Chapter 51 “NUKES...?” THE MAN CHOSEN BY THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENSE
The Minister’s Office, Ministry of Defence Building, The Hague, Netherlands.
“What does that lunatic expect us to do, saying something like that only now?”
The Netherlands had long been famous as a country that did not own a single tank of its own.
For years, it had kept its distance from preparations for war.
“We’re already trembling because we’re geographically close to the Russia–Ukraine war, and now the United States decides to betray us?”
The Minister of Defence’s hands trembled.
“After telling us all this time that we only needed to trust them, they’re going to pull out the moment war threatens to break out?”
“Minister, we need to import weapons immediately.”
“Where are we supposed to suddenly find weapons now...?”
At his words, the entire ministerial office fell silent.
The waiting times within Europe’s defense manufacturing system were truly far too long.
“What about the Americans? Did they say they would at least sell us some of their weapons? It looks like they don’t even have enough for themselves.”
“Yes. They appear to be struggling just to provide support to Ukraine.”
“So this is the end for the Netherlands...”
“Minister, what about South Korea?”
“South Korea?”
“Yes. They say that ever since Poland began using South Korean weapons, it has refused to buy anything else.”
“I heard South Korean defense products have become so popular that they’re difficult to obtain now as well.”
That was true. South Korea had now become another country where customers had to wait as long as five years. It was not because its manufacturing capacity was lacking, as was the case in Europe. Demand had simply exploded, creating an excessively long backlog.
“Should we at least hold an emergency consultation with the South Korean government?”
“Would they want anything from us?”
Development Room, Science Facility’s Factory No. 2.
“Hyesung, why do we absolutely have to start with semiconductors?”
Taeju asked me as I worked while perched against the wall.
“The core performance of a weapon comes from its semiconductors.”
“Not its explosives?”
“Explosives matter too. Even so, the core of a weapon’s accuracy, durability, and reliability ultimately lies in its semiconductors.”
I set down the equipment I had been working on and dusted off my hands.
“And the greatest advantage is that we can keep that core completely classified without anyone knowing.”
Taeju listened thoughtfully before grinning.
“Hyesung, I’ve got good news and bad news.”
“Should I hear the good news first?”
“I signed the contract for the semiconductor factory site. It looks like all we need to do now is install the equipment.”
“You did that already?”
“LK Hynix was extremely accommodating toward our company. The chairman especially loved that weapon sketch notebook you gave him.”
I later heard that the chairman had put my sketch notebook on display inside a glass case.
“Wow, you worked hard. That should’ve taken a really long time.”
“I expected construction alone to take about seven years, but if everything goes well, the factory might begin operating before we even graduate from our final year of high school.”
“Then what’s the bad news?”
“You said we absolutely need a lithography machine made by a company called ASML.”
“Yeah. It’s essential.”
“The minimum waiting time for that equipment is five years.”
“We’re screwed.”
Five years? Even if the entire semiconductor factory was ready, we could not manufacture semiconductors without that machine. Everything would be meaningless for five whole years.
“I asked whether we could pay a premium to receive one sooner, but they said absolutely not. Every company ahead of us in line is a corporate giant like Samsung or Intel.”
“Damn. This project can’t afford to be delayed...”
“There wasn’t anything a small or medium-sized company like ours could offer them...”
Just as the atmosphere in the development room grew gloomy—
Bzzzz.
It was a call from Secretary Seo Dojin.
“Yes, this is Ryu Hyesung.”
“President Ryu, is this a good time to speak?”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
“The Dutch Minister of Defence says he urgently wishes to meet you.”
“...The Netherlands?”
The country of ASML was looking for me.
“Taeju.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll see if I can move our equipment delivery forward.”
Anheung Comprehensive Test Range, Agency for Defense Development, Taean, South Chungcheong Province.
Across the vast outdoor testing ground stood the K2 Black Panther tank, the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer, and even my drones.
(Translator’s Note:K9 Thunder — A South Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer developed by Samsung Techwin, now Hanwha Aerospace. It entered Republic of Korea Army service in 1999 and has been exported to numerous countries.)
South Korean weapons were lined up in a row, proudly displaying themselves.
“South Korean weapons certainly perform as well as the rumors claim.”
The Dutch Minister of Defence exclaimed in admiration as he personally examined the weapons’ specification sheets.
“What you are about to see will surprise you greatly. These are advanced drones produced by Science Facility.”
Guided by the Director of Exports from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, my turn finally arrived.
I had been waiting for this moment.
Today, I had to completely captivate that Dutch minister, no matter what it took.
All for the sake of a semiconductor lithography machine.
“The products we will demonstrate are perfectly specialized for modern warfare dominated by drones.”
Snap.
I snapped my fingers.
Whirrrrr.
Dozens of inexpensive R2-type drones that had been standing by rose into the air simultaneously like a swarm of bees.
“They are our company’s bestsellers. At an extremely low price, they serve as highly effective decoys during suicide attacks on enemy positions, forcing the enemy to expend expensive air-defense munitions.”
The Netherlands’ enemy was Russia.
“The Russian military uses expensive air-defense weapons such as the S-400 surface-to-air missile system, doesn’t it? A single interceptor missile costs an astonishing four billion won.”
(Translator’s Note:S-400 — The S-400 Triumf is a Russian long-range surface-to-air missile system developed by the Almaz design organization. It entered Russian service in 2007 and is designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic targets.)
The minister nodded, seemingly agreeing with my explanation.
“You are well informed. Then how much does each of these drones cost?”
“One million won.”
The Minister of Defence’s mouth fell open when he heard the price.
Forcing the enemy to expend a four-billion-won missile on a one-million-won drone?
That meant they were winning the war merely by breathing.
It was cheap enough that losing one meant nothing at all.
“I believe I understand why countries around the world are trying to purchase your weapons.”
Snap.
I snapped my fingers again.
The clustered drones began flying wildly in every direction, as though performing evasive maneuvers.
It looked almost like a dazzling air show.
“Imagine a swarm of drones like this charging toward you while carrying explosives.”
The Minister of Defence concentrated as though determined not to miss a single word I said.
Whirrrrrr.
The moment Xeros flew through the swarm, every drone plummeted from the sky.
“This is a defensive weapon that modern warfare cannot do without.”
At my words, the Minister of Defence whispered to the officials beside him.
They nodded.
It was a clear signal that they intended to buy it.
Good.
Now I needed to seal the deal.
At last, I brought out the secret weapon I had prepared specifically for today.
“This is our latest product.”
Whirr.
A sleek drone painted blue rose smoothly into the air.
It was a lightweight version of our existing reconnaissance-drone frame, stripped of various unnecessary components.
“This is a new suicide drone equipped with Blue CL-20, an explosive we recently developed independently.”
“What? Isn’t CL-20 an extremely expensive specialized explosive?”
“That is correct. However, you need not worry about the price.”
The blue suicide drone shot toward the decommissioned armored vehicle serving as its target at a terrifying speed that was nearly impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Fweeeee—
BOOOOM—!!
A blue flash erupted. The explosion was powerful enough to rip the heavily armored vehicle apart as though it were made of paper.
“Whereas conventional FPV drones can only temporarily ‘disable’ a tank, our drone, as you can see, can guarantee its ‘complete destruction.’”
(Translator’s Note:FPV Drone — “FPV” stands for “first-person view.” The operator pilots the drone through a live feed from its onboard camera. In modern warfare, inexpensive FPV drones are widely adapted for reconnaissance and direct explosive attacks.)
“One drone can completely destroy a tank?”
I nodded.
“It will be destroyed so thoroughly that it cannot even be repaired and reused.”
“No... Just how powerful is that explosion?”
“It is more powerful than four RPG-7 antitank warheads detonating simultaneously.”
(Translator’s Note:RPG-7 — A reusable Soviet-designed rocket-propelled grenade launcher introduced in 1961. Originally developed as an antitank weapon, it became one of the world’s most widely distributed infantry weapon systems.)
The Dutch Minister of Defence was so shocked that he could not close his gaping mouth.
“What in the world have you developed in South Korea...? How much does this cost?”
“Twenty million won per unit.”
At that absurdly low price, the Dutch minister looked ready to sign a contract on the spot.
“I am extremely impressed. We would like to purchase all of them. How long will delivery take?”
Good.
At last, the situation I had been waiting for had arrived.
“We can’t sell them.”
“...What?”
At my absurd response, the Dutch Minister of Defence’s expression rapidly darkened.
Oldebroek Military Training Area, Netherlands.
The Dutch Minister of Defence and the Prime Minister were attending a performance evaluation of the military drones brought back from South Korea.
“These are the few units South Korea provided for comparative testing. Even obtaining these was extremely difficult.”
The Netherlands was conducting a comparative evaluation against competing Japanese drones. The Prime Minister belonged to an older generation that still held the fixed belief that Japan was synonymous with advanced technology.
Whirrrrr.
Buzzzzz.
The difference in performance was overwhelming.
“The Japanese drones perform far too poorly... This cannot even be called a comparison.”
The Prime Minister spoke in admiration of the South Korean drones’ performance.
“I am told that the Japanese models use internal components manufactured in China or the United States. South Korea, on the other hand, has completely localized one hundred percent of its components.”
“Then their weapons supply would not be disrupted during an emergency.”
The Japanese production system would grind to a halt if the United States or China refused to provide components.
“Is there any need to see more? Begin full-scale adoption of the South Korean models immediately, Minister.”
“The problem is... the waiting time is reportedly five years.”
“What? It takes that long?”
The Prime Minister fell silent in confusion. The reason the waiting period was so long was that countries throughout the world were preparing for war and purchasing weapons as quickly as they could.
The Netherlands had fallen far behind that trend.
“Moreover, there was recently an explosion at a South Korean factory, which has pushed the backlog even further.”
“But we need them immediately... What about purchasing Chinese weapons instead?”
“Absolutely not. The United States would never tolerate it.”
There was currently one absolute taboo among European countries and allies of the United States.
Purchasing Chinese weapons.
“Then what in the world are we supposed to do...?”
“South Korea said there is a way they could supply us immediately.”
“What way?”
“They said that if we arrange for our ASML lithography machine to be delivered to that drone company first, they will also give our drone deliveries top priority.”
“A drone company wants to purchase an ASML lithography machine? Are they planning to manufacture semiconductors themselves?”
“Yes. They say they genuinely need to produce them directly. They are probably attempting to manufacture weapons that must remain military secrets.”
“Damn... Will ASML’s chairman listen to us? He is an extremely stubborn man.”
“A company cannot exist without a country. I will persuade him, no matter what it takes.”
The Minister of Defence looked confidently at the Prime Minister.
“Very well. Persuade him somehow and purchase those South Korean weapons immediately. Buy every unit we can obtain.”
Underground Secret Conference Room, National Crisis Management Center, Blue House, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
“A system for manufacturing nuclear missiles as quickly as possible during an emergency?”
The Minister of National Defense nodded.
“I know you tend to be straightforward, Minister, but...”
“Mr. President, this is a system our country absolutely needs.”
His explanation was as follows: They should prepare a procedure that would allow the country to manufacture nuclear weapons as quickly as legally possible during an emergency, much like servicing a car during a Formula One race.
(Translator’s Note:Formula One — The highest international class of single-seater motor racing, governed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.)
“I understand, but... the person who would develop this system...”
The name written in the proposal was none other than Ryu Hyesung.
“Damn... If this goes wrong, the young man could get hurt. He is someone our country absolutely needs.”
“Mr. President.”
The Minister of National Defense spoke with complete certainty in his eyes.
“There may not be anyone in this world capable of hurting him.”