Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: New Alignments
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In the kitchen of the Blue House annex, where I arrived late, a simple table with drinks was set.
Though to call it a drinking table was a stretch—just a few bottles of makgeolli and some dried snacks.
If it weren't for the security personnel standing guard in the distance, the atmosphere was such that one could easily forget this was the Blue House.
“My apologies for being late.”
The Director of the National Intelligence Service, who had been contacted belatedly, burst through the door, out of breath.
He gave me a slight nod, then took a seat with an expression that suggested, unlike me, he wasn't particularly fazed by such a situation.
“What’s the word from the White House?”
The President asked casually as he poured a drink into the NIS Director's glass.
The Director hesitated for a moment.
Sensing he was conscious of my presence, I wore a troubled expression, prompting the President to speak again.
“It’s a matter that will be announced to the press soon anyway. You can speak freely.”
“Well, if you say so, Mr. President… For now, the United States has responded positively to the conditions we put forward.”
The flow of the conversation felt a little strange.
The United States. And conditions.
As I glanced at the President, he spoke in a low voice.
“The government is considering a partially positive response to America’s continuous requests for troop deployment.”
“……”
“Of course, a final decision requires an agreement with the National Assembly, but the opposition party is also positive about dispatching combat troops, so there shouldn't be a problem. Therefore, I’m thinking of deploying about 200 Special Forces personnel for post-war stabilization operations.”
For a moment, my mind went blank.
Although it came with the caveat of ‘post-war stabilization operations’—meaning they wouldn't be thrown into the current fighting—dispatching combat troops was not a matter to be taken lightly.
With this, history had once again strayed from its path, and now I couldn't even begin to guess how it would unfold.
“But what does it mean that their response to our conditions was positive?”
I immediately asked out of curiosity.
The President, who had been holding a bottle of makgeolli, gently set it down and continued with a long sigh.
“Chairman Jin, you must be well aware that the reason the U.S. is asking us to dispatch combat troops isn't because they lack military power, right?”
That was a given.
Frankly, why would a country like the United States need outside help to topple a nation like Iraq?
They were simply trying to alleviate the burden of waging a war that lacked justification on their own. And they likely wanted to use this opportunity to confirm the solidarity of their alliances.
“Of course.”
“So, we plan to fulfill their request and get what we can in return.”
“What you can get…?”
I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Seeing his expression, I felt like I already knew what it was.
As I stared at him in bewilderment, he offered a faint smile.
“That’s right. Acquiescence to our development of a nuclear-powered submarine. That was our condition.”
“And the U.S. accepted that?”
I asked in surprise, and the President looked at me intently.
A slight frown creased his brow before his lips parted again.
“What you need to understand at this point, Chairman Jin, is the word ‘acquiescence.’”
“……”
“Simply put, they won't oppose our development of it, but they have no intention of helping, either.”
Hearing that, a series of events from before my regression came to mind.
There was a time when we had pushed for possessing nuclear-powered submarines to counter North Korea's nuclear capabilities, and the U.S. had tacitly approved it.
But then they put us in a difficult position by refusing to sell us nuclear fuel, citing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
No matter how I looked at it, this felt like a repeat of that incident.
“Are you aware that even if they acquiesce, it may not mean they’re actually permitting it?”
I asked him pointedly.
What was surprising was that he seemed to have seen right through the intent of my question.
“That’s right. We would be in a bind if the U.S. refused to sell us nuclear fuel, citing the Non-Proliferation Treaty. I’ve considered that they might have agreed so easily for that very reason.”
“……”
“But for us, that’s still something, isn’t it? I’m sure a solution to the fuel problem will emerge eventually.”
I had no retort.
It seemed reckless, but it didn't feel entirely impossible, either.
In truth, if we looked for a way, we would find one.
Regardless of America's intentions, this was a significant gain for us.
“In any case, what I wanted to say is that the path to developing a nuclear-powered submarine is now open for us. Of course, it will only be possible after the development of the 3,000-ton class submarine is complete, so we’ll probably be able to attempt it in at least seven years.”
“……”
Seeing my silence, the President gave a faint smile.
Something seemed to cross his mind, and his brow furrowed again as he brought up the matter of the troop deployment.
“What concerns me is that even if it's for post-war stabilization, there will likely be some sacrifice on the part of our soldiers. I feel guilty about that.”
To be honest, that part worried me too.
In the Iraq War, most of the American casualties occurred not in the war itself, but in the small and large skirmishes that arose during the reconstruction process.
The only way to minimize casualties would be to send them with perfect armament.
When I asked just in case, a look of firm resolve washed over the President's face.
“I intend to fully mobilize the military's reserve funds to perfectly equip the dispatched units.”
I let out a sigh, thinking that was at least a relief.
With a slight smile, the President drained his glass. Then, as if another thought had struck him, his face lit up with an “Ah!”
“By the way, have you heard the news that the Israeli Prime Minister is scheduled to visit our country in a few days?”
“……”
For a moment, I stared blankly at the President.
I had no memory of the Israeli Prime Minister visiting us at this time in history.
Come to think of it, the Israeli Ministry of Defense had recently informed us out of the blue that they wanted to visit Jaewoo to see the Polar Bear. Hearing this news now made the situation easier to understand.
In short, it was probably something like this.
They were using the Prime Minister’s visit as an opportunity.
‘Israel…’
******
[The United States has captured Baghdad today.]
Just two weeks after the war began, Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed.
So far, the total number of coalition casualties was 164.
In contrast, the Iraqi military had suffered a staggering 9,200 casualties.
[The United States expects the war to end as quickly as possible.]
If history followed its course, that statement would be correct.
Just two months.
The Iraq War I knew had ended in that short period.
But did they know?
The real war was only just beginning.
After this, the United States would be unable to extricate itself from Iraq, suffering continuous losses, and that would become one of the factors that drained America's strength.
Knock, knock!
“Senior Managing Director Im is here, Chairman.”
While I was lost in thought, Senior Managing Director Im came to my office for his regular report.
The Strategic Planning Office was already a busy department, tasked with identifying variables arising from various incidents at home and abroad.
With the Iraq War breaking out on top of that, his face looked practically zombified.
“How about taking a few days off for a vacation?”
I suggested he rest, feeling genuinely sorry for him.
Perhaps thinking I was just saying it, he gave a faint smile and placed the reports on my desk.
“You don't need to worry. This is still heaven compared to when I was at the NIS.”
“Still, you have to consider your age now. I’ll tell the secretary's office, so please take a few days off with your family at our training center in Jeju Island.”
“Is that really okay?”
Senior Managing Director Im’s face finally brightened.
Anyone seeing this would think I was some kind of slave-driving corporate owner.
Then again, when the chairman himself was practically married to his work 365 days a year, the employees couldn't have had it easy.
“The company will cover the expenses, so feel free to bill us for whatever it costs.”
“In that case, I would be delighted.”
He hurried through his report as if he wanted to leave the company that very instant.
He covered the problems that arose during the construction of the car factory in Russia and the countermeasures taken.
He also reported on the preliminary investigation results ahead of the joint resource development with Russia, for which discussions had recently begun in earnest.
Most of it were issues I was already familiar with, so there didn't seem to be anything that required my special attention.
“Sir…”
As I was signing the reports, Senior Managing Director Im hesitated.
I looked up, puzzled, and he scratched his head as he took a step closer.
“You’re aware that the Israeli Prime Minister arrived in our country this morning, right?”
“I am. As a matter of fact, I’m scheduled to tour the Polar Bear production line with their Minister of Defense this afternoon. Why do you ask?”
“Then are you also aware that the Mossad proposed an intelligence-sharing agreement with our NIS?”
“……”
I put down the pen I was holding.
Although I was more or less a layman in that field, I had a feeling this was no ordinary news.
It wasn't just any agency, but the Mossad—an organization that even the intelligence agencies of the U.S. and Russia had to defer to in certain areas.
I couldn't quite grasp why such a group, wanting for nothing, would propose an intelligence-sharing agreement with the NIS.
Wait, but I thought Israel and we already had some level of intelligence exchange for a long time. Was I mistaken?
“Have we had no intelligence exchange with Israel until now?”
“Of course not. We’ve had some level of exchange, but this time, the scale itself is different.”
“How so?”
“Well, since I'm a civilian now, I don't know the exact details… but judging by the bright tone in the NIS Director’s voice, I would guess it’s on a level close to the intelligence-sharing agreement between the U.S. and our country.”
“……”
If that was the case, it didn't seem like a bad deal for us.
No, for us, who were always dissatisfied with the limited information we received from the U.S., it might have been like rain in a drought.
History deviating from its path in this way felt strangely positive again.
“By the way, I think I know why the Mossad made such a request.”
I looked back at Senior Managing Director Im at his passing remark.
He shrugged once, then, with a triumphant expression as if he had been given a chance to prove his worth, he continued.
“North Korea and Iran’s nuclear development. They took into account that these two issues are inextricably linked. That's why they needed our HUMINT on North Korea. To be fair, the same goes for us. The NIS seems to have agreed because it gives them easy access to information on the Middle East.”
It occurred to me that he might be right.
Historically, there had been theories that Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs were intertwined.
No, it was closer to a fact than a theory.
That being said, I was worried about our relationship with Iran, which had been quite good until now. I wondered how the government would handle it.
“Iran will express its disappointment.”
“They may be disappointed, but they won't be able to make a big fuss. Honestly, they’re playing both sides between us and North Korea, aren’t they?”
Hearing that, his point made sense.
I glanced at the clock with a wry laugh. It was already 1 p.m.
It was time to prepare for my meeting with the Israeli Minister of Defense.
“If you have nothing more to say, let's get going. We need to hurry to get to the factory.”
“Ah, there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”
Just as I was about to grab my suit jacket, he quickly interjected.
A serious expression.
Feeling that something unusual was about to be said, I slowly put the jacket back down.
“I heard something from the NIS Director that I don't quite understand. He said it’s not classified information yet, so it should be fine to tell you, Chairman…”
“...What is it?”
“He said he heard it from the Mossad Director who accompanied the Prime Minister. For the past few years, an enormous amount of money has been flowing into North Korea through Chongryon.”