Free Web NovelMun Gyeongdeok was Jang Songthaek’s closest aide.
In the previous life, he disappeared together with Jang Songthaek during the purge, but as time passed, he somehow returned to the political stage.
There was no way to know how he had survived. But he was a man who had always moved in step with Jang Songthaek.
In this life as well, he walked the same path as Jang Songthaek.
At a time when most high-ranking officials in Pyongyang were over sixty, the fact that he had risen to a senior position in his forties was entirely the reward for his loyalty to Jang Songthaek.
A man who, in a North Korean political world that valued bloodline and legitimacy above all else, had risen to the core of power without any special family background.
“Mun Gyeongdeok, huh······.”
“He is currently serving as a Vice Department Director of the Central Committee. Once development of Nampo City begins, he is scheduled to be sent down as the Responsible Secretary of Nampo City. Along with that, he will likely hold the concurrent post of Minister of Land and Maritime Transport.”
It was a detail that made it clear just how important Jang Songthaek considered Nampo City.
He was sending his most trusted aide down to Nampo. And by having him work in tandem with me, it meant he intended to simplify all the messy administrative procedures.
“I will likely be dispatched to Japan as a special envoy as well. I look forward to working with you, President Kim Muhyuk.”
He was entrusting even the issue of compensation claims against Japan to Mun Gyeongdeok?
That meant Jang Songthaek’s trust in Mun Gyeongdeok was deeper than I had thought.
“I look forward to working with you as well, Vice Director Mun Gyeongdeok.”
Having Jang Songthaek’s closest aide stationed in Nampo City was good news for me, too.
It meant that no irrelevant people would dare try to stick their spoons into Nampo City.
“But Vice Director, if you’re coming down to Nampo City, doesn’t that mean you’ll be moving away from Pyongyang politics?” fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
“Please speak comfortably, President Kim. That’s fine. What the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission wants is for me to go down to Nampo City.”
“Then I’d better make sure to stay on the Vice Director’s good side.”
When I joked lightly, the man—who had been speaking with a stiff expression—let out a brief, businesslike smile.
“Please develop Nampo City splendidly, just as the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission desires. So that people all over the world can see the changes in our Republic.”
“Of course. I should do so—for my own sake as well.”
I spent a long time looking around Nampo City.
Most of the factories that had once been there had already shut down and left Nampo City long ago.
“Where did the factories that used to be here go?”
“Most of them either relocated elsewhere or were shut down. Factories with poor competitiveness were closed, and those that were still viable were moved to other locations. Aren’t you planning to attract South Korean companies to Nampo City? The Chairman of the State Affairs Commission judged that it would be better to prepare in advance rather than later.”
Jang Songthaek had really staked everything on this. To the point of relocating or shutting down even the factories that were still running decently.
It was a declaration of his determination to develop Nampo thoroughly.
I toured various parts of Nampo City with Mun Gyeongdeok, sharing my development plans.
“I’m thinking of building accommodation facilities like hotels here, along with convenience facilities. And I’m also planning to build entertainment facilities like casinos.”
Mun Gyeongdeok, who had been quietly nodding, reacted at the word casino.
“Casinos?”
“Yes. People who work aboard merchant ships spend months at sea. We need to give them a place where they can come ashore and enjoy themselves. That way, they’ll spend money in Nampo City, and that will be a great help to the North Korean economy.”
Sailors who spent more than half the year sailing the seas were always thirsty for entertainment.
So if enough places to enjoy themselves were provided, they would spend money without hesitation.
“North Korean residents will be prohibited from using them, but I’m thinking of hiring North Koreans as staff. What do you think of my plan?”
I would build a massive entertainment city right near the site where the new Port of Nampo would be constructed.
That way, sailors from merchant ships docking at Nampo Port would naturally spend their money there.
“Gambling is a serious crime in our Republic.”
“But isn’t Nampo City a free economic zone? You can think of it as another country within North Korea. As long as we strictly control access by North Korean residents, wouldn’t that be sufficient?”
“Hmm. For now, we’ll try to push it forward.”
After that, I continued explaining my plans as we visited various locations.
Mun Gyeongdeok diligently wrote down my words in his notebook, constantly asking questions or nodding.
“If development proceeds exactly as you say, President, there won’t be any city within the Republic that can be compared to Nampo City.”
He muttered as he read through the plans densely written in his notebook.
His normally expressionless face was filled with astonishment.
“The larger Nampo City grows, the larger and more splendid Pyongyang will become as well. After all, it’s the capital of the nation.”
“I’m not so sure. If you think about China······. I mean, Beijing and Shanghai. In terms of economic scale, Beijing can’t surpass Shanghai, can it?”
“You can’t run a country on economics alone. An administrative capital has meaning simply by existing. In the United States as well, New York is the center of the economy, but all major decisions are made in Washington.”
I knew what Mun Gyeongdeok was worried about.
“If the open-door policy continues, even if the political system remains communist, the economy will eventually settle into a free-market system.”
Where that outcome would ultimately lead, even I did not know.
North Korean residents whose economic power had grown might come to desire democracy—or they might simply continue to follow the government and live in economic prosperity. That choice would rest entirely with the North Korean people.
“Chairman Jang Songthaek of the State Affairs Commission surely knows that as well. And yet he pursues the open-door policy because he knows it is the only way to save North Korea.”
In the end, Mun Gyeongdeok nodded and accepted it.
“You’re right. Our Republic must change as well. We can’t remain trapped in the past like frogs in a well forever. I am merely following the path that the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission walks.”
Mun Gyeongdeok spoke with stubborn sincerity. He was a man who had risen to his position through loyalty alone. I checked my wristwatch and spoke.
“Let’s head back up soon. The sun will have set by the time we arrive.”
After finishing the inspection of Nampo City, we drove back toward Pyongyang.
* * *
Upon arriving in Pyongyang, Medvedev was escorted by embassy staff to Jang Songthaek’s office.
“Welcome. Chief of Staff Medvedev.”
Jang Songthaek greeted him warmly.
“It’s been a long time, Chairman Jang Songthaek.”
The two exchanged looks and shook hands.
After a short while, everyone was dismissed, leaving only the two of them in the office.
“Where is President Kim Muhyuk?”
That was Medvedev’s first question. Jang Songthaek smiled and answered.
“He set out early this morning to inspect Nampo City. He’s scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang this evening, so you should be able to enjoy dinner together.”
After that, Medvedev spoke about various diplomatic matters, and Jang Songthaek shared his own views in response.
North Korea and Russia were deeply entangled in many ways.
Russia, as the successor state to the Soviet Union, was a country that North Korea could never fully sever ties with, no matter what happened.
“In Moscow as well, there were many who worried about Chairman Jang Songthaek’s consolidation of power. But the methods by which you dispelled those doubts are now recognized even in Moscow. Russia will always remain North Korea’s ally.”
“Thank you. Since the founding of our Republic, Russia has always been our ally.”
“There was a time when we were closer to China than to Russia, but the past is the past. Now we must move toward the future.”
Jang Songthaek nodded in agreement. The pleasantries were over; it was time to address the most important issue.
“Chief of Staff. When are you planning to begin development of Rason City?”
When Jang Songthaek asked cautiously, Medvedev smiled genially and replied.
“An on-site inspection team has already entered and is drafting plans. We intend to turn Rason into a small Russia within North Korea. It will become an advance base for Russia to access the Pacific.”
“I am aware that an inspection team has arrived. I would like to hear the detailed plans.”
“Quite a few Russian companies will enter Rason City as well. They’ll be able to manufacture goods there and export them to other countries via the Pacific. Along with that, we’re also considering stationing a fleet there.”
“Stationing a military force in a free economic zone?”
At the word military, Jang Songthaek asked with a stiffened expression.
“Yes. We won’t be stationing the entire Pacific Fleet. We plan to move the fleet currently based in Vladivostok to protect Russian merchant ships.”
“······That won’t be possible.”
“What do you mean, not possible? The contract between the Russian and North Korean governments clearly states that Russia is leasing usage rights to Rason City for fifty years. In return, the North Korean government’s entire debt to Russia is to be forgiven. To be honest, even within Moscow there was considerable debate about this. Do you know how unfavorable it is for us to forgive such a massive debt in exchange for merely using Rason City for fifty years?”
North Korea’s debt to Russia amounted to roughly ten billion dollars.
For a country with rock-bottom international credit like North Korea, ten billion dollars was an enormous sum.
“That is······.”
“No matter how you look at it, forgiving a debt of ten billion dollars—even under the condition of leasing Rajin Port and Sonbong Port for fifty years—is a gift from the Russian government to a North Korea that seeks change. And yet you take issue with the stationing of a fleet? Do you truly think we would invade North Korea using the Russian fleet? If we had even the slightest intention of doing so, we wouldn’t be going about this in such a roundabout way.”
To think things had come to this because of the mistakes committed by Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.
Jang Songthaek pressed his throbbing temples.
To open up the economy, it was necessary to resolve the bonds issued back then, and that inevitably required an enormous amount of money.
Among those, the debt owed to Russia was the biggest problem.
At the time, Russia had proposed forgiving the entire debt if North Korea granted it operating rights over Rajin Port and Rason City.
For Jang Songthaek, it was an offer he could not refuse. Diplomatically and pragmatically, it was an overwhelmingly favorable deal for North Korea.
But the stationing of the Russian Pacific Fleet was a completely different matter.
“Do you think the United States will stay silent?”
After much deliberation, Jang Songthaek had no choice but to bring up the United States.
“Hahaha! Chairman. Do you think Russia fears the United States? Though it is North Korean land, Rason City will effectively be no different from Russian territory. Protecting it is Russia’s natural right.”
“Even so, the United States will not see it that way. Didn’t we reach an agreement in the Six-Party Talks that no military force whatsoever would set foot on North Korean soil? If that promise is broken, what meaning does that agreement have?”
At the Six-Party Talks held in Korea, China had agreed to develop the Sinuiju Free Economic Zone, Russia the Rason Free Economic Zone, and South Korea the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Nampo Free Economic Zone.
“We will keep our promises. It’s a fleet meant to protect merchant ships—do you really think the United States will strongly oppose it?”
Russia had already stationed fleets in the ports of other countries.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the transfer of Crimea to Ukraine, most of the infrastructure of the Black Sea Fleet had ended up in Ukrainian territory.
However, unable to give up Crimea—the only route to the Black Sea—Russia reached an agreement to lease most of the facilities on Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
The Russian government intended to apply that same approach to Rason City.
“There is no room for the United States to interfere in a contract between sovereign states. That would be meddling in internal affairs.”
“Even so, a fleet is unacceptable.”
Jang Songthaek said firmly. This was an issue he could never concede on.
He could not simply watch with open eyes as a foreign military force stationed itself on his country’s soil.
“Then I suppose the agreement we reached will be null and void. The matter of forgiving ten billion dollars in debt in exchange for leasing Rason City.”
“······Are you threatening me right now?”
The once amicable atmosphere in the office turned ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ hostile.
“A threat? I wouldn’t be so rude as to threaten the leader of North Korea.”
“If what you’re saying isn’t a threat, then what is it?”
“If all we needed was a port for merchant ships, we wouldn’t have forgiven the debt. What we needed was the presence of an ice-free port where a fleet could be stationed, and that’s why we decided to forgive the debt even at great loss. If that isn’t possible, then we have no reason to invest massive sums of money into developing Rason City. Am I wrong?”
Separate from the debt, developing Rason City itself would require enormous investment.
Russia needed an ice-free port, and Rason City was an excellent fit for that condition.
“Chairman Jang Songthaek. We are allies. If there is no trust between us, what meaning does that alliance have?”
Jang Songthaek let out a small sigh. He was trapped, unable to move in either direction.
If he broke the agreement, the immediate problem would be the ten-billion-dollar debt. But if he accepted the fleet, it would set a dangerous precedent of a foreign military being stationed within the country.
As Jang Songthaek searched for words, a knock sounded on the office door.
“Chairman. President Kim Muhyuk has arrived.”
To Jang Songthaek, Kim Muhyuk’s arrival was nothing short of salvation.
“Let him come in.”
Jang Songthaek said warmly, and the office door opened as Kim Muhyuk entered.
