Chasing Liberty // Countryhumans North Korea fanfiction

Push to Busan

    The Raktong River was the largest below the 38th Parallel, though nowhere near as long as the Amnok that bordered China or as deep as the Taedong which passed through Pyongyang. A broad band of blue-green, it flowed from the Taebaek mountains, across the plains and through a valley bordered by thickly forested ridges and hills before emptying into the East Sea.

    It also created a barrier between Busan and the rest of the country. One that the Korean People’s Army had to cross if they wanted to Liberate it.

   “The 6th Division will cross at Masan, while the 5th, 8th, and 12th will take the eastern corridor.” It was the one area that the Raktong River didn’t cross, but was incredibly mountainous. “The 1st, 3rd, 13th, and 15th Divisions will take Taegu, with the 10th coming to reinforce them.”

    “This will be their first combat, is that right?” Hwang asked, leaning over the map in the little stick hut.

     Its occupants were long gone, as were most of the little straw-and-mud village’s people. Now its flimsy walls were being used to conceal the KPA’s tanks and soldiers.

    “Yes,” North confirmed. “But they’ll be supported by the more experienced divisions, especially the 3rd. And even untested People’s Army soldiers are more skilled than Rhee’s army. We’ll cross here."

    North of where the Nam River flowed into it, the Raktong River curved west, forming a bulge in its course. It was here that the 4th Division would make their push for Busan.

   “I’m surprised we didn’t go with Comrade Choi Min-chol and the 3rd Division,” SH said, tapping a finger on a more northern spot. “Taegu is the only major city we haven’t freed. Aside from Busan, I mean.”

  North had thought about it. But while Taegu was an important position both for supply lines and general strategic value, it would take longer to capture than the villages between their current position and Busan, such as Yeongsan.

   He wanted to reach the city as soon as possible.

    “The 3rd Division has plenty of comrades with them,” he said instead. “Since the 4th Division is the only one with regiments here, it’s better to reinforce them.”

    “And we’re grateful for that, Comrade Korea,” Major General Ri Kwon-mu said, smiling.

   North nodded to him. “Are we clear on the plan?”

    They were.

     “Get some rest,” he ordered, sweeping the map shut. “We’ll reach the river tomorrow night.”

    They were close, so close. They had eleven days to reach Busan, and he knew they could make it. After they crossed the river, there would be less than two hundred ri between them and the city.

  And South.

    He knew that opposition would be particularly fierce within those few ri. America and the UN had been shipping forces into their country non-stop, and according to information from their agents behind enemy lines, there were now more foreign soldiers than Korean ones in Korea.

    Which explained why they hadn’t encountered any of the puppet army since Taejon. They were completely shattered, only foreigners and dregs fighting for Rhee now.

    North snorted in disgust as he laid his bedroll down on the hard-packed dirt floor.

    “Hey, Korea.” Kangwon had lingered after the others left. “Could I have a look at your-“

   “No.” North shoved him bodily out the door, disregarding his continued pleas from outside as he went back to mulling.

   Without those foreigners and their planes, South would have already lost within a month, like the Premier had wanted. North had wanted that, too. He had only moved his prediction back to Liberation Day once America had joined the war.