Free Web NovelMwamba kept appealing to me, explaining the situation in Congo in detail.
I listened while quietly collecting the information buried in his words.
How much time passed?
A little later, Medvedev returned from his brief meeting with President Yoon Changho.
As soon as he sat down, he drained a glass of champagne. I asked:
“Did the meeting go well?”
Medvedev massaged his neck and nodded.
“Well, to some extent. I only came to congratulate him on his inauguration today, so we did not conduct any detailed negotiations. I also needed to understand the general direction of this new administration.”
“I see. Are you returning home tomorrow?”
“Yes. Things at home are not particularly good right now.” freёwebnovel.com
I already knew their internal situation was unstable.
It was not the sort of thing to say openly—so it meant he was comfortable sharing it with me.
“I see. I will make time to visit Moscow soon. Let us have a proper talk over drinks then.”
“Of course. Mr. Kim is always welcome.”
When Medvedev returned, Mwamba awkwardly laughed and slipped away.
I gestured slightly toward where the minister had gone.
“While you were away, I had a conversation with Minister Mwamba. I am considering investing in Congo.”
“Oh... that is an excellent choice. Congo’s underground resources are virtually limitless. I expected you might invest. The UN intervention ended the war, but all they really did was force Rwanda and other nations to withdraw their troops from Congo. Once the civil war ends properly, the value of investing there will increase significantly.”
“I see? I knew the rough outline, but not the details.”
Medvedev glanced at Mwamba, then switched to Russian as he continued.
“The eastern region of Congo still has sporadic battles between government forces and rebels. So if you invest, avoid the east. Focus on the west.”
“Thank you for the advice.”
Medvedev nodded, then spoke again:
“Compared to what you have done for us, this is nothing. More importantly—you need to enter Russia as soon as possible. The decision to sell Yukos has been made.”
“So it has finally come to that?”
“Yes. You are designated as our preferred negotiator, but you should come in person. International oil prices are rising slowly. We cannot leave Yukos unattended. The longer we delay, the more damage is inflicted on the Russian economy.”
Medvedev frowned. Considering Yukos’s enormous share of Russia’s economy, his concern was natural.
“The sooner the sale, the better. But suddenly, the UK has made an offer to acquire Yukos’s management rights. They claim to have the funds ready to cover Yukos’s debt, and even offered to pay all damages charged to Chairman Khodorkovsky if necessary.”
That was an extremely bold proposal. I couldn’t help but ask:
“The UK? Did their government step in?”
“No. Several private investment funds formed a consortium and sent an official letter to our government. They requested that Khodorkovsky’s shares be transferred to them. But we do not intend to hand over our company to the British.”
“A company like Yukos, the fourth-largest oil firm in the world, would certainly attract British investors.”
Not only British investors—major U.S. oil companies would covet Yukos as well.
After a moment of thought, I added:
“If oil prices continue to rise, the U.S. government will step in. The Yukos situation is one of the key factors behind rising oil prices.”
“The main cause of the price rise is the Iraq War. Blaming us is absurd.”
“When has the United States ever cared about that? They only care about stabilizing oil prices. They will not care who controls Yukos—as long as the situation is resolved quickly.”
The same United States that started a war in Iraq to secure oil fields wouldn’t be pleased with high prices.
They would not interfere directly in Russian internal affairs, but they would certainly push for a rapid resolution.
And with shale gas development still far off, high oil prices burdened not only the U.S. but the global economy.
“What is the acquisition price?”
“At least ten billion dollars. Possibly more. But without Kremlin approval, no one can have Yukos.”
I reviewed memories from my previous life.
Yukos had been dismantled—its core subsidiaries sold off to Gazprom and Rosneft, both state-owned—before it finally collapsed.
To acquire Yukos, one needed not only enormous capital, but political influence capable of securing Kremlin approval.
Very few foreign investors had close enough ties with the Russian government.
This time was different. I was now a self-declared friend of Russia.
Rather than tearing Yukos apart again, selling it intact to me would look far better in the eyes of the international community.
Russia had just begun opening its markets—it did not need a new wave of distrust.
They were not stupid enough to choose the worst possible option when a better one was available.
“Very well. Designate an asset valuation agency and begin the sale procedures.”
“Do you have sufficient acquisition funds?”
“You are worried about my money? I haven’t heard that in a long time. Even if I do not have enough, I will make it.”
I replied jokingly, and Medvedev laughed softly.
“Indeed, it is not my place to worry about Mr. Kim.”
“By the way—doesn’t Roman want to acquire it as well? I remember he expressed interest before.”
At the mention of Roman, Medvedev pinched the bridge of his nose.
“That is true. But once he learned you were the likely buyer, he began watching silently. After all the sins he has committed... well.”
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia’s richest man, had already fallen by the Kremlin’s sword.
Roman must feel like he was walking on thin ice.
He knew it could be him next—and likely lost sleep over it.
He had caused so many problems that I was told he was still avoiding returning to Russia.
Of course, if the Kremlin wanted him, they could demand his return at any time—but for now, they were leaving him be.
“The faster Yukos is sold, the less burden on our government. To be frank, we pushed too hard investigating Chairman Khodorkovsky in order to remove him. Yes, he committed crimes like tax evasion, but that is common among Russian companies.”
So they wanted to wrap things up before anyone noticed how much they exaggerated the case.
I nodded.
“Once asset valuation is complete, I will fly to Moscow immediately.”
“Understood. I will proceed on that basis. Stabilizing Yukos is essential for Russian economic growth.”
Yukos alone employed nearly one hundred thousand people.
And that didn’t even include its massive indirect employment effects.
Naturally, the Kremlin did not want this crisis to drag on.
“Of course. I will gladly help—for Russia’s bright future.”
The official inauguration party finally ended, and attendees began leaving the guesthouse.
I stood up to leave as well.
At that moment, someone called out to me.
“Good evening, President Kim Muhyuk. I am Kim Minseok, the chief of presidential security.”
“Ah, nice to meet you. I have heard much about you.”
“The President has instructed me to escort you. May I take you now?”
I lowered my eyes and checked my watch. It was already past 10 p.m.
“Is it not a bit late?”
“The order was simply to escort you to the presidential residence.”
He obviously had something urgent to discuss. But there were too many eyes around.
“It is too far to walk.”
Kim Minseok nodded and summoned a prearranged vehicle.
I followed him to the residence. Only the moon in the dark sky lit the path.
“Mr. President, Madam First Lady.”
When I entered the residence, President Yoon Changho and the First Lady were waiting.
I bowed slightly in greeting.
“Mr. Kim! Come in.”
Yoon Changho came forward to shake my hand, and the First Lady greeted me afterward.
“Mr. Kim Muhyuk. Welcome. It has been a while.”
After exchanging greetings, I followed Yoon Changho.
We arrived at the small dining room where I had once shared drinks with Kim Hakgwon.
A full dinner table was already prepared.
We sat facing each other. Yoon Changho mixed drinks skillfully and handed me a glass.
I accepted it, and he raised his own. We clinked glasses and drank in one go.
“Ha, that is good. I must have cheap taste. Expensive liquor is fine, but nothing beats a glass of somaek after a hard day, right before bed. What about you?”
“It is all the same to me. But sometimes, I do miss having a glass of soju ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ with old friends. Those times never come back.”
“Ha! A young man talking about the past in front of an old man?”
He laughed and scolded me lightly, and I answered with a faint smile.
“Thanks to you, I have finally become President of the Republic of Korea. It feels strangely different from when I was President-elect.”
His voice carried both joy and a touch of melancholy.
He had already gone through a lot today—even before officially beginning his duties.
“Tonight is my first night staying in the Blue House. That is why I called you here—to share a drink with you. This is your first time here, right?”
“Former President Kim Hakgwon invited me once for a drink.”
“Really? That man... always doing unnecessary things...”
We exchanged several more drinks.
Then the topic shifted to the meetings held earlier in the day.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
“President Bush conveyed that he wants us to take a strong stance on North Korea. He said he wants something completely different from the Kim Hakgwon administration’s approach. The details will be discussed at the summit in Washington.”
It made sense. The Iraq War was slowly stabilizing.
Among the three nations the U.S. labeled as the Axis of Evil, Iraq had been removed.
Only Iran and North Korea remained.
Meanwhile, the Kim Hakgwon administration had cultivated a conciliatory atmosphere toward North Korea.
From the American perspective, friendly gestures toward an enemy state were unacceptable.
So now that the administration had changed, the pressure came swiftly.
“What do you think?”
“Diplomacy is the President’s domain. It is not my place to intervene.”
I stepped back intentionally, curious how he planned to respond.
Yoon Changho emptied his beer glass in one go, then met my gaze.
“I simply need your insight.”
He called it insight, but he was asking for my opinion outright.
Only then did I speak honestly.
“It would be wise to improve relations with the United States to some degree. North Korea already withdrew from the NPT and launched provocations by firing missiles into the East Sea. The UN Security Council has already passed resolutions and is raising pressure. If our nation continues conciliatory policies, the United States loses justification for their pressure.”
Yoon Changho nodded slowly.
“That is what I think as well. But public sentiment toward the United States has never been worse. Anti-American protests erupt every day.”
Two teenage girls crushed to death under a U.S. military vehicle—the nation was furious.
Anti-American sentiment was at its peak.
“When is the summit with Bush?”
“Scheduled for June.”
By then, anti-American sentiment might subside—but there was no guarantee.
Still, Korea could never sever itself from the United States.
I thought for a moment, then finally opened my mouth.
