Dear Comrade

Dear Comrade Leader, Episode 198

“It is not difficult. I’ll call South Korean President Yu Min-jung and make it work.”

Surprisingly, Jeonghwan responded as if there was no big deal in the face of this difficult problem.

At that, Jang Seong-taek and the crowd were startled and had no choice but to ask again.

“yes? is that real? Supreme Leader Comrade?”

“Sure. After all, there is one thing that President Yoo Min-jung promised to compensate for his work during the last conflict in the West Sea, so we should just ask him to spend more of his generosity while receiving it.”

“how… … What is the reward… … ? But will Minjoong Yoo accept it? You might think that we are demanding too much of what we will get anyway… … .”

“Considering Yu Min-joong’s tendency, the possibility of that happening is very small. In fact, even if the reward is of little value to us, it has a very large political meaning to the South Korean people and the refugees. Not a reward, but a price to get it back.”

Soon after, when Jeonghwan explained the ‘reward’ to the smirking crowd, a light of understanding appeared on their faces.

As expected, Junghwan was preparing a bold yet effective plan.

“The South Korean army who was captured by the People’s Army during the South Korean Liberation War and is still serving in prison in the Republic, or in other words, all South Korean prisoners of war, should be repatriated to the South. Wouldn’t that be enough?”

“Well… … .”

“… … Obviously if that’s the case… … !”

At Jeonghwan’s bold decision, the executives of the conference room, including Director Kim, vomited out a variety of voices that sounded like sighs and surprises.

In particular, Hyun Young-sook nodded as if he understood Jeong-hwan’s intentions.

“Hey, considering that the cause of hosting this World Cup was to resolve conflicts caused by national unity and division, it is also a timely measure. As a president who has solved long-standing difficulties, Yu Min-jung will also be able to strengthen his political position in South Korea, and sending it around the World Cup will look good to all countries around the world… … .”

“What do you think of Kim’s view? I’m from South Korea, so maybe I can see it from a different point of view… … .”

When Jeonghwan slightly turned the direction of the question, Director Kim, who had an expression on his face as if he had chewed on something astringent at the word ‘Yoo Min-jung’, quickly shook his head and answered.

“I cannot help but marvel at the political determination of the General Secretary. Of course, there is no way you can deny it, because you can boast of your achievements to the people of South Korea, saying that you are finally getting closer to the unification of the South and that you have brought back even the last one of the people.”

“I asked to know the views of not only President Yu Min-jung, but also of the conservative opposition party in South Korea and the Goryeo Ilbo. I believe you are not unaware that it is very important to entertain the people as much as possible with this World Cup and to raise the dignity of the Republic.”

“… … .”

“In that case, Min-jung Yu must accept my proposal, but at least the conservatives in South Korea won’t complain that North Korea lost the West Sea, but this time they also lost the World Cup.”

Once again, everyone’s attention was focused on Director Kim.

Even Jang Seong-taek still couldn’t hide his dissatisfaction somewhere, but he also looked at Director Kim.

After examining something for a moment, Director Kim carefully attached the clue.

“I don’t know how many, but if the general secretary makes a big decision and sends them all back… … Of course, if that’s enough, the South Korean conservative opposition party like the Saenara Party or the media wouldn’t have anything to say to Yu Min-jung. Even if you ask that Pyongyang be able to play the semifinals of the World Cup beyond compensation, you lose face. It will be a little difficult until the finals, but… … .”

“Hmm, that’s right.”

“Korean War… … Oops, the war for liberation of South Korea is us, hmmm. No, because it is the biggest taboo and trauma of the South Korean conservative camp. It is also useful for elections… … .”

“Okay, let me believe what you, Chief Kim, say.”

With Jeonghwan’s declaration, the meeting ended that day.

It was a simple word from the leader, but the decision made at that meeting was truly significant.

Soon, how to contact the South Korean government officials including Yu Min-jung was discussed, and measures to maximize the effect of ‘reward’ were discussed.

Director Kim suggested that the South Korean side, which is always thirsty for information from the Pyongyang core, also leaked information in advance to make it a fact and block the possibility of the Yu Min-jung government from making other choices.

Unlike Pyongyang, Seoul does not have sufficient media control, so it was a really vicious idea to take advantage of that advantage, but it was accepted immediately.

However, in the midst of all these discussions, Jang Sung-taek’s dissatisfied eyes still turned to Kim and did not know how to leave.

* * *

“The current manager. Look at me for a moment.”

“… … Why are you? Deputy chief Jang’s comrade?”

After the meeting, Hyun Young-sook looked puzzled at the voice of Jang Seong-taek, who followed him to the Propaganda and Agitation Department.

It was already self-evident that the South would concede to the North to host a number of matches, including the World Cup semifinals, and it was the propaganda and agitation department that set the lights on fire at this point, less than six months before the opening ceremony.

Considering the real purpose of this sudden change of schedule, we hope that articles and editorials such as ‘The people can watch the World Cup in Pyongyang, home of the Republic, is an economic victory of the Republic and the immortal achievement of Comrade General Secretary who will remain in the people’, etc. Preparing state-run newspapers and broadcasting companies was the most urgent task.

As much as I had been nervous until now, I had to immediately mass-produce World Cup promotional broadcasts and documentaries, propaganda and handouts showing the history and achievements of the North Korean national team’s participation in the World Cup.

In addition, he had to empty his schedule for a special broadcast, and he was so busy that he didn’t even notice.

But soon after confirming that no one was in her office, Jang Seong-taek opened his mouth and seemed to have no intention of wasting her time for any purpose.

“That comrade named Chief Kim, no, he’s from South Korea, so can’t we just call him a comrade?”

“… … Oh, comrade Hagi, you are only concerned about it. But since Comrade General Secretary has decided to write it, is it not possible for us to argue with each other?”

As soon as Jang Seong-taek spoke, Hyun Young-sook drew a line in advance with an expression that he knew how to say it.

Jang Seong-taek, who was involved, also nodded as if it was natural, but he still did not seem to have any intention of raising his doubts right away.

“As the current manager said, this is the corps of the general secretary, there is no room for doubt about me. But I’m also the deputy head of the organizational leadership department, so what can I do because I don’t know so much about the party’s core system? Especially if it’s a South Korean guy.”

“… … .”

“Of course, I know that there are many people who have come to find a way to live in the republic after the North-South compromise three years ago, or to seek power and glory that they did not enjoy in South Korea… … As far as I know, isn’t that writer named Chief Kim a journalist, or a South Korean conservative journalist who repeated hostile remarks against the DPRK on a fictional day before the Great Compromise?”

“… … That’s it, though, to be honest, even the deputy head comrade probably doesn’t know that the remarks of the South Korean conservative media have been of considerable help in maintaining the party and the regime. Just look at the South Korean presidents before Park Yi-sam… … .”

When Hyun Young-sook answered with the tone, ‘Do you not understand what I’m talking about?’, Jang Seong-taek waved his hand as if not to misunderstand.

“Isn’t this the story of the days of the former president and leaders? These days, we don’t growl each other like in the past but make contact from the back. It’s a country that says it’s lower than this, but it’s hard to comprehend that we belong to the same house as we are from a South Korean conservative journalist like the Goryeo Ilbo.”

It was then that Hyun Young-suk realized that Jang Sung-taek had called him and said these words because he was worried that his position might be threatened by the South Koreans.

In fact, these days, mainly in modern times, people who came from south Korea gradually settled in Pyongyang and other republics, and conflict with the existing North Korean people, what would be called territoriality if it was territorial, was happening.

“I don’t know if you know, but the Goryeo Ilbo isn’t what it used to be these days. Have you seen the latest edition of the Goryeo Ilbo editorial about our general secretary comrade? I had to learn a few things.”

“… … ?”

Unbeknownst to Jang Seong-taek, Hyun Young-suk opened the desk drawer instead of answering and took out a recent Goryeo Ilbo and handed it over to Jang Seong-taek.

Although the South Korean media is still strictly forbidden for ordinary people, it was always easy to access the party cadres like Jang Seong-taek, and it was even easier for cadres like Hyun Young-suk who were engaged in the education of people’s ideology.

And after reading the editorial section she pointed to, Jang Seong-taek’s face gradually changed into a strange one, and later it turned into a smiling face or a grim face.

After a while, he handed the newspaper to Hyun Young-sook again and shook his head.

“The Goryeo Ilbo newsletters are really great, but I didn’t know why South Korean politicians were so angry with the media during inter-Korean negotiations, but now that I see it, I understand. I have sympathy for those comrades.”

“Yes? The only surviving talents are the great races. That comrade named Chief Kim also worked at a place like this, so I can understand why the general secretary doesn’t care about his background and uses it.”

And as the era of hypermedia, including computers, gradually approaches, the power of the media will go beyond simply delivering information.

So, then, how should he and the propaganda and agitation department deal with it, or maybe the general secretary is already thinking about this?

She had no way of knowing, but it was clear that, in order to survive anyway, both the party cadres and the departments led by the cadres had to change in line with the 21st century capitalist republic.

It seems that he is now in a position to compete not only with his fellow comrades within the party, but also with the south Korean comrades from the neighborhood below.

* * *

Read at readwn.com

Negotiations with South Korea to hold several matches in Pyongyang, including the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup, in exchange for handing over ROK prisoners of war ended as expected.

The government of the people, including Yu Min-jung, gave a positive response within 12 hours of receiving the proposal from the North, which was soon announced in the media of both sides (although the tone was different, of course) and announced as a fact.

There was a lot of talk about South Korea being beaten by the North again by both conservatives and liberals, that these conditions were good enough, that the North could change everything to its own taste, etc.

It was because he quickly calculated that ‘Yoo Min-jung again showed pro-North Korean tendencies’ in the dimension of overcoming the trauma of the past of the 6.25 war would only lead to a political headwind.

Right now, even in the Saenara Party, which has Lee Hyun-chang as its president, the dominant opinion was that it was ‘a business that is leftover from what it has gained after conceding a few sporting events’.

Regardless of the situation in Korea, it was very meaningful for North Korea to watch the World Cup match domestically.

Of course, apart from the excitement of the people who got hot right after the announcement, it was politically so.

In the short term, the 3S policy to end a large-scale strike by transport workers and to paralyze the low wages, long working hours, and rising prices that are inevitable in middle-income and emerging industrialized countries in the long term has just begun.

Of course, externally (of course), it was carried out under the guise of ‘the project to promote the people’s general cultural life’ instead of the name of 3S, so there were still very few people who knew its essence.

In Pyongyang, which was quickly transformed into a World Cup banquet hall or not, just in time, the Central Censorship Committee (mainly for young men) announced another good news.

-In the future, regulations and censorship on the production and broadcasting of adult content will be greatly eased.

The designated importer will be permitted to officially import and sell foreign pornography under the permission of the authorities, and sexual expression on the radio is also permitted only on cables if it is less than genital exposure.

It is also planned to allow the airing and sale of uncensored versions of movies and dramas that have already been imported or produced for adults only.

As can be seen from the nude beach that existed in East Germany, socialist countries were surprisingly sexually freer than capitalist countries, but for the lively young North Koreans who rejected Confucianism itself and leaned on Confucianism’s characteristic sexual solemnism, it’s just right. It was a blessing from heaven.

Soon, the interest and enthusiasm of the disgruntled public, especially men in their 20s and 30s, who were the main force behind the protests and strikes, began to disperse quickly, as the policymakers intended.

At first, the protests at the Nampo transportation company, which seemed like they would never end, were cut in half when it was announced that the World Cup semi-final, where Ronaldo (which was only heard in Pyongyang), would be played at Leungrado Stadium, also with a fairly cheap admission fee, was announced. .

And the number of participants was also shown on Pyongyang TV, ‘A story about the love between the brothers and sisters of the Yoo family? When it was announced that the ‘unremoved adult version’ was planned to be produced in super high-definition and screened on a limited basis, it was cut in half again.

The leaders of the protests, who remained until the end, and the new activists in Pyongyang, burst into despair and anger at the change of heart of their comrades, but already the flames of dissatisfaction with the system were gradually sinking into peripheral pleasure and inertia.

And around that time, Jeonghwan was ready to bring out one last policy that he still kept a secret.

* * *

“… … What are you doing? No, what are you doing, comrade?”

One night while Pyongyang was (intentionally) heating up with the World Cup fever, Yu Hye-rim saw Jeong-hwan working hard in her living room and asked a question involuntarily and then covered her mouth for a while.

Read at readwn.com

No matter how much they see each other and do everything they do, even though it is a private residence with no eyes from other people, she is still not used to this name for the highest dignity of this country.

However, it seemed that Jeonghwan didn’t even listen to her.

“Yes? Oh no, nothing. I have nothing to worry about, so go to bed first. Me, I still have work to do… … .”

“… … ?”

To Jeonghwan, who rarely stutters while making a frowning expression, Yoo Hyerim raised her eyes as if something was even more suspicious.

It was the expression of the husband who got caught while looking for a place to hide the expensive toys he bought secretly from his wife.

“… … what’s behind it? The computer is still on… … .”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Damn it, I got it.”

Jeonghwan, who was trying hard to cover the system desk with his body, quickly retreated with an expression that tells him to do whatever he wants.

It’s not particularly offensive in itself, but it’s a little too cheap for a hobby of a national leader who is in his 40s, especially in North Korea at this time.

Soon, Hyerim Yoo’s gaze turned to the computer monitor placed on the desk.

But the problem was that she didn’t even know what it was.

“… … What is this? Apparently it’s not documentation… … .”

“No, it’s nothing… … Just this time, when I analyzed the leading class of those who participated in the protest in Room 37, they were mostly men in their 20s… … He said that men like sports, adult stuff, and these things… … Especially for young people in their 20s, that… … I also have official needs… … .”

Jeonghwan murmured his mouth to the point of questioning whether this person was indeed the iron-blooded general, and picked up excuses.

In fact, strictly speaking, the policy devised by Jeonghwan was not a 3S policy but a 4S policy.

In the 3S, no, 4S policy he prepared, there was one more ‘S’ besides Sex, Sports, and Screen.

So, if that S stands for… … .

“Well… … Maybe Major Yoo, maybe a computer-directed game, a transitional war game… … Damn, I don’t know, have you heard of Starcraft?”