YIA: North Seora

[Khemia]

YUJIN INTERNAL AFFAIRS:
NORTH SEORA​

Seora was a country plagued by strife and foreign occupation, with scarcely a hint of freedom or autonomy. No matter the form of the oppression: be it farcical despotic democracy in the North, or the imposition of foreign ideology in the South, the Seoran people ultimately had little claim to the idea that their existence was independent of other nations, and that their government represented them, and them alone.

North Seora held it's capital at the fair and ancient Yujin prefecture of Lelang, established as the new capital of North Seora - and ostensibly all of Seora - after the Great War, when the Yujin National Revolutionary Army pushed the Touzen Continental Army to the precipice of annihilation in the South. Unable to dislodge their foe, a treaty had been signed, and though the war had long since passed the gruesome reminders still remained. Headlines would often hint at the discovery of some new body found at the edge of a farmers field, or some peasant sowing seeds only to run his plow into decaying, undetonated ordnance. The tragedy of that war had shaped the society of North Seora in profound ways; no longer did the North hold out the hope to prosper and become glorious, but instead it had been transformed into a police state whose economy rested solely upon the backs of farmers, and whose existence was entirely to serve as a buffer state for some eventual and bloody war between Touzen and Yujin.

The government of North Seora was, on paper at least, a democracy. The President was chosen by the lawmakers in Yujin, placed upon a ticket, and those scum who needed to prove their loyalty voted for him in quiet approval of their secret police onlookers. There was no legislature, only citizen assemblies that maintained no power outside of making appeals to the local Army officer or the President. And even that was more to speak of than any notion of a justice system. The Army was the law, it's officers promoted by their fathers, who themselves were installed by their fathers; it was a corrupt agency replete with nepotism, lacking any skill in military aptitude or finesse. The rank-and-file organization of the Army was an enormous machine of peasants whose primary reason for serving their country was the promise of at least one square meal a day, and some form of shelter. They had rifles, however, and the authority to bash in the heads of protesters, and that was all that the Yujiner's felt was required to give.

However, Yujin high command knew that the Seoran Free Army would never survive against an assault by the Continental Army, and because of this Yujin NRA bases dotted the landscapes. They were beacons of economic prosperity, budding markets where what little hope for a future in North Seora had formed. Lelang itself was home to no less than four divisions of Yujin troops, and each of the main bases distributed contracts to private citizens for essentials products: wheat, water, and other necessities that both kept the National Revolutionary Army thriving, and ensured the livelihood of those who could fulfill such contracts.

Aside from farming, the harvesting of coal, iron, and copper were the principal industries of Seora, and only the lowliest of peasants, the most desperate of souls, and the most hardened criminals were forced to take these jobs. There were no benefits or coverage, and the materials used ensured that tunnel collapses were common. But the labor was next-to free, and the touted policies of laissez-faire economics did much to benefit the Yujiner overseers and their state-run energy and heavy industry businesses.

But all was not well. The President of North Seora, a man known as Park Kwang-Sun, had as a child been born into a world where the nation of Yujin fought to save his people. He had been born at the climax of the Great War, and he was respected for his experience and opinions both at home and abroad. Because of this, he knew that the dream he held in his heart - that North Seora could prosper and be independent - could only become a reality in his lifetime. His hands were clammy, but he knew that his Yujiner counterpart, Mr. Yang Wuyi, was his only hope to find some sense of lasting stability. His aides hurriedly prepared the various meals and drinks befitting a meeting among heads-of-state, and though ceremony and pomp would be respected and followed, both Presidents knew that this, their first encounter with each other, would determine the future relationship between their two states.

 

[Khemia]

"It's time," said one of Park's aides, insisting that it was time for formalities. It was an unpleasant necessity for two heads-of-states to meet and be entertained by one another, but it was the gateway to greater conversations. Park stopped pacing, looking towards the door as it opened. He half expected to see a crowd of reporters and flashing cameras, but instead it was nothing more than a simple, grey spartan hallway. Accompanied by a retinue of security personnel, he moved through the outdated styled walls of the palace and towards the main entrance.

Upon entering the room, he couldn't help but be depressed by the small number of photographers from various Yujin and Seoran based news agencies taking pictures. The world cared little for the political musings of North Seora, he knew. People considered it to be hardly more than a puppet of Yujin; he had to admit even he was susceptible to such thoughts. His polished shoes stepped softly along the burgundy carpet of the hall as he walked towards the main stage, where he would await the entrance of the President of Yujin. Minutes seemed to turn into hours as the anticipation built, and though the event was a minor keynote in his Yujiner counterparts career, he knew the dialogue that would occur after their handshake and picture opportunities was important.

When Yang Wuyi entered, the unimpressive array of photographers unleashed a surprising flurry of flashes from their cameras. Under the blinding lights he pasted a smile on his face and watched the man rise to the stage, his own personal retinue abandoning him at the foot of the stage and nodding to their Seoran colleagues. Park extended his hand in greeting to Yang, a smile and a small bow accompanying the welcoming gesture. The two shook hands, shared smiles with photographers, waved to the crowds and shared a cup of tea before entering a private room for more discussions. Initially, they were accompanied by aides, and the discussions revolved around the integrity of energy deals, food and aid, and military arrangements. Park Kwang-sun knew that to refuse any of these offers would be disastrous, so as the mundane conversation began to end without any notable changes in policy between the Republic and the Free State, Park made sure to maintain eye contact with the Yujiner President as the talks ended.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss?" Mr. Yang asked as the aides picked up a number of forms and bustled about.

"In fact, there is. I wonder, could we have a moment of privacy?" Park replied.

The President of Yujin lifted his pudgy hand and dismissively waved at the aides, Seoran and Yujin alike, and told them to leave. They quickly filed out of the room, and the President scooted forward with his hands clasped together atop the table. "I figured that you wanted to discuss something else, ordinarily your predecessors tried to renegotiate these contracts to be more favorable. You've been quite amicable, which means that there's something else you want, I take it?"

"I believe it is something that can serve both of our countries," Park began to speak, unfolding his hands and making gestures to express himself better, "I would like to create a government."

The President of Yujin raised an eyebrow, sitting back in his chair somewhat, seeming to interpret what the Seoran head-of-state had requested. "But you have one," Yang Wuyi stated inquisitively.

"Yes, I do. But I don't feel that it represents the people," he stated.

"It represents you, and you represent the people. I am not sure that I can assist you in this effort, Mr. Park," President Yang replied.

"I believe that the establishment of parties, and free elections, are our best chance to undermine the efforts of the revolutionaries," President Park replied, realizing he may have stated too much. He wasn't sure that this topic was meant to be discussed; it was something that the news never covered, most soldiers did not understand, and so secret that even foreign ministers had not discussed in private the issue.

A moment of silence seemed to transition into an epoch as Mr. Yang sat quietly, contemplating what Mr. Park had said. So much time seemed to pass that Mr. Park cleared his throat with the hope of getting Mr. Yang to speak, but to no avail. Nervous trepidation began to accelerate Mr. Park's heart, and he wondered whether or not his tenure as President of Seora would be the shortest one yet.

Finally, after many minutes of silent thought, Mr. Yang rose from his chair and looked to the door. "I will take your thoughts into consideration, Mr. Park. I suggest you concern yourself with other matters in the mean time, and do have a nice day," he said. As Mr. Yang left the room, Mr. Park realized that it was the first time in any official meeting between the two heads of state that one had left without taking advantage of a picture opportunity to signal the continued cooperation of the two states. He knew that the newspapers would only reflect a penumbra of the thoughts that pervaded his mind: had he offended the President of Yujin - the man whose word decided whether or not he would stay in power?

 

[Khemia]

The walls of the room were still the same boring, spartan white that they had always been, the imported stained wood standing out in stark contrast. It was quite ugly, the decades old design was an eyesore, and he had half the mind to tear down the entire Presidential Palace and build a new one from the ground up. But his administration was going to go bankrupt by June, and rely on aid from Yujin to pull through the rest of the year, like it always did. He couldn't help but look out the window, imagining he could see the fields where broken farmers slaved to work spent soil and grow what little they could. How could they move on with their lives under such pointless conditions?

It had been a month, and Park's mind had decided to relegate the notion of free and open elections in Seora into the back of his mind. He knew in his heart that the opportunity for his country to have one sincere election would breathe new life into everything the nation stood for. Moral across the country would soar, and though there might be fighting, he knew it would be nothing more than intense political discourse. He sighed, once again pushing the thought out of his mind as he signed more orders for the executions of political prisoners thought to be associated with the Anti-Party Movement. Two hundred so far, and the month wasn't even over yet. His hand was sore from authorizing the deaths of so many men and women that, when the bulky phone on his desk rang, he had half a mind not to answer.

His hand reached for the black phone, and he pulled the receiver to his ear. "President Park, speaking," he stated, but there was no response. The line seemed dead. Another ring caught his attention, and he looked around confused for a moment. The other black phone was ringing, only this one had a yellow star on it. He wondered to himself why he hadn't picked that one up first - as the direct line to the President of Yujin, it was the only phone he ordinarily used. But since their last meeting, the calls he received on it had become astonishingly rare. He admitted, it had caused him some concern. He quickly dropped one phone and grabbed the other.

"Ah, President Yang. Congratulations on your parties victory, I'm sure you're pleased with the results?" Park asked, beginning the conversation with a formality.

"Oh, thank you President Park. Yes, I'm quite happy with the results, and you should be too," the Yujiner left the sentence lingering like a cliffhanger.

"Why's that, Mister Yang?"

"It gives me the security to grant your request. We don't have to worry about popular opinion for another year, I think we should take advantage of our victory and begin that experiment you suggested. I've had my analysts working on some suggestions, I'll have them forwarded to your office. You have my support to go ahead with those elections, so far as they meet the criteria I've outlined. Is that acceptable?"

President Park choked on his Adam's Apple, utterly surprised to hear the words coming through the phone. "Of.... of course Mister Yang. This is more than acceptable, this is fantastic news! Thank you for this opportunity!"

"One more thing, Mister Park," the President of Yujin interrupted Park's glee, though he could not destroy the new Seoran Presidents hopes. "I will be cycling addition troops into Seora to ensure that order is maintained. I expect we might have a few inconveniences during this process, hopefully the troop presence will deter any threat. Good luck, President Park, and use this opportunity well, for the sake of Dàyà*."

"Of course, I'll make sure--" the phone line went dead abruptly, but Park did not take offense. President Yang was a curt man, and he had many problems overseas to deal with. President Park rose from his chair, not sure whether to dance or to sing. He didn't know how to let out his energy, and finally he just couldn't help himself. He fist pumped hard, muttering under his breath, "Gamsahabnida."


*大亞 - Dàyà - The unofficial Yujiner term for continental Toyou, used to imply a perfect East without Touzen. Literally "Big/Great Asia".