20 August 2023 – South Korean Parliament – Seoul, South Korea
Surrounded by photographs and flashes, a woman walks to a desk in the main conference room. Next to a delegation of twelve Members of Parliaments ("MP"), she stands next to one of the two chairs adorning the simple piece of furniture. On the desk, a single microphone, a bottle of water and two glasses garnish the wood.
The woman may be tall, according to both Asian and European standards, the fact being that she is European. Her eyes, formerly wide, round and sparkling, seem to now gaze nowhere. Her expression is simply absent, just as if she was not there yet, or not anymore. Dressed in a simple black suit with the raised collar that used to be her dress signature.
After a few seconds, a MP sits at the centre of the delegation. She is slightly older than the European subject of attention and presides the Special Investigation Commission on the Incidents which Happened on 11 August 2023 in the Demilitarized Zone.
Photographs are invited to leave the room and silence falls on the audience. At the desk, the woman does not pay attention to her Counsel sitting next to her. As he pours water in her glass, she merely nods to thank him and goes back at staring at nothing.
After clearing up her voice, the President of the Commission starts speaking in Korean:
"For the purpose of this hearing, I will invite the photographs to completely leave the room. Cell phones shall remain switched off and not capture any images or sounds from this session. We have cameras from national TV which will broadcast every session live, with 30 minutes delay."
After a pause to ensure her instructions were followed, the President took the floor to directly address the woman at the desk:
"Ms. Rambouillet, although your presence in South Korea has been highly mediatised at some point, this Commission intends to state the record straight. Hence, first, could you please state your full name, date of birth, nationality and profession? I take this opportunity to thank the interpretation staff who will directly translate your words from English to Korean and ours from Korean to English."
The woman switched on her microphone and started:
"My name is Nele Rambouillet. I was born on 5 May 1988 in Lille, France. I am French and I am also an Attorney at the Paris Bar, in France."
After a quick look at the interpreter's booth, the President followed:
"Thank you, Ms. Rambouillet. Now, also in order to state the record straight, could you please explain how you were appointed at the position which enabled you to perform the actions under scrutiny by the present commission? Please take your time and provide us with as many details as possible."
[Next update, 27 December 2023, 00:00 (UTC +1) with end of Chapter 1]
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Peninsulas
Historical FictionNele Rambouillet is a French Attorney contesting to become the Special Advisor for South Korea in their negotiations with North Korea. Finding out the cultural and diplomatic gaps she has to overcome, she also realizes that people surrounding her ha...
