Haesan
The Commonwealth of Haesan 해산민국 (Haesanminguk) | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: "The moon will guide you home" | |
| Anthem: 'The moon will guide you home' | |
| Capital | Hwagang |
| Largest | Suyang |
| Official languages | English, Korean |
| Recognised national languages | French |
| Demonym(s) | Haesanite |
| Government | Parliamentary Republic |
• President | Kim I-seul |
• Prime Minister | Jan van Deventer |
| Legislature | Parliament of Haesan |
| Chamber of the Commonwealth | |
| Chamber of Deputies | |
| Establishment | |
• Declared independence | 1921, February 1 |
• Founding of the Second Commonwealth | 1985, October 10 |
| Area | |
• | 173,309 km2 (66,915 sq mi) |
• Water (%) | 8.2% |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 131,670,000 |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Per capita | $21,860 |
| Gini | 49.1 high |
| HDI | .841 very high |
| Currency | Haesan Sterling (HAS) |
| Date format | yyyy-mm-dd |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +21 |
| Internet TLD | .hn |
The Commonwealth of Haesan is a semi-presidential, parliamentary, capitalist, democratic republic located in the east of Hesperida in the International Democratic Union. It borders Laeral to the west through the disputed province of Soeyan and Lao Sangsong to the north. The nation is noted for its long coastline and many river valleys, and maritime activity has long been a core component of its economy. Haesan covers an area of 173,309 km² and has a population of 132 million people.
Haesan was first unified in the 11th century, but the nation would cease to be self governing in the 18th century when it was colonized by the English in the south and the French in the north. The two occupying factions fought the War of Haesanite Succession, in which the British forces conquered the whole of the nation. British occupation would last until protests and revolutionary actions led to the establishment of the First Commonwealth of Haesan in 1921. After two decades of political instability, the April Coup in 1942 established the Free Republic of Haesan, a military-backed dictatorship. In 1951, Henri Lagarde seized control, and with foreign backing implemented his vision of futurism, intensely focusing scientific advancement, often at the cost of economic growth. In the Great War, Haesan lost its territorial integrity after invasions from Darya, Laeral, and the Slokais Islands, and at the war's conclusion a provisional government was established by ____. After 5 years of provisional oversight, the Free Republic of Haesan was reestablished, and Henri Lagarde was reinstalled as its leader. In 1980, an aging Lagarde was assassinated and his Minister of Defence, Kim Ji-hun seized control and facilitated the return to democracy in 1985.
Modern democratic leaders have sought to improve social cohesion throughout the multiethnic state through policies like the Block Association System, while seeking to modernize the nation's sluggish economy. In the wake of the Monetary Crisis of 2004, Haesanite markets have used policy to provide favorable conditions for foreign investors leading to both extraordinary improvements in infrastructure and very high wealth inequality. Haesan's economy largely revolves around export-oriented manufacturing, but a significant proportion remains agricultural. A majority of the population lives in urban areas, and its largest city of Suyang is one of the largest cities by population in the IDU.
Haesanite culture is gaining international recognition, driven largely by the haeryu, or wave of Korean language pop music produced in Haesan. Haesan's traditional cuisine, cultural traditions, and athletic events have also seen a resurgence after the Korean Language Administration Act provided government funding to preserve traditional cultural activities. Haesan is also a major tourist destination, with visitors flocking to the quaint port cities and pristine beaches of its Maritime Provinces in the Albarine Sea.
History
Classical Era
Colonial Era
First Commonwealth
Free Republic of Haesan
The April Coup
The Rise of Lagarde
The Tragedy of 1963
Second Commonwealth
Geography
Demographics
Haesan has a population of 131 million people. Haesan is a multiethnic nation, with no ethnic group comprising more than 30% of the population. Major ethnic groups present in Haesan include the native, traditionally Korean-speaking Haemi people, along with large coalitions of foreign settlers, such as the English yeongmin in the Southern Coast, the Arrivée in the Northlands and Midwest, and the mercantile, largely Dutch-speaking gyulmin. The open borders system established by Lagarde has led to the establishment of numerous small ethnic enclaves within various Haesanite cities. Intermarriage is common, and only 35% of Haesanites in the 18-25 age cohort identify as the member of only one ethnic group.
The fertility rate is 2.53, well above the replacement rate. The average age in Haesan is 29.1 years. Technological and healthcare industry development in Haesan during the Choi administration has driven the average life expectancy up from 72.5 in 2000 to 80.1 in 2022. Rates of obesity are low at around 7%, while 23% of Haesanites are overweight. 61% of Haesanites live in an urban area, 17% live in a suburb, and 21% live in a small town or rural area.
Language
English has been an official language in business and government administration since the War of Haesanite Succession resolved in 1792. Korean has become more widely used in recent decades as a push to reclaim Haesanite national heritage has gained momentum. Korean is mandated to be taught in primary and secondary schools per the Korean Language Administration Act of 1991. French is still used conversationally in many parts in the northern regions of Haesan, and is an official language in seven prefectures.
Haesanites younger than 30 know at least two languages, but about 73% know three or more. Parliament has taken efforts to make government documents accessible to the many immigrants in Haesan, and the Department of Linguistic Standards under the Home Office of Haesan requires all requisite documents to be readily available in English, Korean, and French, as well as printable on-demand in at least 50 other languages.
Education
Education is prized in Haesan, as a focus of Lagardian futurism, Bishop's Community First governance, and Choi's modernization. It is now expected in Haesanite society that the vast majority of youth will obtain some form of tertiary education. All education in Haesan is publicly funded; private or religious options are outlawed.
Primary education in Haesan is usually administered as closely as possible with the Block Association System, and emphasizes community engagement and local hiring along with a pragmatic skills education centered around mathematics, reading fluency, and basic writing competencies. Primary education, usually called grammar schools, typically lasts from Year 0 (kindergarten) to Year 6. Secondary education is usually broken down into two schools, association schools lasting from Year 7 to Year 9, and preparatory schools lasting from Year 10 to Year 12. Association schools expand upon the skills education of grammar schools and screen the students based on skill aptitude and personality to sort them into the various preparatory schools. The prep school system in Haesan functions in tiers, college prep, general prep, services prep, and trade prep operating as the four branches of the system. College prep school is an intensive, challenging, skill-centered experience designed to prepare students for the exactingly difficult college entrance exams. General prep schools seek to provide students with knowledge of the broader job economy as well as continuing the traditional educational track to allow them to choose between college or a trade come graduation time. Services prep focuses on financial management, communication, and other soft skills to prepare students to get accreditation in any sector of Haesan's growing service economy. Trade prep works to provide hands-on mechanical experiences to secondary schoolers, often partnering with local factories and artisans.
Those in college prep or general prep schools have the option to take the General Skills Examination (GSE), a 10 hour long, once-yearly examination that covers reading and writing in both English and Korean, mathematics, core science concepts, the history of Haesan and the IDU, economics, and fundamental Haesanite civics concepts. The GSE score is the only relevant factor in determining college admissions in Haesan. About 31% of Haesanite youth will attend one of the many universities, liberal arts colleges, and technology schools through the GSE, while about 60%, including most of those in services and trade prep schools, will gain some other form of tertiary accreditation, largely in one or two year certificate programs.
In part due to the rigor of the application process, Haesan's top universities are very well regarded on an international stage. Most notable is Suyang National University, a top 10 international university which only accepts applicants who scored in the top 99.5 percentile of the GSE. Most large, less-selective universities are organized into conferences for the ease of sharing research, allowing professors an opportunity of advancement, and facilitating undergraduate transfers. The "Core Four" conferences are the Northland Conference, the Southern Coast Conference (SCC), the Central Valley Conference (CVC), and the Metropolitan Conference. In addition to being the core corridors for sharing academic resources in Haesan, they also form the backbone for the college athletics competitions that have achieved extraordinary popularity in Haesan, especially in baseball and basketball.