Chapter 48: “Why Do South Korean Weapons Work in the Desert and Even in the Himalayas?” Why India Went Wild
Secret conference room at the Research and Analysis Wing headquarters in New Delhi, India.
(Translator’s Note:Research and Analysis Wing — India’s foreign-intelligence service, commonly abbreviated as RAW. It was established in 1968 following intelligence shortcomings exposed by India’s wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965.)
“Is this report really true?”
“Yes. Twenty of North Korea’s most elite soldiers launched a nighttime assault, but the attack was stopped single-handedly without a single casualty.”
The Director of RAW muttered in disbelief.
“South Korea has already domestically developed advanced weapons like these?”
The report on his desk contained real combat data on the Anti-Drone Laser Turret and Reconnaissance Drone, which had silently intercepted dozens of suicide drones with perfect accuracy.
Of course, this was limited information that Hyesung had deliberately leaked to advertise Science Facility’s products.
“Recently, other European countries have reportedly been unable to buy enough South Korean weapons to meet demand.”
“These reconnaissance drones and anti-drone laser turrets are particularly interesting. Aren’t they exactly the kind of equipment the Indian military needs along the borders with China and Pakistan...?”
The RAW Director found the clash between North Korea and a mere defense company so fascinating that he almost wondered whether it had been staged as a form of publicity to sell new products.
“Just what kind of scientist is this Ryu Hyesung...? Is he even human...?”
“Director, why don’t we take this opportunity to actively pursue the import of South Korean weapons?”
“The weapons we need now are intended for deployment in the western Thar Desert. Will these South Korean weapons operate properly in such extreme heat?”
(Translator’s Note:Thar Desert — A major arid region covering northwestern India and southeastern Pakistan. Also called the Great Indian Desert, it occupies much of the Indian state of Rajasthan and has considerable strategic importance because of its proximity to the India–Pakistan border.)
At his concern, an aide spoke.
“I recently met with a South Korean official, and he said we could rest assured because they work perfectly well in desert climates.”
“Really? How is that possible? As far as I know, South Korea does not have a desert climate.”
“They said South Korean summers are hotter than it is here.”
“Hotter than the desert?”
The Director looked flustered by his aide’s absurd statement.
“Is there really a country like th— Never mind. Submit this report to the Minister of Defence immediately and tell him to conduct a full review of South Korean weapons imports.”
Because of the Japanese tank explosion, India, which had originally intended to buy Japanese weapons, turned its attention toward South Korea.
In particular, the story of Ryu Hyesung subduing the North Korean soldiers was having an enormous advertising effect around the world.
Secret testing ground at Jiupeng Military Base, Taiwan.
(Translator’s Note:Jiupeng Military Base — A weapons-testing and missile-launch facility in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan. It is associated with the development and testing of Taiwanese missile systems, including the Sky Bow family.)
Before a man lay several of Ryu Hyesung’s drones, freshly half-destroyed and still giving off smoke.
“Did you check them?”
The Taiwanese defense official leaned forward and asked.
“Haa... I don’t think it will work.”
The lead researcher shook his head bitterly.
“What do you mean, it won’t work?”
He pointed at the completely destroyed reconnaissance drone.
“We initially planned to damage one slightly during training and inspect it, but... it is extremely difficult to destroy.”
Taiwan had concluded that it could no longer rely solely on South Korea for its national defense.
Eventually, it decided that it needed to inspect the inside of Ryu Hyesung’s drones.
“I told you, we should just open one up instead of going through all this trouble.”
“If we do that, South Korea will be notified immediately. It would also violate the agreement.”
Taiwan had not acquired maintenance rights for Ryu Hyesung’s weapons. Therefore, it was forbidden from opening them for any reason.
“That is why I told you we would claim it was destroyed during training and inspect the inside.”
“But how could you smash it this badly? Do you have any idea how much this costs?”
“What were we supposed to do? This thing avoids almost every interception attempt. This was the only method left.”
Taiwan had even fired one of its domestically produced Sky Bow surface-to-air missiles at it. Ordinary methods had proven completely incapable of intercepting it.
(Translator’s Note:Sky Bow / Tien Kung — A Taiwanese family of surface-to-air missile systems developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology. Development began during the 1980s, with later versions designed to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.)
The only result was the miserably wrecked machine before them.
“How many have we destroyed so far?”
“Five....”
“Two hundred fifty million won... Haa. Just stop.”
For nearly every country, seeing inside the machines developed by Ryu Hyesung or examining their AI logic was practically impossible.
Furthermore, if someone attempted to inspect the inside of a drone without permission, a defensive system installed by Ryu Hyesung would activate.
Yet that system had never once needed to activate.
Oval Office, White House, Washington, D.C.
“Aren’t they people who have no ability to wage war? People who cannot even defend themselves?”
The President of the United States spoke arrogantly.
He had just finished threatening to withdraw from NATO again.
He deeply resented the fact that the United States alone shouldered seventy percent of the alliance’s defense spending.
“They don’t even have any weapons worth buying unless they’re American-made.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
At that moment, the National Security Advisor, a loyal official deeply concerned for the country, stepped forward.
He loved the United States more than he loved the administration.
Then—
“Mr. President, this is an urgent report from the CIA.”
The White House Chief of Staff handed him the report sent by the CIA.
“What is this?”
It contained a photograph of a youthful developer and detailed estimates of various weapons’ specifications.
“It says that the position of global hegemon may shift from the United States to South Korea.”
Thud.
He tossed the report aside as though completely uninterested.
“Mr. President, shouldn’t you read it?”
“I don’t know why the CIA is talking about conspiracy theories.”
Perhaps history might have changed if he had read the report carefully that day.
Strategic conference room at the Ministry of National Defence building in Warsaw, Poland.
“The American President’s pressure over defense spending is growing increasingly severe.”
The Commander of Logistics reported to the Minister of National Defence with a grim expression.
“I’m beginning to wonder whether we should continue calling them allies.”
The Minister rubbed his temple as though suffering a headache.
“The United States may genuinely withdraw from NATO and turn its back on Europe.”
“Let them do whatever they want. It isn’t as though he can be reasoned with anyway. Haa.”
“Even so, is there any country capable of replacing the United States, Minister?”
At the Commander’s words, one country suddenly came to the Minister’s mind.
“What about South Korea instead?”
“South Korea?”
“I hear South Korea’s manufacturing capabilities are actually superior to those of the United States.”
Recently, voices had begun emerging within Europe calling for cooperation with South Korea at the level of a “quasi-alliance” in preparation for pressure from the American President.
At the Minister’s words, the Commander hurriedly searched through the reports.
“Yes, Minister. You are correct. South Korea is a democracy with one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing-based defense industries.”
“Could South Korea supply us with weapons in place of the United States?”
“Yes. That is correct, Minister. Realistically, it is the only country capable of doing so.”
The Commander agreed with him.
“Minister, why don’t we form a new allied coalition centered on South Korea?”
“South Korea replacing the role previously played by the United States...”
Perhaps it was possible.
No, they no longer had a choice.
“Invite South Korea to the NATO summit immediately.”
Office at Science Facility’s Factory No. 2.
The Director of Procurement from India’s Ministry of Defence sat across from me.
“I heard the news. Twenty North Korean soldiers attacked you, yet you subdued them easily with high-performance weapons?”
The Procurement Director smiled awkwardly as he spoke.
He had clearly heard that the attackers had been subdued easily, but on his way inside, he had noticed an entire section of the factory that had been completely destroyed.
“...One section of the factory had been reduced to ruins.”
“Yes. There was a separate explosion incident... Anyway, you said you wanted to purchase all of our products?”
I cleared my throat and quickly changed the subject.
“Yes. India shares a very long border with China. We desperately need high-performance weapons capable of stopping them.”
India was one of South Korea’s friendly nations and hosted many South Korean companies.
“However... the area where we need to deploy the weapons immediately is an extremely hot and dry desert along the border. I am not sure whether the machines will operate properly.”
The Procurement Director spoke with concern.
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that.”
I handed him the specification sheet.
“They can operate without difficulty from minus forty to sixty degrees Celsius.”
“What? The operating range is that broad?”
The Procurement Director’s eyes widened at specifications monstrous enough for use in either the desert or Antarctica.
“Yes. Humidity from zero to one hundred percent is no problem either. They also fully support IP68, the highest level of water and dust resistance.”
(Translator’s Note:IP68 — A protection classification under the International Electrotechnical Commission’s IP Code. The first digit, 6, indicates complete protection against dust; the second digit, 8, indicates resistance to continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer.)
“Why did you make the operating range so extreme?”
“We had no choice if we wanted them to operate outdoors in our country. In summer, temperatures here rise to nearly forty degrees Celsius, while in winter, the front lines in Gangwon Province fall close to minus thirty.”
“Is this... a climate where human beings can live?”
He asked in bewilderment as he signed the contract.
Ladakh, northern India. The Himalayan border region.
(Translator’s Note:Ladakh — A high-altitude region administered by India at the western end of the Himalayas. It borders both Pakistan and China and contains disputed sections of the Line of Actual Control, where Indian and Chinese forces have repeatedly confronted each other.)
This was where the Indian and Chinese militaries faced each other across the border.
The nerve-racking standoff continued every day.
“Damn it. It’s acting up again.”
An Indian Army company commander cursed as he looked at the Russian-made multipurpose tactical vehicle that had broken down in the middle of the snowstorm.
“Why does this piece of junk stop working every chance it gets?”
“The engine appears to have frozen because of the cold. The air pressure is also low.”
“Are we supposed to use this thing or not?”
Unable to contain his anger any longer, the company commander kicked the track of the Russian armored vehicle.
Clang.
“Argh! Fuck, my foot! Ah! This is so fucking irritating!”
His anger rose to its peak.
“Company Commander! Instead of doing that, should we bring over one of the South Korean unmanned tactical vehicles the Ministry of Defence recently purchased?”
“Are you insane? Those were bought for the desert! Don’t you know the wind chill here is minus thirty degrees?”
Weapon specifications differed depending on the country.
Weapons designed for use in scorching deserts filled with sandstorms almost never functioned properly in cold, oxygen-starved high-altitude regions.
At that moment—
Rumble-rumble-rumble.
Two recently imported South Korean unmanned vehicles and one of Ryu Hyesung’s reconnaissance drones came swiftly across the treacherous snow-covered road.
They did not even skid on the frozen surface.
The company commander froze in place in disbelief.
“What is that?”
“Company Commandeeeer!”
The battalion commander climbed out from behind the South Korean unmanned tactical vehicle while enjoying the warm air from its heater.
“The Minister of Defence says the South Korean weapons we recently purchased perform so well that they should be deployed here too.”
“Battalion Commander, weren’t those bought for use in the desert?”
The company commander looked confused as to why they were functioning here as well.
“Oh, you didn’t know? Apparently, South Korea has desert weather in summer and Himalayan weather in winter.”
“What are you talking about? Can human beings even live in a place like that?”
“Yes. Apparently, the people there have lived that way their entire lives. The annual temperature range is as much as sixty degrees.”
What is that? Hell?
“So all their weapons function normally? Under both extreme conditions?”
It made absolutely no sense according to common knowledge.
“Then why have we been buying separate weapons for deserts and high-altitude regions all this time? We could solve everything by buying South Korean weapons. Maintenance would become much easier too.”
“Yes... exactly.”
“Contact the Ministry of Defence’s logistics commander immediately.”
“What should I tell him?”
“Tell him to send more South Korean weapons! We’re throwing away all this Russian junk, so tell him to buy every South Korean tactical vehicle and drone available.”
The company commander spoke as though he intended to discard every Russian-made tank while he was at it.