Dear Comrade Leader, Episode 180
“Major Yu… … Rather, I… … .”
“As I say all the time, I can’t help but say that the people of this Joseon are really fortunate to have comrades. I hope you will continue to lead me and this Joseon for a long, long time.”
Jeonghwan could also feel the heat and various emotions that could not be expressed in words from Yoo Hye-rim’s right hand, which he held tightly.
Although there were no grand 10th anniversary ceremonies like other national leaders, no bust with his name on it, or even the usual small gifts, it was the most memorable ceremony.
After such a short time passed, Jeonghwan adjusted his outfit once more and fell from Hyerim Yoo while coughing awkwardly.
“… … So shall we go now? If I delay any longer, I think it will be too late.”
“The members and guests have already come to the ceremony.”
As soon as they left the clerk’s office and got into the official car, the car was escorted back and forth and started running at high speed toward the Potonggang section of Pyongyang.
As I watched the scenery of Pyongyang, where skyscrapers were no longer unfamiliar, passing through the window, I felt the passage of time strongly as Yoo Hye-rim said.
‘Now that I see it, it has become like this, time goes by so fast.’
It still seems like yesterday that she was driving home in the car driven by Hyerim Yoo from the People’s Great Learning Center, but one-third of the 30 years she had set had passed.
When he thought about it that far, he couldn’t help but recall the conversation he had during his first hotline call with Park Yi-sam, another politician whose tenure had ended.
“Nice to meet you, President Park. My name is Kim Jeong-hwan, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea. It’s the first time I’ve heard your voice like this.”
– Nice to meet you too. General Secretary Kim. Still, the first and last time I was treated as a South Korean president by the North Korean supreme leader just before the end of my term, I am deeply moved.
In the meantime, he had been diplomatically ignoring him, but when he came back to Inje and pretended to know him, Jeonghwan muttered to himself, ‘You have the back end’ at Park Yi-sam’s bone-inducing words.
However, as if he had read his heart, Park Yi-sam spoke in a calm and somewhat reassuring voice.
-You have made me very difficult so far, but apart from my personal feelings, I can only say thank you for the loan and economic aid provided to us by the North and the General Secretary this time. Personally, I have lived my whole life as an anti-communist, and in fact, it is still the case, but I was really impressed to see a new side of the North side this time. Thank you again.
“We, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, also had something to gain, so I made such an offer. The capitalist market economy is truly a mysterious invention of mankind, as both traders gain a comparative advantage by exchanging shares for what they do not have.”
– This is not only from an economic point of view, but also from a political point of view. At the end of the day, it was likely that the two sides would take advantage of the power to seize power and take advantage of the inter-Korean conflict to gain political advantage once again on this land.
“… … .”
Jeonghwan didn’t have anything to say, so he kept his mouth shut, but Park Yisam continued speaking as if his silence was enough to understand the truth.
-Personally, I wanted to see the reunion of separated families and even a tour of Mt. Geumgang during my tenure, but luck did not follow, so I understand that it is unavoidable. I have only opened the waters of a dam called the clearing of the inter-Korean confrontation, and President-elect Yu Min-jung would do better to connect the waterways and manage them so that they do not dry out.
“I think you have already heard the date of the event we are planning in relation to the promotion of private exchange and the reunion of separated families.
Jung-hwan, who was suddenly grumpy, threw a subtle provocation, but Park Yi-sam laughed lightly.
-I know, but now that’s no longer a problem for me to rot in my head, is it? Now, it’s not about the elected Yu Min-jung, it’s about the president Yu Min-jung. Isn’t that the good thing about retirement? ha ha ha.
“… … When are you coming to the North? Mt. Geumgang is changing very nicely these days, and I will show you directly.”
-It is an honour. However, for the time being, I want to enjoy the retirement of the retirees at a leisurely pace. Power is easy to obtain, but not easy to keep, and the most difficult thing is to keep the power you have acquired for a long time and then come down safely.
“Comrade general secretary? We are almost there.”
“yes? Oh yeah… … .”
Jeonghwan, who had been thinking about the last words of Park Yi-sam and envisioning the day he would retire from office, stuttered in surprise.
The car stopped, the door opened, and Jeong-hwan and Yu Hye-rim got off, and the Korean People’s Army Honor Guard welcomed him in a grand way.
“Dear supreme leader comrade, support the gun!”
The sound of the soldiers’ clap of swords, combined with the sound of gunfire, was already overflowing with joy in front of the event hall.
Kim Yong-geon, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, was the first to greet Jeong-hwan as he walked down the red carpet to the podium while undergoing inspections.
“It’s a lot of work.”
“Are you sorry? It’s just that the emotions are insignificant.”
“Come to think of it, you have come a long way from Cho Chongryon that day. I will continue to do my best for this country.”
Jung-hwan, who knows Kim Yong-geon’s feelings best, patted his shoulder, wet with emotion and emotion, and looked down at today’s main event and glanced at it.
The vacant lot in front of the 70th-floor Pyongyang International Financial Center, which was completed after four and a half years of construction a month ago at the headquarters of Peony Holdings, was full of tents and people inside.
There was only one thing that stood out, however, that many of the people in it were South Koreans, that is, Koreans who wandered here and there with wide-eyed eyes.
“Now then, there will be a warm welcome ceremony by Comrade General to the South Korean people in the arms of the Republic and a ceremony to commemorate the completion of the Pyongyang International Financial Center. All guests, inside and outside, please take a seat.”
It was.
Today, on the day of the inauguration of South Korean President Yu Min-jung, the event planned by Jeong-hwan and the Workers’ Party of Korea was a welcome ceremony for the 2,000 first-time entrants who entered Pyongyang on inter-Korean civilian exchange visas, which began on condition of a loan.
Of course, it was only natural that the date was the inauguration of the 15th President of the Republic of Korea Min-jung Yu, and the political intentions were abundant that the location was an empty space in front of the headquarters of the flashing 70-story glass palace skyscraper of Peony Holdings (which provided a loan to South Korea).
The South Korean side could not have known about this, but the North Korean officials said that they should not come to the inauguration ceremony after receiving the loan. Rather, the Goryeo Ilbo reported this as ‘the first diplomatic defeat of the Yu Min-jung government’, and even voices of pessimism about the country came out. situation was
And, as if to symbolize the disappointment of the people and the mutual image that has changed greatly due to the currency crisis, a line of Koreans who want to go to North Korea from the first day of opening has been lining up at the visa issuance offices and immigration checkpoints installed in Seoul and the former demarcation line. It was.
‘My luck is probably not good in the south, so I’ll have to make a new start in the north, which is changing these days!’
‘Because of Lee Sam Park, I blown up my house, my car, and my business! It would be better to go to Southeast Asia and eat at a Korean restaurant and live in North Korea, where you can communicate and communicate with your blood!’
‘They also give you a settlement subsidy! Even if the fortunes of the two Koreas changed, wouldn’t it have changed significantly? If I have to live in a country that is on an upward trend, wouldn’t my life also be on an upward trend?’
Of course, there were considerably more restrictions than normal travel, immigration, and naturalization between Korea and a third country, but the procession of people flocking to the visa issuing office did not stop.
In the process of screening and screening them, North Korea prepared a separate ‘visa for separated families’ and gave priority to entry over economic immigrants.
Then, as Jung-hwan was watching the ‘North Koreans’ wandering around Pyongyang (which is so different from their imaginations, and which is still changing), Kim Yong-gun approached them.
“Comrade General Secretary, have you heard the news from China?”
“I heard. Will China join OPEC? I guess Crown Prince Abdullah has finally found a way to arouse my anger.”
“Saudi Arabia and China are getting closer quickly. We have already signed a one-month visa-free agreement and are expanding military exchanges. There are even rumors that Chinese troops may enter Mecca soon.”
“Hmm, China still lacks a lot of power to show its ambitions for hegemony already… … Well, if they had realized that, they wouldn’t have let Deng Xiaoping die so miserably.”
“Isn’t it true that Hong Kong was returned to Hong Kong not long ago, and confidence in its own national power has risen to a great extent? Comrade Jang Seong-taek said that the incident was led by the second generation of the Prince’s Party, including Bo Bo Lai under General Secretary Jiang Zemin. It must have been great that everyone was in touch with oil companies such as Sinopec, which benefited greatly from this OPEC membership, in some way.”
To tell the truth, even before Kim Yong-geon said it, Jung-hwan was already aware of it.
Shortly after the foreign exchange crisis negotiations were concluded, even with Thatcher in the United States, they talked on the phone and exchanged opinions.
It’s been a while since she had resigned as British Prime Minister, but it’s still quite heartbreaking to lose foreign territory helplessly.
-… … The British Empire is now officially a thing of the past. The next century will probably be the era of America and China.
“They seem to think so too. By the way, how is the atmosphere in America? Aren’t you grateful that I took Korea’s leash out of the hands of the IMF?”
– Well, this is more of a surprise than an anger. There are people outraged mainly on Wall Street that he was hit in the back of the head when he gave it to North Korea, but… … Because China is currently negotiating to join OPEC.
“President Al Gore has been very helpful. As soon as he took office, he advocated for the reduction of the oil industry that causes global warming, eliminating the last remaining regrets about the United States of the Saudi Arabian royal family and other OPEC members. China doesn’t care about global warming or anything like that.”
-Anyway, I have some good news. Even within the US oil industry, voices that President Al Gore is going too far have grown, and China and Saudi Arabia are getting closer, giving strength to the logic that North Korea should empower the UPEC, which is founded and chaired by North Korea. Well, the logic itself was created and promoted by our foundation, but… … .
“I am always grateful for the hard work. So, by the way, would you mind giving a congratulatory speech at the upcoming inauguration of the Korean president? President Yu Min-jung is a famous democracy fighter in the West, so it will be of great help in promoting the foundation. I’ll let the bridge go.”
– I know and accept it as an honor. Anyway, back to the US story, you are very lucky. Thanks to the geopolitical position and oil reserves that keep China in check, there is an atmosphere in Washington of the United States to just ignore the aid of the General Secretary and the IMF sabotage. Anyway, North and South are both friends, and it’s funny to criticize each other for helping each other.
“… … You look deeply concerned. Comrade General Secretary.”
“No, no, Foreign Minister Kim. What on a fine day like today.”
Jeonghwan woke up from the deep thoughts of Kim Yong-geon who was worried about him and shook his head.
There is no need to worry about the distant future, and what you can do is limited.
What we and this country can do now is to unite and accumulate strength to prepare ourselves to overcome both internal and external challenges.
And today, isn’t today a day of precious joy, taking a short break from those endless days?
“Then let’s start. What’s your plan?”
“Do you see the aunt over there with her three children in the front row? This is a female comrade who came to the North with her children after the head of the family committed suicide in the South Korean foreign exchange crisis. The current manager suggested that the comrade start by pointing out that comrade and handing him a consolation letter.”
Today’s ceremony (both entry and completion) had a great meaning for the propaganda of the regime, so the propaganda and agitation department worked hard to write the script for a long time.
The propaganda and agitation department carefully planned everything from congratulatory speeches on the occasion of the ceremony to who gets up and speaks when, using techniques that are becoming more and more advanced day by day.
Of course, this historic reunion of separated families (and invitation to visit North Korea) is all broadcast live and broadcast on Korean public broadcasters.
“great. Shall we try it then?”
Junghwan took a deep breath and got up from his seat and approached the microphone.
As I breathed in the cold Pyongyang air in February, I could see all the people sitting in rows from the front row to the back row of the ceremony hall.
The young man sitting in the VIP seat and the crowd who had been secretly squinting the rumored young North Korean general stopped breathing and became quiet as he got up and headed for the podium.
In the silence where even the sound of a needle falling could be heard, Jeonghwan opened his mouth.
“Hello, dear peoples of North and South Korea! Today is a really happy day, and sitting face to face with you all, it seems that the years of division and confrontation that have divided our nation in the past seem to be in vain.”
“Wow!”
From the center of the North Korean people, cheers as if you were leaving the ceremony were heard.
How could you not be happy, how long have you been waiting for a day like this?
Those emotions seemed to be all over their faces, wrinkles, and eyes.
And how much they love their leader.
But when the scene caught his eye, Junghwan suddenly wanted to do something he had not planned.
“As you all know, a lot of South Koreans are sitting in this seat, unlike before. … … In that sense, I would like to get up and have a conversation with myself, a representative of the Workers’ Party of Korea. A comrade sitting there in the middle row. Get up and tell me about yourself.”
“… … Me, what do you mean?”
“… … !”
The expression of the party officials sitting in the VIP seats hardened slightly at the sudden action of the leader.
The middle-aged man, who seemed not to have been notified at all, got up from his seat, grabbed the microphone that was delivered, and spoke awkwardly.
“I, I am a person who worked for an import and export company in Seoul. This time, in the face of the foreign exchange crisis, the company I worked for went bankrupt, and my family was in trouble, so I came to my father’s hometown to make a fresh start.”
“Is this your father’s hometown? Please explain in more detail.”
“that is… … My father is north… … So you are from Wonsan, Hamgyeong-do.”
“Then why did you choose to live in the South?”
“Eh… … He participated in the war when he was six years old, but he fled to South Korea and settled down in Busan. So, the ROK Army, ah, no, the Korean Army… … No, towards the South Korean Army. He’s a redneck… … Oops! He hated the communist party a lot. No, no! I don’t mean that… … .”
“… … .”
In an instant, the atmosphere of the dining hall did not get cold and became a handmade ice cube.
The facial expressions of the party officials were like those on the day of the murder, and the man who spoke up realized what he was saying and his face turned purple.
Hyun Young-sook also had a hard face and was about to send a hand signal to end the broadcast, but Jeong-hwan quietly stopped it with a gesture and asked again.
“… … exactly? Then explain why you chose this place for a new start in North Korea.”
“that is… … My father was of national merit, but frankly, he had a very difficult life. Even in Busan, I lived in a shantytown and struggled to death to send me to college. He even received the Gold Star Hwarang Medal of Merit, but when he passed away, no one came out of the country.”
“… … .”
The words, once opened, gradually accelerated and intensified as if riding a rapid current.
The man’s voice, who had just been stuttering, was already mixed with anger.
“As a result, I always had a heart for the country in my heart, but I decided to go through this financial crisis. Employees return home empty-handed because their wages have been pushed back for several days, but newspapers such as the Korea Daily blamed the crisis on the luxury of the people and excessive consumption of foreign currency. I thought then. In this country, even if I die, I will not be able to live any longer.”
“So did you make a decision?”
“That’s right! People around me said that it’s still not North Korea, it’s a country without freedom, and whether they support the Communist Party or not, but honestly, freedom, ideology, democracy, communism, what do ordinary people like me have to do with it? The country has to protect and feed its people as much as it pays taxes. Do you mean that you are a citizen of this country only when you pay taxes and go to the army, and if there is nothing more to be ripped out, you are a citizen of another country from then on?”
“That’s a really sensible thing to say. Well thought out, comrade.”
Jeonghwan nodded his head, striding down from the podium, crossing the sea of chairs and approaching the man.
With thousands of eyes and cameras focused on him, General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan lightly tapped his shoulder and smiled.
“Welcome to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Comrade.”
And three years have passed since that day.