Bagok

Bagok, officially the Republic of Bagok (: 國民華壩; Bava Mingok) is a sovereign nation and member state of the Sinju Union in northern Jungju. It borders Meisaan to the north and Sansiao to the west. Bagok is a low-lying nation that is oriented around the mouth of the Siang River river which flows into the East Sea on X peninsula.

Almost 10% of Bagok's total landmass is reclaimed from the sea, and the country is famous for its intricate system of - some of which are almost a millennia old. After Cheonjian conquest and the sinicization of the various not!Yue speakers in the region, the territory comprising modern Bagok was integrated into X province of Cheonje which at the time included Sansiao, Zhuigo (?) and X(?).

As Sinju became more outwardly oriented in the 1500s and 1600s, coastal regions with easy access to convenient sea lanes leading out of the continent saw their prominence grow dramatically. The growth in prosperity of the Bagokan provinces (supported by Meisaan's Yue dynasty) vis-a-vis the Sansiaonese metropole led to a civil war from approximately 1620 to 1650, probably dragging in other powers in Sinju at the time. This resulted in the independence of the Bagokan principalities and Sansiao's eventual incorporation into the Meisaani Empire.

At the same time, Bagokan merchants and traders were establishing a wide-ranging maritime empire in the 17th and 18th century, with Bagok remaining a colonial power up until the Great Eulhae War. Perhaps Bagokan settlers in places like Namju (?), Mennefer (?), Central Yeongju coast (?) established something akin to RL Kongsi. Bagok experienced a commercial revolution during this period, developing some of Sinju's first formal financial institutions.

After industrialization in the mid 19th century, and amid the militarization of central Sinju and conflict in Sansiao, Bagok found itself closely aligned with Meisaan and Jeongmi. It was invaded and occupied by Mincang in the Great Eulhae War, and lost its remaining colonies after the war.

Today, Bagok remains a crucial entrepôt for trade between Sinju's eastern seaboard and the rest of the world. Bagokan seaports are some of the busiest in the Sinju Union. It is an important player in SU politics, but doesn't exert much influence outside of Sinju anymore.