Free Web NovelMichael, despite being in a position overseeing the entire U.S. intelligence apparatus, was surprisingly down-to-earth. The more we talked, the more likable he became.
Of course, he let slip political viewpoints here and there, but someone in his position could never be entirely detached from politics.
If he were, he wouldn’t be sitting in that seat in the first place.
We finished dinner while discussing the Middle East.
Just as he had confidently promised, the food was quite good.
When the meal ended, dessert and coffee arrived. I lifted my cup and asked something I had been curious about.
“What do you think about North Korea?”
“Ah, Charlie — you’re Korean, right? I suppose the issue feels personal to you. For us, our priority is still the Middle East. So we haven’t been paying much attention to the North. We simply don’t have enough manpower.”
“But surely you haven’t completely ignored them. You designated them ‘the axis of evil,’ didn’t you?”
Michael, who had been elaborating for a while, scratched his cheek awkwardly and laughed.
“Haha, that’s true. But they haven’t shown any major movement lately. Or rather, they’ve become even more closed off. After that coup attempt, all of our HUMINT was wiped out. Honestly, I think you know more than we do. I heard you met Jang Songthaek in China this time...”
Afraid of offending me, Michael trailed off and cautiously checked my expression.
Of course the U.S. would know that. I shrugged casually as I answered.
“I met him, but he didn’t say much. It didn’t seem like he’d fully regained his power yet.”
There was no reason to tell him more than that.
“That makes sense. He was demoted and only recently returned to Pyongyang, after all. And we know China pressured them to reinstate him.”
All your intelligence sources died, yet you know that?
Ah — maybe that came from the Chinese.
Michael lifted his coffee. After taking a small sip, he continued.
“Satellites and intercepts have limits. Ultimately, it comes down to human sources... rebuilding that will take a very long time. I’ve heard South Korea’s intelligence services also had their HUMINT utterly destroyed.”
“That sounds likely. I’m not too familiar with that part personally.”
“I see. The countries with the most intel on North Korea are China and Russia, but we aren’t exactly on good terms with them either. Unfortunate.”
People liked to claim this was the age of information — but in the end, the most reliable thing was still human beings.
Satellite photos and advanced technology couldn’t match the mouths of those who lived on the ground.
But that entire system collapsed after the last attempted coup.
Thanks to that, even Russia and China couldn’t properly assess the deeper issues within Pyongyang.
The North Korean regime, already closed-off by nature, became even more isolated.
And the U.S. and South Korea, the two countries that should have been preparing the fastest, grew slower to respond.
“Michael, what do you think would happen if... hypothetically, a regime change occurred in North Korea?”
I set my cup down and asked calmly. At the sudden question, not only Michael but even Jessica widened their eyes.
“...Did you hear something?”
I slowly shook my head.
“No. It happens in any authoritarian regime. When the economy wavers, the closest insiders often stage a coup. Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe... you know far better than I do how many dictatorships collapsed that way, don’t you? So — purely hypothetically — what do you think would happen?”
North Korea’s collapse.
There was no doubt the U.S. had simulations for that scenario.
“Hmm... Of course we’ve run simulations. If such a thing happened, China ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ would intervene first. Russia would intervene too. South Korea and the U.S. would enter together. And Japan would try to get involved as well. That makes five countries fighting for space in that tiny territory. It would be the first great-power free-for-all since World War II.”
He didn’t go into detail, but the U.S. scenario was simple.
Divide North Korea into five zones — shared by the U.S., China, Russia, South Korea, and Japan.
They really have written out a scenario.
I smirked and picked up my cup again.
“And what if it became a pro-American regime?”
“A pro-American regime in North Korea? That’s no different from saying Japan suddenly becomes communist.”
“That’s why I used the word hypothetically.”
“In that case, the opinion of the White House and Washington would matter more than mine. But personally... that would plunge North Korea into even greater chaos. Its geography alone makes it impossible. Russia and China would never tolerate a pro-American North Korea.”
I turned toward Jessica and asked:
“What do you think, Jessica?”
Listening to my conversation with Michael had deepened her expression — her eyes looked more serious than before.
“I agree — no one wants North Korea to become pro-U.S. But thinking of it strategically... American politicians might welcome it. It would be a chance to move U.S. Forces Korea further north. If something like that really happened... we might see a new Cold War.”
“Not too different from Michael’s answer.”
“Charlie, you’re not the type to ask this casually. You know something, don’t you? You wouldn’t bring this up without reason.”
Sharp.
I met her eyes and answered firmly:
“No. I asked China the exact same question. I’m just curious how each country thinks. No one knows when something might happen.”
“Now that you mention it... I heard rumors you tried to broker reconciliation between Washington and Pyongyang at Kim Jongil’s request. And now you’re talking about a regime change? You definitely know something.” freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Jessica didn’t buy my explanation.
She’d worked with me much more closely than Michael, so she reacted differently.
Watching her try to extract an answer from the question I’d posed was amusing.
“A rumor is just a rumor. I simply wanted to hear the thoughts of the man who controls every U.S. intelligence agency. And yours too. You’re the one who works with me most closely, Jessica.”
At that moment, Michael spoke.
“You seem quite close with Jessica, Charlie.”
“Close? I’m not sure about that. It’s more accurate to say we’re comfortable because we’ve worked together for a long time. Building trust takes time. And Jessica and I have had quite a bit of time.”
“Hmm.”
It was obvious why he had come to see me personally.
He wanted to bypass Jessica and deal with me directly.
He didn’t need to.
And I wasn’t interested.
So throughout our conversation, I’d been dropping subtle hints that Jessica was essential.
Michael had pretended not to notice — but now he finally swallowed hard.
Across the table, Jessica winked at me.
“I understand. Your intention is clear.”
Michael nodded easily.
He gave up surprisingly quickly.
No — he wasn’t giving up. He would simply continue obtaining information through Jessica.
“Now, back to the main point. North Korea is fine exactly where it is — an adversarial state that cannot threaten the American mainland. If internal upheaval happens, the U.S. military will intervene.”
Even if Jang Songthaek seized power, U.S. intervention would end everything.
Whether to apply pressure through China and Russia, or persuade the Americans... I needed to think more on that.
Just then, both Michael and Jessica’s phones rang at the same time.
Seeing them hesitate, I spoke first.
“Go ahead. I’m fine.”
“Excuse us.”
Both stood and moved toward the windows.
The timing was uncanny.
At that moment, Chief Ma entered and whispered to me:
“Boss, signs indicate North Korea has conducted a nuclear test. President Yoon Changho has called an emergency National Security Council meeting at the Blue House.”
Earlier than expected.
Kim Jongil went ahead with the nuclear test much faster than I anticipated.
Even I — and the United States — hadn’t foreseen it happening now.
I nodded slightly and looked toward Michael and Jessica.
Their faces were hardening by the second.
Their calls were clearly about the nuclear test as well.
They hung up urgently and returned, faces troubled.
“Sorry, Charlie. Something urgent came up — we need to return immediately.”
“Go ahead. It’s because of North Korea’s nuclear test, right? The timing is uncanny. I bring up North Korea, and the news breaks right then.”
Michael and Jessica seemed to be thinking the same thing.
A faint shadow even crossed Michael’s face.
But the two quickly hid their expressions and offered farewells.
“We’ll head out. Jessica.”
“Charlie — see you next time.”
They rushed out, leaving me alone.
South Korea immediately convened the NSC.
And the U.S. did too.
Myungsoo had all his schedules canceled and said he was coming to my hotel.
I called Han Kyungyoung in Russia.
“Hyung. You busy?”
— No. Everything was canceled. Because of North Korea’s nuclear test...
Russia clearly viewed the situation as serious.
“What’s the atmosphere like?”
— Here? Everyone’s face is stiff. Looks like nobody expected this. Kim Jongil really is impossible to predict.
I nodded unconsciously.
Kim Jongil was the one who consistently defied expectations.
“Check Moscow’s reaction and situation and get back to me. As for China... I’ll have to ask Wen Jiabao.”
— Alright. I’ll call as soon as I learn anything.
I ended the call and thought carefully.
There had been genuine tension from North Korean nuclear provocations.
But they didn’t start actual nuclear testing until 2006 — three years from now.
I remembered clearly because the Korean stock market had plummeted that year.
Back then, there were warning signs.
This time, nothing — and the test happened without any precursor.
Why had the timeline twisted like this?
Did the underground U.S.–North Korea negotiations fall apart after the coup attempt?
No — that wasn’t it.
No matter how I looked at it, my involvement had changed too much.
They must have seen me as a serious threat and rushed ahead.
My mind grew heavier.
How was I supposed to untangle this rapidly shifting situation?
“Hey! Muhyuk!”
Myungsoo burst into the hotel room, face pale.
“What’s got you so panicked?”
“Are they crazy? Nuclear weapons?!”
“Calm down first. Sit.”
His hands were trembling.
I poured cool water and handed it to him.
He gulped it down and took several deep breaths, the color slowly returning to his face.
“What’s the Blue House saying?”
“They convened the NSC, so they’re probably in the middle of the meeting now.”
“How did they detect it?”
Myungsoo explained step by step.
“The Korea Institute of Geoscience detected a man-made seismic wave around M3.6. It happened in Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province. The U.S. and Japan picked it up too. They compared the data — concluded it was an artificial quake caused by a nuclear test. Then they immediately called the NSC.”
“No precursor signs? No preparatory movement?”
Myungsoo nodded vigorously.
“Neither the NIS nor the military intelligence, nor even U.S. Forces Korea had any idea. How is that possible? With all that advanced equipment — and they still missed something this big? What the hell went wrong?” freewebnσvel.cѳm
Aside from the final years of the Kim Hakgwŏn administration, South Korea had spent years taking a conciliatory approach toward the North, offering support.
To maintain that atmosphere, the NIS’s North Korea division had been downsized.
Their surveillance web weakened — and now the consequences hit.
Though honestly, the biggest reason was that Kim Jongil’s behavior had become unpredictable to a frightening degree.
I ruffled my hair in frustration and sighed deeply.
“Hold on. I need to call Wen Jiabao. There’s no way North Korea didn’t notify China—”
I immediately dialed Wen Jiabao.
— Chairman Kim Muhyuk, let’s speak later.
He answered quickly, but sounded desperate to end the call.
He tried to hang up immediately.
“Just a moment, Premier Wen. Did you know about the nuclear test?”
— ......I did not. If I had known, I would have told you.
I did not?
Just now, he said I, not we.
“So you’re saying President Hu Jintao did know?”
