United Korea
The United Republic of Korea is an Asian country created after South Korea's victory in the Second Korean war in 2005.
Everyone knows that as a result of their violent civil war, Korea was united at last. However that doesn't mean all their days are now happiness and sunshine.
— Unknown, Pacific Rim Sourcebook
History
2000s
As a result of the Crash of '94, American troops were pulled out of South Korea to support their homeland. This caused a war with North Korea to break out again in 1999. The war was further egged on by Japanese corporations profiting off of it.
During the war, General I Ryong Yon seized control of South Korea and began a campaign of disrupting China's supply routes into North Korea, which eventually won them the war in 2005. General I declared country united again, but before he could enjoy his presidency he and his brother I HoTong were assassinated, presumably by the Japanese. War hero General Park was elected instead.
By 2020, United Korea was a high tech country with many corporations following the same methods as the Japanese Zaibatsus. Despite great success Korea had conflict with many wanting to remain isolationist and refusing foreign influence, while others saw benefits in working with foreign relations.[1]
2023 - 2045
In 2023, the Koreas were divided again by the Fourth Corporate War, had become strong isolationist. North Korea, drawn into the conflict by promises of Arasaka support, had collapsed into a chaos of warlords and petty fiefdoms.[2] During the War the city of Busan, the largest port in United Korea, was locked down by the government after Militech released a deadly virus that ravage the city. Korea was unable to find any connections to whether the release was due to negligence or intentional.[3]
2070s
Some point after the Time of the Red, the two Koreas United once again. In 2077, a Seoul-based detective unearthed satellite images showing signs of life in the city. Further research discovered that the life were automated machinery and robots carrying out their duties 50 years after the city was quarantined.[4]
Bio-engineers celebrated the first successful cloning of a cave lion. Scientists from Seoul, Yakutsk, and Tokyo used genetic material from the remains of an ancient female lion discovered in a bog near Kolyma river in Northern Siberia.[4]
Government
United Korea is supposedly a parliamentary democracy, but in actuality it's controlled by the military-industrial complex and by corporations. Most Korean politicians still follow Kinship-ism, in which politicians openly favor their own clans and cultures.
The main debate within Korean politics as of 2020 was as to whether they should stop or support foreign ideas and subcultures moving into the country.[1]
Military
The United Korean Military (UKM) is split into the army, navy, and airforce like most militaries, but have yet to adopt a spaceforce. There equipment is mostly on par with the American military.
The military police is currently the main police force in Korean cities, and are directly under the command of the president.[1]
Culture
Korea mostly still operates under its Yangban caste system, though many politicians and CEOs continually deny it still exists. Koreans value kinship over all else. Their clans have rankings, and you're expected to be courteous to your superiors even if they're younger than you. Like many Asian countries, they worship their own ancestors.
A lot of Koreans don't like cyberware, both for religious reasons and because most cyberware is manufactured in Japan.[1]
Economy
The Korean economy is primarily run by Zaibutsu similar to those found in Japan, which are very much suited to Korea's nepotistic political environment. The main two Zaibutsu's are Sungan Industries and the Tanson Group.[1]
Major Cities
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 PASQUARETTE, C. Pacific Rim Sourcebook. Berkeley, CA, R. Talsorian Games, 1994. (pp.42–58)
- ↑ PONDSMITH, M. Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook. Kenmore, WA, R. Talsorian Games, 2020.
- ↑ Cyberpunk 2077 - Shard: The False Rumors Circling Busan
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 CD Projekt RED. Cyberpunk 2077. Video Game, Multi-Platform. Poland, CD Projekt S.A., 2020.