Corea

Corea
Republic of Corea
대서광국 (Hankoel) 大曙光國 (Handja) Tesjakwangkoek (Keukenkamp Romaniztion)
Location of Corea
Capital	Pjangjang
Largest City	Hansjang
Government Type	Republic
Languages	Corean
Currency	Corean Wan (CRW)

Corea (Hankeol: 대서광국; Handja: 大曙光國; Keukenkamp Romanization (KR): Tesjakwangkoek) is a country in East Asia. The nation borders Russia to the north, the Palhe and West Corean Seas to the west, and the Corean Eastern Sea to the east.

History

17th to 19th Centuries

Dutch Influence In Corea and Sjahak (Western-learning)

One particular region of interest to the Dutch was Corea, ruled by the Tsjosjan dynasty [Hankoel:조선; Handja:朝鮮] since 1392. Unlike the Qing, the Tsjosjan dynasty was more receptive to these western ideals (particularly of the Dutch strain) and gracefully and openly accepted these ideas in the 18th century. Books, scientific instruments, and most importantly, Christianity, were heavily imported into Corea. This influx of ideas would be known in the Corean language as Sjahak [Hankoel:서학/Handja:西學, lit: western-learning].

Dutch influence in Corea became firmly rooted in the southern city of Poesjan (IRL Busan), which the Corean king would later give to the Dutch East India Company in 1710 to serve as a point of contact for trade.

The Dutch Empire's bond with Corea is often claimed to have been stronger than that with the Qing. In the mid-to-late-1800s, many of the affluent Corean youth would be sent to study in Amsterdam, and would later serve in scientific or civil service posts in Corea. This led to the nation's heavy industrialization and helped Corea become one of the hubs for innovation in the region. There was a huge cultural exchange as well. In 1854, a Dutch-Corean scholar had invented a romanization system for the Corean language, based entirely on Dutch orthography, which is still currently in use in the modern-day.

Sjakwang Coup (1883)

During the War of Dutch Humiliation (1850-1857), the Coreans fought alongside the Dutch against rebel forces in the Canton region of the Qing Empire. Eight years after the war ended, Kjangmoen, the Corean king, died and was replaced by his son, Hjosjang. Hjosjang was a more conservative ruler. He had blamed the Sjahak (western-learning) as the primary cause of the Qing's ruin. In 1868, Hjosjang declared a complete reversal of Corea's embracement of the Sjahak-learning. Dutch missionaries were expelled and pro-Sjahak advisors in the king's court were exiled. In 1875, Hjosjang doubled down and issued the censorship of books and the persecution of Corean Christians. He made it illegal to purchase books published outside of Corea. This period was known as the Dark Era of Corea.

These policies did not sit well with the Amsterdam-educated Corean youth. In 1883, a coup d'etat was launched against Hjosjang. The Tsjosjan dynasty was removed from power and a new, liberal, and more enlightened dynasty came into power: the Sjakwang Dynasty (Hankoel: 서광; Handja: 曙光; lit: morning light), led by Moenmoe the Great [Hkl:문무/Hdj:文武]. Momoe the Great went as far as claiming that the Qing had lost their mandate of heaven to rule over Corea, and pursued a policy of Corean self-determination.

Sino-Corean War (1886-1888)

The Qing state, now severely weakened by internal strife, did not like what was happening in Corea. They decide to intervene in the Corean situation. Believing that the Coreans had strayed further away from Qing influence, the Qing state decides to send whatever troops they had left and restore order in Corea, a rash and ill-fated decision that would cost them their entire empire. This marks the beginning of the Sino-Corean War.

Expectedly, the odds were not in the Qing's favor. The Qing once again requests their Dutch allies to intervene. This time, however, no Dutch reinforcements were coming to their aid. The Qing were alone in the fight against Corea.

It was later uncovered that Moenmoe the Great (Corean king) had secured a secret pact with the Dutch a year earlier and got them to promise not to intervene in any case of Qing aggression. Furthermore, the new Corean state had secured the support of the Russians. Russian and Dutch support fueled the Corean war effort. The war ended with the Treaty of Peking (1888), with Manchuria partitioned between Corea and the Russians.

Shortly after, Moenmoe created a puppet kingdom in northern Manchuria to serve as a buffer between the Russians. He named it the Kingdom of Poeja [Hankoel:부여; Handja:夫餘], borrowing the name from the historic and ancient Corean kingdom of Poeja. He installed his brother, Tedjong, as the king of Poeja. In 1889, Moenmoe the Great declared the Empire of Corea and styled himself as Emperor of Corea and Poeja.

20th Century

2nd Sino-Corean War and Creation of the Kingdom of Haboek

(WIP - Corea annexes Hebei (habug/haboek) and angers the russians)

Russo-Corean War (part of the Great War)

(WIP - Russia declares war against Corea. Corea is annexed by the young nationalist regime in Russia and is made a sattelite state)

Republic of Corea (modern day)

WIP - They get independence from Russia after Russian nationalist govt falls in 1980.