Korea

"One portion of Korea now believes that I am a changed man, and that anything like that one movie should be censored and removed from the nation. The other side is just as angry, now demanding that Japan extradites me back for proper punishment." ―Earl Bendek, Part 2/3, Lap 33
Korea plays a major role in F-Zero: Seppuku as the homeland of Earl Bendek and being one of the remaining few independent countries on Earth following the formation of the United Powers. By the time of Part 1/3, Korea is reunited as a singular entity and has readopted the olden banner of the Joseon kingdom as its new national flag. Furthermore, following China's ascension into the United Powers, a breakaway Manchurian region would be promptly annexed into Korea (nicknamed 'Mankorea'), leading to a future of nationalist conflicts as the Manchu people would strive for independence from Korea.
Although Korea exists within the timeline of Shrouded Piety, the country makes no canon appearance.
==History==
===Early Korean History===
For much of its early history, the Korean peninsula found itself in a warring state of kingdoms until the 10th century CE, when Korea was unified under the single banner of Goryeo, and then centuries later the Great Joseon State, and even then later the Korean Empire. During these centuries, Korea found itself in constant communication with the many subjects of Japan, the Chinese Empire, and the sporadic Jurchen (later Manchu) tribes north of it. Before the unification of Korea, the warring kingdom of Balhae controlled much of what would later in history become known as Manchuria, and these historical claims would almost 2,000 years later help Korea justify its possession of Manchuria. Furthermore, these early centuries would see the rapid development of what would become Seoul and Pyongyang, as well as Busan, where Earl Bendek would eventually be born and raised.
The long history of Korea is one of pride but immense struggle with its neighbors. Korea constantly found itself the junior partner in domineering Chinese alliances, a constant attack by Jurchen forces, the target of the Mongol Empire, as well as various Japanese attacks, and later also catching the opportunistic eye of Western opportunists as Europe began to make a presence around China. The worst of Korea's history, by far, comes in the latter part of the 19th century, when rapid reformation in the Japanese Empire along with imperialist ambitions led to Korea being forced into a treaty with Japan that would eventually lead to the peninsula's full annexation. Great suffering and mistreatment would follow for many decades until, finally, the end of World War II led to the independence of Korea once more.
In its real history, as well as F-Zero: Seppuku's, the end of World War II led to Korea becoming divided into rival authoritarian regimes with the northern half being loyal to the Soviet Union's sphere of influence while the south was loyal to the United States of America. Co-existence between the two Korean halves were short-lived, however, for 1950 would bring an end to the peace with the soldiers of the north invading the south, prompting a military intervention by the United States, and then later the People's Republic of China. The Korean War would see both sides nearly succeeding at different times, only for the war to eventually end up in a stalemate near the center of the peninsula once more. A very tense coexistence would ensue for over one hundred years, the worst of the tension coming in the 21st century CE, when North Korea would develop nuclear weapons to threaten its southern counterpart with.
===Reunification===
Around the later half of the 21st century, South Korea found itself achieving an astonishing GDP that advanced well beyond even Japan's, and knowing that they could nearly double this if they were to somehow incorporate the northern half of Korea into their own nation, daring attempts to finally put an end to the Korean division was performed. North Korea had up to this point dug itself into an economic hole many experts concluded would be impossible for it to escape from without foreign intervention, and so it as well was desperate for some kind of economic mercy to arrive at its doorsteps. South Korea, assuring the north that financial stability could be restored to the region in just three years if they simply united, was unsurprisingly rejected by its stubborn neighbor. Not long after this rejection, North Korea, desperate, reignited the topic by inviting South Korea to discuss a compromise that the two sides could agree on in order to achieve reunification. After much deliberation and debate, the Koreas agreed to reunification under very friendly and assuring terms benefitting the north. Firstly, and most controversially, the south promised amnesty to all in North Korean government, making any pre-reunification acts unpunishable; this was a major concession, as it assured the North Korean government and military that no one could be accused of any past crimes. The second term was that a reunified Korea would still restrict both sides of the country to only possess military units of that respective side, meaning only soldiers from North Korean barracks could be stationed in the north. Furthermore, on a similar note, the two halves of the country would still hold respective elections with parties exclusive to said halves; this meant that North Korean elections would still only allow North Korean parties. Finally, the respective flags of North and South Korea would continue to be used as regional flags, while the olden flag of the Joseon Dynasty would be adopted as the new national flag of the Korean nation.
In the beginning, much mistrust and even criminal situations due to paranoia would develop as a result of the countries reuniting, but as the decades progressed, the two sides integrated well into this new Korea. Eventually, Syngman Rhee and Kim Il-Sung would both be embraced as founding fathers of the modern Korean state despite their long past with the Korean War, and simply be recognized as men who wanted the best for Korea but differed ideologically. Going into the 22nd century, the original conditions that both sides of Korea be restricted to their own soldiers was removed, as well as the requirement that allowed parties be locally founded. Soon all of Korea made use of a national army, and a handful of parties ran elections all throughout Korea. Just as South Korea had hoped, the 22nd century would indeed see the reunification of Korea opening up a sea of economic opportunities, soon allowing the country to become one of the most productive on Earth.