Second Korean Crisis

Without warning, North Korea explodes into a whirlwind of violence - the culprit an internal DRIVEr uprising. Despite offers to negotiate, US and Chinese forces respond with unbridled fury, and push the 'Zone-22 group' to a small pocket around Nampo.

With little warning, North Korea explodes into conflict, with assaults against South Korea and China, as well as launching several nuclear missiles at *itself*. When the initial shock is over, it becomes apparent that numerous DRIVEr began an uprising, leading to a full-scale 'dead hand' strike. The so called 'Zone-22 Group', lead by the niece of a high ranking official, now possesses the capital and is de-facto in charge of the country.   Declaring themselves the 'Matriachary of Korea', they offer to end the conflict ante-bellum; declaring the perpetrators deposed and themselves the new rulers. Already in conference, the leaders of the United States, China, and NATO need only seconds to make a decision capitulating now would declare open season for every DRIVEr in the world to try carving out their own fiefdom - no mercy, no surrender. The US in particular is quick to emphasize that any DRIVEr in the area will be considered a hostile and dispatched with extreme force.   Nevertheless, the conflict quickly draws the attention of the Blood Brides, and Committee 2-1-12 operates alongside Chinese conventional forces. VALKYRIE+ deploys to counter these outside forces, making a token effort to keep away from the conflict zone themselves.   The US from the southeast, China from the North, both forces sweep aside conventional resistance with ease, and meet limited resistance from hostile DRIVEr. China readily sends its DRIVEr to meet the enemy, but the US largely insists on fighting with conventional forces.   Unsurprisingly, the war is met with widespread criticism around the world. Pentagon officials strongly advise the President   China's strategy proves reasonably effective when Committee forces are available. At other times, they repel DRIVEr with conventional forces, although often with heavy casualties - in some cases self-inflicted. The United States, meanwhile, exhibits surprising success in fighting DRIVEr with conventional forces - quickly responding with massed firepower that not only defeats but destroys the enemy more often than not. However, initial casualties are generally high, and both sides grow to regard the prospect of a sudden attack by superhuman DRIVEr with great anxiety.   The surviving members of the Zone-22 group, along with numerous Blood Brides and, interestingly, a handful of defectors from Committee 2-1-12 (and one from VALKYRIE), plus numerous civilian refugees and conventional forces, take refuge within harbor of Nampo. The two nations both take up position nearby, and after some discussion, launch a massive bombardment. Chinese forces launch an assault, only to be repulsed.