Chapter 399
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Heavenly Palace
The poorest and weakest country on the American continent, Haiti.
Geopolitically right under the nose of the United States, this small nation had never once been recognized for its importance.
To the great powers, Haiti was just one of the dime-a-dozen banana republics in Central and South America.
Korean capital began flowing into that small country starting in 1975.
As soon as Korean capital entered, Haiti's economy started to revive bit by bit.
"But how did Korean capital get into Haiti? Isn't that America's backyard?"
The reason the United States couldn't block Korea's entry into Haiti was simple.
"America was too busy dealing with the aftermath of the economic depression."
Korea's capital entered formally as private investment, but in reality, it was different.
"If it's going in through government loans, it's basically government investment."
This meant Korea's advance was a policy-driven entry at the 'government level.'
And in fact, that's exactly how Korea proceeded.
Pyongyang mainly invested in infrastructure and the like, building up its influence over the Haitian economy.
Of course, it didn't make money.
"Then why invest?"
This was Jang Dong-yoon's own form of 'retaliation' against America's encroachment into the Third World.
"If we get hit and can't hit back, how can we show our faces to the people?"
Jang Dong-yoon's regime's aggressive investment strategy temporarily slowed down during Lee Seok-gyun's era.
"There are plenty of places to spend money, no reason to invest in a dead loss like Haiti."
Bae Seong-jun pushed Haiti investments to the back burner and slashed aid loans dramatically.
This was Pyongyang's own gesture of restraint toward friction with America.
"Let's get along for a while."
Bae Seong-jun slapped Washington across the face but took a step back on Caribbean issues, which were like America's reverse scale.
In Haiti, Korea settled for maintaining the status quo for a while.
But no status quo lasts forever.
In the cutthroat world of international relations, where yesterday's enemy becomes today's friend and today's friend becomes tomorrow's enemy, change was the only constant.
Once the brief thaw ended and tensions flared between Korea and the US, Pyongyang began showing interest in Haiti again.
"If America's trying to pull China into their Quad alliance with high-handed talk, we can raise our own bullet sponge."
Pyongyang proposed an alliance to Haiti.
"If we form an alliance, can your country really protect us?"
"Don't worry. We'll support you actively."
The Haitian government nodded to the proposal.
America was taken aback by Korea's surprise alliance.
"Korea allying with those worthless Haitians? What's their game?"
Korea soon revealed its intentions.
"To properly defend Haiti, we need to deploy some defensive weapons."
"What kind of weapons are you talking about?"
The Haitian government planned to flatly refuse if Korea wanted to deploy offensive missiles.
No point provoking America and ending up like Cuba.
"It's nothing major, just Heavenly Palace surface-to-air missiles."
"Surface-to-air missiles?"
Korea argued that deploying these missile batteries was necessary for defending Haitian airspace and protecting Korean forces.
"Of course, we'll cover all operating costs and provide aid loans too."
With Korea promising massive aid loans on top, the Haitian government began considering the proposal positively.
"Heavenly Palace?"
Word of Korea's surface-to-air missile deployment soon reached Washington.
America didn't react sensitively at first.
"Heavenly Palace is a ground-to-air missile with a range under 200 km. Considering Haiti's location, hundreds of km from our mainland, no need to worry."
But right after Korea took a high-handed stance toward China, America's thinking changed.
"Look at this?"
Korea wouldn't tolerate a country right in front of it cozying up to the opposing side.
So, what about America?
Should they just put up with it?
"No way."
Thinking it over, even if Heavenly Palace wasn't a threat now, if the technology advanced, it might threaten aircraft over American airspace.
"Better to nip the problem in the bud before that happens."
Washington immediately pressured Haiti over the Heavenly Palace deployment.
"If you don't want to be kicked out of the Organization of American States, don't even think about deploying toys like Heavenly Palace."
The Haitian government felt strong displeasure at America's high-handed attitude.
"Whether it's Heavenly Palace or whatever, deploying weapons is our sovereign right. And it's defensive gear—why get so sensitive?"
Despite America's pressure, Haiti pushed back pretty hard.
With Korea and the EA backing them up, they had no intention of backing down.
"If it weren't for Korea, we'd crush them like Grenada in one go."
As if anticipating this, Korea dispatched a 50-man Haitian garrison Korean force and set up a de facto front line.
Mindful of that, America couldn't touch Haiti militarily.
But leaving Haiti alone was out of the question.
America issued unofficial threats to Haiti.
"If you keep being stubborn, we'll make you hurt."
Haiti got scared at Washington's tough warning.
"America's the type that follows through if they say it."
They were the ones who slapped terrorism charges on perfectly fine Libya and wiped it out overnight.
Haiti considered backing off on the Heavenly Palace deployment.
Then Korea applied pressure.
"Why the flip-flopping? Once you pick a side, stick to it."
From Haiti's perspective, Korea was a scary opponent too.
Just looking at the share held by Korea's megacorp Kosco in Haiti showed Korea's influence was not to be ignored.
If resource giant Kosco International pulled out of Haiti, the country's GDP could halve.
The political class, fattened on Korean money for the past 15 years, also supported the Korean surface-to-air missile deployment.
"America won't push too hard anyway. With Korea solidly behind us, why fear those guys?"
Sensing Haiti's dilemma, America sent its Secretary of State to negotiate.
"We won't demand much. We'll turn a blind eye to the Korea alliance, just oppose heavy weapons from the Korean side."
America's demand was relatively moderate and reasonable—for Washington.
But it clashed directly with Korea's request.
"Think carefully. Remittances from the US mainland and trade with America. Can Haiti survive without that?"
The Haitian government couldn't ignore that.
After agonizing, they tacitly promised America not to deploy Korean Heavenly Palace batteries.
America was pleased with Haiti's three no's promise.
"At least they're not completely clueless."
But Haiti had its own clever workaround.
"As long as it's not Korean military equipment, right?"
The Haitian government proposed receiving the Heavenly Palace batteries under 'Haitian military' affiliation from Korea.
Bae Seong-jun responded positively.
"In exchange, we'll handle maintenance and operations."
Agreement was reached in a flash.
Washington's reaction upon hearing this was utter shock.
"They promise no deployment then pull this stunt behind our backs? Have they lost their minds?"
America's third-in-line Secretary of State had been openly played, so they weren't going to sit idle.
America decided on punitive measures, adding 'insolence' to the charge.
"Designate Haiti a travel ban country!"
"Ban remittances to Haitians!"
"Super 301! We'll correct Haiti's unfair trade practices!"
America signaled its intent to punish Haiti with brutal retaliatory measures.
The Haitian government was appalled at Washington's retaliation.
"No, this is too much."
"Who asked you to humiliate the Secretary of State?"
Haiti quickly ran to Korea begging for support.
"Pyongyang, Pyongyang has to step in."
Korea had been waiting for its cue.
"We'll provide solid support."
Bae Seong-jun had no intention of using his ally as cannon fodder and just watching like reverse America.
Korea filed a WTO challenge against America's Super 301 measures while offering Haitian workers jobs in the Third World.
And it launched a PR offensive against Washington.
"Pathetic—freaking out over one surface-to-air missile deployment and pulling economic sanctions. Wastes the 'world's strongest' title."
America responded to Korea's PR war.
"What nonsense! Heavenly Palace threatens the US mainland."
"How can one puny SAM be a threat?"
"Heavenly Palace's radar monitoring the Caribbean approaches—that's the threat."
"What a joke. Then what's that big radar on Guam?"
Korea mocked America's double standards.
But America had no plans to back down easily on this.
With Heavenly Palace a political hot potato, retreating would deal a fatal blow to the administration.
"So you back off. You Koreans threw your tantrum over Quad too."
"Oh, so you gave up on Quad?"
Neither Korea nor America intended to yield in this standoff.
As the growling continued, America—reaching its patience limit—decided to change the game rules.
"Time for the coup de grâce."
America's coup specialists at Langley pulled the regime change card.