Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Calm Before the Storm
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Ring!
I was woken by a phone call at the crack of dawn.
The caller was Oh Joong-geun, the Minister of National Defense.
I cleared my throat and pressed the call button, and an excited voice came from the other end.
-Sorry to call so early, but a North Korean patrol boat has crossed south again.
I shot up.
Startled, I scrambled out of bed.
The first thing that came to mind was the potential outcome of what might have happened next.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, the Minister continued.
-And we obliterated all three of them with exactly three shells!
"...Three boats?"
-Yes, the entire group that crossed over was wiped out. Those damn bastards, we were just waiting to see when they’d try another provocation, and they walked right into it. Anyway, with this, those blasted North Korean patrol boats won’t even dare to show their faces on the West Coast anymore. I was just wondering when we'd finally be able to let our fallen soldiers rest in peace... The situation might have gotten messy, but I feel completely vindicated.
The Minister sounded unusually ecstatic for such a situation.
Then again, the sacrifice of our soldiers had always been a thorn in my side, too.
Although I was worried about the aftermath, it felt like a heavy weight had been lifted.
"What about the North's response?"
-Strangely, there's been no movement.
It seemed like a reaction born from fear of escalation.
But hadn't we said that if the North provoked us again, we would strike their entire coastal base?
It was a little strange that he didn't mention it.
"Did you strike their coastal bases as well?"
-That was the original plan, but the Chairman of the JCS strongly opposed it.
His words left me momentarily stunned.
If the Minister had stopped it, I would understand, but why the JCS Chairman, Lee Dong-wook?
He was a man who believed in retaliation more firmly than anyone.
*'Something else I'm not aware of must be going on.'*
-Well, it's a bit of a shame, but this event has certainly served as revenge for the first Battle of Yeonpyeong, so we'll have to be satisfied with that for now. We'll be holding a briefing at the Ministry of Defense soon, so please watch the news. And I'll need you to come by the government complex in the near future.
The call ended there.
I quickly turned on the TV to wake my still-groggy body, and every channel was already covering the incident.
[This morning, North Korean forces once again carried out a provocation in the waters near Baengnyeong Island. Fortunately, there were no casualties on our side this time. In fact, we completely destroyed the three North Korean patrol boats that attempted the provocation.]
The reporter sounded particularly excited.
It seemed they were focusing on the result rather than the essence of the incident.
Just in case, I flipped through the channels, but elsewhere, the news was also focused entirely on our victory.
*'No one seems interested in why they decided to provoke us again.'*
That was what I was most curious about.
Such frequent provocations were more likely to corner them.
Their attitude was completely incomprehensible.
[With this, I think we can finally appease the restless souls of our comrades.]
As I was lost in thought, a familiar face appeared on the TV.
Captain Yoon Tae-hwan, a participant and victim of the first naval battle.
It seemed one of the quicker broadcast stations was in the middle of an interview with him.
[According to the military's announcement, it will now be difficult for North Korea to carry out provocations on land as well as at sea.]
The reporter ended the interview with a comment meant to soothe the public's anxiety.
In a final glimpse, I saw a smile on Captain Yoon Tae-hwan's face that I hadn't seen before.
It was unlikely he could completely shake off the trauma, but he seemed to have shed some of the psychological burden he carried for his fallen comrades.
**********
[The United States has warned that it will no longer stand by and watch North Korea's provocations. Furthermore, it has declared that if the North engages in additional provocations, the U.S. military may also retaliate this time.]
The aftershocks of the incident hit a few days later.
Although North Korea suffered the greater damage, the excessively frequent provocations had finally gotten on America's nerves. As a result, the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command immediately issued a statement and announced that two aircraft carriers would be deployed to the Korean Peninsula.
[Our government has expressed caution regarding U.S. intervention....]
The Blue House immediately expressed concern over America's hardline stance.
It was called intervention, but it meant they could carry out active bombing runs.
In that case, a full-scale war could truly break out, so the government used every channel available to persuade the United States.
[The Japanese cabinet has released a statement fully supporting the U.S. response. It also announced its intention to respond to the situation based on the solid ROK-U.S.-Japan trilateral cooperation.]
"What a load of bullshit."
The words slipped out as I heard the news about Japan's reaction.
Vice President Kim Young-gi's gaze instantly fell on me.
Realizing my slip, I ran a hand through my hair, and he gave a faint smile.
"I hear far-right groups have been gaining power in Japanese politics recently. Since they desire nothing more than tension between us and North Korea, it's understandable why they're so excited and acting out like this."
Come to think of it, this was around the time the Japanese right-wing began to seriously gain influence.
Of course, the country's political sphere had long been a playground for far-right groups, but at least they used to be mindful of their neighbors' opinions.
This was about the time they started to ignore their surroundings and push themselves to the forefront.
"I think there's a real possibility the U.S. will launch an airstrike. What are your thoughts, Vice President?"
"We can't rule it out. Isn't that why the Blue House is pulling out all the stops, using every connection they have?"
"There must be quite a few anti-war voices in the U.S. Congress. Wouldn't it be better to target them?"
"They probably ran to them first. Our government knows it's more effective to first contact pro-Korean members of the Democratic Party and the Republicans, rather than dealing directly with the current U.S. administration, which is leaning toward Japan."
Vice President Kim's words were hopeful.
Even so, a sense of unease lingered.
It wasn't a fear of war itself, but rather the fact that this country still lacked the ability to handle the aftermath of one.
If an all-out war broke out now, the post-war settlement would once again be dictated by foreign powers, tearing this country apart. That had to be avoided at all costs.
"You don't have to worry so much. The U.S. can't easily decide to go to war on the Korean Peninsula either. Besides, North Korea has its tail between its legs for now, doesn't it?"
That was one small comfort.
The fact that North Korea hadn't launched any further provocations even after losing three patrol boats.
Thankfully, the situation seemed to be heading toward a resolution. If they had insisted on going all the way, a U.S. airstrike would have already been a foregone conclusion.
"In that case, it's a huge relief our military didn't strike the North Korean coastal bases."
"Actually, Chairman of the JCS Lee Dong-wook opposed it at the time."
"Ah! I was just about to ask about that. Didn't the Chairman originally support the principle of striking the origin point if North Korea provoked us again? Why the sudden change in policy?"
"Well, the thing is... it seems he received intelligence from the new Deputy Commander of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. That the U.S. was looking for an opportunity due to the North's recent provocations. The issue of pre-emptive strikes has already been mentioned within the U.S. government because of the nuclear development problem, hasn't it? He must have judged that if we acted too aggressively, the U.S. might really launch an airstrike. Looking at America's attitude now, it was the right decision."
"Hmm..."
"By the way, what I don't understand is North Korea's attitude."
Vice President Kim continued.
I glanced over and saw a rather serious expression on his face.
"What about it?"
"They must have known we installed naval guns on Baengnyeong Island. And it wouldn't have been difficult for them to deduce that it was a long-range precision artillery system utilizing smart shells. So why did they carry out another reckless provocation in that situation?"
That was the very point I had been most curious about.
With their intelligence capabilities, they must have already figured out that we had installed a long-range precision artillery system on Baengnyeong Island.
Yet instead of being cautious, they rushed in like moths to a flame.
"...You have a point."
Moreover, they would have known better than anyone that the situation was unfavorable for them.
Just as Vice President Kim said, they could become a target for the U.S. at any moment due to their nuclear development.
And yet they continue with these provocations?
It was something that defied common sense.
*'What on earth is going on?'*
"Anyway, if we can just appease the U.S. this time, I think the Korean Peninsula will be quiet for a while. They must have realized by now that our response is firm, not just on land but at sea as well."
Senior Managing Director Kim Young-gi stood up, looking rather relieved.
He then straightened his suit, looking as if he were about to head out.
"Do you have an appointment somewhere?"
"Hmm..."
Vice President Kim Young-gi suddenly stared at me intently.
His eyes seemed to say, 'This is all your fault.'
Sure enough, a long sigh escaped his lips, followed by a complaint.
"I'd rather not mention that the Chairman appointed me as the final authority on normalizing Ssang-ung Motors, which has left me in a state where I can't even eat a proper lunch."
I couldn't really say anything to that.
Even with a professional manager in place, the group's involvement was inevitable until the company was back on its feet.
I had entrusted Ssang-ung to Vice President Kim Young-gi and the Daeyoo Truck division to CEO Yoon.
"Then let's go together."
"You're saying you want to come along for the site inspection?"
Vice President Kim asked, his eyes wide.
"It's about time I checked on the site myself anyway. And I have a few things to deliver. Let's just have lunch there."
**********
"Welcome, Chairman."
When we arrived at the Pyeongtaek factory, the new CEO of Ssang-ung Motors was already waiting for us, having been notified of our visit.
His name was Ahn Do-hyung.
He was once the Senior Managing Director of Development at Gear Motors, a legendary figure in the commercial vehicle industry who had worked his way up from engineer to that executive position.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Choi Ji-wook, in charge of new car development."
Senior Managing Director Choi Ji-wook was no ordinary man either.
He was an exceptionally talented individual who had worked at an Italian automotive design institute for a full fifteen years.
At one point, Mercedes-Benz in Germany had tried to recruit him, but in the end, he couldn't resist Jin Hyun-cheol's persistent persuasion and settled at Ssang-ung.
"Let's talk over a meal."
At my words, the men began to lead the way in a group.
It looked as if they were taking me to a well-known restaurant.
But the place I chose was the cafeteria on one side of the factory, and we ended up eating the leftovers after the factory employees had been served.
"Frankly, with the vehicles currently in production, the chances of recovery are close to zero."
I broke the silence after we had mostly finished our meal.
It was a late lunch, so we were the only ones in the spacious cafeteria.
The room suddenly fell quiet, and all eyes were fixed on my lips.
"Therefore, the group plans to invest about four hundred billion won in new car development over the next two years."
Four hundred billion won was not a small sum.
It was enough to launch at least two new models.
The CEO, flustered by my plan to develop two new models in such a short time, spoke up.
"How about we develop just one new model for now? We still have one or two popular models among our existing products, so I don't think our deficit will increase significantly."
"Of course, I know the risk is high. Especially considering Ssang-ung's market share, it's true we don't know how many years it might take to break even. But if we keep insisting on the same old models that people are not just familiar with but sick of, Ssang-ung's decline will only steepen."
"..."
The CEO fell silent at my words.
No, the faint smile I saw on his face seemed more like excitement.
In truth, he probably had no reason to object to being able to focus on development without worrying about money.
Slowly.
At that moment, I looked at Secretary Kim.
She took a large bundle of papers from her bag and immediately spread them out on the table.
"This is the design format I'd like Ssang-ung to adopt as its concept going forward."
"A design format?"
Senior Managing Director Choi Ji-wook was the first to react.
It was only natural, as this would be his domain.
I worried he might be offended by my overstepping, but thankfully, his eyes lit up as he examined the blueprints from various angles.
"It's an RV."
"Since that has always been Ssang-ung's main focus."
"This design is extraordinary."
Contrary to my concerns, Choi Ji-wook let out a stream of exclamations.
Then again, the overall design was different from the existing mainstream style.
Especially the thin, long headlights, contrasted with the large, gleaming radiator grille.
And the body lines, reminiscent of a sports car, were quite futuristic without being overly burdensome, which must have piqued his curiosity even more.
"Oh, and we'll also be starting development on a new engine, so you should prepare for that."
I tossed out the comment while everyone was still admiring the design.
Startled, the CEO and Choi Ji-wook's gazes snapped to me, and I handed them the documents I received from Secretary Kim.
"These are the engine blueprints and a detailed guide on improving component materials. The development period is one year. We'll source all components from existing suppliers, with the exception of the crankshaft manufacturer."
"Why the crankshaft...?"
"The new engine we're developing will require a level of wear resistance that existing materials can't handle. Therefore, we will be using a component from a supplier I will select later."
With that, I stood up from my seat.
I wanted to exchange as many opinions as possible about the normalization plan, but I had an afternoon schedule.
I felt I would be hard-pressed to make my appointment if I didn't hurry.
Ring!
Just as I was about to get into the car, the phone in my pocket rang.
The caller was the Director of the NIS.
Something clicked, and when I checked the date, I realized Putin's visit to Korea was just around the corner.
"He's finally coming."