[Exchange with North Korea? (1)]
And at the same time, I turned my head toward the TV screen.
The broadcast continued only with experts' predictions about the New Year's address, and there was absolutely no additional mention of YK. "Are those North Korean bastards out of their minds...?" At Choi Ki-hyun's bewildered remark, everyone else nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. Father, you aren't actually going, are you?" At Choi Cheol-ho's question, Choi Ki-hyun nodded.
"Of course I'm not going. Who knows what kind of trouble those bastards might cause? And even if I did go, what could I possibly accomplish?"
Externally, Yoon-gi was the figurehead, but in reality, Choi Ki-hyun was the one acting as the figurehead. Therefore, even if Choi Ki-hyun were to visit North Korea, it was clear that having any meaningful conversation with Kim Il-sung would be impossible.
"Yoon-gi, you... you aren't going, are you...?"
"No, I'm not going."
Yoon-gi's answer was very firm. Thanks to that, the family all let out sighs of relief. They had been worried that Yoon-gi might say, 'Let's take this opportunity to pioneer North Korea!' and decide to go. However, even if Yoon-gi didn't want to go, there were times when those around him wouldn't leave him alone.
North Korea conveyed its intention to meet with Chairman Choi Ki-hyun of YK through communication channels connected to the South Korean government. This was because permission from the South Korean government was mandatory for visiting North Korea. Furthermore, North Korea did not think for a second that Chairman Choi Ki-hyun of YK would refuse this proposal.
Visiting North Korea was a massive boost to one's image in any way one looked at it. Moreover, developing North Korea was fundamentally an incredibly attractive prospect for entrepreneurs. To an entrepreneur, North Korea was like a pig's trotter with plenty of meat to strip away. You had to be the first to pick it up and take a big bite; wouldn't it be a shame if you were left with only bones after everyone else had finished eating?
North Korea knew this psychology very well, so they naturally expected a positive reply. Just as N was talking to Yoon-gi right now.
"North Korea says they want Chairman Choi Ki-hyun to visit, and I called you because I wasn't sure how to handle it."
In truth, N also wanted him to visit. Information on North Korea was incredibly difficult to obtain. For anyone to meet Kim Il-sung in person, check his complexion, and report it back was the highest level of intelligence for South Korea. Of course, North Korea had broadcasted Kim Il-sung's official appearance on Korean Central Television, but checking his complexion during a 'near-private meeting' was a different matter entirely. Furthermore, if one remembered the figures surrounding Kim Il-sung and compared them with the National Intelligence Service's data, one could discern how North Korea's internal power structure was shifting. In short, it was a visit that South Korea desperately wanted him to make.
However, Yoon-gi was firm.
"My grandfather is too old."
Upon hearing the answer, N's lips seemed dry; he licked them slightly and then wore an expression of regret.
"Hmm... that is certainly true. The Chairman is quite old. In that case, could you perhaps go instead...? Internal information on North Korea is top-secret. It would be an immense help to South Korea."
Once again, Yoon-gi shook his head.
"Who knows what might happen if I go to North Korea? I don't trust North Korea at all."
Yoon-gi was someone who knew exactly what would happen in the future. Therefore, no matter what North Korea said, he had no intention of taking it at face value.
"Hmm..."
N let out a series of groans, clearly disappointed. Then, Yoon-gi shrugged his shoulders and dangled a 'very expensive carrot.'
"If you could persuade my grandfather-in-law, the story might change."
"Ah... right... there is that issue..."
Grandfather-in-law referred to his wife's grandfather. That was none other than Guster. If Yoon-gi were to say he would visit North Korea now, would Guster just sit by and watch? He would never allow it. The Soviet Union had been handled in a haphazard way, but North Korea? That would bring down an immediate thunderous roar of disapproval.
"I may not care much about profits, but that doesn't mean I don't care about my own safety."
In reality, with North Korea, that could truly happen. They could kidnap Yoon-gi the moment he arrived and demand something from the United States. And after getting what they wanted, they could turn him into a vegetable and send him back to South Korea. Since similar things hadn't never happened, Yoon-gi had no intention of going to North Korea.
'Of course, the probability of that is extremely low, though.'
In the first place, most cases where North Korea did such crazy things involved ordinary foreigners. But regardless, it was true that he had no desire to visit North Korea. That was why he used 'safety' as the reason for his refusal. Who could force him to go if he said he was afraid and didn't want to? Especially when it was Yoon-gi?
"Phew... then it can't be helped. If you happen to change your mind, let me know anytime."
"I understand."
The Blue House conveyed Yoon-gi's intention to North Korea.
"What is this?"
His pronunciation was unclear, but his voice was overflowing with confidence. Kim Jong-il was showing his displeasure toward Kim Shin-geun, one of the Workers' Party secretaries, without any filter.
"I, I apologize."
"Who asked to hear an apology right now?"
"Th, that is..."
"Before apologizing, shouldn't you be preparing how to handle things moving forward? If the South Koreans rejected our demand, shouldn't you be thinking of a second plan to carry it out?"
As of 1989, the supreme leader of North Korea was Kim Il-sung.
"I, I apologize! I will establish a plan right now and, and report back to you!"
However, the 'fear' dripping from the secretary's attitude toward Kim Jong-il was greater than the fear he showed toward Kim Il-sung. In a way, it was natural. Because in the 80s, the de facto supreme leader of North Korea was Kim Jong-il. Kim Il-sung would die of a heart attack in 1994, but from the 1980s, excluding diplomatic matters, he had effectively stepped back from all authority. Therefore, the real leader of North Korea from the 80s was Kim Jong-il.
In 1972, Kim Il-sung's right-hand man, Choi Hyun, had said, "The eldest son must succeed," confirming Kim Jong-il's succession, and in 1976, by purging all opposing factions, Kim Jong-il became the actual operator of state affairs. And it was this Kim Jong-il who wanted Chairman Choi Ki-hyun to visit.
Then, the question 'Why?' naturally arises. There was only one reason.
'Damn it... to maintain the regime, I have to make contact with those South Korean bastards.'
In real history, a crisis hit communism in the late 80s. It goes without saying that it was the collapse of the Soviet Union. In Yoon-gi's history, the 'communist Soviet Union' had currently collapsed. The union as the Soviet Union was maintained, but strictly speaking, it was in the process of transitioning toward 'Soviet-style capitalism.' Furthermore, because the damage from the meteorite had not yet been restored, the Soviet Union had notified North Korea that support like in the past would be difficult for the time being.
North Korea's economy had relied heavily on Soviet support. But with that support cut off, an economic crisis naturally followed, and to solve it, Kim Jong-il had demanded the visit of a prominent South Korean economic figure. Since the Soviet Union, which had handled the most supplies in communism, had effectively closed its doors to trade with non-Soviet countries, North Korea was in a situation where it absolutely needed foreign currency to supply goods. Therefore, Kim Jong-il had come up with a clever plan.
'Mount Kumgang... if I say I will open Mount Kumgang, there is no way those South Korean bastards won't come running.'
Kim Jong-il thought the bait of 'Mount Kumgang' would definitely work.
"My, I honestly didn't expect even the General Secretary to want to see me."
Gorbachev's office. Here, Yoon-gi was having a cup of black tea with Gorbachev.
'For some reason, I feel like I should be drinking black tea with Putin.'
Yoon-gi felt a thought that was both frightening and funny, so he smiled slightly and took a sip of the tea.
"Hmm! Hmm! I'm sorry, but this isn't a simple matter as you might think... By the way, how is the tea? Since Putin knows a lot about tea, I specially asked him to get it."
"Cough!"
At the mention that it was tea Putin had obtained, Yoon-gi accidentally spat it out.
"W, what? What is it? Is there something in the tea?"
Fortunately, there was no radiation in the tea. Even if the Putin of real history and the Putin of Yoon-gi's history were the same person, they were living different lives.
"N, no. I just choked for a second."
"I was momentarily startled. Anyway, I'll bring you a new cup."
"No. It's fine. More than that, the reason you called me today is, as expected..."
As he asked while wiping the spilled tea with a handkerchief, Gorbachev nodded.
"Yes... they want you to visit North Korea."
Yoon-gi sighed inwardly.
'At this rate, won't the US ask me to visit too?'
Surprisingly, it was possible. If the Soviet Union were still bickering with the US, Reagan would have opposed Yoon-gi's visit to North Korea. But currently, Reagan was on good terms with the Soviet Union. That meant there was room for them to want to manipulate North Korea as well. Of course, they wouldn't try to 'force' it, but it was highly likely they would suggest, 'Wouldn't it be fine if safety is guaranteed?'
"As the General Secretary knows, North Korea is a very dangerous country for a South Korean to visit. I could be put in danger."
"The Soviet Union will take responsibility for that."
"You will take responsibility?"
"Yes. During your visit to North Korea, your escort will be handled by our Soviet soldiers. If North Korea kidnaps you, it will be a declaration of war against our Soviet Union."
"Hmm..."
It was truly a perfect safety measure. If Yoon-gi were to visit North Korea with South Korean bodyguards, there was a sufficient possibility that North Korea would act recklessly. But if he were accompanied by Soviet soldiers as bodyguards? It was clear that no matter how North Korea acted, they wouldn't be able to behave like gangsters.
"Did North Korea agree to that?"
"North Korea requested our help with your visit. That's why we can propose such conditions."
If they didn't accept these conditions from the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union would naturally refuse North Korea's request.
'Let's see... then that means the Soviet Union can demand something from North Korea first...?'
Yoon-gi thought of one thing he could gain through this.
"General Secretary."
"Yes?"
"By any chance, could we proceed with the reunion of separated families between the North and South before I visit?"