A cold wind swept down from the mountains and across the wide avenues of the Korean capital.
Winter had settled over the peninsula with quiet determination, coating rooftops and palace gates with a thin layer of frost that glimmered beneath the pale morning sun.
The city of Hanseong had grown accustomed to hosting dignitaries in recent years. motorcades bearing foreign flags had become a common sight along the streets surrounding the imperial district.
Still, the gathering that had drawn the attention of so many foreign delegations this week carried a weight that even the seasoned palace staff could not ignore.
The banners of the Korean Empire hung proudly above the entrance to the government hall where the conference would soon begin.
Their golden dragons stirred gently in the winter breeze as soldiers of the Imperial Guard stood at attention along the stone steps.
