[Fire Away!]
“So, I’m not saying we shouldn’t tear it down. I’m just saying that until the Olympics are over, we shouldn’t have any major incidents, domestic or international…”
“No, why are you hesitating? Are you afraid of Japan? Huh? Are you scared of Japan?”
“Why on earth would I be afraid of Japan!”
When YS first suggested tearing down the Government-General of Chosen building, N had judged it to be a ‘not-bad idea.’ The problem, however, was the timing. When he asked YS when he thought would be best, YS insisted it had to be torn down right now. Since YS was arguing with N as if the Olympics and the demolition of the building had absolutely nothing to do with each other, N was, quite frankly, dumbfounded. Of course, it wasn’t that N didn’t understand YS’s position. After all, Japan was one of the countries participating in the Olympics.
“If you aren’t afraid of Japan, is there any reason we can’t tear it down? Those Japanese bastards are already looking down on us as it is!”
Surprisingly, YS’s words were true. Historically, Japan didn’t just look down on Korea; in the 80s, Japan viewed Korea with utter contempt.
[Korea’s citizens are always staging useless protests!]
[Look at Korea. Because the citizens are always protesting, they can’t become an economic powerhouse like Japan.]
[The Korean people don’t work and only get in the way of their politicians.]
It was impossible to see these as the thoughts of people living in a democratic country, but the Japanese of that era truly believed these things. Furthermore, Japan was experiencing hyper-growth at the time. Consequently, they genuinely believed that Korea was ‘failing’ to develop because its citizens were too interested in politics. Even though Japan’s manufacturing sector had taken a hit from the Plaza Accord, the ‘market capitalization of Japan’ was still rising due to sheer inertia. That was why they truly looked down on Koreans. They believed that if Koreans just lived their daily lives without taking an interest in politics like they did, their politicians would naturally turn the country into the world’s strongest economic power.
Of course, what mattered now was the destruction of the Government-General of Chosen. However, the difference in opinion between N and YS regarding the timing showed no signs of narrowing.
“I’m telling you, we’re tearing it down! I’ve said it already. We are tearing it down!”
“Good grief, tearing it down later is meaningless. We have to tear it down right now! A man should act the moment he thinks of it!”
In truth, YS didn’t have a ‘rational reason’ to tear it down immediately either. He was just pushing forward with the mindset of ‘striking while the iron is hot.’ It was this kind of drive that allowed YS to tear down the Government-General of Chosen and introduce the Financial Real-Name System in the original history.
“Ha… I really can’t see an end to this.”
At N’s words, YS realized what he was thinking.
“Fine. Let’s call Yoon-gi and ask him. Ask him when he thinks would be the best time to tear it down.”
“Agreed!”
N and YS, sharing the same sentiment, called Yoon-gi to the Blue House.
“Hmm… is your knee alright?”
At N’s question, Yoon-gi gave a bitter smile and nodded.
“Yes. It throbs occasionally, but I’m fine.”
YS didn’t miss his chance to chime in.
“If it’s alright with you, I know a great oriental medicine doctor. How about getting a round of acupuncture?”
Yoon-gi shook his head.
“I already have a primary physician, so I’d like to focus on that. If I get treated by both and something goes wrong, they might end up shifting the blame to each other.”
In reality, he had already been restored to his pre-injury state thanks to Choi Deok-bae, so there was no reason to get acupuncture. Thus, Yoon-gi used some well-timed acting to erase any suspicion from N and YS.
“Hmm… well, I suppose that can’t be helped. Anyway, the reason we called you today is none other than the Government-General of Chosen.”
“Are you going to tear it down?!”
Yoon-gi focused on the fact that it was YS who brought it up and instantly guessed what was about to happen.
“Oh? Oh, uh… y-yes, that’s right. How did you guess that?”
“When it comes to the Government-General of Chosen, is there anything else to think about besides smashing it to pieces? I’ve wanted to smash it for a long time, but during the military regime, it was hard to make such a request, so I stayed quiet. Actually, I wanted to ask as soon as you became President, but you’ve been so busy for the last year that I kept quiet.”
In reality, N had been incredibly busy lately. The one-year mark he had promised before his election was already approaching. It was now mid-April 1988. N was preparing for a national referendum on his remaining four years in June, just as he had promised.
“Ah, so that’s why you’ve been out of touch for a while. Still, thanks to you, the political situation has stabilized significantly. Looking at the current situation, I think I’ll be able to serve a consecutive term without any issues.”
N said this with a faint smile, nodding as he spoke.
“I can only be at ease if you maintain a stable administration, Mr. President.”
Indeed, N’s administration looked very stable. Of course, figures like the New Hana-hoe or pro-Japanese traitors hadn’t been completely purged, but at least there was no one left to tackle N as he ran the state. While JP occasionally threw a wrench in the works, the ruling party and the main opposition party were effectively a coalition, so the small parties had no power to exert; they weren’t even a grain of salt dropped in the ocean.
“Well, let’s talk about that later. Yoon-gi, I’m on the side of tearing it down right now, and the President is on the side of tearing it down after the Olympics. What do you think is the best course of action?”
N and YS looked at Yoon-gi, each holding onto their own convictions.
“Obviously, we should tear it down right now.”
Yoon-gi was fiery. Just like YS.
Because Yoon-gi shared YS’s opinion, it seemed as though the destruction of the Government-General of Chosen would proceed smoothly. However, once the three of them were gathered, a debate erupted once more.
“Wait? You want to tear it down with a tank?”
Even YS was asking back with a bewildered expression.
“Yes. Since we’re tearing it down anyway, is there any need to be polite and do a standard demolition? The Japanese Empire invaded Joseon with swords and guns, so the Government-General of Chosen should naturally be smashed by Korea’s military might.”
Yoon-gi wore a truly intrigued expression. However, N and YS were reacting with shock.
“Uh… Yoon-gi. Like you and the Prime Minister discussed, I agree with tearing it down before the Olympics, but isn’t it a bit dangerous to mobilize tanks to do it…?”
YS was of the same opinion.
“Tearing it down with a tank won’t be as easy as it sounds, will it…? It’s going to cost a fortune.”
In reality, building demolition costs about 200,000 won per pyeong. It’s not just the cost of smashing it; you have to do blocking work to prepare for hazards before demolition, and you have to process the waste. But what if you smash it with a tank? A single tank shell costs about 300,000 won. And considering the size of the Government-General of Chosen building, it would never end with just one shot. You’d have to use quite a lot of shells. Furthermore, tearing it down with a tank was merely symbolic. Once you knocked down the outer shell with a tank, the actual demolition work would still have to proceed separately. In short, it was certain that the construction costs would be at least double the standard demolition cost—or, if you took a realistic minimum, at least four times as much.
“Can’t I just cover the costs?”
N was left speechless by Yoon-gi’s expression, which suggested he was asking about something so obvious. However, YS appealed to Yoon-gi once more.
“Uh… even if you cover the costs, there’s the issue of danger. It could immediately affect Gyeongbokgung Palace, and there might be problems with the safety of the citizens…”
“Then please prepare for that.”
Yoon-gi smiled brightly and gave a request that sounded like an order to a subordinate.
“Prepare for that?”
At YS’s automatic question, Yoon-gi nodded vigorously.
“Yes! You can do that, right?”
Yoon-gi looked back and forth between them, his face full of anticipation. Seeing that, both N and YS realized this was not a request they could refuse.
‘That’s why I said let’s tear it down after the Olympics.’
‘Did I know it would turn out like this?’
Destroy the Government-General of Chosen with a tank while ensuring citizen safety and the protection of cultural heritage.
It looked like N and YS were going to have to hold their heads in their hands for a while.
If Yoon-gi had made a ‘dirty request,’ like asking for a full tax exemption for YK Group or military service exemptions for his family, both N and YS would have been deeply disappointed. However, because Yoon-gi’s absurd request was actually something they ‘secretly wanted to try,’ N and YS decided to enjoy the situation. After all, isn’t it said that if you can’t avoid it, you should enjoy it?
Once the absolute premise that it had to be done was established, N and YS invited experts from the Ministry of National Defense, as well as physics, chemistry, and history professors from various universities, to hold an advisory meeting.
The reaction of the experts gathered at the meeting was identical. And there was one more thing they all shared.
Not a standard demolition, but smashing it with a tank. N was completely honest about it. He said that the idea of smashing it with a tank was the intention of Chairman Choi Yoon-gi of YK Group. At that, the people who had come to provide advice instantly adopted a serious attitude. It was understandable, as Chairman Choi Yoon-gi was famous for spending money lavishly. If they could catch his eye, research funding would be a piece of cake.
He already had a private company researching basic science overseas, and he owned a pharmaceutical company—a rising star in the global pharmaceutical industry—that had developed treatments for several incurable diseases, including an AIDS treatment, in the Soviet Union. Was that all? He owned two oil fields and was the largest shareholder of Microsoft. Of course, if you only heard this much, you might not be interested. But the reason the advisory committee members were interested was none other than Yoon-gi’s way of spending money. He had a fiery style of simply pouring money down the throats of those he liked. The fact that he had paid his close aides 10 billion won each after taxes was the fantasy of countless office workers in South Korea.
“What do you think, everyone? Is Chairman Choi Yoon-gi’s idea truly feasible?”
At N’s question, one of the advisory committee members shouted with a determined expression.
“Of course! It’s not just anything, it’s the Government-General of Chosen, which has tormented our Republic of Korea endlessly, so we must naturally smash it with a tank. Even if it’s impossible, we will make it possible. Isn’t that why we’re gathered here?”
At the committee member’s words, the other members nodded as well.
Thus, the voluntary camp-in of the advisory committee members began.
It goes without saying that this information leaked to the outside world.
The citizens were ecstatic at the news. The Government-General of Chosen building had been an eyesore, and they were thrilled to learn through the newspapers that the fantasy they had longed for was becoming reality. However, whenever everyone is happy, there are always those who are not. In this situation, it was, of course, Japan. Japan conveyed a message via telephone that they were ‘very regretful.’