Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: A Presidential Proposal
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“Compensation?”
The slight buzz I was feeling vanished in an instant.
The President, having downed his glass in one go, began to speak on a completely different topic, offering no explanation for the word he had just uttered.
“By the way, Chairman Jin, you must be well aware of the Chang Bogo-class submarines' performance on the international stage, right?”
“Of course, I am, but why the sudden change of subject…?”
“Being here suddenly reminded me of it. Isn't it impressive how those submarines, merely 1200-ton vessels, achieve such incredible results whenever they participate in RIMPAC exercises?”
“...”
For a coincidence, it sent a strange chill down my spine.
After all, I had been thinking the exact same thing earlier while looking at the docks.
The moment I offered a faint smile in agreement, he continued.
“I'm told the ROKS Yi Jongmu, which participated in the '98 RIMPAC, sank a total of thirteen ships. And on top of that, it completed the exercise without a single malfunction, earning the honor of being selected as the best-maintained vessel.”
“...”
“And that's not all. The ROKS Park Wi, which participated in 2000, sank a staggering eleven virtual enemy ships and, what’s more, survived to the end, astonishing the American officials.”
His account of the Chang Bogo-class submarines’ exploits ended there.
Well, the 2002 RIMPAC hadn't happened yet.
If I were to make a prediction, the Chang Bogo-class would again distinguish itself in this year's RIMPAC, and in the 2004 exercise, the ROKS Chang Bogo would sink a whopping thirty ships without even being detected once.
“So, let me ask you one thing, Chairman Jin.”
The President spoke again while I was lost in my thoughts.
His face had become flushed at some point.
Yet, his demeanor and speech were perfectly composed, which only heightened the tension.
“Please, go ahead.”
“Chairman Jin, what are your thoughts on our future submarine acquisition program? We're scheduled to begin construction of the 1800-ton class in a few years, but will that truly be enough to maintain a balance with neighboring countries?”
“...”
Something about the atmosphere felt off, so I remained silent.
I glanced at the NIS Director, hoping for a clue, but his expression showed he was just as clueless about the President's intentions.
Meanwhile, the President continued.
“According to our intelligence, Japan is planning to build submarines with a submerged displacement of a staggering 4000 tons. In that situation, we’re aiming for a mere 1800-ton class. It seems we’ll be too busy playing catch-up to even think about balance.”
He must be talking about the Soryu-class submarines.
The ones Japan was developing with a target commission date of 2009.
Vessels touted as having the best performance among all diesel submarines ever built.
Considering that, the President wasn't wrong to say we were always stuck in the position of a pursuer.
“From the sound of it, Mr. President, you want us to have submarines that can counter them, but we can't just reverse the 1800-ton construction project that's already been planned.”
Regrets were regrets, but I had to remind him of the reality.
With the SS-II project already confirmed, we couldn't just cancel it and change course.
Putting everything else aside, Hyunwoo, the company already selected for the project, wouldn't just sit idly by.
“Who said anything about scrapping it entirely?”
The President's expression turned firm as he spoke again.
As I stared blankly, he refilled my empty glass and continued.
“We will proceed with the construction of the three vessels planned for the first phase of the project, but that will be the end of it.”
“...End it with just the first phase?”
It wasn't impossible.
After all, any additional procurement of weapons only begins when the military puts in a request.
In other words, if there was no request to continue the project, it could be terminated. The President was saying he would create that "situation."
“And then, separate from the Son Won-il-class project, we will initiate an additional project to build 3000-ton class submarines.”
My bewilderment grew.
Building 1800-ton and 3000-ton submarines simultaneously was not something easily accepted by common sense.
Technical issues aside, there was the problem of the budget.
But as if reading my mind, the President spoke again.
“The 1800-ton class was a project planned long ago. Thanks to that, a regular budget has already been allocated over several years. So, for the 3000-ton class, I intend to allocate funds from the upcoming Mid-term Defense Plan.”
The influence of the Navy flashed through my mind.
With an unprecedentedly massive budget for force enhancement, there was no way they would miss this opportunity.
Perhaps their desires aligned with the President's, who had always prioritized the development of the Navy and Air Force over the Army.
In fact, this was hinted at when the draft of the Mid-term Defense Plan was first announced; the budget allocated for strengthening naval power was nearly double that of the Army's.
‘Well, if I were in the Navy, with that kind of budget, I'd prefer 3000-ton submarines over a half-baked 1800-ton class. Anyway, was *that* what he meant by compensation?’
My guess was probably correct.
Judging from the Type 209 case, the number of units procured would likely be nine.
With each vessel costing nearly one trillion won to build, constructing nine of them would mean I would be bringing in a budget close to nine trillion won. That was more than enough to be called compensation.
“I understand your intentions, Mr. President, but would Hyunwoo really just stand by and watch that happen?”
That was my main concern.
Hyunwoo had won the 1800-ton contract by shouldering enormous losses, all because they feared falling behind in submarine construction. There was no way they would just let this slide.
For them, who must have taken the continuation of the project for granted, this news would be a bolt from the blue.
“Hyunwoo has already agreed.”
But the President shook his head firmly.
As I tilted my head in confusion, he elaborated.
“It turns out Hyunwoo bribed some generals during the selection process for the Son Won-il-class. Of course, the generals provided the opening, but Hyunwoo can't escape responsibility. We secured their concession on the condition that we would quietly drop the matter.”
“You mean they not only won the bid at a price below cost but also paid bribes?”
“So I'm told. In a way, it's understandable. For the Type 209s, Daeyoo won all the contracts except for the first ship. If they lost the 1800-ton class as well, they would never have another chance to acquire submarine construction technology, so they must have felt compelled to go to such lengths.”
Hearing that, it made sense.
For the sake of operational uniformity, once a contractor is chosen for a submarine class, it's customary for the same company to build all subsequent vessels of that class.
If Daeyoo had taken the 1800-ton contract as well, Hyunwoo would have been shut out from acquiring the technology forever.
So, they must have been desperate to hold on, even if it meant taking losses and paying bribes.
“How many ships are you envisioning?”
I asked, trying to calm my racing heart.
A faint smile seemed to form on the President's face before he drew the number 12 on the table.
“I'm thinking of twelve. That seems appropriate to ensure we have a comfortable margin in our military strength.”
The President had a dreamy look on his face.
Suddenly, a question crossed my mind: why was he so fixated on the 3000-ton class?
Then it occurred to me that, unlike Japan, there was one more thing our 3000-ton submarines could do.
“Forgive me for asking, but is the reason you're so insistent on the 3000-ton class because, unlike Japan, we can equip them with ballistic or cruise missiles?”
The President's brow twitched at my carefully worded question.
So that was it.
Well, if the goal was to keep neighboring countries in check, that was certainly the most effective way.
“That's right. If we're going to build submarines, I believe it's better to establish a clear strategic advantage. There may be limits to the vertical launch systems we can install, but it's better than having none at all. I intend to resolve that before my term ends.”
Come to think of it, the President had less than a year left in his term.
It was already time to worry about the next administration.
The thought suddenly struck me that this might be another reason he was rushing things.
‘Right, even if his successor shares his political ideology, there's no guarantee they'll continue the same military projects.’
Especially since the officials involved would be replaced during the transition of power, and there was no assurance they would be as committed to strengthening national defense as the current administration.
If possible, it was wise to get things done now rather than postpone them.
“I agree with your thinking, Mr. President, but I think we should stop at nine.”
The President's eyes widened at my deliberate statement.
He must have been stunned that I was cutting down the number of units when he had offered twelve as a gift.
But for the future, this was the right move.
“Why?”
“To possess a true strategic submarine, even the 3000-ton class is insufficient. That's why I believe it's better to stop at nine and leave the possibility of developing a 5000-ton or larger class as a long-term objective.”
“...”
The look in the President's eyes changed completely.
He understood what a 5000-ton class implied.
But he seemed unable to say it out loud, merely letting out a low groan.
“I see your dreams are even grander than mine, Chairman Jin.”
“They say you should always dream big, don't they? Besides, if the North acquires fully functional nuclear weapons, their next steps will be to develop long-range ballistic missiles and a nuclear-armed submarine force. In that scenario, our only realistic counter is to possess our own nuclear-powered submarines. Therefore, it's a path we must inevitably take.”
“Who doesn't know that? The problem is that our reality is not so accommodating.”
“Even so, we need to at least leave the possibility open. And it's not entirely impossible.”
“...”
“Actually, the reason I suggested nine ships is to maintain a moderate level of military deficiency. Frankly, even nine 3000-ton submarines would struggle to compete with our neighbors. Especially when Japan is planning twelve 4000-ton submarines. Inevitably, the call for additional construction will arise someday, and at that point…”
The President's expression showed he finally understood my intention.
Historically, South Korea had almost never selected a next-generation submarine with a smaller displacement than its existing fleet.
As I said, when the need for additional procurement was raised later due to the power disparity with neighboring countries, there would be a strong argument for a 5000-ton or larger class.
But building a diesel submarine of 5000 tons or more is pointless in many ways, so nuclear propulsion would naturally be the only option considered.
“Hah…”
Moreover, no one knew how the situation would change in the future.
For instance, before my regression, hadn't we at least secured an agreement from the United States to possess nuclear-powered submarines?
“You're right, one never knows what the future holds. Very well, if that is your thinking, Chairman Jin, let's proceed with nine ships.”
The President finally nodded in agreement.
Then, as if something occurred to him, he shot me a sharp look.
“But I was forgetting the most important fact. Do we even have the technology to build 3000-ton submarines?”
“We have more than enough capability to build the hull itself. The problem is the AIP—the Air-Independent Propulsion system based on fuel cells—and other technologies we don't yet possess. But we're scheduled to receive that technology from Germany for the construction of the Son Won-il-class, so we can utilize that. As for the combat system, the technological prowess of the Jaewoo Research Institute should be more than enough to develop our own.”
Despite my words, there were actually no problems at all.
The experience of building over three 3000-ton submarines was right here, on my wrist.
From the AIP to other operational and combat systems. Back then, we had achieved about 80% localization of parts, which meant recreating it in this era would be no issue at all.
“That's a good method.”
The President's eyes gleamed as he refilled his glass again.
After downing it in one gulp, he suddenly took out his phone and made a call.
“I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask the Chief of Naval Operations to come to the Blue House tonight, however late it may be.”
“...”
The term "Chief of Naval Operations" particularly caught my ear.
Given the context of our conversation, it was clearly him.
I was quite curious about the President's intention in summoning him to the Blue House at this late hour.
*Click!*
After a brief conversation, the President looked at me again.
A slight smile touched his lips, and then he said something that caught me completely off guard.
“Chairman Jin, you're coming with me on the helicopter. No need to waste time driving.”
“Why me…?”
“Now that we've confirmed the possibility, we need to put it into action. Let's have a more detailed discussion with the Chief of Naval Operations.”
“...”