U.C. 0071...
It has been more than three years since the sudden death of Chairman Zeon Zum Deikun, the former leader who preached the radical idea of Spacenoid superiority and confronted the Earth Federation government to demand independence.
Side 3, the Autonomous Republic of Munzo, has chosen a new name: "The Autonomous Republic of Zeon."
The new name, decided on the initiative of the Zabi family, is suffixed with the first name of the late Deikun.

During the Munzo era, Jimba Ral, the political rival who competed with them for power, fled the country. Ever since then, the whereabouts of Deikun's two children have also been officially unknown. That was the point at which the Zabi family seized complete control of Side 3.
Thanks to the anti-Federation ideology promoted in its propaganda, and its advocacy of Spacenoid interests, the Zabi family enjoyed the overwhelming support of the colony citizens.
The reason why the Zabi family didn't name the nation after themselves, or after Degwin, the patriarch of the family, was probably prudence on the part of the cunning Degwin.
At the time, had they used a Zabi-related name, there was a risk they would have been seen as usurpers and showered with condemnation by the citizens who continued to revere Deikun.

Instead, they deliberately chose to use the name "Zeon," after the former leader who had now become a legend.

There may have been some who recognized this clever trick, such as the exiled Jimba Ral. However, the people of Side 3 unanimously welcomed their nation's new name.

Degwin Sodo Zabi now serves as chairman, the key figure in the government of the Autonomous Republic of Zeon. Gihren has become director of both the national campaign and political departments.
Because there is still a Diet made up of representatives chosen by the people, which has decision-making authority in national affairs, even the Zabi family must respect things like the national budget decided by the Diet. However, actual leadership always remains in the Zabi family's hands.

Under the new regime, the former Munzo Defense Force that was responsible for defense matters has been reorganized and renamed the "Republic of Zeon Space Defense Force," clearly announcing that it is a full-fledged military.
The former Munzo State Security Police, meanwhile, has been reorganized and renamed the "Zeon Special Service." Its nature as a secret police force has become even more pronounced, and under Kycilia's command, it carries out more secret maneuvering than ever.

Colonel Dozle Zabi has been appointed as principal of the military academy that trains the youngsters who make up the backbone of the Republic of Zeon Space Defense Force. The academy is now actively recruiting students from neighboring colonies.
Thanks to its advocacy of Spacenoid independence, the Autonomous Republic of Zeon and its military academy have become the focus of young people's hopes in the colonies of other Sides, and gained great popularity.
Young people from space colonies in Zahn, Hatte, Moore, Loum, and Riah have come to compete for admission to Zeon's ultra-challenging military academy.
Among those selected is a young man named Char Aznable, who hails from Loum...

At the same time, Dozle is secretly pushing the development of a next-generation mobile weapon. This is also part of the painstaking preparation for a war of independence against the Federation.
With Gihren's approval, this project is secretly under way at the Extra Banchi, leading to the development of the mobile weapon later known as the mobile suit. At this point, however, it is being camouflaged as a worker machine called the mobile worker.
The team of Gaia, Ortega, and Mash, who will later be known as the "Black Tri-Stars," have been involved in this project from the earliest stages. In addition, Ramba Ral also begins helping at Dozle's request.
The conversion of the Arcana-class civilian ship into a combat vessel (the Musai class) is also secretly taking place at the Extra Banchi.

As the Zabi family steadily continue their preparations for the impending war, it may seem as though the Federation government still has no clear sense of the imminent danger, but this isn't necessarily true.
In fact, just as with the Autonomous Republic of Munzo, the Federation government continues to maintain a garrison force in the Autonomous Republic of Zeon. In addition, it seems to have secretly obtained intelligence on mobile weapon development.
However, the Federation government's attempts to coerce the Republic into rejoining the Federation, via the threat of armed force, have only increased the resentment and hostility of the Spacenoids living in the colonies.

U.C. 0078, when Side 3 will discard the "Republic" name and proclaim itself "the Principality of Zeon," is only seven years away...