I had lunch with Lee Sanggeun while we talked.
“I’ll be going up to Pyongyang today.”
I set down my chopsticks and continued.
“Things are getting pretty noisy in Chunha Group.”
Lee Sanggeun also put down his chopsticks and picked up his glass of water.
“I’ve received reports that there’s conflict between Yang Uguk’s faction and Lim Hwasu’s faction.”
“How does sothing like this happen so quickly just because Chairman Yoo Seongjin is gone?”
Lee Sanggeun set down his glass and gave a bitter smile.
“That’s our limit. No matter how clean a suit they wear or how grand the office they sit in is, gangsters are still creatures who talk with their fists. Unless you suppress them with greater force, this kind of thing will always happen. That’s why I recomnded Lim Hwasu to you.”
What began as the Dongsu faction eventually beca the present Chunha Group, a coalition of gangsters from all over the country.
“President. When water sits too long, it eventually becos muddy. The dominance of the Dongsu faction, from Dongsu hyungnim to Yoo Seongjin, was bound to create internal dissatisfaction.”
“Do you think they’ll willingly give up the leadership?”
“That depends on the choice you make, President. Chunha Group can’t exist without the tacit approval of public authority.”
At the current scale of Chunha Group, even the police or prosecutors couldn’t just barge in without evidence.
However, my role in establishing Chunha Group had been significant.
Without my help, the police wouldn’t have tolerated the group unifying the underworld.
“In the end, they’re nothing more than your hunting dogs. If a hunting dog disobeys its master, you get rid of it and raise a new one.”
Lee Sanggeun was right.
In the first place, Chunha Group had been created to make the underworld easier to control.
But there was one point where our opinions differed.
I thought Chu Dongbin should beco the next chairman.
Lee Sanggeun thought Lim Hwasu should.
“You think Chu Dongbin is lacking?”
“He’s not lacking. It’s more a matter of mindset... When I spoke to him a few days ago, he was already thinking about retirent.”
“What? Isn’t he too young to retire? Why would he think about retirent already?”
Lee Sanggeun smiled bitterly.
“I think he feels responsible for what happened to Chairman Yoo Seongjin.”
“He sounds like a decent man.”
Even a governor could quit if he didn’t want the position.
There was no reason to force soone to stay if they wanted to retire.
“Then I’ll have to speak with Manager Ma again.”
I called Manager Ma, who was waiting outside.
“Manager, co sit and listen.”
After confirming that Manager Ma sat next to Lee Sanggeun, I spoke.
“It seems we’ll have to make Lim Hwasu the next chairman instead of Chu Dongbin.”
“Understood, Boss. I’ll carry out the order.”
Manager Ma answered imdiately.
He didn’t even ask why.
Seeing that, Lee Sanggeun laughed and explained the reason.
“You’re still the sa, Manager Ma. Chu Dongbin is planning to retire—”
After listening to Lee Sanggeun’s explanation, Manager Ma nodded.
“Chairman Lee, please help the manager finish this properly. My schedule in North Korea is planned for about a week, so it may take so ti.”
“Yes, I will.”
“You finally managed to leave that world behind, yet I’m asking you to deal with it again. I’m a bit sorry.”
I spoke sincerely.
Lee Sanggeun waved his hand and laughed.
“It’s fine. The truth is I still have one foot in it anyway. I should take this opportunity to clean things up properly myself.”
“I’d appreciate °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° that. Then I’ll leave it to you.”
After that, we talked for about an hour about how to handle things.
“Boss. It’s ti for you to leave.”
At Manager Ma’s words, I checked the ti and stood up.
“Then I’ll see you when I get back.”
After shaking hands with Lee Sanggeun, I headed out for Pyongyang.
* * *
It had been a while since I visited Pyongyang.
After inspecting the construction site of the Ryugyong Hotel, which was being rebuilt after demolition, I went to et Jang Songtaek.
“President Kim Muhyuk! Welco.”
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other like this.”
After shaking hands with Jang Songtaek, we sat facing each other.
“You must be under a lot of stress.”
“It would be a lie if I said no. I never imagined China would apply pressure by moving its military.”
Since I hadn’t expected it either, I could only nod.
“You know about the assassination attempt on President Hu Jintao, right? I heard he still hasn’t appeared in Beijing.”
“Yes. Our agents in China have been trying to find out his whereabouts, but we haven’t been able to locate him. We’re worried he might have been detained sowhere.”
“He’s probably safe. If he had died, all of Hu Jintao’s close aides would’ve been purged by now.”
Jang Songtaek nodded in agreent.
“That’s what we think as well.”
“The Chinese ambassador is still in Pyongyang, right?”
“That’s correct. We’ve called him several tis for discussions, but he says he knows nothing about the military movent.”
“So China carried out the operation without even informing their ambassador here...”
It seed China didn’t intend to start a real war.
If they had, they would have recalled their ambassador and embassy staff first.
Then they would have evacuated Chinese civilians from North Korea.
“How is the military reacting?”
Jang Songtaek’s expression darkened.
“Not well. The hardliners are gaining influence again.”
“But there must be no ard clash. If that happens, it’s over.”
After China moved its troops, Jang Songtaek had also moved the 8th Corps of the Korean People’s Army toward the Sinuiju border.
The 8th Corps, stationed in Jagang Province, had originally been deployed with a potential war with China in mind.
Originally, most of North Korea’s forces had been stationed along the southern border with South Korea.
But after the summit eting, units were moved to the rear.
At the sa ti, Jang Songtaek reorganized the military and deployed many units along the borders with China and Russia.
“I know. We have no intention of going to war with China. We wouldn’t win anyway.”
“Right. As long as you don’t launch a preemptive attack, South Korea and the United States will have justification to help. So absolutely do not strike first.”
“Do you really think the United States would help us?”
Jang Songtaek asked doubtfully.
He had said many tis that he didn’t trust the United States.
“They would gain far more by helping than by staying out. If North Korea completely falls under China’s control, the United States won’t sit still.”
Of course, both the United States and South Korea were closely watching North Korea.
The Blue House was moving quickly, coordinating with Washington and monitoring the rapidly changing situation.
Internally, they were already preparing scenarios for the worst-case situation.
“Still...”
Anxiety crossed Jang Songtaek’s face.
“I don’t trust the United States either. I’m not trusting Arica—I’m trusting the situation that forces them to act. Don’t weaken. If the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission collapses, North Korea will collapse as well.”
I spoke gently.
Jang Songtaek nodded with difficulty.
Looking at the deep shadows under his eyes, he had clearly been under imnse stress for days.
“Let’s talk again when Chief of Staff dvedev arrives tomorrow.”
“Very well. I don’t feel good about it, though.”
Seeing his dark expression, I changed the subject.
“By the way, on my way here I noticed the atmosphere in Pyongyang has changed quite a bit.”
“Right? We haven’t completely abolished the ration system yet, but since recognizing private property and paying proper wages, the atmosphere has improved significantly. It’s only in Pyongyang for now, but I believe it will eventually spread throughout the republic.”
The ration system couldn’t be cut off overnight.
Too many people would starve.
It was better to slowly create jobs and build an economic structure where money could circulate.
“You’re doing well. I didn’t expect things to go this smoothly.”
“Haha. It’s thanks to you, President Kim Muhyuk. You sent people and helped a lot. Now let’s move and have a al. We prepared sothing since you were coming.”
We moved to another room and talked late into the night.
The next day.
dvedev arrived in Pyongyang without prior notice.
At a ti when military tension with China was high, the visit of Russia’s de facto number two to Pyongyang was enough to pressure China.
“Welco, Chief dvedev.”
Jang Songtaek greeted him first.
“It’s been a while, Chairman Jang Songtaek.”
After finishing the handshake with Jang Songtaek, dvedev turned toward and extended his hand.
“It’s been a while for you as well, President Kim Muhyuk.”
“It has been. Thank you for coming all this way.”
I smiled and shook his hand.
Afterward, we all took our seats.
“I’ve brought good news today.”
dvedev spoke as soon as he sat down.
“President Hu Jintao is alive.”
“Is that true?”
“Is that true?”
Jang Songtaek and I asked simultaneously.
dvedev nodded with a smile.
“Yes. Fortunately he’s safe. Our president spoke with him directly, so it’s certain.”
“That’s a relief. If Hu Jintao is safe, things won’t escalate further.”
“dvedev. Where exactly is Hu Jintao and what is he doing? Why is he letting this situation continue?”
dvedev took a breath before answering.
“He was inspecting the North Sea Fleet when a sudden attack occurred. He urgently boarded a helicopter and returned to the Qingdao base. Afterward, he believed returning to Beijing was too dangerous, so he moved to Yunnan Province.”
“Yunnan?”
Yunnan was the southwesternmost province in China.
“The provincial governor and party secretary there are close allies of Hu Jintao. He moved there for safety and has been discussing counterasures. He plans to return to Beijing in a few days.”
“He went quite far.”
“That shows how dangerous the situation was. Hu Jintao survived, but more than five people were killed. He could easily have been among them.”
At that mont, Jang Songtaek joined the conversation.
“Chief dvedev. How does he plan to respond? He won’t just sit still, will he?”
“I don’t know that much. He didn’t go into detail.”
“Hm. So we just have to pray Hu Jintao returns and withdraws the troops?”
Jang Songtaek sounded anxious.
dvedev’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Well... there is a better thod. Would you like to hear it? A way to ensure the Chinese army can never set foot on North Korean soil.”
“What is it? Tell .”
dvedev paused deliberately.
He picked up the cup in front of him, took a sip of water, and spoke.
“As I ntioned before, you could allow Russian forces to be stationed in Rajin.”
“...I said that wasn’t possible.”
“The situation now is completely different from back then. We could also revive the Soviet–North Korean alliance that faded away before.”
“The Soviet–North Korean alliance?”
The Soviet–North Korean alliance treaty, signed in the 1960s, had been a military pact that required automatic intervention in the event of war.
During the Cold War, North Korea maintained military alliances with both China and the Soviet Union while confronting South Korea.
But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, South Korea’s president personally visited Russia and asked President Yeltsin to cancel the treaty.
Yeltsin, who already had a negative view of North Korea, accepted the request and abolished the agreent.
“That’s right. Let’s take this opportunity to completely sever relations with China and form a treaty with Russia instead. No matter how crazy China becos, they wouldn’t dare start a war with us.”
“Wasn’t that treaty broken unilaterally before? And now you want us to trust Russia again?”
Jang Songtaek frowned.
It had been an agreent heavily tilted in one direction.
“The Kremlin now believes we can form an alliance on equal terms.”
The conversation had taken an unexpectedly bold turn.
I had no choice but to intervene.
“A military alliance between the two countries must not happen.”
Both n turned to look at .
“Stationing naval forces in the Rason Special City wouldn’t be a major problem, but forming a new military alliance would provoke a strong reaction from the United States. It would also negatively affect the developnt of North Korea that Chairman Jang Songtaek is pursuing.”
It was better for the United States, China, and Russia to balance each other while supporting North Korea.
“Such an alliance would bring more losses than gains. For both North Korea and Russia.”
I had no intention of simply watching North Korea and Russia form a military alliance.
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