Ten Years Ahead (1)
"Excuse me...?" Kim Jong-il doubted his own ears for a moment. YK Group was a private enterprise, plain and simple. It was obvious they would prioritize profit above all else. In such a situation, opening up Mount Kumgang? According to the intelligence agency's analysis that the Chairman of YK Group loved being the center of attention, it would have been perfectly normal for him to snap up this bait immediately. Yet, the reaction he got from his counterpart was far, far different from what he had anticipated.
"I told you, I don't understand why you are telling me this."
"No, fundamentally, matters related to tourism are supposed to be handled by South Korean companies..."
Yoon-gi intentionally cut Kim Jong-il off. "I have absolutely no interest in Mount Kumgang tourism. I had no idea why you wanted to see me, but now that I see, it was because of that. Why didn't you just say so from the beginning?"
In truth, North Korea had been quite direct about what they wanted. An agreement regarding Mount Kumgang tourism. Just looking at that, it was clear their intention was to "use YK as a stepping stone to designate a special tourist zone." However, Yoon-gi feigned ignorance, deliberately grating on Kim Jong-il's nerves. Strictly speaking, it was true that they hadn't presented any concrete proposals.
"No, are you saying you are going to give up the exclusive rights to the development of Mount Kumgang tourism?"
"Yes. I have no particular interest in the tourism industry."
Kim Jong-il’s jaw literally dropped. Then, with a face boiling over with rage, he stood up abruptly from his seat.
"Comrade Commissioner! You cannot do this!" one of the North Korean officials shouted in horror, though his face quickly turned pale. It was pure loyalty. But the end of that loyalty would likely be a prison camp.
"End the meeting!"
Had Kim Jong-il ever been treated like this since becoming Kim Il-sung’s successor? At least not since 1976. Yet, for the first time in twelve years, he had met someone who openly ignored him. And the consequences of this could, in a way, be easily predicted.
Fortunately, the North Korean side did not attempt to harm Yoon-gi. They merely demanded that he leave Pyongyang immediately. Thus, Yoon-gi left Pyongyang without a shred of lingering attachment. Furthermore, as soon as he returned to the country, he received a request from N to come to the Blue House, so he headed there immediately.
"I'm sorry to call you in when you must be exhausted. How did it go?"
Naturally, he had to be curious. It hadn't even been 40 years since the armistice, and people who had participated in the war were still alive, so the relationship with North Korea was inevitably of high importance.
"As you already know, they told me they wanted to entrust me with Mount Kumgang tourism."
N let out a sigh as if he understood what Yoon-gi was implying, but nodded as if he understood. "You refused, of course...? That’s what you said you would do."
Yoon-gi also nodded. "That's right. I refused. So, they seemed quite angry."
"Kim Il-sung?" YS interjected from the side. But Yoon-gi shook his head.
"No, Kim Jong-il. The successor of North Korea."
"Eh? Kim Jong-il? Not Kim Il-sung?"
"Yes. I only met Kim Jong-il there. I didn't even see Kim Il-sung's face. That means this matter is being pushed unilaterally by Kim Jong-il, or it is something Kim Il-sung supports."
As Yoon-gi began his intelligence analysis, N and YS straightened their postures. This wasn't just a simple delivery of facts, but high-quality information analyzed by Yoon-gi's brilliant mind. This had a high probability of being a great help in state affairs.
"Does that mean North Korea really, desperately wants Mount Kumgang tourism?" at YS's words, Yoon-gi nodded.
"At the same time, it means that Kim Jong-il definitely holds the power in North Korea right now. Kim Il-sung is effectively a puppet."
"Eh? Why?" Because Yoon-gi hadn't revealed every single fact, YS hadn't been able to reach this conclusion yet.
"Because Kim Jong-il couldn't contain his anger today and stormed out of the meeting room."
"What? Stormed out of the meeting room?" Not only YS, but even N had an incredulous expression. Storming out of a meeting room. This was a grave breach of etiquette in inter-state talks. However, Yoon-gi's age also played a part in Kim Jong-il’s behavior. To Kim Jong-il, the supreme power of North Korea, Yoon-gi was just a 22-year-old greenhorn. In Kim Jong-il’s view, his assessment was correct, which led him to commit such a breach of etiquette.
"Well..., strictly speaking, it wasn't a conversation between nations, but it is true that Kim Jong-il acted too impulsively."
Nodding at N's words, Yoon-gi continued, "He even sent me the Pleasure Squad yesterday."
"Eek? The Pleasure Squad?" YS said, startled.
"Yes. Naturally, I refused. Why would I need something like that? But from Kim Jong-il's perspective, he must have thought he was bestowing a great favor. And he probably thought my bones would melt into mush."
"But it didn't go as planned?" At N's words, Yoon-gi nodded again.
"Yes. Actually, more important than that is the fact that Kim Jong-il stormed out of the meeting room."
"Ah, now that you mention it...!" N realized, and YS realized as well.
"That's right. Storming out of the meeting room means he is in a position to make decisions arbitrarily, which would be absolutely impossible if Kim Il-sung were still the undisputed number one."
"That's exactly it!" Yoon-gi clapped once, as if satisfied with YS's answer. That was it. Kim Jong-il stood up abruptly. This would be impossible if he didn't have full authority over this matter. If Kim Il-sung's power were higher than Kim Jong-il's, Kim Jong-il would never have been able to stand up. Why? Because Mount Kumgang tourism is a desperate project for North Korea right now. But Kim Jong-il, desperate project or not, couldn't control his temper and blew up the meeting.
"The living Kim Il-sung being pushed aside by Kim Jong-il, who hasn't even officially inherited the succession yet... this is tremendous information."
As N said, this was indeed tremendous information. It meant the power structure of North Korea had changed.
"And when I refused the Pleasure Squad, the next day, some of the North Korean personnel at the meeting were replaced. This also suggests the possibility of a purge. Of course..." He glanced at YS and continued Yoon-gi's words for him. "They could have just changed shifts?"
Yoon-gi nodded. On the other hand, N opened his mouth with a slightly puzzled expression. "Would they really put shift changes in such an important position?"
Yoon-gi nodded again, as if agreeing with N's point. "You saw that well. I'm leaning towards a purge."
He couldn't honestly say, 'My grandfather saw it.' Therefore, Yoon-gi appropriately adjusted the flow of thought for N and YS.
"Purging people left and right, and putting his own pride before the affairs of the state... this guy is going to be a successor who goes a step further than Kim Il-sung..." YS shook his head as if he had a headache. In reality, YS's assessment was accurate. Simply put, the Panmunjom axe murder incident in 1976 was also something Kim Jong-il had ordered.
"He's still just a successor-designate, not a successor yet."
"Eh? No, he is the successor, isn't he?"
At YS's counter-question, Yoon-gi shook his head. "I intentionally made Kim Jong-il angry. A guy like Kim Jong-il is someone you should never join hands with. If you do, you'll likely be sucked dry of all your value and then discarded."
At Yoon-gi's words, both N and YS nodded. They had only heard fragments from Yoon-gi, but it was certain that Kim Jong-il was the type of person one should never partner with.
"If you intentionally made him angry, does that mean you have a follow-up plan?" N asked. Yoon-gi put on a serious expression.
"For us to truly take the lead in exchanges with North Korea, Kim Jong-il must never become the successor."
"But we have no way to interfere with that, do we? It's the consensus that Kim Jong-il is the successor of North Korea. It's too late to cultivate a new successor now." YS's judgment was a very common one, something anyone would consider obvious.
"No. There is a method that has a high probability of success."
"What is it?"
"We have to sow discord between Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. In North Korea right now, the only existence that can confront Kim Jong-il is Kim Il-sung."
"Oh...! How?" YS looked at Yoon-gi with a very intrigued expression. N was the same. Pit Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il against each other? How on earth could one do that?
"That is..."
"That is?" N and YS swallowed hard at the same time.
"Actually, I don't know yet."
N and YS jumped in their seats, not knowing who would move first. "What is that!"
Their voices were filled with significant disappointment. However, it wasn't that Yoon-gi didn't have a way.
"In the current situation, it's difficult for me to create variables as well. North Korea is an extremely closed group. Therefore, they have to take some additional action before I can formulate a plan. Please consider this only as stage one for now."
Of course, it wasn't that he hadn't done anything at all. The greatest effect of this visit to North Korea was none other than the fact that he could now check Kim Jong-il's location at any time through Choi Deok-bae. Of course, even before, if he had set his mind to it, he could have told Choi Deok-bae, 'Please go to the Presidential Palace and find out the locations of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il,' but there was a possibility that Choi Deok-bae wouldn't cooperate. Choi Deok-bae was an existence that didn't necessarily listen to everything Yoon-gi said, but rather helped when Yoon-gi took action. However, thanks to meeting Kim Jong-il this time, there was now room to receive significant help regarding matters related to North Korea in the future. After all, Choi Deok-bae was the type to provide help as long as the foundation laid wasn't completely zero.
"For now, there is something we must do immediately."
"What is it?" At N's question, Yoon-gi informed them of the situation most likely to occur.
"Almost 100 percent, North Korea will carry out a powerful military provocation. Whether by sea or by land."
"W-what?"
"Kim Jong-il, the supreme leader of North Korea, must be feeling that he was greatly insulted by me. Given the personality of Kim Jong-il as I have judged it, he will definitely retaliate."
"T-this! If so, we must immediately put the entire military on high alert..."
"No." When Yoon-gi said this firmly, N asked, puzzled, "Why?"
"Right now, there is something we must do before putting them on high alert."
Ten days after Yoon-gi visited North Korea, the 2nd Fleet had been in a state of extreme tension for the past few days. This was to be expected. North Korean fishing boats had been continuously crossing the NLL, and North Korean warships were acting as if they were protecting them near the NLL. If the President hadn't said anything special, the 2nd Fleet Commander would have told them not to worry about it because it was nothing. Because there had recently been a reunion of separated families between the North and South, he would have thought the relationship with North Korea was peaceful. However, ten days ago, the heads of each military branch were called to the Blue House and received one request from the President. One of the contents of the request was that the relationship with North Korea was by no means in a peaceful mood. Rather, it was a situation where it wouldn't be strange if a war broke out at any moment. Honestly, when he heard that from the Chief of Naval Operations, the 2nd Fleet Commander sneered inwardly. He thought it was just to scare them. But now, seeing the behavior of North Korea after hearing those words, honestly speaking, he couldn't help but be tense.
And now. An urgent report came in to the 2nd Fleet Commander.
"It's a big problem! North Korean fishing boats are crossing the NLL and are threatening our Korean fishing boats, attempting to abduct them to the North!"
The 2nd Fleet Commander, having heard the report, answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Fire!"