There is no geographical nor historical reference in the film. The action takes place in a near future, in european-like country.
After years of tension between neighbour countries, the south invaded the north to "maintain democracy", triggerring a biological response. The north sent a deadly virus on their foes and killed most adults. The south found itself without mature leaders and counter-attacked using nuclear force.

Since then, the south has been living in fear. Fear of their old northen enemies, whose death commandos still live and perpetrate bombings and actions on their national soil, and fear of the rest of the world, aiming them with their own nuclear weapons since they've unleashed the ultimate power on their neighbours.

The film begins 15 years after the war. The south is a now a pseudo-dictatorship, still cut from the international community, short of food and sick of its own fear.
The president is a wise man who wants to cure the sickness of his country and citizens, but he must fight his own governement for their own good. He must convince an orphan nation without any cultural reference to open their mind and their hearts to others.
This is a grey world, poor, sad, mechanical.
The Artemis project is a program launched by the police to allow women in special forces, to enhance the efficiency of security within the country.