Jung Seo-Yun

**Jung Seo-Yun**, often simply known by her surname **Jung**, was a Hong Kong politician of Korean descent who served as the 10th and 12th President of Hong Kong, and later as the first **Governor-Marshal of Hong Kong.** Seen as ruthless and menacing, her name is synomymous with dictator in Hong Kong.

## Early Life

Jung Seo-Yun was born in Hong Kong in 2132 to the Koreans **Jung Sung-Ho** (2084-2173) and **Jung Yu-Jun** (2091-2148) (Nee **Park**). Both refugees, they fled the GUISS state of Korea together in 2115 shortly after their marriage, while Yu-Jun was pregnant with their first child, Sung-Ji (2115-2201). Sung-Ho wished to join his brother who had left for Hong Kong several years prior.

Seo-Yun was brought up as a traditonal Korean, continuing their customs and speaking the language fluently.

During World War Three, as a teenager, she endured the Siege of Hong Kong along with the rest of her family. Due to this, then-President Laura Chang became a hero to the young Jung, forming her interest in politics. Unfortunately, in efforts to preserve food, her mother eventually died of starvation due to the siege.

It was her interest in her culture that led to her decision to study East Asian History at University, after which she did a course in Korean studies.

Following her time at university, Jung would work for various charities tasked with improving the lives of minorities living in the city.

## Political Career

While working for charities, Jung became more involved with the Guo Party, of which she was a member of since her university days. Following the resignation of a member of the Chief Governing Council, she was urged to run for office by her peers, who noted her for her popularity and charisma. In 2155, she was elected and only a year later was admitted to Laura Chang's Cabinet, as Minister for Culture. Jung and Chang would develop a sttrong relationship, with Chang acting as a maternal figure in place of her own mother who had died in the Siege of Hong Kong. In a cabinet reshuffle in late 2157, Jung became Foreign Minister, and made several minor diplomatic visits on behalf of Hong Kong in this time.

When President Chang announced she would not be seeking reelection in 2158, Jung became a potential candidate for the presidency and soon announced her intention to run. Receiving Chang's blessing, Jung ran a successful campaign and defeated the Liberal Party of Hong Kong's candidate, Kristof Yung, receiving a majority of votes.

### First Tenure as President

Upon her election, Jung was a popular figure in Hong Kong and promised to continue Chang's legacy when she inherited the presidency in 2158, at the young age of 26.

However, Jung's policies were soon seen as more severe than her predecessor, due to greater emphasis on law and order.

Her first term was still mostly popular as her policies were in the context of the Sanctorum Crisis, though upon her reelection in 2163 (with a slightly reduced majority) the population was beginning to grow fearful of her strict anti-communist and anti-terror sentiments, with many believing the threat was 'done and over' at this point. This emphasis cost her victory in the 2168 election.

### Leader of the Opposition

However, Jung remained popular within the Guo party as she shifted it further to the right, despite efforts to oust her in a leadership bid in 2169. By 2171, Jung remained committed to retaking the Presidency from Balthazar Lau, and used the current crisis, that of the Scavravirus Pandemic, to her advantage in order to garner more support. It succeeded, resulting in a narrow victory for Jung in 2173.

### Second Tenure as President

Upon her reelection, Jung became the first President of Hong Kong to serve a further, non-consecutive term of office. While Lau was president, political corruption was at its peak, and Jung wished to 'wash away the filth' this corruption produced. This new Hong Kong was also tired and angry due to the pandemic, something which Jung hoped to take care of. She oversaw the pandemic's twilight years with relative ease, though complications grew when the resulting economic crisis materialised. She increased efforts at maintaining order, arguably sacrificing more liberties than Lau did during the pandemic.

Her call for greater security was answered in 2178 when Premier Miliband declared Martial Law, granting further powers to the military led by now-Supreme Marshal Ekrim Tekin.

### Gaining Tekin's Loyalty

Once Tekin began replacing elected officials with military figureheads, Jung panicked and ordered soldiers to defend her office, holding captive Tekin's proposed Governor-Marshal, Michael Sato. Jung pledged her loyalty to Tekin, proving herself by executing the rest of her cabinet, and he allowed Jung to continue as Hong Kong's leader, now as a Governor Marshal.

### Reign of Terror

Jung would spend over fifty years as Governor-Marshal, with Hong Kongers coming to despise her -though Tekin grew very proud and fond of her, They had a successful working relationship, with Jung taking an annual visit to Tekin's Summer Villa along the Turkish Coast, and Tekin visiting her in Hong Kong. There are rumours and anecdotes of sexual encounters, though none can be proven. Regardless, they worked well together and mutually admired one-another.

### Later Years and Retirement

Jung's mental state would begin to decline in the 2220s and she reluctantly retired in 2231, dying three years later

### Death

Jung's death provoked widespread celebrations throughout Hong Kong, resulting in the August Massacre, seeing several thousand civilians killed by a military onslaught. Jung's ruthless nature also brought about anti-Korean sentiment among Hong Kongers. Tekin was reportedly heartbroken to hear of her death, stating she was a 'dear friend', but was unable to attend her funeral due to an illness he had at the time.

## Personal Life

Jung famously never married, and was not known to have any sort of romantic partner throughout her career. This gave rise to much speculation about her personal life among both friends and enemies alike. Some believed Jung remained celibate, and celebrated her as such. Others popularised rumours of a darker, unorthodox romantic life, including that she and Tekin were in some sort of sexual relationship (which there is some evidence for).

Regardless of her relationship with Tekin, it was known that they were good friends, and that Tekin clearly trusted her.

## Legacy

Jung remains a stain in Hong Kong's history as a bloodthirsty dictator. Her influence contributed to anti-Korean sentiment, certain aspects of which remain even in the 2280s.

Following Tekin's return to power, statues of Jung were ordered to be constructed throughout the city in her memory.