[Australia]: Ambassador visits the King of Korea

[Owen]

Ambassador James Choi would get into a COMCAR Holden Caprice and would leave the Australian Embassy in Seoul with the Australian flag waving on the front of the vehicle. He would drive towards the Imperial Palace to talk with the King about recent developments in Japan and to a lesser extent, China.

 

[Joe]

Just as Choi's Holden Caprice speeds past, the two Royal Marine Security Guards posted at the gates of the Australian Embassy would immediately alert the Blue House Royal Police of the Ambassador's departure from the Embassy. After a brief discussion on where Choi could possibly be headed, it would be deduced that he is heading to the Blue House. An emergency team of Royal Police Officers would immediately mount up and depart from the garage of the Blue House in four Hyundai SUVs.

With their lights flashing and sirens blaring, they would speed along until they intercept Ambassador Choi. However, instead of stopping him and pulling him over, instead, the convoy would split into two formations, with two cars in front and two cars behind the Holden Caprice. The vehicles would guide Ambassador Choi to the Blue House, with the Royal Police credentials allowing him to bypass afternoon rush hour traffic in Seoul by utilizing the emergency lane created by pulled over vehicles.

Just like that, the convoy would arrive at the Blue House, where Chief of Staff Jeong Kyeong-Doo would await.

"Ambassador Choi," He began as soon as the Royal Police Officers opened the door to the Holden Caprice. He was quite puzzled as to why the Ambassador decided to show up without so much as a warning or a notice... however, given current political undertakings in Asia, it'd be a quite safe guess it had something to do with their common neighbors to the East and the West. He bowed slightly in deference to the Ambassador. "It's a pleasure to see you again. Welcome to the Blue House. Will I assume you want to be meeting with His Royal Highness, King Ryu?"

 

[Owen]

"Mr. Kyeong-Doo, pleasure to meet you again. Appears we have certain political rumblings in East Asia which are obviously going to be of a concern to both yourselves and us. I would like to meet with His Royal Highness, but we can certainly discuss matters before hand. As you know we were instrumental in establishing the 1947 Constitution in Japan and we're in discussion with the United States on how to approach this issue. It's completely unacceptable that they disregard it. We can't see the rebirth of Imperial Japan, it's almost guaranteed that they would have Korea in their sights."

 

[Joe]

Chief of Staff Jeong would nod along to the Australian Ambassador, concerned. "Very well," He would say stiffly. "Allow me to take you to King Ryu's Office. He is there now."

With that being said, he'd immediately pivot in a circle, guiding Ambassador Choi into the Blue House. Immediately, the two Royal Army soldiers at either side of the large, studded doors would salute sharply, holding their K2 Rifles on their shoulders. With their dress uniform on, they looked quite sharp and quite intimidating. Once inside the Blue House, Chief Jeong would guide Choi through the foyer and past the throne room. Contrary to popular belief, King Ryu didn't conduct his duties in the Throne Room as his predecessors have done. In fact, he found the throne to be quite uncomfortable and instead worked in his personal office. The location of that office was in a corridor deep within the maze that was the Blue House. It was sparsely populated, with little more than a security guard every now and then. However, the move of the two diplomats were documented by the various security cameras strategically placed throughout the Blue House.

"He is right in here," Chief Jeong said, lightly knocking on a plain wooden door.

"Enter." A warm voice said softly.

Chief Jeong opened the door and stepped into the office. It was quite spartan, with little more than a wooden desk, two sofas, and King Ryu himself sitting on a rolling chair. As King Ryu stood up, Chief Jeong dropped into a bow.

"Your highness, Ambassador Choi wishes to see you."

King Ryu smiled widely. "Ambassador Choi. It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance again. How's my son?"

 

[Owen]

He would bow as he entered. The Ambassador would in his head, be confused by the King's question as he was completely unaware of what he mean't by that. He would start speaking in Korean however, being fluent as he himself is from South Korea, moving from Gwangju to Australia at the age of 4 (https://asiasociety.org/korea/interview-he-james-choi-new-ambassador-australia-republic-korea).

Korean: "Your son is doing well, your highness...

We have a bit of a situation on our hands in regards to Japan. They want to pursue an Imperialistic path again, one which is of concern to us. How does Korea feel on this matter?"

 

[Joe]

King Ryu would stand at the center of the room, eyeing Ambassador Choi. He'd then turn to Chief Jeong. "You may leave us, Kyeong-Doo. It appears I have much to discuss with the Ambassador."

Chief Jeong bowed before exiting the room, closing the door behind him softly. King Ryu waited for the wooden door to click before moving towards the tea table to the side. A ceramic teapot, art intrinsically engraved on the side, rested on a hot pot. Steam gently poured out of the mouth of the teapot. "Korean... or Asian culture... is rather interesting, is it not? Usually, customs dictate that we spend three hours commiting to small talk before we... what's that phrase that the Americans use... cut to the condiments?" King Ryu clicked his teeth. "Mustard! Yes, it's cut to the mustard. Fortunately for you, Ambassador..." He picked up the tray and carried it to the sofa, placing it down on the coffee table. "I went to school in Boston... and Bostonians don't bullshit."

He gestured to the pot.

"Tea?" He offered. Before awaiting a reply, he picked it up and poured two small cups. Setting the teapot back down with a gentle click, he slipped a light dash of milk into his tea, and then two sugar cubes. Say what you will, but although King Ryu loved his Jasmine tea... European-style blew it out of the water. "I doubt you were alive when Korea was an extension of the Japanese Empire. We were forced to fight in their wars on their side. Forced to work on their factories. Forced to be split in half like some kind of worm... while the situation is indeed alarming, I'm sorry to say that even if we did have enough manpower and equipment to give action, we're more focused on pacifying the barbarians to the North. When that day comes where the DMZ no longer exists, and the Korean Commonwealth comes into fruitation, then, we'll gladly discuss about handling Japan."

 

[Owen]

"Yes, thank you, tea would be uptmost appreciated...

Indeed, my parents were children growing up in Japanese-controlled Korea during the war. Your highness, we should not be discussing war here. That is certainly not on the tables. No body wants a war in this region, especially over something which is not even a particular threat, but more an insult to the victors of World War 2."

 

[Joe]

"Oh?" King Ryu asked, picking up the tray and carrying it to the table. Milky tea splashed over the edge of the cup. He had filled his to the brim. "Let me inform you of a saying that runs in my family. My great grandfather said it to my grandfather, my grandfather said it to my father, and I say it to my son. That saying is, don't bear the sins of the father on the sins of the son. I live that saying more often than not as of late, with my son running off to your country to fulfill his patriotic duties... duties I sorely lacked growing up. This new monarchy to our collective East may prove to be a very valuable friend in the future, especially with nations like China and the Barbarians to the North testing the waters. You say that their mere existence is an insult to the victors of World War 2... was World War 2 not started by an insult? Was Adolf Hitler himself not insulted by the outrageous stipulations of the Treaty of Versailles? No, James. When it comes to Imperial Japan, I'm afraid that the Korean Kingdom will see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil."

 

[Owen]

"Obviously we agree with your statement about the barbarians to the north, but we're not merely a nation that believes in the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Our enemies... are our enemies. No matter where they stand, we will stand on principle or we will not stand at all... We put the 1947 constitution in place in Japan for very good reason. And what about the Japanese people? They've had democracy for 70 years and now... it's completely abolished. I'm sure they're not happy about it and our embassy in Tokyo is gearing the mood that some internal rumblings may take place. Imperial Japan previously came for Korea, what's to say they won't do it again?"

 

[Joe]

King Ryu's eyes flashed, the amber clouding over in mild irritation and anger. His hand was clutching his teacup so hard, he was suddenly alarmed that the teacup could shatter in his hand. Slowly, he set it back down onto the coffee table. "Rest assured, Choi... we won't let Japan won't come for Korea. Not this time." He breathed in through his nose, resting his back against the seat, turning to his desk. His desk was neat and orderly without a hint of clutter. Knick-knacks from his travels did however, line the wall. On a coathook in the far corner of the room lay one of his most prized possessions. It was a slouch hat, made of genuine American felt, in the style of Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders. It was a gift from a history professor, who had a deep love in studying the Harvard College alumnus.

"Theodore Roosevelt once said, speak softly... and carry a very big stick. Ambassador, Korea's stick may be small for now... but it's growing and it will grow rapidly. Very soon, it may even grow too far to wield efficiently. You come here and ask us to disavow their new government, to put some kind of action against them. Yet, you offer us very little... if anything. No economic benefit, no military benefit, no... nothing. So, with that said, Korea will still continue to speak softly to her new monarchy to the East. If it's conflict with Japan that you wish to have, I'm afraid that you must report to your country that you'll have to fight it alone."

 

[Owen]

"Rest assured your highness... there will be no conflict over this matter. That's simply not an option on the table and not an option anyone wants to pursue. We're talking diplomatic isolation... economic isolation. Like the Royal Family is doing right now in Osaka, things like that can't happen... And I'm very disappointed you've decided to send them over during this tense time. We've been talking with the United States and they are very much behind us on this matter and they will be pursuing the same course of action we have. Rest assured though that if Japan comes for Korea, you will have the support of the white guardians of the Pacific; Australia and the United States."

 

[Joe]

"You're disappointed?" King Ryu murmured, his hand picking up the teacup again and squeezing it nearly to it's breaking point. "Australia is... disappointed. You think that Korea cannot handle itself? A nation, armed to the teeth with it's own domestic forces, a country that has twice the population, twice the manpower, and soon-to-be, twice the soldiers? You think that because you are a white guardian, you can bully Asia into some kind of submission? Both Korea and Japan? No. No, Ambassador Choi. I believe that you are mistaken."

He set the teacup down, lest it actually break. "I believe that you have over-stayed your welcome, Choi. Australia and South Korea will always be friends, but let it be known here that The Royal Family will do as it will please. It will communicate to whichever country it wishes to, and it will stand with whatever convictions it wants to. Tell that to your government...

I also want my son back."

 

[Owen]

"I don't think manpower has much to do in modern warfare.... anyway, I shall be on my way. As for your son, give him a ring and ask him to come back. We can't cancel his visa as we have no grounds to." The Ambassador would bow farewell and get back in his car back to the Embassy.

 

[Joe]

King Ryu was practically seething in irritation as the Ambassador left the room. The rock soldier standing at a modified stance at attention near the door twitched minutely in the direction of the Ambassador. King Ryu wondered what was going through the soldier's mind. Did he want to stop the Ambassador from leaving? Did he want to roundhouse kick him to the stratosphere?

"Kyeong-doo!" King Ryu called.

The door opened a second later.

"Yes, your highness?" Chief Jeong asked, entering the room.

"Call back my son. I wish to speak with him."

"Yes, your highness. I'll have him on the line immediately." Chief Jeong left the room for a moment...

and then came back, a rather ashen expression on his face.

"Your highness?"

"Yes?"

"Your son-... he... ah... Prince Ryu is... no where to be found, your highness."

"What?"

"He... fell out of a plane."

"... Get Ambassador Choi back in here, immediately."