Dear Comrade

Chapter 7. Ryugyong Hotels (4)

Chapter 7. Ryugyong Hotels (4)

Eventually, when Jeonghwan roughly talked about his future plans, Baek Seung-cheol and his group seemed relieved at the thought that their lives and status would be preserved for the time being.

But right after that, the story that came out of Jeonghwan’s mouth, including Baek Seung-cheol, was once again terribly surprising.

“Before that, just a few things, Comrade Baek. If you want to get help from me, you will have to set some conditions and follow them.”

“…I expected it, so please tell me.”

“First of all, even if the event is successful, if you are thinking of invading South Korea by force after that, then stop. I am not going to join in.”

“What, what?”

“Hey, how…”

How do you know, you know in advance.

Jeonghwan stuck out his tongue like that inwardly, but they, especially Baek Seung-cheol, looked as if they had been struck by lightning this time.

His eyes, which had been anxious and dissatisfied until just a moment ago, were still trembling as they looked at Jeonghwan as if they were seeing a ghost or a goblin.

Even among Chebrikov and the Frunze clan he led, very few knew about this plan to invade South Korea, or even a vague idea or goal rather than a plan. Are you talking about close enough?

Seeing him floundering without resolving his shock yet, Jeonghwan quietly advised him this time as if he were chasing a child.

“Honestly, I do not know whether Comrade Major Paik had a unique idea of initiating a socialist revolution in South Korea, or whether he came up with such a thought in order to solidify the foundation of the regime after his death and eliminate the unrest factors. But let’s make one thing clear.”

Whatever you ask, it’s the latter.

When a power lacking legitimacy comes to power due to an internal regime change, it is common in both East and West to use a tough foreign policy to divert domestic anxieties and dissatisfaction abroad.

One of the direct causes of the Imjin War in the Joseon Dynasty was to exhaust the remaining military power of the lords under his command immediately after Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquered the Warring States period.

The problem is that unless you are a fairly irrational and crazy leader, you should not engage in such a foreign policy that can ruin the country itself.

Thinking like that in his heart, Junghwan said with his eyes bright, and said with strength in Chinese characters.

“The plan to invade South Korea is, in a word, crazy. At least in the capacity of the Republic now. The moment even one company of the People’s Army crosses the Armistice Line, Pyongyang will be devastated and all 20 million people will be engulfed in the flames of nuclear weapons dropped by the United States.”

“……………….However….”

“Don’t vomit and keep listening. The generals, including Comrade Baek, may be reluctant to admit it, but the basis of military power is economic power. Now, in the Republic, distribution is cut off in the provinces, industrial establishments have stopped production, and the fighters of the People’s Army are practicing shooting while making a sound of gunfire with their mouths instead of live bullets. But it’s a war that invades South Korea, an alliance with the United States… There’s no such thing as crazy.”

“But America…”

“……Close your mouth and keep listening.”

“But, Comrade Baek…”

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up and listen!”

When the word America came out, one of the military officers standing right behind Baek Seung-cheol frowned and tried to say something, but withdrew from Baek Seung-cheol’s strong restraint.

Seeing that, a ray of light passed through Junghwan’s eyes, but he didn’t point it out further and said the next condition.

“And secondly, we must formulate a plan for the massacre in consideration of the people’s will. Comrade Paik seems to think that if he only takes control of the party and the military, he can somehow succeed, but as always, the people’s feelings are the same. If the general masses are on our side, the probability of success increases significantly, if not all.”

“Consider the public opinion, it sounds good, but what are you going to do about it?”

“Let me tell you that soon. But what is certain is that if you think that cutting off only the head will be a successful business, you are mistaken.”

In actual history, that is, in the world before Jeonghwan returned, the coup d’etat by the Frunze clan was simply ignorant and simple.

Of course, it failed, so there is no way to know what kind of thinking or vision there was before the ignorant calculations, but the plan itself was very simple.

In 1993, 5 years from now, at the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People’s Army, the tanks of the Pyongyang Defense Command were mobilized to blow up Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.

Then, by mobilizing 5 divisions under the Frunze faction, he neutralizes or enlists other party forces including the Security Agency, seizes power, and then invades South Korea.

It was indeed a last-minute coup, and whether fortunate or unfortunate for the Republic of Korea, the plan of the Frunze faction failed because it was discovered in advance.

The tank of the Pyongyang Defense Command, which was supposed to eliminate the most important Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il, was unable to attend the military parade due to the intervening intervention of the People’s Armed Forces.

Afterwards, the Russian KGB authorities decided to remove them and leaked information. As a result, not only the Frunze clan but also all the international students who simply studied in Russia suffered a tragic death.

Although there is often a lot of talk about the reasons for their failure in the coup d’état, Jeonghwan thought a little differently.

‘A coup d’etat by and for the executives thoroughly. I didn’t put the variable of the public into my view at all. Even if they succeeded in getting rid of Mr. Kim’s wealthy people, it wouldn’t have lasted long.’

Aside from his personal likes and dislikes, Jung Hwan believed that all successful coups had something in common.

That is, it has won the hearts of the popular masses, or at least the mainstream of the masses.

But Baek Seung-cheol still couldn’t understand his thoughts.

“That is unacceptable!”

“……Why?”

“Comrade Jeong Hwan is out of the country, so I don’t know, but the common people in this Joseon have no power right now. Comrade Jeonghwan, you may have picked up bullshit from history books such as earning the hearts of all people and gaining the world. But as Comrade Mao Zedong over there in China said, power comes from the gun barrel. Don’t you just look at other people over there right now?”

“It’s someone else…”

As soon as the story came out, Junghwan’s eyes changed slightly.

It was because he knew very well what was going to come out of Baek Seung-cheol’s mouth in the next moment.

“Yeah, just looking at South Korea down there, didn’t the soldiers with guns rise up overnight and seize the power? Ordinary South Koreans didn’t know what was going on. Even so, for several years, the soldiers are still taking turns and eating well. Whether in the South or the North, at the time of this dynasty or now, the Korean people follow orders from above! Just for the Olympics right now…”

“I assure you, Comrade General Baek. They won’t go to court in a few years. It’s okay to bet on this.”

“………………”

Baek Seung-cheol stopped talking because of the strong conviction contained in Jeong-hwan’s every word.

He gave no evidence, but his words, as if prophesying, contained the confidence that made them appear black and white.

Still, there was something he didn’t quite understand.

“It’s good, let’s say we are considering the people as Comrade Jeong Hwan said. But what about the guards? As long as they are watching, the people will not be able to listen to us unless they are on our side.”

“……”

“And above all else, the National Security Agency is the most loyal aide to Kim Jong-il, including Director Kim Young-ryong, isn’t it? It is hard to see that the people will support us unless we deal with them first.”

“Leave it to me. ‘Cause it’s all there And the third and last, in fact, this is one of the most important conditions…”

Baek Seung-cheol frowned at Jeong-hwan, who was avoiding his question as if he were slipping through a hole, but in the next moment, Jung-hwan’s third condition opened his eyes as well as the soldiers behind him.

“…what, what?”

“That is nonsense!”

“Okay, everything else is…”

“I know. Even if Major General Baek accepts it, it is an unacceptable condition for other military comrades from Frunze.”

Junghwan nodded as if he had already expected such a reaction.

But, of course, he had a plan to ward off such a backlash.

“Comrade Jeonghwan, please explain. Now, I’m starting to seriously doubt that Comrade Jeong-hwan is a spy of the National Security Agency. If you are seriously thinking of giving up, those conditions are……”

“Believe me. Show me the evidence.”

“What the hell is that evidence…”

“Didn’t you ask if I was a spy for the Bo-wibu? Proof that it isn’t. First, let’s start by separating Kim Jong-il from the security guard and Kim Young-ryong. Wouldn’t that be enough to convince you that I’m genuinely participating in this event?”

“…………?”

At Baek Seung-cheol and his military officers, who looked at him blankly with an expression that he still did not understand the English language, Jeong-hwan gave a smirk.

A week later, a large ship was just entering the port of Wonsan, one of North Korea’s largest ports and the center of trade with Japan.

As if reflecting the economic situation of North Korea that is only getting worse and showing no signs of getting better, it was a big ship I haven’t seen in a long time at Wonsan Port, where only flies were flying.

“It’s a ship carrying construction materials for Pyongyang! We’ve got a top priority permit, so please give us a unloading permit!”

“Piyang (Pyongyang)? If you want to go to Pyongyang, you should go to Nampo. Why are you coming all the way to Wonsan?”

“What do you know? Anyway, why don’t we just do what we tell them to do?”

While they tilted their heads to see if the lively atmosphere of Wonsan Port made them excited, the lively voices of the sailors echoed around Wonsan Port and the ships that had just entered the port.

Eventually, as the arriving ship disembarked and anchored, the vitality of the sailors and workers doubled due to the size of the ship and the Japanese-made products that were loaded in it.

However, that vigor was soon crumpled by a familiar, but always unwelcome, intruder approaching from afar.

“They are the Bowibu.”

“Ganna cubs. Why is the road so stiff on a topic that doesn’t even help you to always spend money and unload your luggage?”

“Shh! I’ll close my snout! What if it gets into your ear? Does it sound like you’re coming to inspect the shipment ?”