Free Web NovelI left the villa where Kim Jongil was staying and headed back to Pyongyang.
The final conversation I’d had with Kim Jongil wouldn’t leave my mind.
‘When I rejected him, that man left Pyongyang and returned to Russia.’
He left Pyongyang immediately after the negotiations broke down? That only made it more suspicious.
‘What was that man’s name?’
‘Andrei Solomatin. A second secretary. Under normal circumstances, someone like him would never even be able to meet me.’
‘You don’t know what faction he belonged to?’
‘I don’t. That’s what makes it frightening, isn’t it? An unidentified force saying they could block a UN resolution. And yet, there was no falsehood in that man’s eyes or actions. He was overflowing with confidence. In his eyes, the word “failure” didn’t exist.’
‘Thank you for the information.’
‘Do you know why I’m telling you this?’
‘......I don’t know.’
‘Jang Songthaek, that bastard, isn’t ruthless enough. One day, he’ll suffer a major setback. That’s why I’m telling you to help him well. Let’s see how well you do. I’ll be watching.’
If someone had enough confidence to directly approach Kim Jongil with such a proposal, it meant they believed—one way or another—that they could block the passage of a Security Council resolution.
Aside from the United States, China, and Russia, the only countries with veto power were the United Kingdom and France.
Unless...
I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away.
It was too early to draw conclusions. First, I needed to find out more about this Andrei «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» Solomatin.
“Let’s go to the Russian embassy.”
At my words, the man driving startled and asked again.
“Pardon? Vice Chairman Jang ordered me to bring you to him immediately.”
“Then contact Vice Chairman Jang.”
The man stopped the car briefly, asked for permission, and picked up the phone installed in the vehicle.
He placed a call somewhere.
“Yes. This is Ri Jeongu. I have an urgent matter to report to Vice Chairman. Please connect me.”
A moment later, it seemed Jang Songthaek had picked up, and the man handed the receiver to me.
“Yes. This is Kim Muhyuk, Vice Chairman.”
— What’s going on?
“Chairman Kim Jongil doesn’t seem to have any ulterior intentions. We can discuss the details later, but first, I need to go to the Russian embassy.”
— The Russian embassy?
Perhaps because I spoke quite firmly, Jang Songthaek asked in surprise.
“Yes. There’s something I need to ask the Russians.”
— Hmm. Did you speak well with Chairman Kim Jongil?
“Yes. It wasn’t bad.”
— Understood. Then proceed as you see fit.
“Please tell your subordinate properly. I asked him to go to the Russian embassy, but he said he couldn’t do so without your permission. You’ve got a good man.”
— Haha, understood. Put him back on.
I handed the receiver back to the man.
“I’ve switched the call. This is Ri Jeongu. Yes, yes. I understand, Vice Chairman.”
After hanging up, the man grabbed the steering wheel again.
“I’ll take you to the Russian embassy.”
The car carrying me slowly picked up speed and headed toward Pyongyang.
Not long after, we arrived at the Russian embassy.
A soldier guarding the entrance knocked on the window and asked in Russian.
“Who are you?”
The man in the driver’s seat rolled down the window and replied.
To my surprise, his Russian was fluent.
“I’ve brought Kim Muhyuk from South Korea.”
“South Korea? Kim Muhyuk? Do you have an appointment?”
The man glanced back at us. At that moment, Manager Ma got out first and opened the car door for me.
I walked straight up to the soldier and spoke.
“I don’t have an appointment. I urgently need to contact the Russian mainland.”
“Without an appointment, you can’t meet the ambassador.”
“Please just relay that Kim Muhyuk wishes to meet him.”
“That’s not possible. No exceptions.”
A rigid, soldierly response came back.
Given that this was an embassy in the heart of Pyongyang, it was understandable.
Instead of pushing aggressively, I spoke earnestly.
“Just pass on the message. I really came because it’s urgent. If the ambassador refuses, I’ll leave.”
The soldier hesitated briefly, then nodded.
He turned his head and spoke to someone beside him.
“Go ask the ambassador.”
“Yes!”
While that was happening, I spoke to the man sitting in the driver’s seat.
“You may return now. I’ll contact Vice Chairman Jang separately.”
“No. I’ll wait.”
If he wanted to wait, there was no need to force him to leave.
I withdrew my attention from him and watched the embassy entrance.
It would likely take some time before the ambassador came out.
That was fine. I needed time to organize my thoughts anyway.
Andrei Solomatin... A second secretary boldly met Kim Jongil directly. Did the Russian ambassador know about this? Or was it a unilateral action?
A second secretary was among the lowest-ranking officials at the Russian embassy in North Korea.
The fact that he had a channel to propose a secret meeting with Kim Jongil was itself surprising.
It wouldn’t have been possible without help from the ambassador or senior staff.
How much time passed?
A man who appeared to be the Russian ambassador emerged.
He asked me in Korean.
“Are you Mr. Kim Muhyuk? I’m Alexei Shigorev, the Russian ambassador to North Korea. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Yes. I’m Kim Muhyuk. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I heard you were visiting Pyongyang. But I didn’t hear that you would be visiting our embassy...”
“I came because an urgent matter arose that requires contacting the Kremlin.”
At the word Kremlin, his eyes widened.
“The Kremlin, you say?”
“Yes. You can contact them directly, can’t you?”
“It’s possible, but... let’s go inside and talk first. There are too many eyes here.”
I nodded and followed the ambassador inside.
We sat facing each other on the sofa in his office.
“Would you like a cup of black tea?”
Alexei asked leisurely. But I had no intention of calmly drinking tea.
“No, thank you. Ambassador, do you know someone who worked here named Andrei Solomatin?”
“Andrei? Yes, well. I do know him.”
“Has he returned to Russia?”
“Yes. He returned to Russia some time ago. But why Andrei—”
“Are you aware that he met Kim Jongil privately? Did you send him?”
I examined Alexei with a sharp gaze.
“What? What are you saying? Second Secretary Andrei met Chairman Kim Jongil privately? That’s impossible.”
If he truly didn’t know, his already large eyes grew even wider.
“You truly didn’t know?”
“I genuinely had no idea. This is the first I’ve heard of it, from you.”
“Does that make sense? How could something like that happen without the ambassador’s knowledge? We’re talking about Chairman Kim Jongil. Only a handful of people in the embassy could have direct contact with him. And a second secretary would never be among them.” freewёbnoνel.com
“......”
“I’ll ask again. You really knew nothing?”
If he didn’t know, he was incompetent. If he knew and turned a blind eye, he was an accomplice.
“......I didn’t know.”
“Then how many people in this embassy can contact Kim Jongil directly?”
“Other than myself and the counselor, it would be difficult for anyone to contact Chairman Kim Jongil. Pyongyang was already a closed city, but after the coup attempt, restrictions on embassy staff became even tighter. Or rather, we were put under surveillance.”
The coup attempt in Pyongyang had involved Russian intervention.
Kim Jongil couldn’t eliminate the Russian embassy, so he must have restricted their movements.
Still, I hadn’t completely erased my suspicion of this man.
“Understood. So you’re saying you knew nothing.”
When I gave a curt response, Alexei slammed the table hard.
He sprang to his feet.
“Then it must have been the counselor! I’ll bring that bastard here immediately—!”
His exaggerated reaction only deepened my suspicion.
But without evidence, I couldn’t press the ambassador further.
“That’s enough. Right now, Andrei comes first.”
“I’ll bring the counselor immediately.”
He wasn’t getting it. I slowly shook my head.
“Sit down. And contact the Kremlin immediately. From now on, you’re not taking a single step out of here until Andrei is caught.”
“Pardon?”
The ambassador asked in a stunned voice. Irritation surged, and I snapped sharply in Russian.
“Sit down. Is my Russian that hard to understand?”
At my icy tone, Alexei swallowed hard.
“Contact the Kremlin. Now.”
I spoke calmly, but inside, I was boiling. If Russia was involved in this, my anger would only grow.
Russia knew exactly how much effort I had poured into this matter, and how far I had gone.
And yet, to dare run covert operations behind my back...
“This was something agreed upon between the master of the Kremlin and me. And yet, a second secretary working at the Russian embassy conducted covert operations behind the scenes. Do you still want to talk about etiquette, Ambassador Alexei? Contact the Kremlin immediately.”
Alexei clenched his lips but said nothing.
“This is my final warning. Even if you don’t do it, I have other means. I’m giving you a chance. So contact them. Now.”
At my cold words, Alexei trembled, then nodded.
“Understood. I’ll contact them immediately.”
As he picked up the phone beside him, he asked,
“Who should I connect you to?”
“Chief of Staff Medvedev.”
“...I don’t have a direct line to the Chief of Staff.”
“Say my name. You’ll be connected immediately.”
Nodding, Alexei placed the call.
“This is Ambassador Alexei. Yes. There is someone who urgently wishes to speak with Chief of Staff Medvedev. Yes, yes. It’s Kim Muhyuk.”
I watched Alexei’s behavior closely as he contacted Medvedev.
Soon, he turned toward me and handed over the receiver.
“It’s the minister.”
I took the receiver. An unfamiliar voice came through.
— Is this really Mr. Kim Muhyuk?
“Yes. This is Kim Muhyuk.”
— I’m Sergey Lavrov. I’ve just taken office as Minister of Foreign Affairs. We met once before, didn’t we?
“Yes. I remember greeting you back then.”
I answered deliberately curtly, cutting him off. But perhaps his tongue was greased—Sergey smoothly continued.
— I knew you were in Pyongyang. But suddenly asking to be connected to the Chief of Staff—what’s going on?
“This isn’t something to discuss with many people listening in. Speak to Chief of Staff Medvedev directly after hearing it from him.”
When I drew a firm line, he took a step back.
— ......I’ll have him call you immediately.
“I’ll wait. I’ll make up for this rudeness separately when I’m in Moscow.”
I handed the receiver back to Alexei.
“Yes, Minister. Understood. I’ll convey that.”
As Alexei set the phone down, cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
With trembling hands, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his sweat.
“He said he would contact you immediately.”
When I raised an eyebrow slightly, Alexei hurriedly added,
“I truly have nothing to do with this.”
“That will be revealed through investigation. If you’re innocent, it will pass without issue.”
Of course, even innocence wouldn’t let him pass without consequence.
How an incompetent superior who failed to control his subordinates ends up—Alexei would likely become the example.
“Yes, as you say, once Andrei is arrested, my innocence will quickly be proven.”
Seeing how firmly Alexei seemed to believe that, I said nothing and simply folded my arms.
A moment later.
The phone rang loudly.
“Yes. This is Ambassador Alexei. Yes, I’ll put him through immediately!”
With a more rigid posture than before, Alexei took the call and handed me the receiver.
— Mr. Kim. This is Medvedev.
“Medvedev. I’ll ask you one thing. Answer honestly, without a shred of falsehood.”
— ......What is it?
“Did Russia, without my knowledge, ever propose negotiations to Kim Jongil?”
