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Info
SCP-823-KO Private Baek from Unit ██
Mentor:
Aiken Drum
Author:Bangja
Translator:fluxman
Image credits: #According to the Republic of Korea Copyright Act Article 24-2, contents which the Ministry of National Defense holds full intellectual rights to can be used freely without prior usage agreements.
Translator's note: This article was an entry for the 2019 Mentor & Mentee Contest of the KO branch, where the Mentee is the writer and the Mentor gives advice. The Author here is Bangja.
Item #: SCP-823-KO
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Four (4) Foundation intelligence agents1 disguised as the █ Corps direct intelligence preparation squad is dispatched weekly quarterly to unit ██ GOP(General Outpost) Checkpoint █ to observe extraordinary behaviour of SCP-823-KO-1. All attempts to rescue SCP-823-KO-1 have failed, including those made by the ROK Army Ground Operations Command.
Communication should always be on standby for messages sent by SCP-823-KO-1 to Checkpoint █.
To block wired and wireless communications that SCP-823-KO-1 sends to Checkpoint █, all PRC-96K radios and integrated telephone equipment are replaced with new ones.
The area where the anomaly of the entity can be observed is an active operational region in South Korea, and considering its military sensitivity, excessive interference such as Foundation troop support will not occur. Military personnel and officers involved in related matters within divisions and lower units will be administered Class-C amnestics upon discharge.
The Ground Operations Command is to handle all other necessary security-related procedures.
Description: SCP-823-KO refers to the incident in 20██ at the GOP Checkpoint █ within Unit ██, where Private First Class(PFC) Baek Dong-hyun2 went missing. At the time of the incident, SCP-823-KO-1 was reported to have "disappeared without a trace as the guard post door closed due to the wind while inspecting the upper post while patrolling Checkpoint █'s patrol area."3 Notably, despite this, wired and wireless communications can still be received from SCP-823-KO-1. It appears that SCP-823-KO-1 is using the radio it was carrying at the time and 9 wired devices installed in posts within the sector. This allowed for an interview regarding the location of SCP-823-KO-1.
SCP-823-KO-1 stated that he is isolated in a location almost identical to the baseline world but cannot leave the patrol area of Checkpoint █. According to further testimony, no one else is in the area,4 it is always night, and it is impossible to leave the patrol route or follow it to the patrol area of another checkpoint for unknown reasons. Additionally, there are many unanswered questions, such as how SCP-823-KO-1 can survive without food and water. Despite extensive research, very little has been discovered about these anomalies.
Addendum 823-KO-A: Recording of PFC Baek
Addendum 823-KO-B: Foundation experiment records
Addendum 823-KO-C: Interview log of SFC Seong Junggi
On ██/██/██, Sergeant Seong contacted the Site Head of Research, Yeon Soha, who was on regular leave, and proposed to have a meal together. Yeon agreed to meet on the day of Sergeant Song's return from leave, combining it with a regular interview.
[Start of Log]
Yeon enters through the restaurant door. Seong is already there waiting, sitting in his seat.Yeon: Mr Seong! How was your vacation?
Sound of chair pulling
Seong: It's been a while since I've been on holiday for this long. It was good. Well, I met friends and family I've not seen for a while.
Yeon: That's because you stay on duty despite your holidays. Take care of yourself! Overworking takes a toll on your health.
Seong: …How can I leave him, just stranded there…
Short silence
Yeon: …Rest assured that'll be dealt with. That's why we come each week.
Seong opens the cutlery box and places chopsticks before Yeon. Yeon pours water into the metal cup. A server walks towards their table with plates.
Yeon: That aside, it's our first meal together, and you bring us to a Korean BBQ? Pork belly makes your clothes smell like meat. I'm a lady, too, you know.
Seong: This place has good meat.
The server places the plates with meat on it.
Yeon: I also got the extra pay for the holiday. Help yourself.
Yeon: Ribeye? No complaints anymore, then! Thank you, Mr Seong!
Yeon grabs a pair of tongs and puts the pieces of meat on the grill.
Seong: Oh, yeah, I asked you out to talk about that.
Short silence
Seong: It's been a while, hasn't it, since that incident with Donghyeon. It's been six years. That's about as much as I've known you. It hurt me so much; he was my friend, and I joined the military with him. I couldn't stand it. That's why when █ Battalion moved out from the GOP, I stayed there as a corporal on duty with a different battalion. I couldn't leave him as a sergeant, so I stayed. I declined better positions, insisting on being vice checkpoint supervisor or combat squad leader so I could visit that place on patrol as much as possible.
…If he just went missing, I would have given up much earlier. But how can I ignore him when he keeps calling me? I've been insane since then. I didn't care if I got a call from home, I- I…
Seong downs the cup of water. After a short silence, Seong presses the bell and orders soju. A server soon brings a bottle of soju.
Yeon: You're returning to duty today. Are you sure about drinking?
Seong: Recently, before I went out on holiday on duty, a sergeant close to me came and said he would be promoted to Master Sergeant next month, so he asked for my congratulations. I didn't know then, but that made me reflect on myself. I'm a first-class sergeant now, then I will become a master sergeant, then a sergeant major, and keep doing this shit on and on for the rest of my life. No offence to you, Captain Yeon, but honestly, you know that shit hasn't been done for who the fuck knows. The higher-ups kept bugging us, saying there was no hope before they eventually cut funds. I don't know if you know, but it's been a while.
A major asked if this whole fiasco is a harassment tactic from the North. My blood boiled, but I couldn't say anything. Frankly, we're trying to solve something that doesn't make sense, and that harassment tactic stuff did. They said they would stop investing funds and personnel in something that isn't profiting anyone. Then they went on about replacing all telephones with new ones as if nothing happened.
Well, isn't that fucking logical and appropriate? My emotional claims, devoid of any logic, were heavily criticised. (Sobbing) And, yes, I am exhausted.Seong downs a shot of soju.
[End of Log]
Sergeant Seong was voluntarily discharged a few weeks after the interview. As per protocol, Seong was treated with amnestics. From then on, Foundation personnel and monetary support was significantly cut. Special containment procedures were revised so Foundation information agents are dispatched to SCP-823-KO quarterly. However, Yeon visited the place more often than that.
Addendum 823-KO-D: Log of Anomalous Events
After Seong's discharge and the complete severance of SCP-823-KO-1's communications, the sector personnel observed multiple anomalous events. However, it is unclear whether all these anomalies are related to SCP-823-KO.
| Location | Contents | Reporter |
| In front of Outpost █-1 | An unknown voice and background noise resembling radio signals were heard. | On-duty personnel in the outpost |
| Outpost █-16 | During a patrol, the outpost's wired telephone bell rang. Upon checking, there were no transmission records in the situation room. | Officers on patrol |
| Checkpoint █ situation room | The master telephone rang an alert sign. The signal was sent by Outpost █-16. The personnel on duty was in outpost █-1. | Late night operator |
| Outpost █-13 | During a claymore inspection, the inspection device was broken for unknown reasons. | Checkpoint █ supervisor |
| Outpost █-3 | An unknown voice and background noise resembling radio signals were heard. | Checkpoint █ vice supervisor |
| Outpost █-12 | See Addendum 823-KO-E | Checkpoint █ video sentry |