acted as one of the forerunners of the Korean independence movement through grassroots organizations such as the Hyeopseong Club and the Independence Club (독립협회; 獨立協會). Korea organized several protests against corruption and the influences of the Japan and the Russian Empire. As a result, in November 1898, Korea attained the rank of Uigwan (의관; 議官) in the Imperial Legislature, the Jungchuwon (중추원; 中樞院). When Korea gained their freedom from Japan, the US and the Soviet Union split Korea into two states. Korea demanded that his state should be reunified under his government. His aggressive stance towards the north worried the US, who feared Korea could launch an attack on the north. As a means of keeping the south at bay, the US held back from giving Korea any advance weaponry and only provided the bare minimum. However, this affected the south's plans to defend themselves.

In June 1950, the northern government, with the support of the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union, invaded the south. Korea was driven out of his home in Seoul and forced to the port city of Busan. The situation reversed in the South's favour when the US launched its invasion of Incheon and pushed the northern armies out of the country. The conflict ended in a truce in 1953. The war changed Korea's personality. He became more aggressive and militaristic. During the 1960s, Korea experienced mass upheaval and unrest. The April Revolution deposed the administration of President Rhee Syngman due to a wide range of issues ranging from corruption, electoral fraud, and political oppression. While Korea had initially supported the government, he changed his support towards the protestors. The end of the Rhee Administration spelt the end of the First Republic and Korea transitioned into the Second Republic.

Despite the revolution, Korea still experienced stagnation in development.

On the 19 February 1961, a recently dismissed army General Brigadier, Jong-pil Kim, approached Korea and told him, "The time has come to carry out the revolution." Korea was bewildered at first for some random ex-army officer to come up to him to start a revolution, but since he had been organising two frontline reserve divisions for a possible takeover, he decided to join the random guy and gave him command north of the Han river.

The coup plotters had considered various dates to launch their revolution, such as the first anniversary of the 19 April revolution and the 12 May, but these were postponed due to lack of opportunity and leaks. The plotters had worried about potential leaks exposing their plans to the military brass and sentencing them to death. However, in the words of one of the plotters, "They [the military brass] had the [...] it-will-all-be-all-right-mindset. They did nothing." The complacency allowed the plotters to carry on their plan to take over the country. To avoid anymore setbacks and risks, Korea decided that the 16 May would be D-Day to commence the revolution and it would go forward, "no matter what", and that "The last man standing alive must fight to the end to achieve our revolution". On the 16 May 1961, the Military overthrew the democratic government of Prime Minister Myon Chang. The military replaced the Second Republic with the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction (국가재건최고회의). In a meeting at the Capitol Hall in Seoul, Korea spoke with the military officials about their assignments and the future of the nation. While Korea did not give the officers a banquet due to martial law, he did offer them drinks. During the brief celebratory cheers (Geonbae! Geonbae! Geonbae!), Korea gave the military men a speech that would solidify his support among the armed forces:

'''"Minna-san. The Supreme Council for State Reconstruction declares this - lest our people might misunderstand: I didn't carry out the coup with any ambition for power. When order is restored to the country and an attempt of aggression by the north is curbed, we shall hand over power to the politicians and restore Korea to its former glory!" - Korea: 16 May 1961.'''

Korea's speech was so moving, that even sceptical officers such as Hong-hi Choi changed their view that the military coup was a revolution. Another officer, a fanatic supporter of the coup, threw his wine glass to the floor and shouted enthusiastically, "Long live the patriotic and conscious General of Korea! Mansae! Man-Mansae!"

Geography
South Korea is located in East Asia, on the southern half of the Korean Peninsula jutting out from the far east of the Asian land mass. The only country with a land border to South Korea is North Korea, lying to the north with 238 kilometres (148 mi) of border running along the Korean Demilitarized Zone. South Korea is mostly surrounded by water and has 2,413 kilometres (1,499 mi) of coast line along three seas. To the west is the Yellow Sea, to the south is the East China Sea, and to the east is Ulleung-do and Liancourt Rocks in the Sea of Japan (East Sea)

America
Having been liberated in the south by the US, South Korea has a long history of relying on America for security reasons. The Korean War reinforced South Korea's need for closer relationship with the US, who has provided him with military and economic aid.

However, the US does have its reservation over the military government, where they insist on a transition back to a democratic form of government. Korea had attempted to continue as a military government; however, the US insisted on restoring civilian rule in exchange for continuing economic aid.

South Korea has an admiration for American culture and often imports and combines them into a distinctly Korean phenomenon.

Russia
South Korea has a shaky relationship with Russia due to the support they gave to the North during the Korean War.

North Korea
Both Korea's have a complicated relationship that ranges from uncomfortable cordial meetings to outright hostility. South Korea's strong anti-communist policy means that engaging in negotiations makes peace talks difficult. However, South Korea did briefly engage with the north. On the 17 May 1961, a day after the coup, South Korea met with his northern counterpart at Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone to discuss various issues. South Korea used the meeting to give the north the impression that, despite the coup, the south was still stable enough to thwart any attempts by the north to exploit the situation. North Korea, wanting to lessen hostility and improve conditions with the south, personally baked some animal crackers as a sign of goodwill. However, the following transcript from the meeting show it worsened relations: '''PANMUNJOM: 17 MAY, 1961. 1934 HOURS:'''

NORTH KOREA: "Aren't they cute? They're animal crackers."

SOUTH KOREA:"These are animals? An octopus?"

NK:"Stupid, it's a penguin."

SK:"A hermit crab?"

NK:"It's a lion."

SK:"It's a water-flee!"

NK:"A rabbit!"

SK:"Loch-ness monster!"

NK:"A swan!"

SK:"A power ranger!"

NK:"A racoon!"

SK:"A salamander!"

NK:"An alligator!"

SK:"I know, a platypus!"

NK:"A KOALAAAA!!!"

The meeting ended on a bad note, and both sides left with opinions of each other worsened.

Japan
no.

National Anthem
National Anthem of South Korea: Aeggukka.

すれ違ってく顔のない視線 胸の穴が変えてった日常

境界なんてなく出会う アタリマエの奇妙 uh yeah

いつを通りの朝が うわっ面で笑う

正体不明のままに 惹かれあう mystery

はじまりも言わず じっと潜んでる、この町のどこか

だけど今日も上々に 文句なんか言いあって

日常を踊る crazy noisy bizarre town

しなる弓が妖しく占う つらぬく矢で試す可能性

了解なんてない 生まれる才能に聞くんだ uh yeah

臆病な確信は 沈黙を破る

身勝手なくらいに 結ばれる destiny

すぐ傍にいるぜ じっと目を凝らす、この町の気配

だけど今日も上々に ジョークなんか言いあって

おれ達で踊れ crazy noisy bizarre town

だけど今日も上々に 文句なんか言いあって

日常を踊る crazy noisy bizarre town

だけど今日も上々に ジョークなんか言いあって

おれ達で踊れ crazy noisy bizarre town

Gallery
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