For a full year before the inter-Korean summit, behind-the-scenes negotiations had continued.
Whether those negotiations had borne fruit or not, the governnt announced the summit schedule only a few months before the general election.
The Centrist Party and the Conservative Party both protested, claiming election interference. But it had little effect on the outco of the vote.
For Kim Hakgwon, it must have felt like a decisive blow—but since it failed to sway results, it likely stung all the more.
Even with the president’s approval rating sitting at 70%, the Progressive Party had failed to draw any benefit from his halo. It must have been frustrating.
“It’s been a while.”
Before boarding the presidential aircraft, I greeted Kim Hakgwon as he entered the lounge.
“Oh, President Kim! Long ti no see.”
He forced a warm smile at my greeting but quickly turned away to exchange pleasantries with others.
Chairman Song, standing beside , leaned closer and whispered.
“Are you on bad terms with the President?”
The question was so childish I couldn’t help but smirk before replying quietly.
“Neither good nor bad.”
“Hmm...”
Chairman Song rubbed his chin, mulling over my answer.
“By the way, weren’t you negative toward North Korea? Why did you suddenly decide to go?”
I had once told him that northern ventures were premature.
Shaking my head, I corrected the misunderstanding.
“My view on investnt hasn’t changed. I’m going because of sothing important.”
“Sothing important? What could that be?”
“I can’t say.”
At my refusal, Song’s expression betrayed his disappointnt.
“Co now! Is that all the trust there is between us? I’m hurt, very hurt.”
“It’s not that, Chairman...”
Perhaps because his voice had risen a little, people’s eyes turned toward us.
“Haha, what has you so upset, Chairman Song?”
Seizing the commotion, Kim Hakgwon approached with a smile. Song imdiately rose and bowed.
“Mr. President, forgive . My voice grew too loud without realizing.”
“No, no, it’s fine. There’s no need to bow. When many people gather, such things happen.”
Kim Hakgwon lifted Song up by the arm.
Then, squeezing Song’s hand with a benevolent smile, he added:
“It troubles that a man of your health has to make the trip to Pyongyang on my account. Thank you for coming with us, Chairman Song.”
“It has always been my wish. Thanks to you, Mr. President, I can finally set foot in the North and be part of such a historic mont. I should be the one thanking you.”
Song waved his hands humbly, and Kim Hakgwon chuckled, glancing at as he went on.
“But tell , what were you upset about? Was it perhaps dissatisfaction with your treatnt?”
“Well...”
Song hesitated, glancing at , then answered reluctantly.
“I asked President Kim here why he was going to Pyongyang, but he said it was sothing he couldn’t tell . How could I not feel slighted?”
“Ah, is that all? I don’t know the details myself, but it was North Korea who requested that President Kim join us.”
“Ah, I see...”
Song still looked slightly sour, so Kim Hakgwon patted his shoulder comfortingly before turning to again.
“Now that I think of it, I’m curious too. Why did they ask for you?”
He might not know everything, but he was pretending ignorance well. After all, soone like him had to be aware I had t Jang Songthaek in China.
Still, I couldn’t brush him off too rudely, so I replied smoothly.
“I’m not sure myself. On a business trip to China, I heard the North wanted to visit. I declined politely. I didn’t expect them to press our governnt as well.”
Feigning nonchalance, I saw Kim Hakgwon raise his eyebrows.
“You hear that, Chairman Song? Nothing to be upset about. He didn’t even tell , haha.”
His booming laughter left Song visibly embarrassed.
For a mont, I thought Kim Hakgwon was deliberately making him uncomfortable. My mood soured, but I kept it hidden. With so many eyes around, drawing attention would be inconvenient.
After chatting a little longer with Song, Kim Hakgwon moved on to greet others.
“Phew...”
Relief spread across Song’s face at last. He slumped back in his chair with a deep sigh, already looking exhausted.
His worn expression worried , and I sat beside him.
“How is your health, Chairman Song?”
“I’m old, but not gone yet. Don’t worry.”
He said so, but he looked worse than before.
In my previous life, I had never grown close to him. But in this one, we had built a strong friendship. Concern ca naturally.
“What does your doctor say?”
“No major illness. Lucky, I suppose. By the way, how is Chairman Cheon?”
Embarrassed by my concern, he deflected by asking about my grandfather’s health.
“He’s the sa. No, worse.”
“Ah... Watching my peers fall one by one, it pains .”
His face was filled with sorrow and regret. Nothing I said could ease the grief of losing one’s generation.
“Still, I envy Chairman Cheon. He has you to succeed him. Could I ever do the sa? To hand everything over to soone not even of the Song line?”
He shook his head, studying my face carefully.
“No, I could never. Even if it were an able grandson like you.”
Song was more patriarchal than most of his peers. In his pri, even after his sons married and moved out, he would summon them ho every morning for breakfast.
But because he chose a successor out of affection rather than ability, his family would one day tear itself apart after his passing.
“Boarding will begin. The President will arrive after his press conference. Please take your seats and wait,” announced Minister of Unification Park Seongwon.
The people waiting in the lounge began to move toward the presidential aircraft.
“Chairman Song, your seat is here. Your aides will sit in the rear.”
Song took his seat while his secretaries moved back.
“President Kim, this way, please.”
I had wanted to sit beside Song, but I wasn’t about to fight with rigid officials. I nodded.
“Very well. I’ll see you later, Chairman Song.”
“Yes, later.”
He waved with a smile.
Led to my seat, I found an unexpected figure already beside .
“President Kim Muhyuk? I’m Seo Jaehoon, Vice Chairman of Ilseong Electronics.”
It was Ilseong’s crown prince, Seo Jaehoon. I took his hand and gave a light shake.
“Kim Muhyuk. I’ve heard much about you, but it’s our first eting.”
“Yes, indeed, haha.”
I hadn’t expected to sit with him.
After releasing my hand, he grinned broadly.
“Among the businessn on this trip, you and I are the youngest. Let’s get along well for the next three days.”
His smooth tone matched his model-student appearance perfectly.
If I hadn’t known him, I might have thought him dignified.
But in truth, he was more ruthless and daring than Seo Yonggeon himself.
Suppressing the urge to recoil, I nodded.
“Yes. Let’s.”
All the chairn of the top five groups except Ilseong were aboard. That Seo Yonggeon had sent his son instead was strange. His motives were unclear.
In my previous life, I rembered Seo Yonggeon himself making this trip.
The thought left unsettled.
“We are ready for takeoff. Please fasten seatbelts and remain seated.”
From my window seat, I had a clear view outside.
dia crews fought fiercely for shots of Kim Hakgwon boarding.
Halfway up the stairs, he turned, waving and smiling for the caras.
For the first ti since division, the president of South Korea was setting foot in Pyongyang.
A historic mont.
But for , sothing else mattered more.
‘Kim Jongil...’
Why did Kim Jongil want to see ?
Even Jang Songthaek hadn’t told the reason.
“The President is boarding.”
Kim Hakgwon entered, crossing the cabin. As he passed by, he glanced at and Seo Jaehoon seated together, smiling faintly before moving on.
‘He arranged this deliberately.’
My brow furrowed. Knowing Seo Yonggeon and Kim Hakgwon had joined hands, the arrangent only annoyed more.
When everyone was aboard, the plane took off.
In less ti than it took to fly Seoul to Busan, we landed safely at Pyongyang Sunan Airport.
The reporters disembarked first. When Kim Jongil appeared, cheers erupted across the tarmac.
His perfectly choreographed movents made frown.
‘Didn’t they say politics is a show?’
Even in this historic mont, I felt nothing.
Still, how often does one witness such a sight with their own eyes? I watched through the window.
Kim Jongil approached the plane’s stairs.
Kim Hakgwon appeared at the door.
The North Korean military band struck up as Kim Hakgwon descended, his face glowing with emotion.
He clasped Kim Jongil’s hands firmly.
“Thank you for coming, Mr. President.”
“Glad to et you, Chairman.”
As the two leaders exchanged greetings, Seo Jaehoon spoke beside .
“Never thought I’d live to set foot in Pyongyang. You too, President Kim?”
I turned from the window.
“Yes, it’s strange.”
He smiled, but his eyes studied like a snake. A chill ran down my spine.
“Shall we share a drink tonight, President Kim?”
“If ti permits, yes.”
“Excellent. That’s a promise.”
“Yes. I’ve been aning to. But isn’t it about ti we moved?”
Outside, Kim Jongil and Kim Hakgwon were escorted toward their cars by soldiers.
“Once the President and Chairman depart, we’ll disembark. Rember, no private movents. Do not stray from designated areas. Wherever you go, notify us first. Otherwise we cannot guarantee safety.”
The Blue House staffer’s stiff warning matched his tense expression.
After his briefing, I rose and went to wake Chairman Song.
“Chairman Song, it’s ti to go.”
“Eh... Did I nod off?”
He blinked, embarrassed as he got up and looked around.
Even a short flight had wearied him.
“I’ll support you.”
“No, I’ll walk on my own. On a day like this, I want to.”
He waved off his aide’s hand and followed the other chairn.
I walked behind him.
“To see this before I die...”
Among the chairn present, only he had lived through division firsthand.
His murmured words silenced the others. They stepped aside respectfully, letting him descend first.
“After you, Chairman Song.”
“Thank you, Chairman Yoo.”
At the stairs, he looked around before descending slowly.
Applause and cheers greeted him as he walked toward the cars.
Not once did he falter. His steady back was that of a true giant of industry.
We boarded our assigned cars and left Sunan Airport.
Even on the way to our lodgings, crowds lined the streets, cheering.
Through waves of applause, we made our way slowly into Pyongyang.
“Welco, President Kim Muhyuk. I am Senior Captain Baek Cheolsu, assigned to you. Please disembark here.”
“I’ll be in your care, Captain.”
We had arrived at the Pyongyang Koryo Hotel.
Seeing it in person after only knowing it from TV was surreal.
“Please co inside. I’ll escort you to your room.”
Following Baek Cheolsu past the ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) entrance, my first day in North Korea began.
User Comments
0 comments from readers