Spit on my grave - a Republic of Korea TL
- Thread starter mlp
- Start date
Perhaps, don't know too much about them - wikisearch shows they are a cement company - oh well, I guess they are similar.
Park Chung-hee, while reading the newspaper this morning, received report of interesting information. The negotiations for the Canadian NRX nuclear plant was going smoothly. The necessary documents were expected to be signed by early 1975. The NRX reactor used heavy water, necessary in producing high-grade plutonium. Although the recent Indian nuclear test proved that the NRX can be used for weapons purposes, many nations used the design for research purposes, producing more efficient means of energy production and perhaps even reaching nuclear fusion. The Canadians were undaunted by the Indians' actions and, thankfully, were willing to help Korea build a nuclear research facility.
The President thought for a moment. Rockets and nuclear weapons, the ultimate proof of a great power. The USSR, the US, China, India, anyone who is a superpower or contends the position has produced both materials. It will be a good deterrent against any foreign power. If the US continues to pull out of South Korea, there is no other option. But then he had seen what happened to a nation that expanded too fast militarily. South Korea should not walk down the same path as the Empire of Japan - the latter failed because they were expecting a dramatic rise, and such a quick shift in power destabilised the global balance. He heard that Israel, despite having never tested nuclear weapons, has many and secretly withhold them. South Korea should be like the Israelis, the President thought. Nuclear weapons is too big and important a card to play right now; it must be used only at the most dire of situations. They can train hastening the production of nuclear weapons when necessary, and testing capabilities of producing weapons-grade plutonium.
Rockets, on the other hand, was a completely different breed of dog. They had equal potential of being useful for scientific and military purposes. This weapon could be tested at any time one pleased, and it could be called "scientific experiments". The idea of going to space and reach the stars is the human's ultimate dream, a highly appealing idea. If he danced well around the idea, the US can perhaps buy the argument that it is for the purpose of furthering South Korean science and technology. The President was confident that his plan of turning towards rockets was a good idea. Only time will tell how it influences US-ROK relations.
The launching of the Soyuz 15.
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It happened, after a LOT of failures, but with major help from Russia.
OTL with Park less "rogue" in the eyes of the US, they will help South Korea develop a space program, with a rocket engine development complex and an astronaut training centre.
Expect an earlier US counterpart to the USSR shooting allied nations' cosmonauts into space.
September began with revelry of sports. All major newspapers had front-page stories about the Teheran Games. The fifteen days of celebration in Tehran was equally felt in Seoul and the rest of South Korea. The games represented a changing Cold War - the People's Republic of China appeared for the first time, along with North Korea. Multiple nations refused to play against Israel, as protest against its belligerence in the Middle East region. And for South Korea, the games allowed its rising power to be shone amongst other Asian powers from both sides of the Iron Curtain. The fight, or competition, or whatever form the games took, became particularly intense in situations where both North and South Korea were included. This competition became especially fierce in shooting and boxing, both Koreas' specialties. Each time they met, each athlete exerted superhuman capabilities; when they met at the finals, the audience could see the cold fury in the eyes of both athletes.
By the end of the games, Korea ranked third in the Olympic Games with 24 gold medals; North Korea finished fifth with 15, behind China's 23. The south had definitely won the Sports War, but only for a while. Meanwhile, Japan's supremacy in the sports arena was soon to be jeopardised, from threats within its own borders, a fundamental problem that can topple the current Japanese political system itself...
The Korean delegation of the Tehran Asian Games.
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Cho rubbed his eyes slowly and sighed. He just finished checking the article on the recent changes in Japan's policy on the Korean peninsula for typos. In this day and age, with the front page covered with International relations and the Asian games in Iran, the hardships of the common men were often sidelined. With price hikes being faster than the adjustment of wages to inflation rates, the Korean people were suffering. And he wanted to write about those things, title them in large text on the front page, bring the people to criticise the government for its despotic rule of oppression. That was why he became a newspaper editor in the first place. Now, he was a mere dog to the government, ideals dried up and replaced with the simple urge to earn as much wages as possible for his family. When will the people be fully given their rights to good life, to true prosperity and less economic disparity? Cho sighed. It was getting late and he needed to catch the bus to go home. He packed his briefcase and walked out. As he walked along the street, he saw a beggar asking for money. Cho paused to trawl his pockets for some loose change, then he noticed something. The beggar barely looked like he was an adult. Hell, he looked like he just entered high school. The dirty clothes he was wearing was school uniform. Even the hat he had to collect coins was his school cap. Feeling a pang of sympathy, Cho called the beggar, "hey, boy! Are you hungry?" The beggar looked up. Cho became heartbroken when he saw the beggar's youthful face wan with fatigue. He helped the young man to his feet, dusted off his clothes, and walked with him to a nearby diner. Here Cho ordered a beef broth and rice. In the light, it became more apparent why the student looked so dirty - the bag he carried, the uniform he was wearing and even his face was covered in white dust. His hands were blistered and bruised. His eyes were unfocused. It was obvious he had been working to the death. Cho cleared his throat, and asked the young man in front of him a question. "Hey kid, what's your name?" "Yung-ho" was the answer. Kim Yung-ho. As Cho started to ask more questions, Yung-ho began to unravel his tale to the newspaper editor. He was the second son in a family of five. The family lived in the poorer parts of Seoul; all worked to earn money. His father, who was a midget, floated from one job to another, living each day in the hope that the family would one day be able to live in a new home. However, the middlemen and owner of the newly built apartment block(which was built over their original home) swindled the money and documents, leaving the family without a place to live. While his sister was out trying to find the middleman, his father had hung himself at the chimney of the brick factory in despair. While the rest of the family moved to Suwon, he had escaped to earn money to become successful, to prove to the world that his father did not die in vain. But that was many months ago; since then he worked hard, day by day and yet was unable to make enough. And only today was he "relieved" from work for being too young. By the end of the story Cho was rubbing his forehead in frustration. Yung-ho was crying silently, crouched on the table. Cho was read to smack Yung-ho's head when he also revealed that he had a wife. "A wife!" Cho yelled, "why the hell did you get a wife!?" Yung-ho gave no answer, silently begging to his father and his girlfriend and his family to forgive his sins. After Cho calmed down, he sighed deeply. This was exactly what he wanted to write about. Poor people, young and old, men and women, suffering silently under the grinding system of this dictatorship-supported capitalist system. But that wasn't a solution for the current situation; the boy needed a solution, right now. Cho began crossing out in his head what options this young man may have. Then he had a solution. "Hey boy, ever thought of going to the US? Or Canada?" Yung-ho looked up, puzzled by this sudden proposal. When the young man walked out of the diner some time later, however, he was no longer puzzled. He was ready to start a new life of hope and change in this new land called America.
One by one, young boys and girls like Yung-ho, disheartened by the political and economic situation in Korea began immigrating out of the country. By boat, by plane, or by any means possible, economically disadvantaged Koreans began heading east, towards the warmth of the sun and the land of the free.
*the tale of Yung-ho is inspired by a novel called The Dwarf, by Cho Se-hui. A Korean version of The Jungle by Sinclair - and aptly tragic.
A group of immigrants aboard a ship leaving for Canada. Soon, as it became apparent that the US actually supported South Korea's dictatorship, Canada became the main destination for Korean immigrants.
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Dispora
Sounds like this Korean Dispora may be a source of funds as people send money home to families. Plus if you make the regime unhappy they could encourage you to try your fortunes somewhere else.
Seems to me the Chaebols would be willing to invest and trade with more of the non-aligned countries or Third World since they would not be seen as Soviet or American.
Sounds like this Korean Dispora may be a source of funds as people send money home to families. Plus if you make the regime unhappy they could encourage you to try your fortunes somewhere else.
Seems to me the Chaebols would be willing to invest and trade with more of the non-aligned countries or Third World since they would not be seen as Soviet or American.
I'm sorry if I sound ignorant, but is it large?
I am aware of the Kopino/Japino situation - is it detrimental or healthy for the Philippines?
Relatively large, I think.
Japinoys are more numerous when compared to their Korean counterparts..
I watched a Kopino/Japino comparison documentary quite recently, seems that Japan has a more structured program to bring the partly ethnic Japanese into their society. Hopefully TTL Korea will be better than what they are now.
With a continuation of the dictatorship/capitalism, lower-income Koreans will mainly start escaping the system for better work in i.e. Canada, the US, Mexico and elsewhere.
I believe the Kopino/Korean diaspora situation is much more recent, starting in the 90s - although the Philippines was requested by the Korean provisional government many decades ago to provide "land" for establishment of a "new Korea".
Speaking of Mexico, maybe they'll end up in Yucatán, just like the earlier generations.
I personally didn't know that.
It is further necessary to note that they were denied access as the Japanese government requested the Philippine government to "leave Koreans to themselves". Or something along those lines.
Spoiler: 30th Anniversary Military parade of the Republic of Vietnam Day, 1985
Excerpt from official government broadcast, released 1985, rereleased 2011
Excerpt from official government broadcast, released 1985, rereleased 2011
I'd like to thank the twelve who voted for this TL. Your goodwill has been greatly appreciated.
(I also voted for myself. How unscrupulous of me)
There'll be a post by Friday, and another one in the weekend.
If you still want to vote for this TL, go here - although I believe the polls are to close soon.
(I also voted for myself. How unscrupulous of me)
There'll be a post by Friday, and another one in the weekend.
If you still want to vote for this TL, go here - although I believe the polls are to close soon.