Chapter 10: The National Debate (1)
It was 6 PM.
"Time is up. Please move to the male seats."
"Let's go."
I stood up, adjusting the wrinkled clothes I was wearing while seated.
Was this how a pig being led to the slaughter feels?
The gazes of the people watching me being led there were as if they were anticipating the meat that would be mine after my death.
From the eyes of the staff guiding me, to the eyes of every woman I encountered, it seemed they were hoping for something extraordinary to occur.
Was it that in this world gone mad, they wished for someone to appear and resolve the difficulties that had befallen me?
Like Cinderella in a fairy tale?
Or like in a world of great upheaval?
If that's the case, I must have misjudged the person.
If I want to find such a person, I should look in the mirror instead of at myself.
In the end, only I can save myself, and I'm the one who makes selfish judgments for my own benefit.
No matter what the result, today it ends here.
Let's proceed.
"Yes. Good evening, citizens of our nation. As of April 1, 2023, the Republic of Korea is facing a great wall."
"A pandemic that swept the entire world has killed everyone except 512 men, and due to the chain effects, various social problems have arisen."
"The population issue that determines the nation's future, the economic problems directly facing us, the post-war issues now that the war has ended, conflicts due to unification, and many other issues.
"And today, the Great National Debate to find comprehensive solutions to these social problems has begun."
"I am Kim Yeji, in charge of the society."
The debate began with the host's words dressed formally like in previous election debates.
On the large stage, the host and panelists were seated, and below in the audience seats prepared for the spectators, all men were sitting.
The military guarding was armed and surrounded the stage and filming crew, and beyond filling Gwanghwamun Square, crowds filled the rooftops and windows of buildings along the streets.
Clearly, all citizens who couldn't come to Gwanghwamun Square were watching the broadcast screens.
"Now, two people have come out to present the situation the Republic of Korea is in and the solutions as social leaders."
"President Lee Nayoung, acting as the President's authority, and Park Myeongsuk, the opposition party leader, have come out."
"Good evening. I am Lee Nayoung."
"Good evening. I am Park Myeongsuk."
The twin peaks of the current South Korean political world.
"And Kim Eunjung, the chairman of the unification committee, who has come to represent the past North Korean region that was stabilized after the unification that was the dream of the Korean people."
"Nice to meet you."
"Lee Soo-jin, the president of the National Economic Federation, who came to represent the economic sector."
"Park Na-eun, the president of the Korea Science and Technology Federation, who came to represent the science sector."
"One of the judges of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Korea, Justice Gang Miyoung, has come to participate."
Lee Soo-jin, who played the role of production base during the war and after the great upheaval, has bent the collapsing economy and industry to prevent collapse and delay it.
Park Na-eun, who played a big role in protecting the various technologies and knowledge that were disappearing.
The remaining two heavyweights.
"And Yoon Gigang, the minister of the gender equality and family ministry, who represents the surviving men."
"Yoon Mirae, the representative of the future peace committee, who has come to represent the future generation, is also here with you."
And our minister uncle and a woman I see for the first time.
She said she was going out, so I went out, but I'm worried if she'll do well.
"With these eight people, let's start the Great National Debate."
I clapped in response to the host's call. Without this much sociality, I would have already died on the battlefield.
The debate proceeded following the host's lead, discussing the problems the Republic of Korea faces.
Declining productivity, insufficient labor force, crimes like looting starting to occur across society,
Problems like avoiding responsibility for children who are hard to support,
And in the middle, experts in related fields came out and stated their solutions.
To increase productivity, use the university facilities spread across the country so that citizens can receive job education again.
Designate those with core technologies as intangible cultural assets and actively utilize the technology and spread the knowledge.
In the current situation where martial law is declared, reorganize the army stationed in Pyongyang and convert them to police to maintain order.
For national integration, hold a presidential election centered on the election management committee on May 9.
The rationing system will be maintained for a while to maintain social order,
And inheritance tax related to the inheritance of deceased men's estates should be followed by law, and those with inheritance rights,
And inheritance tax should mostly not be paid except in special cases.
Etc. Many agendas and countermeasures came out.
Honestly, I didn't expect such rational alternatives to come out so quickly.
In the pre-great upheaval political scene, it wasn't like this.
It was a scene where they didn't convey objective facts but only said what their supporters wanted to hear to gain support.
It wasn't bad.
Through this debate, it was good enough to somewhat lower the worries about future uncertainties.
But now, the time had come to talk about the uncomfortable truths that hadn't been said yet.
"So far, many topics have been discussed and countermeasures have been presented, but we cannot avoid talking about this."
"President, we have to talk about problems related to the surviving men."
"Yes."
"What was discussed at the current UN General Assembly is not well known to the public except for the slogan 'active participation of men in the survival and maintenance of humanity.' Do you have any clear information?"
"That would be better for me to explain."
"Yes. Minister Yoon Gigang. Please explain instead."
"The current situation is the same old monogamy. That is, a situation where one man and one woman monogamy cannot maintain humanity's survival and maintenance."
If all 10,927 men and 10,927 women in the world married and gave birth like Pyotr Vasilyevich, the woman who gave birth to the most children in human history,
Only 753,963 would be born.
"10,927."
"The number of men whose survival has been confirmed worldwide."
"And in Korea, there are only 512 men on stage here."
The cameras that occasionally captured our appearances briefly started focusing on one by one, long shots.
As if presenting precious goods to the public.
Yeah, yeah.
Today, you all came dressed nicely for me to see.
"So, can we marry foreigners like before and bring them here?"
"No government in any country will allow it, and if such a thing happens in our society and government, we won't be able to accept it."
"Also, like me, there are men who are a minority but already have children and have families."
"So, the social view and judgment on marriage and childbirth must change."
Min-seok and others had brothers with families, and couples too.
But mostly solos.
"I see. Then, what changes are necessary?"
"We men also know that it's no longer possible to work hard, meet one person who loves me, get married, and live peacefully."
"Now, that has become selfish words. So, we feel the obligation to humanity's survival and maintenance and take responsibility."
"That's why men want to bear the new obligation of mandatory sexual relations."
"Mandatory sexual relations? It sounds like mandatory sexual intercourse. Is that correct?"
"Yes. The essence of what was discussed at the UN General Assembly is exactly this."
"Then, could it be interpreted that women have the right to have sexual relations?"
"Right now, very shocking statements are pouring out, and in the chat room where viewers are participating, huge reactions are coming out."
"Then, let's hear more from Minister Yoon Gigang."
"Rights must be obtained through sacrifice through obligation."
"In the case of men, for the survival and maintenance of humanity, they will have mandatory sexual relations as an obligation and all the social supports necessary for humanity's survival and maintenance as rights."
"Then, what should the obligations of the women become?"
"It will be reconstruction for the collapsing society."
"After the great upheaval, men and women have new obligations and rights for each other."
"You are saying very shocking things."
"In my opinion, if such rights and obligations are created, the social standards and conditions for dividing them will be very important."
"What will it be?"
"I really have to think a lot. Really, a lot of thoughts."
"Also, how many sexual relations a man can have per day and how fairly and equally those opportunities can be distributed."
"Also, thoughts about the children born."
Real men, 500 of them, thought about every possible case.
"So, these are the conditions and rights we men are demanding."
"Mandatory sexual relations are only done 5 times a day."
"Men have the right to refuse the right of women."
"The age limit for women to apply for mandatory sexual relations is women aged 20 to 34."
"To exercise the right of mandatory sexual relations, women who have produced above-standard social value."
"Finally, the women who can demand mandatory sexual relations are those who can safely and well raise the children born."
"In the case of men, there should also be standards that women can present."
"On this, I think we should discuss not only from the men's perspective here, but also from the women's perspective."
Our minister.
You did too well.
If I had gone out,
They would have bitten me with words like 'What does a kid like you know?'
'Can you represent the men?'
And received bad interest, but you took it all.
It seems like I've incurred a big debt.
"Uh... I see. It's a very radical talk."
"I, who heard this talk right in front of me, also had my ears ringing with disbelief, but how does Representative Yoon Mirae think about Minister Yoon Gigang's words?"
"You came to represent the women of the younger generation."
"I want to say a different direction."
Damn it, kid?