[2010] The Inevitable


ROKS Cheonan, the Yellow Sea. 9:15 PM local time, March 26th, 2010.



Captain Choi Won Il was leading his ship on the daily patrol around Baengyeong Island, just south of the DMZ. He was on the bridge with his officers, talking about their personal lives and going about business like usual. Little did they know of what would happen next.

Unknown to anyone aboard the ROKS Cheonan, a North Korean midget submarine, the PLN Wonsan, passed the South-North Korean border. The submarine watched the South Korean corvette from a safe distance. The captain on the submarine, Captain Choi Dong Eun, was ordered not to provoke South Korea. However, the captain believed that he would be able to escape back to the North after sinking this ship, so he ordered the crew to ready to the torpedoes.

The torpedoes were fired at 9:11 PM and made its advances towards the South Korea corvette. There were some sonar readings on the ship, and an officer tried to warn the captain, but it was far too late.

The torpedoes ripped through the side of the ship, instantly killing dozens of sailors. The captain ordered for the crew to abandon ship immediately, so the remainder of the crew boarded life boats and watched as the ROKS Cheonan sink under the water. Later, it would be reported that 46 were killed and 56 were wounded from the sinking.

The North Korean midget submarine watched from a distance, but it was still quite close to the site of the sinking. One of the sailors on the lifeboat caught a glimpse of the North Korean submarine off in the distance and the flag on the submarine. He would later report it to the South Korean government when he returned to the mainland.

Little did he know that his statement would change history forever...


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Hi guys and welcome to my alternate history! ITTL, the North Korean submarine sinks the ROKS Chenoan like OTL. However, a South Korean sailor is able to see the North Korean sub and report it back to the government, confirming North Korea's involvement in the sinking. Instead of leading to a peaceful resolve by both sides, South Korea sees this as an action of war and declares war on the North, throwing the world in to chaos.
 
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Technically, if they break the ceasefire, you're declaring war again.

No. The war is technically still on. Breaking a ceasefire is just that.

Of course, de facto the Korean situation is peace, so people will think of it as declaring war.

OT3H, the US hasn't declared war on anyone since WWII, even if North Vietnam, North Korea, Panama, Grenada, Iraq, etc., sure felt like they were being warred upon...
 

Seoul, the Republic of Korea. 10:00 PM local time, March 26th, 2010.



"Mr. President! We have confirmation that a North Korean midget submarine sank the ROKS Cheonan!" his aide yelled, "One of the survivors of the ship witnessed a North Korean submarine submerging at the time of the ship's sinking."

President Lee Myung Bak was sitting in his office at the Blue House, discussing with his Minister of Strategy and Finance about the economy when the news arrived about the ROKS Cheonan. At first, he believed that it might have been an accidental explosion caused by a fire in the ammunition room. However, when he received the news that a North Korean submarine sank the ship, he was outraged at North Korea's actions.

"The ROKS Cheonan was clearly in South Korean waters at the time of the sinking, correct?" the president asked.

The aide nodded, "We have confirmed the radio location and they were well south of the DMZ Mr. President. I believe the North Korean submarine thought they could get away with it since they were fairly close to the DMZ and sank the ship."

"Those damn communist bastards," the president said under his breath. President Lee turned towards his aide and said "Set up a press conference tomorrow morning."

"What will it be about Mr. President?" the aide inquired.

"Well. I think its about time North Korea stop threatening us and making us feel nervous."




President Lee's speech to the Republic of Korea. March 27th, 2010.



"My fellow Koreans. I come today with tragic news. The ROKS Cheonan sunk yesterday evening at 9:12 PM in South Korean waters. The ship was sunk by a North Korean submarine, witnessed by a Korean sailor on the lifeboats, who fired the torpedoes in South Korean waters and retreated cowardly back to North Korea. North Korea clearly violated the armistice signed in 1953 and sunk a South Korean warship in South Korean waters."

"Because of this act, 46 sailors are now dead, with an additional 56 sailors injured. I mourn for the loss of so many young men of the Republic of Korea. This act of war will not be easily forgotten, and we demand North Korea to agree to the following terms."

"North Korea will no longer receive aid from the Republic of Korea. Also, North Korea is to hand over the captain of the submarine that sank the ROKS Cheonan and killed nearly 50 innocent sailors. These terms may seem harsh, but South Korea has had enough of North Korea's provocations."

"If North Korea fails to respond within 48 hours, we will no longer hold back against North Korea."

"Thank you. Dae Han Min Guk Manse!"



 
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