Free Web NovelThere is nothing that cannot be done with money. At least, that was how I thought.
But Jang Songthaek seemed to think differently, furrowing his brow as he spoke.
“That is something you say because you do not understand our Republic. It will be difficult to persuade them with money. If one stays near the Leader, money naturally follows.”
He was stating the obvious in the most complicated way possible. I shook my head slightly.
“Perhaps. But that only applies to generals and high-ranking officials. Field-grade officers—ah, in the North you call them jwagwan-gup—they are different.”
The ones I intended to win over were not the generals.
“In South Korea as well, military coups were led mainly by field-grade officers. Generals were involved, yes, but only a few. It was colonels, lieutenant colonels, and majors who moved the soldiers. Do you think the North is any different? They are the ones who actually move the military.”
In South Korean history, the coups had indeed been driven by field-grade officers.
In the end, the ones who seized power were the generals, but the ones who planned and executed everything were the field officers.
And the recent coup attempt in Pyongyang had also been led by field-grade officers.
There was no way Jang Songthaek did not know this.
“······That is true. As you said, the recent Pyongyang coup was also led by them. That is why now, without a general’s approval, the moment they move the troops, they are branded as rebels.”
The failure of the recent attempt had become a deep trauma for him.
Or perhaps he was afraid because he knew how those men had died.
He did not bother hiding his anxiety.
“A coup does not require many people. And there is no need to kill Kim Jongil. Securing him alive might be even better.”
Mobilizing many people only increased the chance of failure, as before.
The best scenario was to secure Kim Jongil with minimal forces. Killing him was the second-best option.
“With a small number of people, Kim Jongil must be secured. That is what you must do, Vice Director Jang. And you know what that requires.”
There was no way he had no people inside the Guard Command.
If that were the case, he would have to obediently stretch out his neck for execution, coup or not.
He swallowed dryly, understanding my meaning.
“Do not tell me you have no people in the Guard Command. If you were that incompetent, I would have to reconsider everything.”
The young officers educated in Soviet military schools had already all been purged from the army.
Among them must have been his people as well.
But many in the Guard Command had survived.
To enter the Guard Command, one needed ideological training from childhood, practically brainwashing, and a background investigation reaching as far as distant relatives.
And of course, a very small number of Guard Command officers had participated in the last coup attempt.
But most remained loyal until the end, and Kim Jongil’s trust in them became even stronger.
Though he was shocked that some participated, he did not withdraw his trust in the organization.
After some thought, Jang Songthaek replied:
“There are none of my people in the 1st Guard Unit that handles closest protection. But in the 2nd and 3rd Guard Units, I have several. And in the 2nd Bureau and 4th Bureau, there are quite a few who stay in contact with me.”
As I expected. I nodded at the confirmation that he had people inside the Guard Command.
However, having no one in the most important 1st Guard Unit was disappointing.
But of course, if he were discovered planting someone in the unit guarding Kim Jongil and his family, his head would have been cut off immediately. He had reason to be cautious.
Still, just in case, I asked again:
“Truly not a single person in the 1st Guard Bureau?”
His expression darkened.
“It is more accurate to say ‘there was.’ He died during the coup. Shot by the coup forces.”
“Hm······.”
“After that, it became impossible to place anyone in that unit.”
If there was no one in the closest guard unit, I would have to discard the plan I had crafted and create a new one.
I closed my eyes and sank into thought. In the meantime, Wen Jiabao asked him a question.
“Vice Director Jang. Do you have no other faction? For someone called the second-most powerful man in Joseon, this faction is too small. Did you call for reform with no base at all?”
Still thinking, I kept one ear open. Even lost in thought, I could not miss their conversation.
“After the failed Pyongyang coup, most heads of the power institutions were replaced. Around that time, I was also sent to the provinces. I had no time to plant my people.”
“So all the high-ranking officials who shared your views were purged as well? Even if you secure the Leader, without help from the upper ranks, a civil war will break out immediately.”
For a while, the two argued, circling around how to execute the coup.
It was not a matter that could be decided easily, so the conversation kept looping.
“Choe Ryongsu, who heads the Ministry of People’s Security, is very close to me. He may stand with me.”
The moment I heard Choe Ryongsu’s name, my eyes snapped open.
Something was wrong. I looked at him in disbelief and asked:
“Choe Ryongsu was appointed to the Ministry of People’s Security? Baek Hakrim stepped down?”
The two men turned to me. After staring for a moment, Jang Songthaek answered:
“Minister Baek Hakrim stepped down due to old age. At least, that is the official reason. In truth, he stepped down for failing to prevent the coup.”
Baek Hakrim had been one of the key figures who placed Kim Jongil in power.
Kim Jongil trusted him so deeply that most of the purges after Kim Ilsung’s death had been carried out by Baek Hakrim.
He had established a special investigative unit inside the Ministry of People’s Security and hunted down those who opposed him, conducting bloody purges.
It was the infamous “Simhwajo Incident,” the massive purge at the beginning of Kim Jongil’s rule.
The man who orchestrated that from behind the scenes was Jang Songthaek, and Baek Hakrim executed it at the surface.
Most of Kim Ilsung’s old comrades were purged, and tens of thousands were killed.
And now, that Baek Hakrim had been cast aside.
“To purge Baek Hakrim and place Choe Ryongsu in that position······. Vice Director Jang, did you have a hand in this?”
“No. The Leader knows of my long friendship with Choe Ryongsu. He appointed him before I was reinstated.”
“······.”
Even I knew Choe Ryongsu was his long-time close associate.
And yet Kim Jongil appointed him to head the Ministry of People’s Security—effectively the North Korean equivalent of China’s Public Security Bureau?
That was a poisoned apple. A bait he must never bite.
“Do not—absolutely do not—consult Choe Ryongsu about this. Don’t bring it up at all. This is bait Kim Jongil threw out to catch you.”
If he bit that bait, he would die. Kim Jongil’s brother-in-law or not, his head would roll.
“You are doubting Choe Ryongsu? He has been my friend for many years. If I cannot discuss this even with him, then this coup is doomed to fail.”
“Think about it, Vice Director. You know better than anyone what kind of man Kim Jongil is. Why would he put Choe Ryongsu—a man close to you—in that position? Is that not suspicious? While you suffered in the provinces and your allies were butchered, he was promoted to the top of the Ministry of People’s Security. You know better than I what that position means.”
Jang Songthaek must have sensed something wrong too. His {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} trust merely outweighed his doubt.
But no matter how one looked at it, moving with that man was dangerous.
“For now, exclude Choe Ryongsu from the plan. We must minimise all potential variables.”
“Do you have a better plan in mind?”
“I have arranged things to some extent. The original plan assumed you had someone in the 1st Guard Unit, but since you don't, we must discard it. A shame—because that was the best scenario.”
He looked curious, but explaining a discarded plan was a waste of breath.
“For now, skip that part. When Kim Jongil is killed or secured, prepare a list of those who may rebel against you. You must gather them all in one place and kill or subdue them before moving forward.”
At the mention of killing, his face stiffened, but he soon nodded.
I began laying out the improvised plan.
“The United States will propose talks involving six nations—China, Russia, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and the United States. To discuss the North Korean nuclear problem.”
Wen Jiabao stared at me in astonishment.
“Is that true? We have heard nothing of that. How do you know this, President Kim?”
“I learned of it by chance.”
I could not tell him the source. Even if I did, he would not believe me.
The information was not yet public, but the Bush administration needed to resolve the nuclear issue to win next year’s presidential election.
“Do not speak of anything you hear today.” freewёbnoνel.com
Both Wen Jiabao and Jang Songthaek nodded.
“And······.”
I studied Jang Songthaek’s face closely. ƒrēewebnovel.com
“There is already one completed nuclear bomb in Kim Jongil’s hands.”
“What did you say? A nuclear weapon?”
Wen Jiabao asked again in shock, but I continued staring at Jang.
His expression showed genuine surprise.
“What do you mean? Are you saying the Leader has a nuclear bomb?”
He did not know. If that was acting, he should become an actor.
“When the Soviet Union collapsed, several nuclear weapons disappeared. Thankfully, the rest were recovered by Russia, but one remains unaccounted for.”
My words left Wen Jiabao slack-jawed, and Jang Songthaek’s eyes trembled.
“Are you saying······ that one is in the Leader’s hands?”
“Yes. I tracked it for a long time and found traces, via the Russian mafia, indicating it flowed into North Korea.”
“That is circumstantial at best.”
“The Russian government already believes the bomb is in North Korea and is discussing how to respond. This is top-secret information. If either of you leak this for political or diplomatic gain, I will no longer regard you as partners.”
I warned them again, but they seemed too stunned to hear me.
They simply stared blankly at me.
“We must proceed under the assumption that Kim Jongil has a nuclear weapon. If Russia can recover the weapon, they will not object to Vice Director Jang taking power.”
Wen Jiabao shook his head, snapping back, and interrupted.
“No, no—President Kim. If Kim Jongil acts insane and uses the bomb, what happens then? Who knows what he might do when cornered?”
“That may be so. But it won’t come to that. Revealing this information now is precisely to prevent that.”
I turned to Jang Songthaek.
“Even if the Six-Party Talks begin, Kim Jongil will not act cooperatively. He will only stall for time to continue nuclear development. During that time, Vice Director Jang, you must find where the nuclear device is hidden.”
If he set his mind to it, he could find the suspicious location eventually.
“Can you do it, Vice Director Jang?”
