Located on the Yellow Sea, there are several islands belongs to the Republic of Korea that are lying inside a contested zone between the North and the South. The contested zone, known as the Northern Limit Line was a de facto sea border between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea in the west of the Korean Peninsula. Although initially the South was protested the UN for creating the line since it prevented them from attacking the North because the Government at that time didn't agree with the armistice, now it's the North who protested this line. The islands now hold a major role for keeping the North at bay.

Lee Sang Muk, the Mayor of Incheon was standing on a ferry to attend the joint survey of a proposed location to build an airport on the island of Baengnyeong. Although the presented purpose was to increase tourism on that island and if possible, the Soechoeng and Daecheong too, he expected that the military eventually would also use the airport. Not that he protesting it, but just annoyed because it had not been mentioned yet. But putting it aside, the scenery around him was very beautiful.

"No wonder there are many people who want to take a tour on those islands."

After all, the North routinely did some provocation at those islands. But it seems that those aren't enough to deter the tourists to enjoy the scenery.

After looking at the calm sea, he turned his gaze to the clear blue sky with almost no clouds on there. With such a clear blue sky, he is pretty sure that his eyes would be able to capture an aircraft flying high in the sky.

"I hope that my family can enjoy this scenery too."

But, his peaceful time was disturbed by the sound of roaring jet engines coming from the north.

NYEEEEERRRRRRHH*

"What is that?"

EEEEEEERRRRRRRNNNNNNNNNHHHHHHHH*

When he decided to take a look at the sky which where the sound are coming from, there are two aircraft flying freely unopposed. Judging by the shape of it, he knew that it was a military plane that ROKAF didn't operate. And considering from which direction they are coming from, it was undoubted that those aircraft were coming from the...North territory.

"Why their aircraft entered this region all of a sudden?" He wonders.

But his focus was once again disrupted by the ferry announcement.

"Attention to all passengers, based on the military announcement, the North Regime has done another provocation again. Following the instructions from the Republic of Korea Navy, we will be accompanied by one of our warships before continuing our sail towards Baengnyeong do. Please be civil, patient and don't panic. I repeat, attention-"

Hearing that announcement, Lee knew that something must happened on there, but the military decision to keep bringing the ferry into Baengnyeon, he couldn't understand it since if it is just the usual skirmish, the ferry could just be going back into Incheon Harbor or just wait outside of the North artillery range, not to the island. Staying for a while in the harbor is a nice and great decision to not get into the artillery duel zone.

"Except that they...no, Kim is not Putin, he wouldn't dare to do it."

He continued looking at the calm sea and enjoying the serenity, trying to not thinking too much about the numerous wild theories that had been circulating among the passengers. However, his attempt to ignore the panicked chatter of other passengers about the recent announcement and focus on enjoying the scenery was shattered by a question from one of the passengers.

"Mayor Lee, do you know about what happened currently?"

Lee's mouth was opened, but nothing came out of it since he also left clueless. He grabbed his phone and trying to look into whatever information he could get, but nothing appears. Even the signal was bad.

"Sorry, apparently I'm also clueless about what happened currently as the signal went off."

"I see...just asking because that plane that had just flown over us was a rare plane in the KPA inventory, Nanchang Q-5."

Lee was put a face of uninterested and just hoped that this person to go away, but when he mentioned the plane's name, he became interested in this person.

"How did you know?"

"Years of research and looking into the KPA."

"Hmmm, a KPA enthusiast? That's rare."

"Yeah, since they are very secretive and information about them was limited."

Both of them then are staring at the open sea again.

"So, what do you mean by those planes are rare?"

"Uh, let me grab my laptop first."

The KPA Enthusiast then opened a folder which held the required information.

"This!" He pointed at a plane that seems to be familiar enough.

"As you see, the plane last being seen in the 80s and 90s, not even in satellites. By then, people already thought that the plane had been retired or scrapped, myself included. But the Q-5 appearance just now is, unexpected. Did they mothball them?"

Lee was left with a question that was intriguing to get the answer, but then decided to answer it with, "Well, I don't know, not a military enthusiast so I couldn't answer it."

"I understand."

Not long after, a ship silhouette appears on the horizon from North West.

"Whose ship is that?"

"Judging by the shape, it's Yoon Youngha class patrol ship, ours."

"How the fuck you could know it?"

"Research?"

The one word answer left him stunned for a bit.

"Damn, military nerd surely is amazing sometimes."

"Haha, thank you for the compliment, Sir."

Not long after, the warship passed the ferry and several marines boarded it.

"Attention! This is an emergency situation, all citizens are advi-"

Hearing that, Lee immediately walked towards a marines where he asked, "What's happened?"

"Sir, please go back to your room and follow our instructions!"

"I'm a Mayor of Incheon, so please explain what actually happened!"

The Marines looks hesitated at first, but then reluctantly agreed to answered it.

"Mayor, sir, you must be know already about what happened. It's the North doing provocation again."

"I'm okay with that, but the fact that two North aircraft just flying over our head freely unopposed is an anomaly!"

"We lost contact with the mainland, that's all I can say."

Now it is slowly starting to making sense.

"Did they... launch it?"

"We don't know, but we still managed to get in line with the other islands near of us except Udo. Something is wrong, yes, but there is no time for thinking, we need to act fast!"

"I see. So we are really alone in here."

"Not really, parts of the Navy and Coast Guard who patrolled the NLL are still in contact with us."

Lee nodded before then followed the instructions from ROKMC.

In the very heart of the Hermit Kingdom, lies a city known as Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. propaganda songs are played at some moments every day, but for this one, it is special. Since tomorrow is already 2024, the government is preparing for a New Year festive, same with the common people. Citizens are preparing themselves to go to work in public work or, at least for some, dance in public to boost the population's spirits for some reason. At last, nothing is going wrong for the commoners as nothing different happens at all. But, for the DPRK officials and those who live on the borders, of course, there is something wrong. Not something that is a small difference, but a very big one that they would not ever try to think of.

Government Complex Number 1

Complex Number 1 is a name given to the complex of closed buildings in the center of the DPRK capital, Pyongyang. It consisted of governmental and Korean Workers Party buildings such as apartments, headquarters, and places for the cabinet and commission meetings. Surrounded by walls and the fact that a high level of clearance is needed to be allowed to enter this complex, the area had earned a nickname called the 'Pyongyang Forbidden City'.

One of the buildings that was included inside on the complex was the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, well known to be the main organ that dictates the policy of the state.

In the meeting room, sitting on the oval table, one particular person was seated on the top right alone. He was, of course, the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un. Panic, shock and confusion were surrounding the meeting room, which didn't help as Kim's facial expression was saying that he wasn't happy, neither angry nor disappointed. Instead, it was full of confusion.

As he was done reading a report given to him by the committee, he put it down and then asked, "What is happening right now actually?"

That is his only response after reading the report of the disappearance of their neighboring countries, except Japan or Russia, and also the possibility of the whole world too. And then, the Director of General Political Bureau opened his mouth.

"Janggunim Dongji, we are still trying to get the answer about this, but what we can say for now is, it's probably an attack from the United States."

"Pardon?"

Kim was surprised to hear the answer directly blaming the United States of America, like, his face literally saying that he didn't even consider the US as one of the possible explanations for this.

"Hong Dongmu, can you explain why did you consider USA as the main cause for this?!"

"Janggunim Dongji, as the world's sole supreme superpower, albeit currently being challenged by China, generally they are still being considered as the only superpower by the whole world. Put it aside, they also possessed a weapon that could change the weather ever since decades ago. There's also a story that they sent their warship away by using some electric mechanism, if I remember correctly, back in the twentieth century. So then, I wouldn't be surprised if they manage to find a way to send our country away."

Kim understood what he was referring to, the first was HAARP, and the second was USS Eldridge. Knowing this, he looks down and puts his right hand to hold his head from going down completely as he can't believe that the General explanations are using conspiracy theories. But thinking about it again, this phenomenon was really out of their logical thinking after all. There is no way a whole country, all of its landmass, buildings, and people could be moved from their position so easily.

"After all, with Russia is getting bogged down in Ukraine and Iran with Israel, they are probably getting ready to deal with us. But since China wouldn't let it happen so easily, the USA probably decided to just send us into somewhere to kick us easily."

Kim feels that it's strange and absurd, closer to ridiculous about the explanations. Although he was sure that the Americans would try to remove him from power just like what they did to Saddam and Ghaddafi, the explanation given by Hong is hard to accept. At least, because of his time back in Switzerland, he know that HAARP isn't a weapon to change weather, but just simply a research facility. Albeit a bit of him still believed that it was in fact could altered the weather.

Since he is willing to give it some thought, Kim then looks at Hong and says, "Try to get information about possible US involvement in this!"

"Understood!"

Kim lifted his head after a moment's thought, then turned to the Minister of Foreign Affairs who was invited into this meeting only because this phenomenon also has something to do with other countries.

"O Dongmu, is it true that the foreign diplomats who are stationed in our country couldn't contact their home country, respectively?"

"Yes Janggunim Dongji. The British, Chinese, Swedes, Russians, and others said that they couldn't contact back their home countries."

"Interesting, so the American ignores foreigners too..."

The room became quiet as Kim was thinking about it.

"I think, it was okay to leave it for now. Also regarding foreigners, do the Russian officers know about this?"

The Russians that Kim mentioned were Russian officers, engineers, and others who came as a result of the deal between DPRK and Russia months ago. It's a deal where Russia got the Korean People's Army stockpile of ammunition while Russia gave nuclear, rocket, and satellite technology, including some MiG-29 spare parts and surprisingly, more MiG-29. A very interesting deal considering the value of those technologies. Nevertheless, the Russians agreed with it since they had no choices left.

"We weren't sure about it. There is a probability that they already thought about it the moment communication was lost, but we counted on them thinking of it as maintenance. But, as our lines of communications are still working, the Chongjin Consulate probably already told them about it."

"Understood. Well, they aren't really a big problem after all."

"Then, there are some casualties on the DMZ where some miners drown to death when the tunnel they dig in is suddenly flooded by seawater coming from the former territories of Namchoson that were replaced by sea."

"Is that all, " hearing it makes some officials shocked since their leaders seem to not have any empathy at all, but the next sentence, "the casualties that we suffered during this phenomenon?" wiped it off.

"For now, yes."

Kim closed his eyes for a bit, trying to calm his mind and looking for an answer to this strange phenomenon. At least, according to his mind, it's just his country in here. However, when he thought of that, there was one question coming from that. Is the Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk really is the only country that got transferred into here?

"Dongmu's, I have a question, are we really alone in this... let's temporarily call it... a new world?"

The members of this meeting look at each other. Frankly, it seems that none of them knew about the answer, at least until the Minister of Defense raised his hand.

"Janggunim Dongji, about that, our newest evidence suggests that we aren't actually alone in this world."

"I see...So, with whom are we in this world Kwon Dongmu, Russia and Japan?"

Kwon Il Won, the Minister of Defense then opened a file while speaking.

"Regarding Russia, on the northeast border with Russia, the formerly Primorsky Krai oblast has been turned into a sea and the civilization there has been turned to the one that seems to come from the medieval era, at least that is what we know about the former Russia territory for now."

"I see, but what I truly meant is others from our former world, the earth."

"Yes, Janggunim Dongji. There is one for now, albeit it seems weird."

"Who are they, the Chinese, Japanese, or American?"

"Not them Janggunim, but the Namchoson."

Kim raised his eyebrows when hearing it was the Namchoson.

"Namchoson? Doesn't the report say that they had been replaced by sea?"

"Yes, Namchoson on the peninsula has been replaced by sea, but their islands that are located on our claim of twelve nautical miles on the Yellow Sea got transferred along with us."

"The Northern Limit Line?"

"Yes!"

Kim was showing an unreadable face right after he heard it. He then scratched his un-itchy hair before opening the reports given to him by the Minister of Defense. After he finished reading the report, then he closed it and took a look at each of the members of this meeting.

"Well, gentlemen, it's a bit kinda confusing. I don't get it with this logic, you know. So if their island and ship that were lying on our claimed territory got transferred along with us, then why did the rest of the peninsula not?!"

All of them didn't opened their mouth since they couldn't even answered it, nor giving a theory.

"I mean, even if the Namchoson got transferred to here with us along with their military and their Master army, the so-called USFK, it's still much more understandable compared to this situation...I don't get it at all. Is it just our currently controlled territory or our claimed ones also get included? It seems that...i don't know, maybe we need to find the answer by ourselves."

He then looks at the person who wrote the minutes for this meeting.

"Alright, let's come to an agreement that this whole thing happened because of the American doing something, okay?"

The whole room nodded, agreeing with him, and the person immediately wrote it on the minutes. Kim then immediately turned his gaze to the Minister of Food Procurement and Administration and then asked, "How is our current food supplies situation?"

"Janggunim Dongji, there is a huge problem lying in front of us. Our food supplies mostly come from China and Russia, so naturally the loss of those countries would give a deep blow to our food supplies. Domestic production, as we already know is simply couldn't keep up with the food consumption, no matter how frugal our people living there already."

"I presumed that we need to look for another food supplier?" Kim asked.

"If that is possible, yes, but there is a bit of a problem..."

Kim looked at the face of the Minister which showed a confused expression.

"Is it not possible, Im Dongmu?"

Im, the Minister showed a heavy face and take a deep breath.

"Janggunim Dongji, to be honest, it's hard to say as the only civilization that we had met recently is, well, looks like they came from the medieval era. Food production at that time probably wouldn't be enough to feed our population. Or even if we decided to just buy it to reduce the deficit, we still didn't know how country traded at that time."

Kim nodded and then took a look at the other members of this emergency meeting.

"Anyone know how food procurement and trade during the medieval era worked?"

Unsurprisingly, no one raised their hand and Kim could only sigh in disappointment. But he couldn't blame them since they weren't even from the medieval era nor studied it, so he just let this away.

"Find someone who knows about it, fast!"

A person then writes it in the minutes.

"Anything else that I need to know?"

Jang Sung Nam, the Minister of State Security then raised his hand.

"Janggunim Dongji, in a situation like this, should we increase the activities of internal intelligence and refocus our counterintelligence agents inside our country to help them?"

Kim looked a bit confused when he proposed it since it seemed to not be that urgent to be done.

"Why?"

"Janggunim Dongji, the current situation of our country is almost similar to the ones back in the nineties, the Arduous March. So then, if the plot like in the nineties and sixteen happens again, we could prevent it before it spreads too far"

What Jang feared was actually very much true and not baseless. In 2016, a plot to remove Kim Jong Un was being made after he revealed his intentions to reconcile with the South, but it was short-lived compared to the 1990s. In 1993, the VII Corps attempted a coup, yet failed. Two years later, their neighbor the VI Corps also attempted an another one which failed spectacularly and saw the permanent disbandment of that corps. The coup attempt by the VI and VII corps happened during the time when DPRK was under an economic crisis and full of instability after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, even under Chinese and international support. It was so bad that calling it as food crisis could get someone being thrown into a camp, and instead the government called it as Arduous March. This time, without Chinese and international support, Jang and the others couldn't even imagine what would happen to this country. So based on that, Kim Jong Un couldn't give any answer other than, "That's a good idea, I shall give my permission for that."

"Now, how should we explain it to the general population? I mean, we couldn't wait for too long or our citizens and soldiers who live on the border would do something. This is also December thirty-first, and most people are preparing for the Gregorian calendar New Year Eve."

"I'm a God for this country, at least for the common folks, that's for sure. So then, let's just explain to them that I, single-handedly, have transferred our country out of the reach of American Imperialism, and this wouldn't affect the celebration in any given way after all."

"Understood!"

"However, keep me informed for any new informations!"

At Wonsan Harbour, several men are watching a TV showing the parade and celebration at Pyongyang. Military and civilian parades accompanied by musician on the side and fireworks continuously launched at the sky. Compared to this peaceful harbor, they are feeling envy to those on Pyongyang.

"I wonder if we would ever get the chance of getting something like this here."

His comrade then says, "In your dream, it was exclusive to Pyongyang. What we could get is just a small scale parade and local held festive just like before corona."

Being reminded about their location and regional status, he could only reply with "Yeah, you're right."

After the main parade had finished, the TV screen changed from live straight from Kim Il Sung Square back to the studio, showing a female presenter in their traditional clothes,

"Long live our glorious fatherland, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea! And Long live the glorious Workers' Party of Korea, the organizer and guide of all the victories of our people!"

After a short break, the presenter continues.

"Respected Comrade Kim Jong Un will send his benevolent messages to us, his loyal and devoted followers to greet this New Year with a new hope and future."

After ending it with a smile, the screen goes back to live from the square which focusing on showing the Supreme Leader.

"Heroic officers of the army, the navy, the air force the special operation force and the strategic rocket unit of the Korean People's Army, and officers of the Korean People's Internal Security Forces. Members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and the Young Red Guards. Working people of the entire country and citizens of Pyongyang, the overseas compatriots, comrades and friends.

Dear compatriots,

Today, recollecting with great pleasure, pride and deep emotion of the proud achievements we performed last year through our diligent and worthwhile labour and sincere efforts and by the sweat of our brow, we are all seeing in the new year 2024 with fresh hopes and expectations.

Greeting the hope-filled new year, I wish the families across the country good health, happiness, success and prosperity. I also wish that the beautiful dreams of all our people, including the hopes of our children in the new year, would come true.

Comrades, As I look back upon last year, when I worked strenuously on the road of achieving national prosperity, gaining great strength and wisdom from the pure minds of the dauntless people who invariably trusted and followed the Party even in the face of manifold difficulties and trials, I feel my heart swelling with the pride in waging the revolution shoulder to shoulder with a great people.

On behalf of the Workers' Party of Korea and the government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, I extend sincere thanks and New Year greetings to all the people and service personnel who won miraculous victories to be noteworthy in the national history of 5 000 years by sharing mind and purpose with the Party and supporting its determination on the road of arduous yet glorious struggle.

Comrades, the year 2023 was a year of heroic struggle and great victory, a year when we set up an indestructible milestone in the history of building a powerful socialist country with the spirit of self-reliance and self-development as the dynamic force. In the face of the prevailing situation and the worst trials on the road to advancement due to America and its vassal states' sanctions upon us, and corona virus disease pandemic, our Party trusted the people and the people defended the Party death-defyingly, turning adversity and misfortune to good account and achieving brilliant successes on all the fronts where a powerful socialist country is being built.

Through last year's grandiose struggle we powerfully demonstrated at home and abroad our immutable faith and will to follow to the end the road of Juche-oriented socialism opened up by the great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il and the single-hearted unity of socialist Korea in which all the people are firmly united behind the Party.

I offer my noble respects to the heroic Korean people who, despite the difficult living conditions caused by life-threatening sanctions and blockade, have firmly trusted, absolutely supported and dynamically implemented our Party's line of simultaneously promoting the two fronts.

My warm, comradely greetings go also to our defense scientists and workers in the munitions industry who made devoted efforts all the year round, to demonstrate to the world that the plans and decisions of the Party Central Committee are a science and a truth and that they automatically mean their materialization.

Last year we also made notable headway in carrying out the five-year strategy for national economic development.

An outstanding success our Party, state and people won last year was the accomplishment of the great, historic cause of perfecting the national nuclear forces. By conducting numerous tests of various means of nuclear delivery and super-intense thermonuclear weapons, we attained our general orientation and strategic goal with success, and our Republic has at last come to possess a powerful and reliable war deterrent, which no force and nothing can reverse. The tactical nuclear attack submarine, Hero Kim Kun Ok has entered service and will provide our glorious navy with another way to deliver nuclear weapons to deter American aggression. By this, we could attack them from a place that they may never think of before.

Our country's nuclear forces are more capable than before of thwarting and countering any nuclear threats from the United States, and they constitute a powerful deterrent that prevents it from starting an adventurous war. In no way would the United States dare to ignite a war against me and our country. The whole of its mainland is within the range of our nuclear strike and the nuclear button is on my office desk all the time. The United States needs to be clearly aware that this is not merely a threat but a reality.

But, even when their mainland is within our nuclear weapon range, they aren't backing down. The United States has decided to attack us as they saw our country as a threat. But since they recognized our threat and the willpower of our people and soldiers to fight and resist their aggression, the decided to use something that no sane people ever think of. By using weather manipulation weapons, by using a combined electrical mechanical device and all of their weaponry to put a giant barrier all around our country. The ultimate evil weapon that would turn our people into nothing but mere ashes in a matter of days.

But no worries my dear citizens, as by the grace of Kim Il Sung, I have transferred our glorious country to this world, another new world so that the American Imperialists and their capitalist dogs couldn't forever again disrupt our great and prosperous peaceful country."

The whole country was stunned by what Kim had just said. After the initial boring opening, something interesting like the submarine Hero Kim Kun Ok, the Supreme Leader then claimed that the United States of America had try to eliminate all of them and Kim, knowing that prevented it by transferring their country into another world.

By another world, of course it means that they are no longer on earth.

"The sun flag of the great Comrade Kim Il Sung and Comrade Kim Jong Il will forever flutter in the front of our revolutionary ranks that display only victory and honor and will always encourage and drive us toward a new victory.

Move forward toward the final victory!"

Kim ended his speech and the presenter showed back at the street of Pyongyang. People's continued their activities as planned. Mass choreographed dance, fireworks still launched at the sky, the musician still playing, the singer still singing, and both military and party officials, together with the foreign guests also still clapping their hands.

However, Kim's speech has left the entire nation with many questions.

Those men's on Wonsan Harbour are wondering what was actually happening right now.

"Okay...so, did something happen there or what?"

A soldier who joined them asked back,

"What do you mean?"

"Janggunim mentioned that he had transferred our country into another world, so something must happen and our lives would change, right?"

The soldier didn't quickly answer it and decided to think about it first.

"Just like the Janggunim said, the Americans wanted to do something to us which forced Janggunim to save us from them by moving our country away from Earth. The government will do something about it for sure, so just wait for future notice."

His answer sounds logical enough which satisfied them, however...

"I see, but that would leave the people of Namchoson to continue to suffer, wouldn't it?"

They began to think about it, but the soldier didn't give much thought to it.

"Well, I think it was for the greater good. Losing several millions to save another millions I guess."

But even then, they still thought that it was such a hurried decisions.

Author Notes:

In case you wonder why it's not a cabinet meeting, it is because in our beloved Best Korea, all government agencies and ministries dealing with defense and security are not a part of the cabinet, but the State Affairs Commission. Institutions such as the Central Bank, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Coal Mining, Local Industry, etc are part of the cabinet.

Namchoson (남조선) in North Korea means South Korea