NationStates Jolt Archive

Hokkaido Island

Military Activity in the most Northern area of the Japanese Republic has been buzzing. The Andrehervian Government just to the North and West seemed to be destabalizing, and it was obvious that it was now our turn to strike. For too long now the Andrehervians owned what was rightfully ours, and now we are going to take it back.

Tokyo, Japan

The Prime Minister already had his emergency meeting with the Diet, and it was already passed that the Japanese would send troops into Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands. What wasn't agreed on was the Koreas, which would have to wait till a later time. The Japanese troops were ready somewhat of a minute or so after Koizumi made his call to the Naval HQ to the North. The Operation would be started off with the Japanese Navy and Marine Corps, and then the Japanese Air Borne would start dropping over the many islands in the Kuril Island Chain. They were ordered to stop directly south of Squornshelous territory, and to move up no further.

Sakhalin, however, would be a difficult run. They would have to secure the southern shore, and would have to start organizing the Marine Corps into Columns with Armored Support. The Navy would then run an Air Campaign over the larger installations, and bomb out Andrehervian troops before they ever do any real harm to the JMC. All was set for now except one thing however, International Politics. It would be released to the Public about the invasion 1 hour after the beach has been secured, however the Japanese Government wished to contact the Chinese Government ahead of schedule. Which is what Koizumi is working on currently.

Telegram Format, sent to the Chinese Government under Heavy Encryption

From - Prime Minister Koizumi
To - Our Esteemed Brothers in China

Greetings,

We have been planning for the past night now about a possible invasion of the Andrehervian Nation. We are sending your Government this Telegram to inform you ahead of time, in hopes that we may work together if not know you support our mission in the North. We eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,
-Koizumi

Hokkaido Island, Undisclosed Exact Location

The Marine Corps was state of the art, infact even ready before the Operation was thought up. The Navy, however, still had some problems trying to decide on what to bring along. The Marines needed Armor and Air Support, the problem was they would have to focus on one thing over the other since the reserve transports were still south of this location, and most of the Japanese Navy was operating around the world already. The ORBAT with-in the High Command would be discussed heavily, but as quickly as possible as not to allow any other nation time to try and become a hastle over this situation.

OOC

Which means my ORBAT will be up asap.

Beijing

"Comrade Premier, the Japanese are taking the initiative, and we believe that there are several foreign powers moving on Korea as well. We must not allow our Korean comrades to fall to outsiders!"

Premier Zhao nodded as Defence Minister Wufeng Qong implored him for permission to intervene in Korea.

"The Eastasian people take care of each other. The public have long desired unification with Korea; now that we have an opportunity, we should not waste it."

---------------------------------------------------------

Jilin State & Liaoning State, UER

Orders began buzzing around Eastasian military facilities as the situation was made clear to regional commanders. Requisition requests were going out for fuel and ammunition, while commanders from deep inside in the UER began requesting space at facilities close to the Korean border.

The Dragon Began To Stir......

(OOC: ORBAT will follow shortly)

Eastasian Central Command began reviewing their previous campaign simulations regarding Korea; those simulations had accounted for heavy resistance due to Andrehervian coordination, although no-one was expecting a walk-over under current circumstances. Rumours abounded that foreign nations were planning to assault Korea, so the UER had to establish its foothold as quickly as possible.

ORBAT for the Korean campaign:

20 Infantry Divisions
6 Armoured Divisions
5 Artillery Divisions
10 AAA Brigades
4 Communications Regiments
10 Engineer Regiments

The campaign would have authorisation to call upon air support from bases throughout the northern Chinese states and Mongolia State, while the First and Second Projection Fleets would be moved into the Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan respectively to subdue any Korean vessels and/or non-allied vessels moving to establish a beachhead in Korea. Airbases in the states of Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines were put on alert as well, just in case it was possible to intercept enemy fleets before they reached the Korean peninsula.

For the time being, troop movements to Liaoning and Jilin States continued at a brisk pace.

The Empire, aware of the quest of both Japan and the UER, can only hope that their campaigns go successfully enough to establish stability in the region. This region is rich in trade materials and the Empire wishes to expand trade with both nations once these campaigns are over and both Japan and the UER come out the victor.

Official Communique

The Realm wishes to wish our friends in Japan and in the UER the best of luck in their campaign. We hope that when the campaign is over, the Realm be allowed to open trading routes to Korea and the Sakhalin/Kuril islands. Naturally, we will allow for you to open trade routes with Primorskiy Kray when we have assumed control and convinced the rioters to return to their lives and live in peace.

[signed]
Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Realm of Cotland

ooc: you guys mind if maybe I RP the doomed Andrehervenian resistance?

OOC: I don't mind Bjorn, it'll make it more interesting.

High Command

"Sir the Andrehervian Government has just fallen. I suggest some military action to take some of there old land. It looks like many nations are beginning to close on Korea."The Prime minister sat at his desk looking at his informant. "Send an assault group ASAP. We need to expand the Imperium." He stood up and put his fist on his chest. "God save the Imperium."

Dweladelf harbor came to life as Naval ships began there journey to Korea. Carriers, Battleships they all begn there long trek to expanding the Imperium.

Dweladelfian Naval Deployment

1st Carrier Battle Group

4 Imperium Class Carrier
1 AGF 3 USS LA SALLE
5 Iorn Cross CLass Distroyer
2 Hawk Class Missile Cruiser
5 PC- 1 Cyclone
1 AOE-1 Sacramento


1st Carrier Battle Group Airwing

2 CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
8 AH-1Z Super Cobra
1 V-22
125 F-13N/X
125 F-99N/X
125 F-67Z
120 F-67N
15 S-3B Viking
20 C-2A Greyhound
10 E-2C Hawkeye
10 EA-6B Prowler
150 F-35 JSFs
20 CH-46E Sea Knight

2nd Amphibious Assault Group

3 LHD-1 Wasp class
2 LPD-17 SAN ANTONIO-class
2 Hawk Class Missile Cruiser
10 PC- 1 Cyclone
1 AE-21 Suribachi / Nitro
1 T-AH 19 Mercy Class

2nd Amphibious Assault Group AirWing

70 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
6 AV-8B Harrier attack planes
12 AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter
22 CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
16 UH-1N Huey helicopters
6 AV-8B Harrier attack planes
4 MV-22s

2nd Amphibious Assault Group Landing Craft

61 AAV Amphibious Assault Vehicle
6 LCM-8 Landing Craft, Mechanized
7 LCAC Landing Craft, Air Cushion

Mechanized Units

30 M109A6 Paladin Self Propelled Howitzer
40 HMMWVs
30 M923 5-Ton Trucks

2nd Amphibious Assault Marine Unit

5000 Marines

1000 Squads

Squad: 1x Rifle, 1x Heavy Artilary, 1x Machine Gunner, 1x Scout, 1x Sniper
Rifle: FXZ-45X Assault Rifle,Deasert Eagel, Land Warrior, MK3A2 concussion offensive hand grenade
Heavy Artilary: M136 AT4, Deasert Eagel, Land Warrior, MK3A2 concussion offensive hand grenade
Machine Gunner: M249 SAW, Land Warrior, Deasert Eagle, MK3A2 concussion offensive hand grenade
Scout: 762 RK 62 assault rifle, LAnd Warrior, Deasert Eagle, MK3A2 concussion offensive hand grenade
Sniper: M40A1 Sniper Rifle, LAnd Warrior, Deasert Eagle, MK3A2 concussion offensive hand grenade

2nd Navy Seals Regiment

680 Navy Seals

136 Squads

Platoon: 1x Rifle, 1x Stealth, 1x Machine Gunner, 1x Scout, 1x Sniper
Rifle: 5.45 mm AK-74M, Silenced M9 9 mm Beretta Pistol, Land Warrior
Machine Gunner: 9 mm BISON-2 Submachine Gun, Silenced M9 9 mm Beretta Pistol, Land Warrior
Stealth: 9 mm AS Silenced Assault Rifle, Silenced M9 9 mm Beretta Pistol, Land Warrior
Scout: 762 RK 62 assault rifle, Silenced M9 9 mm Beretta Pistol, Land Warrior
Sniper: Silenced 9 mm VSS Sniper Rifle, Silenced M9 9 mm Beretta Pistol, Land Warrior

2nd Surface Warfare Flottila

3 Dark Angel Dreadnoughts
30 Iorn Cross CLass Distroyer
30 Hawk Class Missile Cruiser
10 PC- 1 Cyclone
1 AGF 11 Coronado

2nd Surface Warfare Flottila Airwing

90 AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter
30 F-35s

1st Transport Flottila

2 T-AH 19 Mercy Class
1 AK 1005 Austral Rainbow
1 T-AK 2062 American Cormorant
5 TAK-3000 Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. Maritime Prepositioning Ship [MPS]
2 TAK-3008 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Maritime Prepositioning Ship [MPS]
3 T-AKR 287 Algol SL-7 Type Fast Sealift Ships
2 T-AKR 295 Shughart Large, Medium-speed, roll-on/roll-off ships [LMSR]
8 Iorn Cross CLass Distroyer
15 PC- 1 Cyclone
2 AO-51 Ashtabula

1st Transport Flottila AirWing

6 CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
16 AH-1Z Super Cobra

With preparations finally nearing completion, the UER began their broadcasts into Korea. Television and radio frequencies were hijacked wherever possible, sending messages to the Koreans from their Eastasian neighbours. The broadcasts spoke of Eastasia's love for Korea, and the desire of the Eastasians to not let Korea fall to a foreign imperialist power which would siphon away Korea's resources. The broadcasts made great mention of the shared heritage of the Koreans and the UER; they also stated that Korea would be welcomed as a member state of the UER with open arms. Further broadcasts spoke of the autonomy that Korea would enjoy as an Eastasian state, including the ability to elect their own officials and have a voice in the greater interests of the Asian continent.

Meanwhile, towns and villages along the Korea-UER border began to receive offers of humanitarian aid and other assistance from Eastasian charities.

The Dweladelfian Warfleet began passing MADAGASCAR on its way to korea. This was the first deployment of troops by the Imperium and not the last.

Fleet on its way to Korea (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/darth_avondale/fleet8.jpg)

A Cottish Murmansk class submarine on patrol off Africa detected a large mass of ships on its very sensitive TB-40 towed sonar array, some 26 nautical miles away. It interested the crew of the sub, and the captain in particular. They had been at sea for 18 days already, but they still had enough supplies for another two and a half months. The very silent pebblebed nuclear reactor didn't need refueling for many decades yet, and the crew morale was good. Bearing all this in mind, the captain reached a decision and clogged some words down on a note.

"Send dette til flåtekommandoen." [Send this to the Fleet headquarters]

The communications officer nodded and raised the very thin ELINT antenna and scanned the airspace above. It was clear, so the ULF antenna was raised and sent a very short and highly encrypted burst transmission, lasting no longer than a few milliseconds, to the headquarters of the 2nd Fleet. After an hour, the reply came. It was an approval of the captians wishes, so he gathered the senior officers in the command center.

"Mine herrer. Flåtekommandoen har gitt meg tillatelse til å følge etter den ukjente flåten som vi har på vår styrbord baug så langt som den flåten skal. Vi skal identifisere, forfølge og om mulig fotografere flåten, uten å bli oppdaget. Kan vi klare dette?" [Gentlemen. Fleet headquarters has granted me the permission to follow the unknown fleet off our starboard bow. We are to follow it as far as it goes. We shall identify, follow and if possible photograph the fleet, and to do it all without being detected. Can we do this?"]

"Helt klart sjef. Vi er jo som kjent dekket i lydabsorberende materiale, og med det hemmeligstemplede skummet mellom det ytre og det indre skroget så er det så å si umulig for noen form for lyd å komme gjennom. Vi vet jo allerede at vi er umulige å oppdage på passiv sonar, og svært vanskelige å oppdage på aktiv, selv på nært hold, så dette skal nok gå bra." [Yes sir. As you all know, we're covered in sound-absorbing materials, and with the clasified foam between the outer and inner hull, its almost impossible for any sounds to make it through from either side. We already know that we're impossible to detect on passive sonar, and very difficult to detect on active, even at close range, so this'll work out nicely.]

"Godt. Da vil jeg at vi skal legge om kursen så vi holder oss ni nautiske fra det nærmeste skipet i flåten. La oss matche farten deres." [Good. Then I want us to change our course to keep steady at nine nautical miles from the nearest ship in the fleet. Let's match their speed.]

"Javel sjef." [Aye sir.]

"Tre av." [Dismissed.]

The officers returned to their stations, and the sub moved to within nine nautical miles from the nearest ship in the Dweladelfian task force, matching the speed of the fleet.

OOC: Yes, this was a tag.

OOC: You sure love to spy on me.

OOC - Okay I'm done.

ANYONE WHO MESSES WITH MY CLAIMS, OR MY ALLIES CLAIMS, HAS NOW MET THEIR WORST FRAKKING NIGHTMARE.

THE LIST KEEPS GROWING, AND I'M READY TO ADD MORE.

IF YOU ARE SOO WILLING AS TO GIVE UP LAND THAT EASILY, BE MY GUEST.

Dweladelfia Prime will be wihdrawing from this conflict since we have just purchased new land in antartica.

(OOC: The beginning of my formal claim)

The Eastasian propaganda offensive continued with an appeal to the Korean people. The UER began calling for revolution against the corrupt government which had relinquished so much territory to other powers; the government was obviously planning to hand Korea over to an imperialist power for their own personal gain, so the Eastasians proclaimed. If the people revolted, then the Eastasian military would support them in their liberation.

The Eastasians again broadcast the advantages and protection that Korea would enjoy as a member state of the UER; they would be an integral part of the democratic process of the Republic, not some far-flung colony of an empire. The broadcasts also pointed to the prosperity and democracy enjoyed by other member states of the UER, pressing home the point that these states were prospering as part of a collective without giving up their individuality. Korean culture would be preserved if they joined the UER, and the Eastasian Self-Defence Forces would fight to defend that right.

With no other nations offering assistance and the rest of their territories gobbled up by other nations, the Korean government went into damage control mode in an attempt to head off Eastasian propaganda.

The Korean people were told that Korea had no reason to join the UER, with the Korean President making a televised address to the nation to finally explain the true situation. Siberia was gone, Egypt was gone, Sakhalin and the Kuriles were under siege. Korea, as the former capital of the United Republics of Eastern Siberia, stood firm against imperialists. Korea had been the centre of a strong nation, there was no way that they would capitulate to become just another part of the sprawling Eastasian state.

That being said, not all government officials in Korea saw the situation in the same way.

------------------------

Beijing

Premier Zhao looked quizically at the intelligence presented by Security Minister Jamil bin Hasan.

"A coup?"

"Well, more of a planned coup. A small faction of the Korean government managed to slip an envoy across the border with our assistance; he's on his way here now to present their terms."

Japan: What list? And do you count my current occupation of some of the Kuril Islands as *messing about*?

Korean High Command

"Sir, we have a situation! I can't gain access!"

General So-yon pushed the technician aside and began tapping keys on the computer. "What the...? We're frozen out! How the hell did this happen?!"

"I don't know sir! No security measures were tripped, it's impossible! Someone has gained access to our systems with no difficulty whatsoever!"

"You're sure about this? It's not some glitch or computer error?"

"The only way someone could do this is if they had our codes...."

The general slammed his hands down onto the keyboard. "Only a handful of people know those codes....I must see the President at once."

Beijing

Colonel Pak-seung strode into the conference room with a confident smile; he was certain that the Eastasians would be eager to ally with the faction he was representing. As he pondered the role he would demand in UER Korea, a rifle barrel stopped him in his tracks.

"What is the meaning of this?! I come to you as an ally!"

Premier Zhao smirked as the Proletarians disarmed the officer and wrestled him to his knees. "Well, unfortunately for you we already have an ally in Korea, one much better placed and much more useful to us. The coup that you were planning would have led to a lot of damage and a great deal of dissent amongst your populace; we have a better plan in mind. I imagine that you had only your own position in mind when you decided to approach us; that sort of selfishness is not becoming of a future Eastasian officer. Politicians, on the other hand, can be forgiven for it....."

The colonel looked horrified as the Proletarians hoisted him to his feet. Zhao gestured towards the door. "Take him somewhere, and execute him. That kind of officer would not be welcome in the Self-Defence Forces."

Seoul

General So-yon saluted as President Taeku greeted him; the two men entered the Presidential office to continue their discussion in private.

"Sir, I have reason to believe that we have a traitor in our midst. The military's computer systems have been compromised, and the only way to do such a thing would be with our access codes. I can only assume...."

"Who would have those codes?"

"The High Command, the Defence Minister and of course yourself. Sir, what are your orders?"

"No orders other than....monitor the situation, and bring our systems back online. The security forces can handle it from here. Thank you for the information."

So-yon bowed and left as Taeku picked up the phone, dialling the Security Ministry. "Sen? This is President Taeku; I have a job for you......"


----------------------------------

Later that evening

General So-yon stared in disbelief at the news reports. The majority of the High Command had been taken into custody for treason, and the Defence Minister was undergoing questioning. There was an understandable element of paranoia sweeping the higher echelons due to the UER's constant pressure and military build-up across the border, but he couldn't believe that so many of his colleagues could be traitors! He'd served with many of them for years, they loved their nation and would never compromise it. An emergency broadcast by President Taeku was expected shortly to explain the situation.

Then the moment came.

Taeku appeared at his desk, taking a sip from a glass of water. He shuffled his papers and looked directly at the camera.

"People of Korea, there has been a great injustice carried out! A large number of our military commanders have betrayed us!"

So-yon watched intently as Taeku raged into the camera.

"They wanted to hand us over to imperialists! Imperialists with no link to Korea and no interest in the welfare of the Korean people! We have discovered that our military systems have been compromised, any defences we had against imperialist aggression have been disabled! We are defenceless!

I will not allow Korea to become a backwater province of some foreign imperial swine! There is only one course of action open to us. Our military is intent on betraying us, we must resist them! I implore the United Eastasian Republic to send assistance, we need the protection that only you have offered us! Please, I beg y...."

So-yon flinched as static replaced Taeku; he immediately gathered several dependable troops and headed for the Presidential residence.

----------------------------------------

So-yon was shocked to encounter a small army of security personnel guarding the residence, especially when they waved him through with no resistance. He made his way to the President's office, finding a smirking Taeku when he reached his destination.

"President, what have you done?!"

Taeku chuckled. "The High Command and the Defence Minister were the obvious conspirators...."

"You didn't...."

Taeku stood and pointed at the map of Korea hanging on the wall. "They made me an offer, So-yon. Give them Korea and I will become the Eastasian bureaucrat responsible for Korea. I remain in control, but with their backing and support. Of course, the High Command would condemn such a move, but they can't really affect anything anymore."

So-yon reached for his pistol but felt a burning sensation in his shoulder; he gazed in horror at Taeku's smoking gun as he collapsed. The elderly general gasped for air as his smirking leader stepped over to him.

"So-yon, I will not see Korea destroyed. The Eastasians will make Korea strong again; in time, we will regain an empire, and then they will have outlived their usefulness. Believe me, we win in the end....but I guess you won't be around to see that."

-----------------

Beijing

Premier Zhao applauded as reports of Eastasian troops crossing into Korea filtered in.

"Official requests for assistance mean little in the way of problems, although their military will have to be purged. After we tighten our grip, of course."

Vice-Premier Xuan nodded. "What about Taeku?"

"He is a good leader, he will suffice for the time being. As long as he does not outlive his usefulness, of course."

Communique to UER [delivered via Cottish embassy in Beijing]

Dear sir(s),

We have been monitoring your progress into Korea, and would like to congratulate you on restoring peace and order in the troubled nation. As you are probably aware of, we have restored order ourselves nearby, in the Dominion of Sibir [the territory formerly known as Primorskiy Kray]. Therefore, we are inquiring as to the possibility of opening trading relations between our two great nations. If you permit us, we wish to send a delegation to discuss this further at a time and place of your choosing. We believe that the relationship between our two nations can continue to blossom through trade and peaceful coexistance. We shall be awaiting your answer, which we hope will be a positive one.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Benchow
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Realm of Cotland

Communique to UER [delivered via Cottish embassy in Beijing]

Dear sir(s),

We have been monitoring your progress into Korea, and would like to congratulate you on restoring peace and order in the troubled nation. As you are probably aware of, we have restored order ourselves nearby, in the Dominion of Sibir [the territory formerly known as Primorskiy Kray]. Therefore, we are inquiring as to the possibility of opening trading relations between our two great nations. If you permit us, we wish to send a delegation to discuss this further at a time and place of your choosing. We believe that the relationship between our two nations can continue to blossom through trade and peaceful coexistance. We shall be awaiting your answer, which we hope will be a positive one.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Benchow
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Realm of Cotland

Official Response of the Eastasian Foreign Ministry

Greetings to our Cottish friends; allow us to begin by thanking you for your support of our position in Korea. As you are aware, we are the guardians of Asia, and therefore we were unable to sit back and watch as our Korean comrades self-destructed.

We are always interested in peaceful ties with our neighbours when possible, and your offer of trading relations is most appreciated as a result. We invite a delegation from Cotland to Shanghai for further trade discussions, as it is only fitting that two nations with such impeccable relations as our own be more closely tied.

Ruiyan Bei, Minister of Foreign Relations

With an official invitation to remain in Korea, the UER set about preparing the territory for eventual statehood. With the assistance of Taeku and the Korean security forces, the Eastasian military began rounding up 'traitors of the cause' for extradition; thanks to some creative loopholes identified in Korean law, the UER was able to argue that those rounded up were planning terrorist strikes against Eastasian forces. Of course, this was helped by the eagerness of the Korean judiciary to do everything they could to prevent being marked as traitors themselves.

Eastasian facilitators were dispersed amongst the Korean population, identifying necessity shortages and allocating aid accordingly; the facilitators were also scouting the country for potential development sites, in case the Eastasian military needed some new facilities in the peninsula. Humanitarian aid was distributed with great efficiency, as the UER military oversaw all distribution operations and added corrupt officials to the list of 'traitors'.

Above it all, Taeku visited Beijing to meet Premier Zhao. The two hammered out Korea's accession treaty over the course of a week, finally signing it before a vast gaggle of media reporters. The treaty stated that Korea would become the 39th state of the United Eastasian Republic once it had achieved the criteria for statehood; of course, the UER would assist in every way possible to bring Korea 'up to code'. Elections would be held to decide Korea's representatives in both legislative Houses, and all Korean citizens would become citizens of the Republic. For the time being though, Taeku would remain as chief administrator of the peninsula.

In private, Zhao had promised Taeku that the UER would ensure Taeku's election as a senator, or potentially a cabinet minister depending on how the Korean situation played out. Of course, Zhao had no intention of actually carrying out his promise. The ease with which Taeku had sold his nation to the UER had convinced Zhao that such a person was unsuitable for Eastasian government; he would be useful in the short-term, but eventually he would be dealt with.

The C-37 Gulfstream V flew on a steady course towards Shanghai, carrying the Cottish delegation. Minister of Commerce Harald Hole headed the delegation which consisted of Hole and four advisors. A small security contingent of two Birkebeiners who were officially aides to the minister followed the delegation, and sat in the very back of the military-owned white Gulfstream which could comfortably seat fourteen passengers and the crew of five [two officers piloting, a sersjant manning the communications console and two korporals as stewards/assistants]. The only thing which could identify the aircraft as a military plane was the small roundels on the back of the fusilage, the tailnumber and the military crew.

After obtaining permission to land at Shanghai, the Gulfstream landed and taxied to the tarmac area as instructed. As the plane came to a stop and the two jet engines powered down, one of the korporals opened the door in the front of the aircraft which folded down to act as the flightstairs between the ground and the plane. After ensuring everything was OK and safe for the passengers to exit, the korporal stepped aside and allowed Minister Hole and the rest of the passengers to exit the plane. Hole was dressed in a beige silk suit with a white shirt underneath and a beige silk tie. The advisors were similarly dressed, with the suits ranging from gray to beige in color. The two Birkebeiners were also dressed similarly and didn't look like the soldiers they were, having relatively long hair and a posture not normally associated with elite soldiers. Still, they carried P19A1 pistols concealed underneath the suit jackets, and they knew how to use them with great efficiency. Still, they had orders to only expose themselves if the Ministers life was in jeapordy. Until then, they would keep to the background, act as aides and keep a close eye. Minister Hole ignored the bodyguards and walked over to greet the Eastasian welcoming party.

Shanghai

Finance Minister Qiantan Wei smiled broadly as Minister Hole headed in his direction; the Eastasians had a long and peaceful history with the Cottish, as neither nation had ever come close to antagonizing the other. Wei was dressed in a blue mandarin suit with white trim; his gaggle of aides wore Zhao suits (OOC: basically Mao shirts with slacks, but since Mao didn't exist in EII they're named after Premier Zhao), while members of the Eastasian military stood to attention in full dress uniform.

Minister Wei gestured towards Hole with his hand and two young children, one male and one female, walked forwards bearing bouquets of flowers which they presented to Hole as a welcome to the United Eastasian Republic.

Hole smiled as he accepted the flowers from the children, saying a subdued but friendly "Takk" [Thank you] to the children. One of the Birkebeiners took the flowers from the Minister, allowing him to stiffly bow before he shook the hand of Finance Minister Wei. The stiff bow was an old Cottish way of greeting people, and a sign of respect. After the bow, Hole smiled.

"Harald Hole. It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Hole said in slightly accented English as he shook the hand of Wei.

Hole smiled as he accepted the flowers from the children, saying a subdued but friendly "Takk" [Thank you] to the children. One of the Birkebeiners took the flowers from the Minister, allowing him to stiffly bow before he shook the hand of Finance Minister Wei. The stiff bow was an old Cottish way of greeting people, and a sign of respect. After the bow, Hole smiled.

"Harald Hole. It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Hole said in slightly accented English as he shook the hand of Wei.

Wei grinned and heartily returned the handshake. "It is always an honour and privilege to meet a friend. Please, none of this 'sir' business, call me Qiantan. We are equals after all, we should not be so formal." Like the majority of the Eastasian leaders, Wei spoke excellent English, albeit with a minor Chinese accent.

He put his hand on Hole's shoulder to guide him towards the waiting limousines. "Come, let us forge the latest in pleasant encounters between our nations."

Hole smiled and nodded as he followed Qiantan to the waiting limo while briefly looking over the honor guard the Eastasians had lined up. After seating himself in the limo offered to him by Qiantan, and making sure his entourage got in as well, Harald Hole sat back and relaxed as he looked over the surroundings.

"You know," he said to Qiantan. "I've been many places in my life, working for the Realm, but never in Shanghai. It seems to be a very beautiful city."

(OOC: Did you mean Shanghai rather than Beijing, or is Hole just saying he'd love to go to Beijing eventually?)

Korea

With economic stimulus packages and other government initiatives being poured into the UER's newest acquisition, the Korean economy started to get back on its feet after the loss of the Eastern Siberia territories. The huge government-owned conglomerates known as 'Concerns' began establishing themselves on the peninsula, providing new jobs for thousands of Koreans. The Eastasian military also seized all Korean military assets as the beginning of the absorption of the Korean armed forces.

Premier Zhao performed a whirlwind tour of the peninsula's major cities as part of the Eastasian drive to assimilate Korea; despite causing a few headaches for security by freely mixing with the crowds, Zhao's tour was regarded as a success. His warm friendly manner helped him win over many provincial officials, ad he received a standing ovation from the Korean Parliament when he addressed them on the issue of unification with the UER.

Behind the scenes, the Korean security forces found themselves absorbed by the Eastasian Security Ministry; co-ordinated from Beijing, a final purge of all 'counter-revolutionary elements' in the peninsula began.

(OOC: Did you mean Shanghai rather than Beijing, or is Hole just saying he'd love to go to Beijing eventually?)
OOC: Oh sorry, thought we were in Beijing. I'll edit.

OOC: Oh sorry, thought we were in Beijing. I'll edit.

(OOC: No probs)

Qiantan smiled disarmingly at Hole.

"Yes, truly beautiful! Most of what you see is progress made under the current system; the trains actually run on time now, and our workers feel enlightened rather than oppressed. We have several new projects ongoing here in Shanghai, more specifically the expansion of our port facilities. The UER hopes that Shanghai will become a shining 'Pearl of Asia', a prosperous city that other cities try to emulate."

Qiantan continued by pointing to various landmarks and giving a potted history of them (according to Eastasian, rather than Chinese, history of course); eventually the vehicles arrived at the Shanghai Revolutionary Discourse Centre, the site selected for the talks between the UER and the Realm of Cotland. Qiantan sighed as he climbed out, and beamed at Hole.

"Welcome to one of the most advanced buildings in the UER; we host a lot of trade talks here, so it's outfitted with our latest technology to dazzle our guests."

"Yes, I truly believe this building will suit the needs of the conference. Shall we enter and get started?" Hole said after having stepped out and surveyed the building. It truly was impressive. He looked at Qiantan and smiled, eager to not only get started with the important talks, but also the chance to view the interior of the building. It looked very interesting for Hole, who really enjoyed architecture in general.

OOC: Im just wondering if you have Korea entirely under control? I would like to jump in but if you have the land completely under control il gracefully accept that im not going to get into Korea

OOC: Im just wondering if you have Korea entirely under control? I would like to jump in but if you have the land completely under control il gracefully accept that im not going to get into Korea

OOC: Pretty much, as the next couple of posts will see Korea officially become a state of the UER (at the moment it's a UER-administered territory).

"Yes, I truly believe this building will suit the needs of the conference. Shall we enter and get started?" Hole said after having stepped out and surveyed the building. It truly was impressive. He looked at Qiantan and smiled, eager to not only get started with the important talks, but also the chance to view the interior of the building. It looked very interesting for Hole, who really enjoyed architecture in general.

Qiantan gave Hole a guided tour of the Discourse Centre, describing its revolutionary symbolism and reflecting on its architectural design. Although not usually interested in architectural matters, Qiantan had memorised some useful facts to dazzle the visitors. If Hole came up with any questions that required detailed knowledge, Qiantan would deftly side-step the question with a joke or jovial comment.

At the end of the tour, the two ministers entered one of the many conference rooms; the room was tastefully decorated, and refreshments were arranged on a nearby table. Qiantan gave another broad grin as he gestured towards the conference table.

"Shall we get down to business?"

Seoul, Korean Peninsula

Taeku waved for the cameras as he entered the conference hall, which had been draped in Eastasian decor for the occasion. As camera flashes erupted from the gathered media representatives, Taeku shook hands with Premier Zhao before taking a seat at the nearby table.

As Korea had been the centre of a thriving state before its collapse, the Eastasian authorities had not taken much convincing to allow its early accession to statehood. Taeku had argued that it would be easier for the UER to complete Korea's assimilation once it was actually part of the Republic; although he only had his own position in mind, he had provided a compelling case to the Supreme Soviet.

Premier Zhao and Taeku took their seats and read through the documents before them; after a brief friendly exchange, the two signed and countersigned the treaties. The two then stood, and Premier Zhao surprised Taeku by hugging him rather than offering a handshake. Zhao then turned to the media with elation.

"I give you the thirty-ninth state of the United Eastasian Republic, Choson State! We welcome our comrades from the peninsula into the loving embrace of the Eastasian workers! May the revolution continue to prosper!"

As the orchestra began to play the Eastasian national anthem, Taeku was inwardly smug. At last, the rebirth begins....

Premier Zhao smiled at Taeku, bowing his head while his mind formulated the next stage. Taeku, enjoy it while you can.....

(OOC: Claim officially resolved)

Hole sat at the seat offered for him, with the advisors next to and behind him. The two Birkebeiners were in the background with their backs up against the wall, arms ready to reach for the pistols at milliseconds notice. Not that that would be necessary, they just prepared for the unthinkable. Hole, blissfully unaware of this started speaking.

"Please. Perhaps I should start?" Hole half asked, half stated. It seemed only appropriate, seeing that it was his country which had suggested the meeting.

"As you are probably aware, the Realm has restored law and order in the former Eppessinian territory formerly known as Primorskiy Kray, much in the same way that your gracious nation has in Korea. Due to the close proximity of the two areas, Korea and Sibir, as Primorskiy is known as in the Realm, my government feels that trading relations between the Realm and the UER seems only appropriate. There are several reasons as to why we believe a venture as the one proposed is appropriate.

"First, the Realm and the UER have always been friendly towards each other. We share a friendship which has withstood the test of time, with peaceful and friendly interaction between each other. The only issue which seemed to threaten that friendship was the, what can I say? Tentions might be an appropriate word, between the now-defunkt VCO which your nation was a member of and the October Alliance, which the Realm is a member of. However, those tentions were mainly between the former Russian Federation and the October Alliance as a whole, not between the Realm and the UER. Still, that small issue is in the past, and we Cots believe in leaving such things from the past just there, in the past.

"Secondly, both Korea and Sibir are large and relatively untouched territories, wide open for economical expansion and pioneering. What we are offering is the opportunity for Eastasian businesses to open branches in Sibir, and Cottish businesses opening branches in Korea. We believe that the economical investment such an endeavour requires will have a profound positive effect on the local economies, which in turn have a positive effect on the central governments. Let me give you an example.

"The endeavour will guarantee new jobs, increased pays, equally increased spending which in turn will create a market for goods, they be local or imported. This again will make the economy grow. It has been proven that the more money the people have, the more they spend, and the more the businesses make, which in turn creates the need for expansion which create employment for the people to make money so they have to spend. Its a circle, and somewhere along the way, some of that money find their way into the government treasury, making it profitable for the government as well.

"This is a tried and tested method, and will make it not only profitable for the businesses and the people they employ, but also for the government. That is basically the suggestion my government has for the UER. We hope that, if the UER is willing, we can be able to come to an agreement regarding terms of such opening of each others markets."

Hole took a sip of water, releaving his dry throat. The terms of the suggestion were extremely loose, with only one term having been presented. That if the UER opened businesses in Sibir, Cotland would get to open businesses in Korea. Hopefully, the UER would be open for such a suggestion.

Wei chewed on his pen as Hole spoke, listening with avid interest. When the Cottish minister finished, Wei set the pen down and cleared his throat.

"That all sounds very interesting. So basically we would be allowing initial market penetration by our respective economic entities, possibly followed up by additional trading opportunities which would of course be dependent on the success of the proposal put forward by your good self. This initial market penetration would be confined to the areas of Choson State, as Korea is now called, and the Dominion of Sibir.

I must admit, I like that idea. It would give us an opportunity to get to know each other economically, as well as providing useful capital investment and employment creation in the regions where both nations would be most grateful for it. Premier Zhao will most likely support it as well, so I believe we can safely say that the UER accepts your proposal. The question is, do you have any other ideas for further cooperation between us?"

"Excellent. With hope, the first businesses may start up the branches by the end of the month if not sooner," Hole said smiling. "As for how our two nations may become closer, I'm not entirely sure. We already have embassies in each others capitals, and with this deal, the trade will increase drastically. Perhaps we should expand the agreement to allow Cottish and Eastasian corporations to open branches in the all territories our nations control? For instance, a Cottish corporation opens a factory or shop in Shanghai while Eastasian corporations open factories or shops in Bergen. We also have a wide variety of commodities to trade. For instance, shipbuilding, petrochemicals, arms manifacture, agriculture and oil are areas where Cotland excell. We are naturally open to trading with your nation. Other areas might be tourism or perhaps military co-operation? I don't know very much about the military, other than what I learned thirty years ago when I served my mandatory eighteen months in the Air Force. You'll have to talk with representatives of the Royal Cottish Mliltary in regards of military co-operation, but tourism is another area where I can help you. Perhaps opening direct routes between Eastasian and Cottish major cities such as Beijing and Oslo, respectively? Would this be something the UER would be interested in?"

Wei chuckled.

"I've never even set foot on a military base, so I know even less about military matters than you; if the Defence Ministry say they want something, they tend to get it from me due to the sterling work they do. I'm guessing that we should leave military matters to those who make it their livelihood.

Anyway, tourism is always something we're interested in. I know that most people would usually turn down the opportunity to visit a 'communist nation' due to the somewhat negative connotations that such a term has gained in more capitalistic states, but we really do have a lot to offer for the interested visitor. Past the arrival gate of an Eastasian airport lies most of Asia, overflowing with hospitality and with no need to show your passport at several different crossing points. Likewise, I know that our people would be fascinated to visit friendly nations more frequently than they currently do. I will have to discuss the matter with our airline operators, but I am certain that they will be interested.

Greater trade between our two great powers is also highly desirable. Although some called for isolation after that unfortunate financial crisis a short time ago, it is my opinion that engagement with the world is better than sealing yourself away. However, I do believe that we should use Choson State and Sibir as testing grounds before expanding corporate operations futher into each other's nations, just to ensure compatibility."

I'm back.

Sorry about this, I'll catch up and hope to get Kuril and Sakhalin.

( Huahin I'ma commin' if you already took 'em )

Being so called "Japan", what interest do you have in Russian territory...

I have interests in all of Sakhalin Oblast and the Kuril Chain.

I'm willing to settle just for the Kurils that the current Japanese Government claims as their own. You may have the rest north of the certain line I requested in your thread over this.

I'm still willing to take all of Sakhalin Island.

If you wish to negotiate this then please let us negotiate this, if you do not then I will meet you on the battlefronts. But I am pretty sure we both rightfully have what we want, I'll continue Internal affairs with my islands and you the same with yours. And we'll go on with our own business. Hell if you don't trust me, go ahead and station an entire Army. It' d just be a waste of resources as I am no longer interested with the islands north of my line.

Just time to get some more of my 'Interests' settled south of Japan.