In 2013, one year after the succession of Kim Jong-Il, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reunites North and South Korea to form the Greater Korean Republic. The influence of China and the United States decline in the face of continued economic stagnation and a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia disrupting Middle Eastern oil supplies, while Europe is cut off by a Russian-Ukrainian "mutual interest" deal. As the United States withdraws overseas troops to deal with domestic instability, including the Texas secession debate and an outbreak of bird flu known as the Knoxville Cough, the Greater Korean Republic annexes Japan and several Southeast Asian countries. By 2022, the United States faces extreme economic turmoil and massive social unrest.