Chapter 359
November 16th, 2023, 03:30 (Kurdistan Standard Time 15th, 21:30)
The Republic of Kurdistan, Haraka, south of Yukusekoba (the 11th marine mobile brigade)
The southern mountains near Haraka were between the borders of the Republic of Kurdistan, Iran, and Iraq. For the past 10 days, a fierce battle for territory had taken place, but the Corean 11th marine mobile brigade ended up victorious.
Due to the terrain consisting of rough mountains, the 11th marine mobile brigade used its 113th armored battalion’s C-27P-M Kirin hover armored vehicle to maneuver across the terrain and faced off against the 100,000 Iran and Iraq infantry forces. The vehicles also used their TCS modes to appear from thin air and ambush the enemy. The Iran-Iraq allied forces on foot stood no chance against them.
The 18 C-9A1 self-propelled guns under the marine artillery battalion, also fired their 155mm plasma cluster rounds non-stop against the Middle East allied forces. The 12th carrier strike group’s Baekbum Gim Gu (CV-001) had sent in their CUF/A-22NP unmanned Phoenix bombers whenever an air-raid request came through and rained down steel and fire.
This battle was a prime example of how war in the 21st century would be determined by the superiority in technology rather than force size.
The 11th marine mobile brigade had annihilated the eight Iraq and Iran mountain infantry divisions after engaging in battle for 13 days. They set the 111th armored battalion as their lead to march towards their final destination of Kirkuk.
Meanwhile, the battle at the southern mountain passes raged on. The 11th marine mobile brigade started to scout out the area near Kirkuk which had the shortest distance and ensured maneuverability for the C-2A1 Black Tiger tanks.
After the Syrian civil war, the Islamic State (IS) started to expand its power and territory across Iraq and overtook the northwest part of Baghdad. Abu Barak Al-Baghdadi, the leader of Mosul, appointed himself as the Khalīfah and declared the region the IS nation of Khalīfah. This influence had caused the Iraqi military to withdraw from the nation’s northwestern region.
The Kurdish government’s Peshmerga took the Iraqi military’s place and drove back the IS forces from the northwest and overtook the region including Kirkuk.
The Peshmerga and the Iraqi security forces had allied to wipe out the IS and started taking back Mosul and the other regions that the IS had taken over.
The Kurdistan government, which had fought off against the IS military occupying the Northwestern region of Iraq, decided to vote for independence despite the opposition from the Iraqi government. Three major states under the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) and even Kirkuk with the largest oil reserves joined the vote with a 73% participation rate. The vote resulted in a landslide vote of 93% of citizens voting for independence.
Iraq had received military aid from Turkey, Syria, and Iran that had been against Kurdistan’s independence and took back the Kirkuk oil fields as well as cut off the Kurdistan Regional Government’s finances.
In November of 2019, the Kurdish Regional Government’s capital of Arbil was taken over, and the year-long war for independence came to an end.
After being defeated, the government officials of the Kurdish Regional Government were all killed or sentenced to death and became a former shell of itself under the Iraqi government. However, when the Republic of Kurdistan declared independence from the eastern region of Turkey on February 1st, 2023, the Kurdistan Regional Government joined the movement.
The Kurdistan Regional Government’s support was the reason the Republic of Kurdistan claimed the territory along the east of Turkey as theirs, and the Corean government also agreed with the sentiment for the region had oil fields that could financially support the nation after its independence. Therefore, the Corean military set the oil fields near Bukan and Kirkuk as their final goal.
Vroooooooom~
The 11th marine mobile brigade was kicking up dust and moving along the south of Arbil near the state of Haraka under the darkness of night. It was the 111th armored battalion that had been mobilizing towards Arbil.
The 111th marine armored battalion that led the convoy, consisted of 40 C-2A1 Black Tiger tanks and numerous armored vehicles. They started speeding up while watching their flanks. The Spider-II drones were also flying 5km above them and conducting reconnaissance.
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November 16th, 2023, 07:30
The North State, Hamkyungnam-do, Wonsan-si, the Galma Villa
Kim Jong-un was drinking coffee and watching the sunrise from his terrace once again today. He seemed to be pleased.
His face was completely different compared to the look of despair he had after waking up from his 8-year coma two months ago. However, nothing had changed since then. The agents from the NIS were still watching him and he could not leave the villa easily. However, there was something different about him.
“Supreme leader! The morning breeze is still cold. Please come back inside,” Chief Secretary Kim Hak-sun, who had been watching with his two staff, bowed and spoke to him.
“The wind is not bothering me. How would I be able to lead Corea if I cannot withstand a little chill?” Kim Jong-un started to speak nonsense. He was not in a position to talk about leading Corea when he was being imprisoned within the villa.
“Sir! That’s why you must take care of yourself. What use would having power be if you were ill?”
“Enough! Stop it, will you? Just bring me a quilt.” Kim Jong-un seemed as if he wanted to enjoy the moment and spoke to his staff while waving his hand.
One of the secretaries brought a quilt and placed it over him.
Kim Jong-un looked at the rising sun while laying down on his terrace chair in his khaki robe. He started speaking nonsense again, “Look! I’m like the rising sun, aren’t I?”
Kim Jong-un pointed to the fully risen sun glowing red and laughed.
“It will all be in place and I will rise back to power soon,” Kim Jong-un muttered to himself and started to enjoy the aroma of his coffee.
November 17th was Memorial Day, but also the day Kim Jong-un was to be nominated as the chairman of the People’s Labor Party. Under Kim Hyung-won’s lead, the party members unanimously agreed to nominate Kim Jong-un. The congressmen and senators were all from North Korea so no one opposed Kim Jong-un’s nomination.
However, Kim Jong-un was not only pleased because of his nomination. There was a bigger picture in his mind than just being a chairman of a political party. He wanted to become the president of Corea.
As the heir to the Baekdu bloodline, he had wielded absolute power as North Korea’s supreme leader, but could not help but live out his life in anxiety. The assassination attempt on his life, the coups his supporters were planning, financial and military pressures from overseas had given his life strife, despite being seen as a king on the surface. He was like Josun’s King Gwanghae who could not trust his allies.
The presidency for the Republic of Corea was incomparable to what he had as supreme leader. Thinking about holding the presidency for Corea, which had risen to become the world’s military and economic power after surpassing America, put a smile on his face.
Kim Jong-un’s face was full of smiles and he seemed pleased from the thought.
“So, what’s the schedule for today?”
After Kim Jong-un daydreamed about nonsense for a while, he placed his cold coffee on the table and stood up from his seat.
“There’s nothing on the schedule except for a quick physical at 10:00 am. Then, we will head to Pyeong-yang at 2:00 pm.”
“What are we doing at Pyeong-yang?”
“Yes. When we arrive at the city we will start with...,” Chief Secretary Kim Hak-sun started to report the day’s schedule to Kim Jong-un in detail.
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November 16th, 2023, 10:30
The North State, Pyeong-yang, Potongkang-ku, the People’s Labor Party building (the chairman’s office)
Chairman Kim Hyung-won, who had been avoiding public appearances and events since his meeting with Kim Jong-un a month ago, finally appeared at the party building to go over the final checks for the nomination ceremony for Kim Jong-un.
After coming into the building, he held a 2-hour meeting with the staff and went into his office to continue his conversation in secret.
Kim Hyung-won, who was sitting on the leather sofa while resting his chin in his hand, asked the mean seated on the other side of the table, “Tomorrow is the day! Are the preparations finished?”
“Of course. We won’t miss a thing,” Kim Chun-won, Kim Hyung-won’s cousin and the governor of West Manchuria, whispered.
“If we fail then our lives will be at risk too!”
“That is why I double and triple-checked, didn’t I? Don’t worry too much.”
“The NIS ACS team is watching our every single movement like a hawk ever since Kim Yeo-jung leaked the information!”
Chairman Kim Hyung-won had been aware of the ACS team’s presence for a while now.
“Isn’t that why we haven’t been attending public events? I’m sure those bastards are still chasing their own tails. Ha ha.”
“Regardless, there’s only one day left! We must go over the plan for a final time when Jo Myung-rok contacts us this afternoon!”
“Yes, I understand.”
While the two conversed with each other in secret, there was a smartphone on the table with numerous graphs moving on the screen. It was the anti-bugging device that the Russian SVR (Foreign Intelligence Agency) had provided.
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November 16th, 2023, 11:00
The North State, Pyeong-yang, Sadong-ku, Namsan-dong, the NIS Pyeong-yang branch
Park Gi-oong and his agents combed through Yong-gol Mountain to find any clues of the North Korean agents from Foreign Intelligence Unit 1. Since the entire NIS was on high alert, they couldn’t take a break to shower or rest and continued the chase.
The NIS had found out about the assassination plans of the president, but the organization did not find any leads or make any progress. The president was already scheduled to visit the graves of the veterans for Memorial Day tomorrow. It was the 84th-anniversary ceremony.
The president’s attendance at the ceremony was a prime opportunity for the assassins. They would not let this chance slip.
The Blue House’s security department had brought a protective suit for President Choo Un-hee, and a large shield system that could cover a large area. However, they could not prepare for every possible scenario. Any unexpected attack could put the president in danger.
Both the Blue House’s security department and the NIS were on high alert. Counter-terrorism Unit 3’s agents and Park Gi-oong had to find the North Korean agents suspected to be the assassins within today no matter the cost.
-Unfortunately, we still haven’t found a trace of them yet.
Assistant Manager Lee Hye-jin’s voice came through Team Leader Park Gi-oong’s smartphone. The agents back in Seoul also spent day and night checking over security camera footage near Yong-gol Mountain, but they did not find the suspects.
“Do you think they have left Pyeong-yang and are moving towards Seoul?” Team Leader Park Gi-oong started to massage his neck out of exhaustion and continued talking on the phone.
-No. The other departments are scanning through every single roadway leading into Seoul via the traffic cameras. Even a ghost would not be able to pass through our midst.
“Hmm, that must mean they are in Pyeong-yang or still near Yong-gol Mountain.”
-Yes, that’s right. If you take a look at the map, the mountain’s 4 and 6 o’clock has the least number of cameras. It is also the least populated area. So, conduct another search there.
“Yes, understood. I will call you again, ma’am.”
-Yes, be careful out there. The suspects could be lurking anywhere.