User:CatsAreSuperCool22/Gamsada Nuri

Gamsada Nuri (감사다 누리)
Gamsada Nuri (Korean:가사다 누리, Gamsada Nuri) is located in what was once called Lake Erie between the border of Canada and the United States. It has seven provinces within its borders extending over 25,667 square kilometers (15,949 square miles), making it the fourth largest Great Lake and the eleventh largest globally. Gamsada’s capital is Yeongwonhan (Korean: 영원한) and its largest metropolitan areas are Inyeon and Insaeng.

Indigenous peoples have inhabited the islands within and around Gamsada for thousands of years. Due to the conflict between the British and French at the beginning of the 16th century, many of the Indigenous communities disappeared. By the time the Korean settlers arrived, most of the communities had greatly diminished. There were never any conflicts between the merpeople and their human neighbours. They helped each other, thus creating a centuries-long trading system.

The country was founded by a few hundred Korean merpeople. The number is not certain as there were no records of there ever being any illegal kidnapping and deportation. The Canadian merpeople were about 300. A census has been taken every year by the Canadian and U.S. colonies. The first years of after the arrival of the new merpeople proved to be much more successful and favourable to everyone living within the lake, thus no conflicts occurred.

In 1623, Korean settlers brought over some of their merpeople to provide entertainment and to be used as peace offerings to the British colonies. Since this was during the Joseon Era, the exchange of people for peace agreements were common. This dynasty ended in 1897, however the Korean Empire took its place for another 13 years. After a few decades of living in Lake Erie, the merpeople could not handle the stressful conditions and the constant disappearance of merpeople. This led to a peaceful uprising which granted them independence on June 9th, 1666. Since then, there have been 11 emperors who reigned over Gamsada Nuri.

As of 2023, there are 1,273 merpeople are living in the country, with 61% of the population living in Yeongwonhan. Although there are few citizens in Gamsada, there is a strong labour force consisting of 1,043 merpeople (82%) which is a much higher percentage than many developed countries such as Canada, the United States and China. Since Gamsada is located between Canada and the United States, they have developed a system of transportation to carry supplies from one country to the other. Not only is it efficient, but it is also a lot safer for the merpeople to transport supplies instead of boats because of the harsh weather conditions above water. Over 2,000 shipwrecks can be found in the depths of Gamsada (previously known as Lake Erie), making it one of the most dangerous Great Lakes.

Since 1874, Gamsada acknowledges three official languages: English, French, and Korean. Before then, English and French were the only official languages. French was later added once Quebec and the other provinces joined together to create British North America, on July 1st, 1867.

Gamsada Nuri (Korean:가사다 누리) means “safe/sheltered world” in Korean. Although there are many theories as to the origins of the name, there is no definitive answer for the reason behind it’s etymology. The word Gamsada (Korean:가사다) is similar to the Korean word for thank you (Korean: 감사합니다, Gamsamnida), while the word Nuri (Korean: 누리) means world. This may mean that within a place of chaos, a shelter exists; There will always be somewhere safe for those who have nowhere else to go. Although the ocean is vast, there are very few communities of merpeople.

The name was adopted as the legal name for the country in 1668. By 1713, “Lake Erie” was no longer used in official documents. Its old name, however, has been used by the general public since the name is easier to pronounce.

Geography and Resources
There are over 2,000 shipwrecks which litter the grounds of the lake. Over 24 islands exist within the country’s borders, with its largest being 42 square kilometres (16 square miles). Many trenches, ridges, gaps, sea mounts, rises, and plateaus are commonly found within Gamsada. Ice volcanoes can also be found during the wintertime on many of the islands and surrounding lands. They are created by strong winds forcing waves through the ice. After being thrown up into the atmosphere, the water and slush freeze and fall back into the formation, thus, growing it. Although they are not actual volcanoes, their appearance gives them the name

Location
Gamsada is situated between Canada and the United States. This location was chosen by the Korean settlers because Lake Erie is one of the smallest Great Lakes and the islands within the lake would facilitate containing and retrieving the merpeople when they were needed. The reasons behind the founding of Gamsada are terrible, however, a peaceful country took the place of the once horrible lake.

Background
The original occupants of what used to be known as Lake Erie were the peaceful Canadian people (Korean: 평화로운 캐나다 사람들). They were called this by the merpeople once they arrived in 1623, for their calm demeanour, their respect for the environment, and for their pacifist ideology. They immediately joined forces with the Korean merpeople to form a strong community which has lasted until present day. In 1658, Yi In-Su (이 인수) lead a non-violent revolt which resulted in a peace treaty being signed between the humans and the Canadian and Korean merpeople. Out of respect for their saviour, the members of the community encouraged Yi In-Su (Korean: 이 인수) to take on a leader position and lead a new country. By 1666, Yi In-Su became emperor and changed his name to Emperor Dae-Joon the Great (Korean: 대준 효 대왕)l He started an authoritarian reign, thus beginning a 356-year-long (and still ongoing) authoritarian regime. For a short 1-year period between 1860 and 1861, Emperor Sunjo the Great (순조 효 대왕) attempted to turn the social state from an authoritarian regime to a libertarian regime. He believed that the people should have more freedom to do as they desired and gain more privacy from contestant government surveillance. This system failed and plunged the entire country into a state of terror because the government stopped interfering with their people’s lives, which led to selfishness amongst the citizens in matters such as money and power. As a result of the drastic change, many merpeople became involved in crime, while others died. Without the government’s surveillance which had been commonplace for centuries before the merpeople were brought over, there were hardly any security measures to control the chaos. In one instance, mass hysteria fell upon the country, which was caused by a rumour regarding the emperor killing his palace maids and eunuchs. Many attempts on the emperor’s life were made after the start of that rumour and the killing of sympathizers became a big problem. A militia was formed to hunt down the emperor’s supporters. The Emperor’s guards became involved in the situation and the rumours were shut down. However, the damage had already been done, and the Emperor Sunjo the Great (순조 효 대왕)’s uncle Yi Kang-Dae (이 강대) planned a coup and overthrew the Emperor. It was later revealed that the rumours were true. Those events lead to the disappearance of the dethroned emperor. Thus, the excessive amount of freedom as a result of a libertarian regime led to violence, hate, crimes, etc., which were never a problem during the authoritarian regime. Families were divided, friends were separated, and chaos ensued for one year. Thus, they returned to their original political ideology as it fit the way of life of the merpeople.

Financial Stability
Once Yi In-Su (Korean: 이 인수) became Emperor Dae-Joon the Great (Korean: 대준 효 대왕), he started a socialist economic ideology as he wanted to provide a lot of government-funded services that would enable his people to achieve great things without having to think about the basics. Wanting to keep an eye on companies’ financials, he believed that socialism was his best option. He also wanted to maintain the natural environment, which would mean that the government would need to be in control of all environmental related decisions. Everything was working perfectly until Emperor Sunjo the Great (순조 효 대왕) became the new ruler, in 1860. The new emperor decided to change the country from a capitalist one as he believed it would be beneficial for Gamsada. As a direct result of his actions, the Yi empire almost came to financial ruin Due to the lowered tax rates, many of the government-funded services could no longer function as they lost most of their funding. Companies no longer had to pay such high corporate tax and pocketed the money, leading to an increase in socio-economic division between the social classes. Substance abuse became a problem as well, due to the decrease in the regulation of substances. Corporations became greedy and selfish, exploitation of resources (environment, workers, etc.) and the inflation of prices (for later pocketing) became common. In 1861, the economic ideology returned to socialism as it provided more stability for the country and lead to a healthier society.

Criteria for Gaining Citizenship
In order to be considered a citizen of Gamsada, there are a few requirements which need to be met. Firstly, one needs to be a merperson living in another fresh water body of water. This is because salt water is a potential danger in fresh water. Exceptions can be made but the procedures must be correctly executed. Secondly, the merperson cannot have a criminal record. A background check also needs to be performed on the individual in question. Additionally, it is preferable that the applicant speaks Korean, English or French (although classes may be taken after an application has been accepted.) If a family member already lives in Gamsada, it may be slightly easier to gain citizenship as a background check is much easier to perform. It can take up to 7 years to gain citizenship since only 50 individuals are made citizens every year.

Emperors of Gamsada
Emperors of Gamsada stay as the ruling monarch until their death. Their average lifespan is 45 years, which makes it one of the most dangerous jobs known to the merpeople. The only ways for a ruler to abandon the crown is by conquest or by being deemed unfit to wear the crown by the people. If the sovereign has been considered incapable of ruling, the crown is passed on to the eldest son or closest male heir to the emperor. Since the merpeople originated from Korea (Korean:한국) during the early 1600s, they were accustomed to the Joseon Dynasty (Korean:조선) which had spanned for over 200 years, the same ideologies and political views were used to start the country. Only mermen could inherit the throne as women were thought to be too incompetent to become a ruling empress. Many of the emperors had concubines along with their empress consort. This resulted in the birth of many children who were considered illegitimate and thus could never ascend to the throne.

Social Ideology
An authoritarian regime boasts togetherness (national unity), co-operation, equality over equity, ethnocentrism, control, common beliefs and traditions, transparency, and lastly, rule of law. These values and principles are important in regards to running the country. Togetherness is believed to lead to collective happiness and equality by keeping the citizens close and subjecting them to the same ideologies. This is the reason for the lack of separation of Church and State. Gamsada Nuri wants to promote the idea of togetherness, which lines up with Neo-Confucianist ideals. Neo-Confucianism was brought over by the Korean merpeople who believed that their ruler had to practice one religion which would then be followed by the people. Since then, this tradition has remained the State’s ideology. Equality gives everyone the same rights and resources since the people are considered a unit. The idea is to is to protect the unit rather than the individual. Transparency is important because the government and emperor must be open with their actions, intentions, values, and beliefs. They are transparent in order to show the people that their values are good and right, which encourages the citizens to do the same. There is an emperor, who appoints his personal council. As the leader of the country, he is above the law, while the rest of his council and his people must follow the ‘rule of law’. The emperor obtains his rights by inheritance. He reigns from the moment the previous emperor died up to the end of his life with a few exceptions, such as by coup. They maintain a one-party system due to the ruler being in charge of all political decisions. In Gamsada, there is no “free press” since the State controls the media, including media circulation. The content of the media is dependent on the emperor’s preferences and social and political ideals. This is to promote and maintain the idea of togetherness, common beliefs and traditions. Most human rights are followed by Gamsada Nuri, apart from the right to privacy, freedom of speech, freedom of thought and religion, and the right to democracy since they do not coincide with Neo-Confucianist ideals of togetherness, common beliefs & traditions. The rest of the basic human rights do not affect the government and are therefore accepted within the country.

감사다누리 is considered a monarchy with a tradition of an authoritarianism and conservatism political ideology. This particular monarchy is different from others because the government and emperor are highly controlling of its people, yet the people are content and grateful for their government’s strict policies. It emphasizes equality, unity, transparency, co-operation, ethnocentrism, and rule of law. These are the main, founding principles of the government of 감사다누리.

The government is a one-party system consisting of the emperor, who is the final decision-maker, and his personally-appointed council (the governing body of 감사다누리). Anybody of any age and/or status is allowed to have a position on the emperor’s council as long as he or she has been appointed and approved by his majesty. However, if the citizens find that the government is incapable of working efficiently and/or dangerously incompetent, then the emperor will be forced into rethinking and reformulating his council. If government incompetence persists, there is a chance for revolt and the risk of overthrowing the emperor, hence the 1861 overthrowing of Emperor Sunjo the Great.

The government is in charge of running 감사다누리. All proposed laws are run by the emperor before coming into effect. Important matters are reported to the emperor and resolved as he sees fit. Trivial affairs are solved by the members of the council to lessen the work of the emperor. The emperor and government tend to work separately at the exception of war councils, in which the presence of every member of the council including the emperor is required. War councils have only been called for a handful of times, notably during the War of 1812, World War I and World War II.

Economic Ideology
As a socialist country, there are many values and principles which are held dear in the eyes of the government and the people. These are: state intervention/involvement, universal healthcare, nationalization of resources, redistribution of wealth, civic duties, safety, education (mandatory and free), and a healthy environment. State intervention is an important economic value as the government cannot leave the people or businesses to their own devices. The state needs to maintain a certain amount of control in order to help those in need and to keep companies in check. The redistribution of wealth is a major principle since power comes from wealth and no one should have more power than anyone else (except for the rulers, they may have more). Safety is significant because nothing matters more to the country/government than the safety of its people. Without the people, the country would never exist. In order to keep everyone safe from harm and an increase in criminal behaviour, there are many safety implementations in place. (i.e. strict law enforcement). Education is the only way for a country to prosper; having educated merpeople working increases the productivity and the number of jobs. This means that there is an extra level of importance placed upon education since it is the only way to keep the people healthy and safe. This is the reason for it being publicly funded. Finally, with a healthy and safe environment, there is no need for worrying about issues such as global warming which leads to an overall better mental health and less stress. This allows for a more efficient and productive country.

The state manages all natural resources to ensure the safety of the environment and to improve their citizens’ quality of life. It minimizes the damages done to their environment, whether natural or not. The government plays an active role in the day-to-day operations of businesses since the economic policy is socialist which aims to redistribute wealth and resources equally among its citizens. The private businesses cannot be left to their own devices since merpeople are selfish and greedy by nature (i.e. a CEO of a private enterprise can give themselves a higher salary at the expense of their employees wages). The government promotes nationalization over privatization because this allows for people to pay for supplies/utilities at lower prices but with a reliable source. The government strictly regulates the access to potentially dangerous substances. They would import these substances, for example: alcohol, drugs (medication), however, these are sold in government owned facilities.

Taxes are very high in Gamsada Nuri as many services are dependent on tax funding. Corporate tax can be as high as 20%, individual tax by 24%, and sales tax adds up to 19% (13% standard rate and 6% for energy, books, and transportation). According to China’s (average) corporate tax rate, it can be up to 20%, individual tax is 24% since it is the median income tax rate, and the sales tax is slightly lower than that of China’s. This can be explained by the fact that there is a limited need for certain accessibilities such as transportation (merpeople swim). The economy of Gamsada is similar to that of The Republic of China, which also has high tax rates. Gamsada Nuri relies more heavily on tourism for income and as such, taxes are decreased to accommodate the tourists.

Flag and Interpretation
The national flag of Gamsada Nuri is often referred to as the Gamsada flag. It consists of a red horizon and blue waves. An 11-pointed maple leaf is in the centre which is encircled by a dragon (Korean: 용, yong). The red represents a morning/evening sun as well as positive cosmic forces (yin) or fire. While the blue represents waves (since water is an important element in the merpeople’s lives) and negative cosmic forces (yang) or wood. White symbolizes purity and peace, gold, and is one of the two national colours of Canada. The yellow on the dragon symbolizes earth, while the black from the outlines symbolizes water. Each of the colours embodies the five elements from the traditional Chinese ritual colours. The maple leaf is a token of appreciation towards Canada. The dragon is the most significant component of the flag as the dragon is one of the most important Korean mythological creature. With the help of the orb in its mouth, the dragon (Korean: 용, yong) can control winds and water. This may be a meaningful element for the merpeople.

Their motto is (Korean: 등용문, deug yong mun) which it translates to “Going up to the dragon’s gate.” It means a gateway to success. Since the dragon is important to Korean mythology, it is a crucial sentence to keep in the minds of Gamsada Nuri’s citizens. The ultimate goal of Gamsada is to succeed in the world, therefore this saying would be something to look up to. Keeping the dragon (Korean: 용, yong) in the adage is meant to maintain the ties to Korean ideology from its past and to remind people to keep looking forward.

Conflicts

 * The Great Conflict of 1664 – an uprising lead by Yi In-Su landed the 25-year-old with the responsibilities of an emperor. He signed a peace treaty in order to have the human settlers relinquish their control of the merpeople. Although it was a conflict, no blood was shed, and no violence occurred.
 * War of 1812 – The merpeople were allied with British North America to help prevent Manifest Destiny becoming a reality within North America. If Manifest Destiny prevailed, they would only be able to trade with the USA and could be assimilated into American culture and government or they could be wiped out entirely like the indigenous peoples living above ground.
 * The 1861 overthrowing of Emperor Sunjo the Great – Due to the radical changes brought on by Emperor Sunjo the Great, his uncle Kang-Dae, along with several of his followers, overthrew the emperor, abducted him and executed him (although the execution is never mentioned in history books nor any records, it is believed that he was in fact executed to stop him from planning another coup). The new emperor, Emperor Dae-Jung the Great returned Gamsada to its previous glory and stability.
 * World War I – Mainly assisting Canada and the United States by facilitating the transport of goods between the two countries. They would carry resources across the Lake Erie at a fast pace and with more safety. Some mermen volunteered to help in the Navy to fight enemy submarines, which gave North America a great advantage. They were dispatched to the sea and helped to locate U-boats as well as other warships.
 * World War II – The emperor agreed to assist North America again during WWII. During the war, they again facilitated the transport of goods and took part in underwater combat. To reward their good efforts, the U.N. invited Gamsada Nuri to join their cause. Emperor Yejong the Great (에종 효 대왕) gladly accepted. This helped establish more connections to the humans. As a result, the merpeople advanced their trade, trading relations and built a tunnel connecting Lake Erie to the open ocean which was finished in 1974.

Pop Culture References

 * Parasite (2019 film): The Korean film “Parasite” was a huge success in 감사다누리. The predominantly Korean population was thrilled to have another popular tv show produced in their home country brought to 감사다누리, and they loved it. The people were amazed by the negative, mind-twisting effects that money and poverty had on the state of minds of the main characters and became even more thankful for their government, which mandates equal pay and nationalization of banks. The unthinkable and bloody actions the characters commit for the sake of money would never happen in 감사다누리, because the government is always looking out for people, unlike the government of Parasite! The citizens of 감사다누리 became aware of that and ever so grateful to their emperor and government.
 * Squid Game: Similarly to the Korean film Parasite, Squid Game was a big hit with the citizens of 감사다누리. The merpeople learnt of the horrors that greed, poverty and especially firearms can cause. In 감사다누리, firearms are strictly illegal, and it was difficult to imagine why until the people watched Squid Game. They finally fully understood just how dangerous and devastating violence is by watching the violent games the people played in Squid Game. They also understood how poverty destroys one’s mind and causes them to do the unthinkable, such as taking another’s life. The audience from 감사다누리 was silently grateful for its government’s strict protection of the people from firearms and poverty.
 * BTS:The viral Korean pop boyband isn’t just popular above water, but below water as well, especially in 감사다누리 where love, unity and equality are highly valued. BTS’ music is all about loving yourself and others, overcoming obstacles, togetherness and much more, and the citizens of 감사다누리 absolutely agree with each and every one of their songs. You‘ll hear their music being played at parties, schools, even weddings. In fact, the current Emperor Bong-Han the Great himself is rumored to be a huge BTS fan. Every merman is head over heels for the seven members of the popular Korean pop band and all (approximately) 235 of their empowering songs.
 * Love is the Only River by Ian Sloane and Trinity Rose:This song sends an important message that all the citizens of 감사다누리 can agree on: saving the environment together in unity. Not only does it encourage environmentalism, is encourages everybody to get along together, help each other out and the planet at the same time.
 * The Little Mermaid: As one of the only Disney movies that takes place under water, The Little Mermaid is a movie that every merman from 감사다누리 can relate to. It’s every merman’s favorite movie no matter the age. The Little Mermaid is very cute and has catchy tunes, but it also comes with a powerful message: some people with selfish desires will try to take advantage of you, like Ursula tried to do with Ariel. This reinforces the idea of togetherness and unity within the citizens of While humans are afraid of the monsters from Monsters Inc. lurking in the dark, merpeople are afraid of Ursula and her eels.