[Republic of Woori — Seoul Special City]
In June of 2020, Japan was in the midst of holding a double election, with intense debates surrounding prospective constitutional reform and establishment of an army. At the same time, heated debates were also taking place in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Woori, anticipating the intensity of the summer to come. The trigger had been the recent statement of President Park Jae-An, in which he expressed his support for Venisuela, and by extension Joker. Naturally, the nineteen other countries that made up the G20 immediately objected. The reaction of Mejicanos and the South Gamerican countries Brezil and Argentine was especially strong. Their parliaments unanimously agreed to voice extremely harsh complaints. As for the countries that comprised the EU, they tasked their ambassadors stationed in Woori to hand in written protests to the Woorian government. The president, who was holed up in his office at the Blue House, seemed to have failed to predict the scale of the backlash and could only come up with lame excuses, saying things like, “Showing understanding is the first step toward resolving issues.”
<Breaking News: Samshik Electronics’s Vice Chairman, Choi Kun-hee, has announced the company’s intention to relocate its head office abroad. He has referenced diverging views regarding the ways dungeons ought to be handled as well as concerns regarding the President’s support of Venisuela as the main reasons for this choice, stating that conducting business in such conditions would be difficult. The company is currently considering the Oriental Republic of Sina, as well as Japan, for its relocation.>
<Choi Kun-hee has begun an emergency press conference to comment on the issue of Samshik’s relocation, stating that the previous report was incorrect. According to his statement, the group has only expressed worries regarding the current situation and is not considering relocating in any way, shape, or form. Still, the stock market is going through a rough patch as the won undergoes its biggest devaluation in history...>
<The French auto manufacturer Louis S.A. has announced it is pulling out of the Woorian market altogether, while the Gamerican company, National Motors, will pull out its capital from the country. Two of the three biggest car companies in Woori will effectively disappear as of today. As a result, up to a million people are expected to lose their jobs. It appears that in 2020, both real and nominal growth rates will be negative.>
<President Park has stressed that, once peaceful reunification with the Kingdom of Ko is achieved, the country will reap economic benefits that cannot be fathomed, leading to a complete economic recovery. However, the path to peaceful reunification seems long and uncertain, as a summit between the northern and southern leaders has yet to be organized. President Park is calling for the citizens to unite and strive for reunification as the country is purged of its deep-rooted evil, but demonstrations only continue to escalate...>
Park Jae-An, president of the Republic of Woori, was growing irritated as he watched the reports on different news channels. The same mob that had forced the previous president to resign after the Candlelight Demonstrations was now coming for him. The strength of the people had chased out the corrupt former authorities, just like during the Franze Revolution of old. The current government was the very embodiment of this revolutionary spirit; demonstrators protesting against them was unforgivable.
<Demonstrators claim that the current government’s actions, including ignoring the threat of the dungeon, are causing the degradation of the economy and that giving unconditional support to an enemy nation is treasonous. They are calling for the president’s immediate resignation.>
Law was a crucial tool when it came to ruling a country. A nation wasn’t defined by its laws. If anything, the laws were defined by the nation. In a country as ethnically homogeneous as Woori, the will of the people and their ideals were even more important than the nation itself. The law didn’t amount to much in the face of the reunification of the country, the people’s dearest wish, and the result of their right to self-determination. It was time to rid the country of the traitorous conservatives that threatened the people’s self-esteem and were always ready to sell out the country. President Park was determined to make this happen during his presidency; he believed it to be his life’s mission.
“Mr. President, we have received demands not only from Samshik Electronics but also from other large conglomerates, such as Milae Motor and SG Electronics. They request we cut all ties with Venisuela and cooperate with Japan and the Oriental Republic of Sina on dungeon-clearing initiatives,” said an advisor. “If this continues, our country’s economy will completely collapse!”
“The unemployment rate amongst young people has passed thirty percent. We are extremely unlikely to make a recovery. Foreign investors are pulling their capital one after the other and the devaluation of the won is accelerating as we speak. We are keeping the losses in check with currency swaps but a currency crisis will be upon us before the end of the year,” another advisor stated.
Every advisor brought more bad news. The G20 was set to meet in the Middle East in November, but the organizing country had bluntly let Woori know through unofficial channels that they did not need to show up.
“The Venisuelan government has thanked us for our bravery and is asking for active support to help rebuild their country. We received a message of the same nature from the Kingdom of Ko as well. I sent word back that we would provide support as soon as the situation has stabilized on our side, but I’m afraid we do not have the means to send several hundred million dollars to support them.”
Woori hoped to become the bridge between the advanced countries and Joker by staying in contact with both sides. This would allow Woori to heighten its global presence and quiet down Japan, that war-criminal country that kept acting like it ran the whole world. That had been President Park’s plan, at least. Now, however, he was faced with rejection from the G20 and monetary requests from Venisuela.
Why didn’t it work as I hoped?
“How did Japan react? I believe our army contacted them to ask for their collaboration on dungeon-related matters. Our ambassador should have contacted Dungeon Busters directly as well.”
If I show the citizens we’re doing something about the dungeons, they should accept the situation. Clearing dungeons will also allow us to show that we’re not simply following Joker blindly. In that sense, clearing at least one dungeon is crucial. The only country that could make it possible in this part of the world is Japan. I need Dungeon Busters on my side.
However, the response President Park received was cold and cruel.