Dear Comrade

12 chapters. The invisible is the most expensive law (2)

Chapter 12. The invisible is the most expensive law (2)

“……Did you say it was a real interview, Comrade General?”

Then what was it in the daytime?

Onupdam asked, skeptical of Jeonghwan’s voice over the phone line.

But it’s not something I’ve seen before.

“All right. The place is…”

The meeting soon took place.

The place was a party manager-level conference room located in a back area much smaller than the huge and gorgeous secretariat of our company during the day.

Oneopdam, who had rushed in a car to avoid people’s eyes, sat down and Junghwan opened his mouth with a sad expression.

“Please forgive me for having my ambassador to such a place this late at night. However, it was unavoidable because we had to avoid the eyes and ears of the generals and military officers of the People’s Army scattered everywhere.”

“Comrade General Secretary Kim. What is that…?”

‘That’s what you’re guessing on the inside. Go get some bait.’

Jeonghwan made a sad expression as much as possible, and raised his hand and touched his forehead with a gesture that gave off an aura that he could not bear as his condition was bitter and desperate.

Anyone who saw it would have thought that he was like a monarch in exile, desperately seeking help in a foreign country, rather than the general secretary, who is the highest rank of the party in North Korea.

“What would you like to hide? As my comrade ambassador saw during the day, I am just a shell without real power in this republic. The real power is owned by Lieutenant General Baek Seung-cheol and the Frunze faction, led by Chasu Hong Gye-seong, whom we met during the day… It is all their fault that they murdered my poor older brother, General Kim Jong-il, in a wicked conspiracy and imprisoned his father.”

“After all… Comrade Kim Jong-il was murdered. Then, Comrade General Secretary asked to see me today…”

As Onupdam was nervous as he swallowed his saliva as his speculation turned out to be true, Junghwan still nodded his head with a bitter face.

“That’s right. Now, the Frunze factions, including Chasu Hong Gye-seong, are trying to hand over this great republic to those white people, the Roskes. And maybe in the end…”

“…in the end?”

“They will invade south Korea and try to color it with an outdated wave of socialism. And at that time, the US imperialist aggressors will again intervene in the Korean peninsula. It’s the story of the whole of Asia getting caught up in the phone again.”

“………………”

Onupdam’s expression changed several times at Junghwan’s words that he couldn’t even sleep because he was worried about such a worst case.

While taking care of his facial expressions, Junghwan closely observed Onupdam’s face, which changed from time to time.

Sino-Soviet relations, so to speak, are similar to Korea-Japan relations, and although they are in the same ideological camp during the Cold War, they have been fighting continuously behind the scenes, representative of the breakdown of small and medium-sized enterprises after Stalin’s death.

The position of two great powers aiming for global hegemony, facing a vast border in the first place, naturally forced them to be in a relationship of communism.

For such a China, it was a nightmare scenario itself for a superpower called the Soviet Union, which had been secretly but always wary of, to take over North Korea, which is nothing more than their backyard.

Besides, if the US across the Pacific uses that as an excuse to set foot on the Korean peninsula again…

Onupdam didn’t want to think about it any more.

Of course, the current Soviet Union, as KGB Chairman Chebrikov admitted, was busy handling internal affairs, including the war and recession in Afghanistan, so it did not have any ambitions in North Korea.

Isn’t it true that the Frunze clan, who started the revolt in the first place, are extremely pro-Russian?

“Comrade ambassador. As you may have heard before, I do not like the Soviet Union, unlike the Frunze officers. In the first place, aren’t they white people of different races from the people of our republic, unlike the big countries?”

“It is a very sensible thing to say. Comrade General Secretary.”

“Besides, I have always respected Comrade Deng Xiaoping. Seeing his love for the people and reform and opening-up, I always wanted to learn from him. I need the help of the great nation now more than ever.”

“Ah, reform and opening up! Are you really?”

‘Finally, these stuffy Joseon bastards are ready to accept reality! Perhaps this rebellion could have been better for us in China.’

When the word reform and opening came out of Jeonghwan’s mouth, for the first time since the interview began, Onupdam showed a bright expression on his face and visibly rejoiced.

In the meantime, countless high-ranking Chinese officials have visited Joseon and directly or indirectly talked about the need for reform and opening up.

In the end, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs internally concluded that ‘these bakers are idiots who can’t see reality’ and was secretly trying to establish diplomatic ties with the Republic of Korea, which would be much more helpful for their own economy. It couldn’t have been more pleasant than the on-up talk I knew.

‘If you push a little bit more, I can tear it apart a little more.’

Seeing Onupdam’s genuinely bright expression, Junghwan decided to remove even the last point of his doubts.

“Fortunately, my father is still alive, and the people are on my side. And my brother’s loyal friend who asked me to ask for help in the big country barely survived and is by my side. That’s Jang Seong-taek’s comrade.”

“Comrade Jang Seong-taek, that’s right.”

Ambassador Onupdam nodded his head with a look that he understood now.

Jang Song-thaek was originally a pro-Chinese sect, and his name was well known in Chinese politics as he was a bureaucrat positive for reform and opening, which is rare in North Korea.

If he had an influence, it was no wonder that this helpless young general secretary turned to them for help.

“Yes, comrade Jang Seong-taek, who served in the party as a right-hand man next to my brother while he was alive, gave me a lot of advice on reform and opening up. Fortunately, even the ignorant Frunze bastards thought that it would be difficult to gain support from the party if they purged the key party officials, so it is still safe.”

After saying this, Junghwan closed his mouth for a while as if he had thought about it a lot, and then opened it again.

“So, comrade ambassador. When you return to your home country, can you tell me that Kim Jung-hwan is a faithful friend of the great country? I mean, can I expect the help of the ambassador and the great country who came to fight these Frunze reactionaries?”

In response to Jeonghwan’s earnest question, Onupdam raised his voice as if he had been waiting and answered it out loud.

“Speak up, Comrade General Secretary! We, the People’s Republic of China, are always ready to support the struggle of all peoples against Western imperialism. How can I help you?”

‘Okay, this saved me a bit of trouble.’

Seeing the on-up talk that lit up his eyes, Junghwan secretly smiled.

“First of all, this year’s food production is insufficient, and the people’s sentiments are getting worse. If a large country supports about 500,000 tons of rice, it will help to turn the people’s hearts toward me rather than the military.”

“Hahaha… Is rice enough to help the people of Joseon from hunger? I will contact Beijing right away.”

“And the cost of renovating and repairing various facilities essential for reform and opening up is not high. Railroads are typical. If a large country lends a loan necessary for this, we will have to repair it first from the railway connecting Joseon and China.”

“Ummm… it’s…”

Contrary to the cool jokes before, Onupdam hesitated to answer with a thoughtful expression on his face.

He who stayed here for a long time knew best how pathetic the North Korean railways were.

Of course, it would cost a lot of money to renovate it, but it was questionable whether the Chinese Ministry of Finance would accept it, no matter how much it was a loan rather than a support.

However, Onupdam soon made a decision.

‘If you say that this loan will lead to reform and opening in Joseon and become a market for Chinese companies to enter in the long term, the Ministry of Finance officials will also be convinced. And when that time comes, you can use this loan to receive any tariff benefits.’

“It is a difficult condition, but I think I can persuade you.”

“Thank you very much. Indeed, the great nation does not abandon the friendship of 40 years. This is the same as Zhuge Gongmyeong’s patience, who finally subjugated the predators with the patience of the Chiljong Chilgeum.”

‘It’s hard to make up for it. But let’s be patient. Capital is needed until North Korea opens up and introduces a market economy system to solidify my power base. And when that time comes, there will be less work to please these guys.’

Jeonghwan felt like something was coming up from inside as he was trying to pick up his uncomfortable father.

However, he still did not erase his determined expression on the outside and had a wide smile on his face.

“It puts my heart at ease when the ambassador said that. Although my brother died by the Frunzes, fortunately my father and Comrade Director Jang are still alive, so I don’t have a chance. The death of his son, who had a deep filial piety, caused a psychological shock and made him very ill, so it would be difficult for him to go into politics…”

“I am truly sorry. Even so, Comrade Kim Il-sung will be well soon, as there is still a son like Comrade General Secretary.”

‘It’s lucky for us. That cunning Kim Jong-il went to the Hwangcheon, and the elderly Kim Il-sung was lying on his back, and that young general secretary, who knew nothing, took over this Joseon.’

While he worked hard at Junghwan’s words, Onupdam thought so in his heart.

In the first place, true mutual trust and friendship between Kim Jong-il, Kim Il-sung, and China did not exist as much as the hind legs of an ant from the beginning.

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North Korea acts as a breakwater to block the offensive of Japan, the United States, and capitalist forces with South Korea as the spearhead, and in return, China supports the Kim Il-sung-Kim Jong-il regime that dominates North Korea.

Onupdam was already rolling the abacus, saying that if we use this opportunity well, we can reduce the risk to the US by making North Korea a backyard for China through the existence of Jeong-hwan and Jang Seong-taek.

“Anyway, you have carried a heavy burden, Comrade General Secretary. But since you have such a strong successor, your deceased brother and Comrade Kim Jong-il will be able to leave the republic in peace and rest in the underworld.”

“yes.”

Jeonghwan smiled strangely at the consolation of the lines he didn’t even want to say and confronted Onupdam.

“Obviously you will.”

A month later, Onupdam returned to Beijing temporarily, and the news broke that the new North Korean general secretary was only a face in Chinese politics, and that the reality was a puppet of the Soviet Union and the KGB.

The KGB, who was in the process of evacuating after tasting a bitter defeat in Afghanistan, ‘The Tomb of the Empire’, did not understand the English language of this news, but realized that it was a problem that had no answer even if they tried to explain it in the first place, so they just gave up.

Their decision was largely due to the incumbent KGB chairman Victor Chebrikov ignoring the internal opinion that an explanation should be given to China through an unofficial line.

– Calm down, comrades. We are KGB. When we say to the world, ‘We are innocent,’ you think the other side will say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, have a nice day.’ In my opinion, I think it’s better to let it be ours and let our enemies overestimate our power and influence. Especially after going through this mess in Afghanistan. Because it’s better to be infamous than to seem insignificant.

Since it was indeed a persuasive opinion like the chairman of the KGB, Chebrikov’s argument was accepted as it is.

And within a few days, this information, which was transmitted from office to office in Beijing and from mouth to mouth, soon reached the ears of spies from various countries such as South Korea, Japan, and the United States who were secretly doing business in China.

However, very few of them knew the truth, and at least few of them kept their mouths shut because of their personal circumstances and interests.

A few more weeks later, a line of Chinese trucks filled the North-Chinese border crossed the border, and huge loans were delivered across the border.

It was Jeonghwan’s first achievement as general secretary .