October 20th, 2023, 11:30

  The South State, Seoul, Jongro-ku, the Ministry of Foreign Affair building (guest room)

  This morning, President Choo Un-hee went through a short briefing by the joint chief of staff about the invasion at the peacekeeping force’s forward base near Iran’s border by suspected Iranian troops. She ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to adamantly protest against the Iranian government for their actions.

  Deputy minister of foreign affairs Oh Jin-myung called over the Iranian ambassador Milad Aghaei to the ministry in Minister Kang Kyung-hee’s stead due to her hospitalization.

  “Ambassador Aghaei, is Iran planning to wage war against Corea?”


  Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung asked sharply before Ambassador Milad Aghaei could even take a seat on the sofa.

  “What do you mean, deputy minister? Is Iran going to wage war against Corea?” Ambassador Milad Aghaei, who entered the room with a stiff look on his face, now had one of shock.

  “You really don’t know? Didn’t the Iranian military send its forces from the western border and attack our peacekeeping forces?”


  “We did?”


  “My, my, are you really going to feign ignorance?”


  “I am not, but I think there’s a misunderstanding here.”


  “A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?”


  Ambassador Milad Aghaei did not even blink as he lied shamelessly, “I was also informed about the incident by our government before coming here. The Iranian government did not take any military action against Corea’s expeditionary forces. This was the work of the IS.”


  Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung slammed the table from the flabbergasting answer and raised his voice, “Work of the IS? Ha, don’t make me laugh. Do you think our military is unable to distinguish between Iran’s military and the IS?”


  “What evidence do you have that the invading force was from Iran?”


  “Evidence? The area our forces were stationed is not a place where IS is active. Also, the weapons they were using were all the latest equipment and firearms.”


  “Is that all?” Ambassador Milad Aghaei asked confidently as if he was innocent.

  “Is that all? Isn’t that more than sufficient evidence to confirm they are Iranian soldiers?”


  “Our government told me they found an IS flag from the bodies of the armed forces. Is that true?” Ambassador Milad Aghaei smiled while outstretching his arm.

  It was true. After the battle was over, the forward base investigated the bodies and found multiple IS flags with a black background and white letters. The joint chief of staff did consider the possibility of the invading forces being the IS, but after inspecting the personal firearms, equipment, and squadron firearms, it was clear the IS flags were a ruse. The invading forces were attempting to falsify their identity as the IS when in reality they were Iranian soldiers and special forces.

  “Are you talking about the IS flags?”


  “Yes, exactly.”


  Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung glared at the lying ambassador and asked him a question, “How did the Iranian government find out there were IS flags found on the bodies on such short notice? That was information that only our peacekeeping forces have confirmed, so far.”


  “Well, that’s- Didn’t it occur within our territory? Our-our government can easily gather that kind of information as well,” Ambassador Milad Aghaei seemed to have panicked and started to stutter.

  “With what? The drones provided by Russia?”


  “E-exactly.”


  “Ah! So, you surveyed the area with drones?”


  “Yes.”


  “Well, the thing is, ambassador, our military only detected our drones flying in the skies on its radar. I suppose Russia has drones that cannot be detected by them, correct?”


  Ambassador Milad Aghaei, who seemed to be calm with a blank look on his face at first, was now frowning.

  “There’s no guarantee a Russian drone would be detected on the Corean military’s radars, is there?”


  “Ah! That’s right. So, the Iranian government has nothing to do with this. That’s what you’re trying to say?”


  “Of course.”


  A knock came on the door.

  Knock knock!

  The secretary carefully opened the door to speak to the deputy minister.

  “Deputy minister! It’s from the Blue House and it’s urgent, sir!”


  “Very well.”


  Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung got up from his seat, excused himself to Ambassador Milad Agahei, and left the room.

  “I think things are not going as planned.”


  Ambassador Milad Agahei had a bad feeling in his gut and had felt that way since Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung left the room. Unfortunately for him, his intuition was correct, and the concern became a reality after a few minutes.

  Slam!

  “Wha-what is it?”


  Deputy Minister Oh Jin-myung slammed the door open and glared at Ambassador Milad Agahei.

  Then, he shouted so loudly that his voice filled the entire building, “Ambassador Milad Agahei! From this moment forward, the Corean government will take military action against Iran.”


  “Wha-what does that mean?” Ambassador Milad Agahei asked while standing up halfway.

  “The assassination attempt of Minister Kang Kyung-hee with Russia disguised as a terrorist attack! The Iranian special forces invading our peacekeeping forces! Are you going to keep lying to me?”


  “On what grounds are you making such outrageous claims?” Ambassador Milad Agahei made a last attempt at maintaining innocence.

  “Outrageous claims? Ha ha, you must know Director Ruslan Nigmatulin is from the SVR’s Middle East branch, right?”


  “Who-who is that man? How is he related to this?”


  “I suppose the Iranian government is unaware our government has Ruslan Nigmatulin as our captive, then?”


  “What?”


  A few minutes ago, the Blue House contacted the ministry and informed them of the following:

  This morning, NIS agents under Manager Lee Ja-sung had infiltrated the Russian Embassy at Tehran, Iran, to kidnap Director Ruslan Nigmatulin. They had safely left the embassy and moved into their safehouse afterward. After using the truth serum, the agents found a few crucial pieces of information from Ruslan Nigmatulin. The Russian government had attempted to assassinate Minister Kang Kyung-hee during her visit while the Iranian government turned a blind eye. The Iranian special forces invaded the Corean peacekeeping force’s northwestern forward base this morning disguised as IS terrorists.

  As a result, the culprits of Minister Kang Kyung-hee’s assassination attempt and their motives were discovered. The Blue House had decided to deport all Russian and Iranian Embassy staff and demanded a formal apology from both nations’ governments along with just and legal punishment for those responsible. The government had also sent in an official letter stating that if the demand for an official apology and the punishment of the culprits were not met, then the Corean government would consider this as a military provocation and would take action.

  October 26th, 2023, 00:30

  The South State, Seoul, Jongro-ku, the Blue House (President’s office)

  Five days had passed since the Corean government sent its letters to the Russian and Iranian governments as it silently prepared for war. The motion for war was not sent into congress yet, but the Ministry of National Defense secretly declared DEFCON 2 under presidential approval.

  Assassinating a visiting minister of foreign affairs was a serious taboo between nations throughout history. The Corean government had to act either politically or militarily against Russia and Iran that had crossed the line.

  President Choo Un-hee attended the NSC (National Security Council) meeting every day with the joint chief of staff’s commanders present to check over the status of both nations.

  President Choo Un-hee, who had finished attending the NSC meeting one late evening, returned to her quarters to rest. She received an urgent call from Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won and immediately headed to the Blue House office.

  Senator Kim Yeo-jung, who was subject to the ACS 24-hour surveillance, had attended the senator’s hearing this week and stayed in a hotel in Seoul. She must have noticed her conversations were being monitored at midnight and requested a meeting with the president. The ACS had reported her request to headquarters. Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won notified the president that the ACS agents were escorting her to the Blue House in secret.

  President Choo Un-hee waited in her office with a heavy heart and soon heard from the secretary that Senator Kim Yeo-jung had arrived. Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won and Senator Kim Yeo-jung entered the office.

  “Welcome.”


  “Madam President! Have you been well?”


  “Yes, I’m fine. Please take a seat.”


  President Choo Un-hee pointed to the sofa on the other side.

  “Thank you, ma’am.”


  Senator Kim Yeo-jung sat down, glanced around, then started to speak carefully. The fact that Senator Kim was checking her surroundings within the president’s office showed how anxious she was.

  President Choo Un-hee took notice and spoke calmly, “Yes, what was so urgent that you requested for a meeting with me at this hour?”


  “It’s an emergency, Madam President!”


  When Senator Kim Yeo-jung said it was an emergency, Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won asked her, “Senator! What do you mean, an emergency?”


  “Some of the politicians from North Korea are planning your assassination, Madam President.”


  Senator Kim Yeo-jung spoke with a poor Seoul dialect about a topic that made everyone in the room dumbfounded.

  “An attempt on the president’s life?” The chief secretary seemed to be more shocked than President Choo Un-hee and asked.

  “Yes, that’s right.”


  “Who is plotting the assassination?”


  “A few senators from the People’s Labor Party and government officials.”


  “Are you talking about Kim Hyun-won and his men?” When Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won asked, Senator Kim answered with a question.

  “You knew?”


  “The plot to assassinate the president is something we did not know about. However, we knew many senators and government staff from North Korea were making suspicious movements after Kim Jong-un woke up with Kim Hyun-won as the organizer.”


  “Yes, that’s right. Those people are also aware a government agency is surveying them 24 hours a day. I also knew I was being watched as well.”


  “How did you……”


  “It seems the intelligence agency has spies.”


  “That’s…… that complicates matters. What is the plan to assassinate the president? Do you know the details?”


  President Choo Un-hee, the target of the assassination, continued to listen to the conversation between the two with a calm look on her face.

  “The plan to assassinate the president is called ‘The 16th Typhoon,’ and Jo Myung-rok from the Reconnaissance General Bureau is planning the strategies. I don’t know the exact time and location of the assassination attempt, but I know it will take place during one of the ceremonies you will attend next month.”


  “Hmm, a ceremony planned for next month……,” Chief Secretary Lim Jong-won trailed off and started to think about the ceremonies the president was scheduled to attend next month. “Madam President! There are three ceremonies you are scheduled to attend in November. We must cancel all of them.”


  “That’s- let’s think about that. Senator Kim!”


  “Yes, Madam President!”


  “Why are you telling us about this?”


  Senator Kim Yeo-jung answered the president as if she had expected the question, “I have learned so much after South and North Korea became unified for three years. People have the right to seek happiness and their freedom must be guaranteed. I am the sister of ex-supreme leader Kim Jong-un and was a part of the dictatorship, but I believe the citizens of Corea cannot be subjected to North Korea’s political system again. That’s why, ma’am.”


  Kim Yeo-jung’s words reflected her experience of living in a free democracy for three years and the conclusions she came to for her political ideologies. Her earnestness made the president lower her suspicions and nod.

  “I see. Thank you, Senator Kim.”