Ansan

Most Serene Republic of Baekjeong
Flag
Capital	Sangang
Largest city	Ogbei
Official languages	Baean
Recognised regional languages	Bumite language Vijayan language
Demonym(s)	Baean
Government
• Seonggol	Lee Seo-yeon
• Jinggol	Park Young Chul
Legislature	Mulrim Senate
Population
• 2018 estimate	80,348,293
• 2016 census	78,238,193
GDP (PPP)	2018 estimate
• Total	$3.643 trillion
• Per capita	$45,349
GDP (nominal)	2018 estimate
• Total	$2.002 trillion
• Per capita	$24,928
Currency	Baean Mul (M) (BJM)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy (CE)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+69
ISO 3166 code	BJ
Internet TLD	.bj

Baekjeong or Ansene, officially the Most Serene Republic of Baekjeong and often incorrectly referred to as Sangte, is a country located in Southwestern Coius, bordered by Xiaodong to the south, Tusing to the east, Ajahadya to the northeast, Subarna to the north, and the Bay of Bashurat to the west. Most of the country is located within the Geodaehan Basin. The de jure capital and religious center is Sangang while de facto capital and largest city is Ogbei. Over a third of the population lives in the Ogbei-Jinju-Gyeoljeong Metropolitan Region, one of the largest metropolitan regions in the world.

The Geodaehan Basin was first inhabited as early as the Early Paleolithic Era by migrants from the Proto-Southern Bashurat Valley Civilization to the north. The first centralized state in the region was noted by Xiaoan records in the early 8th century BCE. The Geodaehan Basin was first unified by the Sujanra Dynasaty of the Vayan Empire. The Vayan Empires, based on the Dansa River north of Geodaehan, originated near the modern city of Nolang. From the Sujarna Dynasty(c. 500BCE) to the collapse Pasupo Dynasty(c. 100BCE), most of the Geodaehan Basin was dominated by the Vayan Empire.

Following the collapse of the Vayan Empire, various kingdoms and city-states arose and collapsed in quick succession. The Kingdom of Eunyeon in the west of the basin expanded towards the coast, eventually conquering much of modern day Baekjeong's coastline. The Kingdom grew rich off of trade in the Bashurat, connecting the previous insular Geodaehan to the Bashurat trade network.

The modern state of Baekjeong traces itself to the Ansan City States Era (c. 400CE to 917CE). Several key institutions and cultural innovations central to Baekjeong developed during this era. The state religion of Cheongung arose during this time, combining elements of Baean folk religions, Ifranism, and Satyism.

The Ansan City-state of Sangang rose to prominence at the dawn of the 10th Century CE. Sangang was, and is, the center of the Cheongung religion and is the seat of the head of the faith, the Seonggol. The political leader of Sangang at this time, Jinggol Park Cheon Rhee arranged an alliance with the Seonggol, embarking on a unification campaign through Geodaehan and into the surrounding regions. The Park and Lee Dynasties would jointly rule the Ansan Empire until the arrival of Gaullican Imperialists in the 19th Century CE. After the Gukdong Revolution of 1564 CE, political control of the state devolved to local feudal lords, with only religious power being held by Sangang.

The arrival of the Gaullicans in the 19th Century CE led to the rapid collapse of Ansan as a cohesive entity. The Gaullicans initially seized several ports from Eunyeon and Aiboli Gukdongs. By the second half of the century, all but Sangang itself and a few small feudal lands in the eastern ranges remained independent. For a century the region was ruled under the Gaullican Sangte. Local nobles largely retained their powers but heavy taxes were imposed and cultural imperialism by the Gaullicans was encouraged.

During the Great War, forces loyal to Sangang fomented rebellions in much of the country. Cheongung radicals and Baean Peasant and Socialist rebellions broke out in the final year of the war. Much of these local rebellions, having been covertly funded and stoked by Sangang, declared loyalty to the Seonggol. This led to the Baean Civil War, in which Sangang and Sangang-aligned religious and socialist factions under the Seonggol fought the remnants of the Gaullican colonial state largely under the authority of the Gukdongs. The Seonggol won the war and reasserted political authority over the new state of Baekjeong that had not been seen since the 16th Century CE.

Baekjeong is a moderately developed country and has one of Coius' highest GDP per capita. Baekjeong's citizens enjoy considerably more civil freedoms than the Coian norm, but only average political freedoms. Baekjeong is a major entrepot between ROSPO and COMSED nations.

Etymology

The name Baekjeong derives from the word for Baeans' ancestral homeland, Baeke, and the Baean word for harmony, Jeonge. The term Baekjeong roughly translates to Ancestral Harmony. It was first used to refer to the parts of the Geodaehan Basin that remained under the control of Sangang during the Colonial Period during the 19th and 20th centuries. Ansene, the commonly accepted term for the nation in the Gaullican-speaking world, derives from the Ansan Empire, the last pre-colonial nation in the region. The name of the Gaullican colony, Sangtae, derived from a mistranslated Baean word. Sangtae is still commonly used among older Gaullican speakers, though its use is officially condemned by Baekjeong. The Seonghan officially encourages the use of 'Baekjeong' in all instances when referring to the country in an official manner. The term 'Ansene' is acceptable only in unofficial settings while 'Sangte' is banned inside Baekjeong and discouraged from use outside.

History

Modern Baekjeong

Righteous Revolutions

Following the Second Sakata Incident, Xiaodong and Gaullica were poised for war with Estmere and Gaullica. General Jules Boucher, Commandant of the Gaullican forces stationed in Sangte, ordered a General Mobilization of both Gaullican and local Colonial forces.

Under the 1894 Treaty System, Gukdongs which received funding from the Gaullican Crown were obligated to raise their own troops to support the war effort. By law these soldiers were to be trained, equipped, and paid by the Gukdong they owed fealty to. The General Mobilization at the end of 1926 was the first time that all Gukdongs had been ordered to provide troops. Many of the north and eastern Gukdongs had seen their populations diminish following the 1924 Drought and Famine. The 1894 Treaty made no provisions for changes in population and thus these Gukdongs were burdened with a disproportionate recruitment quota. At the same time, unemployment and the famine had ruined the economy of Sangte as a whole. No Gukdong had the means to equip, pay, and deploy their quota of troops, let alone to other nations.

Politics

Baekjeong is a theocratic, unitary, parliamentary, illiberal republic. The Baean government's structure by the Heavenly Charter of the Most Serene Republic of Baekjeong. The government of Baekjeong is divided into four branches: executive, judicial, legislative, and Seonghan. The executive branch, headed by the Jinggol, operates through various ministries at a national level. The legislature, known as the Mulrim Senate, is composed of the Cheonrim Assembly and the Yangrim Council. The head of the Mulrim Senate is known as the Speaker of the Mulrim, while the Assembly and Council are led by the First Assemblymen and First Councilman respectively. The judiciary operates all courts in the country as one system - there are no separate provincial or local court systems. The courts are split into theocratic and state courts. Theocratic courts handle affairs of marriage, divorce, inheritance, family disputes, and other religious matters. The state courts handle criminal and non-religious civil affairs. The top theocratic court is the Cheonjeong while the top state court is the Serene National Court. The Seonghan are the offices of the Seonggol. The Seonggol (lit. Daughter of Heaven) is the religious authority of Baekjeong and the font from which all powers of state originate. In addition to the Seonggol, the Seonghan also has the House of Sarim. The House of Sarim is composed of all female-line members of the Seonggol's dynasty and serves as the Seonggol's advisory board. While the Seonggol has de jure absolute power over the state, by convention the Seonggol only interferes in government during times of emergency or for affairs of the faith.

Executive

The executive branch is headed by the Jinggol, currently Park Young Chul. By law, the Jinggol only has to be appointed by the Seonggol with the assent of the House of Sarim. By convention, the Jinggol has always also been approved by a simple majority of the Cheonrim Assembly. The Jinggol serves at the pleasure of the Seonggol and can be removed at any time for any cause. The Jinggol appoints the heads of the various state ministries, with implied assent of the Seonghan and the assent of the Yangrim Council. The State Ministries are the main organs of the executive branch. There are currently thirteen State Ministries, each headed by an Executive Minister. The responsibilities and role of the State Ministries are laid out in the Heavenly Charter of the Most Serene Republic of Baekjeong. Amendments to the Charter regarding the State Ministries are promulgated as Writs of the Seonggol by the Seonghan at the request of the Jinggol. The budget of the executive is set every two years by the Cheonrim Assembly.

State Ministry	Executive Minister
Uniformed Services	Kyon Eun-Soo
Treasury	Han Yun-Ji
Justice	Kim Chong-Hui
Foreign Affairs	Tae Minji
Infrastructure	Su Jae-Young
Health	Kal In-Su
Natural Resources and Agriculture	Park Young-Il
Energy	Kim Shi-Won
Commerce	Ri Syngman
Labor and Unions	Ae Sun-Hee
Education	Kwak Jeong-won
Post	Choi Nam-Il
State Security	Yu Ji-eun

Legislature

The Mulrim Senate is divided into two houses, the Cheonrim Assembly and the Yangrim Council. The Cheonrim Assembly is the lower and larger house, elected through direct and indirect elections. 200 seats, half of the seats, are elected directly from voting districts established by the Seonghan. 100 of the seats are elected by the provincial legislatures. The remaining 100 seats are allocated to the largest ten unions in the country, who are assigned seats based on their membership numbers. The Cheonrim Assembly is led by the Chief Assemblyman, currently Park Han-Joo, and a member is known as an Assemblyman. Assemblymen serve five year terms. Political parties are officially banned in Baekjeong; however, there are three broad voting blocs. The largest is the Labor Front, which votes for pro-worker laws. The second largest bloc are the more conservative members. The third broad group are those who vote in line with the beliefs of the Seonggol and are called the Cheongungists. These factions are not absolute and most members frequently break 'party lines' in their votes. The Cheonrim Assembly's primary power is that of purse and law. The Assembly has total control over the state budget, save that of the Seonghan. In addition to power of purse, the Assembly also creates most of the laws in Baekjeong. A majority of 60%, or 240 votes, is required for most acts of the Assembly. By convention, the Assembly appoints members of the State Courts.

The Yangrim Council is the smaller, upper house of the Mulrim Senate. The Council has 100 members. Ten members are appointed by the Seonggol directly. Forty members are elected from the Yangban, the hereditary nobility of the Baekjeong who lend their name to the body. Another twenty represent the ten largest Cheongung shrines. Ten seats are apportioned each to the State Corporations Board and the Industries Board. Five seats are held in perpetuity by the five remaining Gukdongs while the remaining seats are appointed by the Jinggol. The Yangrim Council is headed by the Chief Councilman, currently Kim Ji-Woo, and a member is known as a Councilman. Terms for the Council are dependent on the type of seat and range from one year to lifetime. The Council has powers to approve or reject government appointments in the executive and judicial branches. The Council can also force the Cheonrim Assembly to review and vote on a law twice. A law rejected twice by the Council requires a 75% majority, or 300 votes, in the Assembly. By convention, the Council approves all foreign deals and treaties.

Judiciary

The judiciary is divided into two court systems. The State Court system handles all judicial matters not considered under the purview of the religious courts. The State Courts operate at three levels. The majority of cases are heard in either the State Criminal Courts or the State Civil Courts. These courts are divided into National Districts that correlate to provincial boundaries. The State Appellate Court handles all appeals for Civil and Criminal Cases. The highest state court is the Serene National Court, composed of seven judges that hear cases appealed from the State Appellate Court at their discretion or upon recommendation from the Seonggol. The religious courts are divided into two levels. The majority of the courts are established along the major shrine and temple boundaries. They are generally headed by appointees from the High Shaman, with the approval of the Seonghan. The supreme religious court is the Cheongjeong, chaired by the Seonggol herself. Generally, there are no religious appeals but the Seonggol or her aides will evaluate lower court decisions and see what are in need of retrial.

Seonghan

The Seonghan is composed of the Seonggol and the female-descended members of the Lee Dynasty, called the House of Sarim. The Seonggol is the religious authority of Cheongung and the font of all authority in Baekjeong. All acts of government are done in her name and she retains de jure absolute authority. De jure the Seonggol is an absolute monarch operating under the Mandate of the Heavens. De facto, convention has restricted much of the powers of the Seonggol. The Heavenly Charter of the Most Serene Republic of Baekjeong, written by Seonggol Lee Jangmi in 1951, has divested most powers to the various organs of state. The Seonggol maintains her religious powers as the head of the state religion Cheongung. This primarily involves chairing the Cheongjeong and reviewing laws passed by the Assembly to guarantee their compatibility with the tenents of the Cheongung faith. In times of emergencies, or when the government is vastly unpopular or in stalemate, the Seonggol has the power to dissolve the government and call for new elections and appointments. This has happened only four times in the past, outside times of war, and each time the Seonggol ruled as an autocrat while reestablishing the government. Seonggol's Lee Jangmi nor Lee Seo-Yeon both established the convention of returning power to the government as soon as possible. The Seonggol is elected for life from the members of the Sarim. The Sarim are the female members of the Seonggol's family. In effect, this is the sisters, aunts, nieces, and other matrilineal female members of the House of Lee. The House of Sarim elect the Seonggol unanimously. The heir presumptive to the Seonggol is usually elected every decade, with a confirmation vote on the death of the Seonggol. In general, an action by the Seonggol is also considered an act of the Sarim and vice-versa. The Seonghan have powers to appoint the Jinggol and several other government positions.

Geography

Infrastructure

Energy

Power production and supply is managed in its entirety by the state-run Baean Power Coporation. Baekjeong does not purchase power from its neighbors due to legally mandated power self-reliance. Excess power production is sold to COMSED allies. The majority of power produced in Baekjeong is generated from hydroelectric dams. Two such dams, Great Palgan Dam and Gyeolijeong Dam, are among the largest dams in the world. In additions to numerous hydroelectric dams, Baekjeong has invested heavily in the creation of tidal powerplants along its Bashurati coast, taking advantage of the relatively high tidal difference in the Bay. This relatively high reliance on water-based energy generation has lead to the phrase "Baean Electricity is wet".

Solar power supplies a small subset of the country with power, primarily in the cities where recent green-architecture regulations have required new construction to either have a solar roof or green roof. Baekjeong is a moderate producer of relatively advanced photovoltaic cells and associated large-capacity-and-long-term-storage batteries. In a bid to modernize its power infrastructure, several large scale battery stations have been built in areas that are unable to build pumped-water reserve stations, primarily in the north.

Wind energy is a controversial energy source in Baekjeong. Many ideal onshore wind farm locations are in the middle of Cheongung religious shrines that seek to harness the Tzi spirit energies of the wind dragons. The government has been loathe to force these politically powerful shrines to allow windfarm construction, and the Seonggol herself has opposed the idea on numerous occastions. The only major onshore windfarms are in the north, in primarily Ifranic, Badi, and Tulyati communities. Offshore wind farms have become more common in recent years, hamstrung only by the limited coastline of Baekjeong. Far away from the shrines, they do not face the challenges that onshore farms suffer from.

Nuclear power is a major, if declining source of power in the Serene Republic. From a peak utiliziation in the 1980's, nuclear power stations and their share of the national energy infrastructure have slowly declined. The government had long since favored the use of green and renewable energy sources, especially after Baean sources of uranium and thorium began to diminish. There are two remaining power plants operating at full capacity, supplying power to the Ogbei Metropolitan Region.

Fossil fuels have largely been abandoned by Baekjeong, for economical and religious reasons. A major tenent of Cheongung emphasizes the custodial nature of the state towards the environment, causing many politically powerful shrines to advocate against fossil fuel use. The last coal and oil fired plants were shut before the dawn of the 21st millenia, much to the chagrin of Senrian keitsu who had dominated the industry. Natural gas facilities remain in some parts of the state but are slowly being shut down and do not form a significant part of the energy infrastructure.

Transportation

Baekjeong has a technologically advanced transport network centered around the BaeRail high-speed railway system and the National Expressway System. In addition, there exists an advanced network of air-and-heliports and ferry routes. The Ministry of Transportation, a division of the State Ministry of Infrastructure, manages all transportation networks through specialized state enterprises, the largest of which are BaeRail and the National Expressway Corporation.

BaeRail is the primary means of intercity travel in Baekjeong. It operates high-speed rail service to all provincial capitals and all major Baean cities. BaeRail also operates regular rail service to smaller cities and towns through its subsidiary, Baekjeong Regional Rail. In addition to passenger services, BaeRail operates a freight rail service that primarily runs along the north-south coastal axis and Ansan-Ogbei corridor.

The National Expressway System is a series of expressways that connect most Baean cities with a population greater than 200,000. The system is integrated with several provincial highway systems. Major expansions are underway to expand the system into the Northeastern Highlands. The National Expressway System is a toll-based system.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Baekjeong

Ethnicity

Ethnic Demographics of Baekjeong

  Baean (91%)

  Hayan (1%)

  Bumite (3%)

  Vijayan (5%)

Religion

Main article: Cheongung

Religious Demographics of Baekjeong

  Cheongung (95%)

  Sotiranity (2%)

  Saytism (1%)

  Ifran (1%)