Chapter 313
Chapter 313
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Side Story 4: Moon Landing
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During the Kim Jeong-gil era, Korea seemed perpetually on the defensive compared to his predecessor's time.
This public perception became even more stark as America's space ventures took concrete shape.
“5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. Liftoff.”
Though the U.S. spaced out the Apollo missions due to their enormous costs, it never once abandoned the project.
Apollo 11 even broadcast live footage via TV on its way to the Moon.
The world couldn't tear its eyes away from the screens, wondering if the Americans could really land on the Moon.
“The Americans won't pull it off. It'll fail.”
Koreans denied the possibility.
But that expectation soon shattered.
“Houston, this is Tranquility Base. The Eagle has landed.”
“It's done!”
Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface.
Over 800 million people around the globe watched the scene.
“That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Neil Armstrong declared humanity's great leap as he set foot on the Moon. The shock rippled through Koreans who witnessed America's moon landing success in real time.
They rubbed their eyes repeatedly, staring at the American flag on TV.
“The Americans made it to the Moon, but we haven't even taken a single step into space? Does that make any sense?”
In truth, Korea lagged far behind not just the U.S. but the Soviet Union in space development.
Korea's space investments focused on practical satellites for military and communications use, not the astronomical costs of “manned spacecraft” or moon landing projects.
There were good reasons, of course.
How could a relatively small nation like Korea match America's investments across the board?
For a lightweight contender to face a heavyweight, selective focus was essential.
Koreans failed to grasp this reality.
In the era of the great leader Lee Seong-jun, Korea matched or surpassed America in everything.
“If His Excellency had led us, we'd have reached the Moon first.”
What made space any different?
People demanded the Korean government pour resources into space to compete with America.
“Your Excellency! Venturing into space, with its infinite resources and opportunities, is essential for Daehan's future.”
Kim Jeong-gil didn't deny these calls.
He acknowledged it was something that would have to be done eventually.
But space leaps didn't come free—God wasn't footing the bill.
Pouring money into it could crack the fragile fiscal balance Korea was barely maintaining.
“It's impossible given our financial situation.”
“Then we'll donate funds ourselves.”
Koreans moved to form a “Space Association” to collect donations.
“Collecting funds without permission is illegal.”
Kim Jeong-gil immediately halted the “national donation drive” for space development.
'They call it donations, but accepting them would chain us into pushing the project no matter what.'
The shock from America's space leap wasn't limited to Koreans.
Even people in the Third World and Second World were stunned.
'Isn't this America declaring victory in the ideological competition?'
No indicator hit people as viscerally as visible technological feats.
Everyone struggled to hide their grave expressions at America's “victory” in space.
The Korean government, with its clear-eyed realism, saw it differently.
“What do the Americans get for dumping budgets into something that doesn't pay off right away? Moon rocks? Spending billions on a few pebbles?”
The Korean government flipped America's “victory declaration” on its head.
“They're throwing money into space, which is as good as declaring defeat in the economic war.”
Pyongyang tightened its grip on the economic war against America.
In this tense atmosphere, First World media outlets sought out Lee Seong-jun.
He gladly granted time to interview requests from major foreign outlets like the BBC.
“Thank you for sparing your valuable time, Your Excellency.”
“What is there for this old man to tell you? Sit down and let's talk.”
Foreign reporters first asked his thoughts on the “moon landing.”
“Well... is it really that important?”
Lee Seong-jun countered with a question.
His expression suggested he was merely asking the obvious, leaving the reporter flustered.
“Pardon?”
Of course, Lee Seong-jun understood the moon landing's significance.
As an ordinary translator, he might have penned an essay waxing poetic on its meaning.
But now, he was no mere translator—he was the titan who had ruled Daehan for 33 years.
A man in his position couldn't speak on whims.
Every word from Lee Seong-jun was calculated politically.
“Your Excellency, isn't this a monumental event for humanity?”
“I don't think so.”
He wove in the sophistries unique to politicians.
“May I ask why you think that?”
Lee Seong-jun sipped his tea, then turned the question back.
“Before that, let me ask you something. What do you think America's biggest challenge is right now?”
A question for a question.
It was one of Lee Seong-jun's favorite rhetorical tricks.
“Economics, of course.”
He avoided mentioning the subsidy wars out of deference to Lee Seong-jun, but it amounted to discussing the economic battles between Korea and the First World.
“Exactly. Economics is the issue these days. When everyone's worried about livelihoods, how important is going to the Moon?”
Lee Seong-jun framed it as proof that America's leaders neglected “people's livelihoods.”
“Hmm.”
Livelihoods—the magic word applicable anywhere.
By slapping it on, Lee Seong-jun turned the moon landing triumph into politicians' wasteful spending blind to the people's needs.
Once the frame shifted, the landing's grandeur meant nothing.
“Hey, so you're just going to ignore the people's livelihoods?”
The reporters sensed they'd struggle to get the answers they wanted from this frame.
Still, they tacked on a few more tries to salvage something.
“But Your Excellency, for humanity's progress, don't we need projects like this in the long term?”
“Maybe in a hundred years. But will anyone alive today live to see the results?”
A sharp, piercing retort.
Lee Seong-jun's response hit TV screens soon after.
In Korea and the Second and Third Worlds, many nodded in agreement.
“His Excellency Lee Seong-jun is right. A nation's priority is livelihoods, not scientists' talk of 'leaping to new worlds.'”
The First World dismissed the interview as the mental victory of an “old dictator.”
“They lack the capability, so they spout nonsense like that. Lee Seong-jun's gone senile and lost his judgment.”
His interview handed the Korean government an opportunity.
“Substance over form! Content over show! Internal strength over rhetoric! Daehan strives today for the people's livelihoods.”
The Korean government didn't stop at slogans for the public.
It produced documentaries detailing the massive costs of space projects, stoking negative views on “space budgets.”
“So, are we abandoning space entirely?”
Not quite.
The Korean government still had long-term plans like space stations.
They were just pushed far into the future.
Washington, seeing Pyongyang's defensive stance on space, grew confident of victory in the space race.
“With no sign of Korea catching up, we've essentially won the space competition.”
“Music to my ears.”
Nixon milked the space race for propaganda.
Every time you turned on the TV, it was Apollo 11 and moon landing news.
“The United States, landing on the Moon on behalf of humanity.”
Americans swelled with pride over it.
Frankly, it was one of the few things left to feel proud about.
“So that's why you can't even make your own toothpicks?”
When Koreans mocked America's space win, they jeered at its beleaguered economy.
“That's because of you Korean bastards!”
With nearly every industrial sector under assault from Korea and the Third World, America could no longer self-supply like before.
From toothpicks to watches, the list of items America couldn't produce grew.
And it kept expanding over time.
Not everyone ignored these trends gravely.
“They should've dumped Apollo 11 money into more subsidies! Imagine funneling that into industry aid—we could've saved several more sectors.”
America's politicians weren't deaf to such voices, but they couldn't drop the space projects.
'Space projects symbolize America's lead in the ideological competition.'
Abandon that, and what would keep First World allies loyal to Washington?
Washington couldn't yield in the space race, even if America was the only one taking it seriously.
Nixon ordered continued lunar exploration plans.