Dear Comrade the Leader Episode 197
“… … Hunger, there is nothing better than Giger.”
All the people in the conference room, including Jang Sung-taek, agreed.
To tell the truth, the first ever inter-Korean World Cup, jointly hosted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea from July to August of this year, has already stirred up the excitement and anticipation of both sides of the South and North Korea.
In recent years, people’s income level has risen sharply, and interest in participating in and watching popular sports, which is directly related to their quality of life, has also increased.
Even in North Korea, it was easy to hear secretly that which country’s player kicks the ball best, or which country’s national team (team) among Brazil and Germany (Germany) is stronger.
It was certainly not a full-fledged festival atmosphere as the game was held for about six months, but if the party actively takes part in promoting and raising the atmosphere in all kinds of media such as TV and newspapers, the interest of the North Korean people will soon fade away from the protests.
For North Korea, one of the socialist countries that use national physical education and sports as a means of public propaganda and encouragement, it was already a big deal.
However, there were some problems with this national public relations policy.
“I’m sorry… … As you know, most of the scheduled matches will be played at the South Stadium… … Wouldn’t it be said among the people that the name alone is the inter-Korean World Cup and the rim is a gonggalbong game? From the quarterfinals onwards, didn’t the south side agree to the crime?”
* * *
If we turn the clock back eight years ago, that is, when the 2002 World Cup was selected as the host city in 1994, FIFA at that time, as in its original history, created a spark between Japan and Korea to host the World Cup in Asia. There was a lobby war going on.
FIFA president at the time, Jean Havelange, was a blatant pro-Japanese, and even the emperor of soccer, Pele, supported Japan, and, crucially, at the time (although nothing has changed much), there was a huge gap between Korea and Japan in national recognition. there had been
On the other hand, speaking of North Korea, I was one step away and watched the nerve war between the two countries as if in disbelief, because the World Cup was literally a far-off country from the point of view of North Korea at the time.
The first reason was that the atmosphere was not so good for South Korea, the only opponent, right after Park Yi-sam took office, although it is realistic to hold a joint event with other countries as it is a disgraceful thing to hold North Korea alone in the first place.
And the second reason was that the Workers’ Party of North Korea had neither the ability nor the will to host large-scale international sporting events such as the World Cup.
“I… … Comrade general secretary. This time, the International Football Federation is holding the World Cup in Asia.
“Comrades. I’m sorry, but if a country unprepared for the World Cup opens, the World Cup itself will be a disaster, and the effect of publicity on the host country’s economy, let alone the publicity effect, is a huge burden. In the first place, do you know how many stadiums in our republic now are capable of hosting international football matches? The Ryanggang-do soccer stadium, which was poured with dollars to hold a student festival a while ago, is now only framed and left unattended, but the Republic is not at the weight level to hold the World Cup. Maybe 10 or 15 years from now.”
“That’s right… … .”
“Oh, of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t do anything. Let the Swiss Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and Foreign Minister Kim Yong-geon be called. The Director General of Foreign Reconnaissance.”
At that time, Jeong-hwan had said that to the dead party executives, but of course he had all his intentions inside.
A few days later, in the midst of competition for the host country of the first World Cup in Asia, a letter was sent to FIFA headquarters in Zurich.
And surprisingly, the content was an accusation of corruption against Joao Abelanger, the FIFA president, who has been in power for 20 years.
“Dear FIFA Executive Committee, I would like to accuse President Joao Abelanger of corruption through this anonymous letter today. For the bid for the 2002 World Cup to be held in Asia, Abelange is suspected of extorting a large amount of money from the Japan World Cup bid committee. I enclose evidence proving that I am filing these charges in the defense of pure sportsmanship.”
In addition, the letter contained a picture of Abelange exchanging drinks with the Japan World Cup bid committee and the Japanese ambassador to Brazil privately, exchanging drinks, etc.
Read at noblemtl.com
Naturally, FIFA was taken aback by the head-on attack against Abelange, who had previously been accused of corruption and corruption.Read at noblemtl.com
Needless to say, the whistleblower of this accusation was, of course, the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of North Korea under Jeong-hwan’s direction, and the General Bureau of Foreign Reconnaissance, which had been investigating Abelanje’s background.“Comrade General Secretary, you are truly amazing. How the heck did you know that this Abelanje was working with the Japanese island bastards? Unless you have clairvoyance… … .”
“I didn’t know. It’s not that I have any magical powers. Besides, such poor evidence alone is not enough to bring down Joao Abelanger and achieve our purpose. It’s not like I’ve been holding on to my position as chairman for 20 years. If you just take it off, it will only smoke and it’ll fall over.”
“yes? Then how is this… … .”
Junghwan’s words were true.
Of course, he knows that Joao Abelanger will eventually fall and be tried after a few years on charges of corruption, but he had no way of knowing exactly what happened during the 1994 World Cup bid.
Junghwan only knows of some incidents that occurred in FIFA during Abelanger’s tenure, so he ordered an investigation based on that hypothesis, and these photos came out.
But Junghwan thought that was enough.
Even if it is not revealed right now, it is a fact that Abelanger took it here and there, so if you dig into it in earnest, it is highly likely that the truth will be revealed.
Moreover, the possibility increases even more if insiders with a clear motive to actively dig into the facts, that is, those who benefit from Abelanger’s impeachment, are inside FIFA.
“Comrade General Secretary, Abelanze, and both sides of Japan are jumping in denial. Besides, the evidence sent by the General Bureau is circumstantial evidence to the last, and the physical evidence is so poor that it is probably not enough to prove the facts with this alone… … Besides, it’s embarrassing to say this, but our country’s position in international sports diplomacy is very poor, so even if there is evidence, we can’t raise it directly… … .”
“There is no need to get blood on our hands. Comrade Kim, Foreign Minister. If you have bullets and a target to hunt, but you can’t shoot yourself, you just have to find someone to shoot for you.”
The identity of the ‘person who will shoot for you’, which Junghwan casted, was soon revealed.
The man was surprisingly the secretary-general of the president, Joao Abelangeles, and second in FIFA after the president.
It was Joseph Blatter, famous (in a bad sense) to football fans.
“As it has become clear this time, it is a shame for all footballers to have such a corrupt, corrupt, and pluralist man as President Joao Abelange occupying a prominent position in the international sports world! If I become president, I will do my best to ensure that all international soccer events, from the selection of the World Cup host country, are held more cleanly and fairly than ever before!”
“President Blatter. Congrats on being the FIFA president this time, our general secretary asked us to say hello. Here it is a small celebration gift.”
– No, these people… … How did you know I like this?
After a flurry of storms, Jeff Blatter succeeded in impeaching his superior and current FIFA president Abelangele, and succeeding in taking over as acting president, thanks to information from an anonymous informant.
As Abelangele was put on trial on allegations of corruption, Japan’s bid to host the World Cup, which was also involved, was wiped out.
“What a small gift. I’m sure you’ve heard it, but things are getting pretty good these days as our republic is moving on the path of a market economy. In any case, in return for this gift, you only need to show our republic a small favor.”
-… … I’m sorry if I ask you to help North Korea host a World Cup match in this Asian World Cup bid, but I think it’s going to be difficult. No matter how much I am, there is a limit to my ability to persuade the members… … .
“No. It’s impossible for us to get to that point, so I’m going to ask you something else. With the exception of Japan, please do your best so that South Korea can hold the event exclusively. Was that possible?”
-… … ? Well, that’s much more worthwhile, but I know that North Korea and South Korea are still divided and diplomatic relations are very bad.
And the reason for the bizarre solicitation was revealed exactly four years later.
With the advent of the foreign exchange crisis, of course, a cold wind blew in preparations for the World Cup, which had been decided to be held exclusively by Korea.
When the various sports teams were disbanded and the question of whether to build the Sangam World Cup soccer stadium, which should be the main stadium of the World Cup right away, came up, the Japanese side, who dishonorably dropped out of the bid competition four years ago, and was aiming for a chance, slowly blows the wind. it started.
Read at noblemtl.com
Naturally, that wish meant a lobbying offensive through the world sporting events and associations of the games paid for by the Japanese government and corporations.Looking at the current economic situation in Korea, it seems unreasonable to secure enough infrastructure such as stadiums to smoothly host the World Cup in four years. Since Korea will respect the hosting rights that have already been confirmed by FIFA, how about changing it to a World Cup co-hosted by Japan and Korea, with half of the scheduled matches being held in Japan even now?
It is no wonder that Japan’s proposal angered the Korean people, whose national pride had reached the bottom due to the currency crisis.
Dirt and Molotov cocktails flew into the Japanese embassy in Korea, and on the front page of progressive-leaning daily newspapers and yellow media that stimulates sports nationalism, an article titled ‘Japan kicking down Korea is trying to steal the World Cup!’
However, the problem was that Japan’s argument (and lobbying power) was being eaten in the international community, apart from these public sentiments.
Although an urgent hurdle was overcome with a loan from North Korea, as in the original history, the burden of attracting was doubled due to a stand-alone event rather than distributed as in the original history. A situation in which one by one is cancelled.
If anyone could see that they were sitting still, they would wake up to the World Cup match under the guise of co-hosting and would be taken away by the ‘despicable Japanese bastards’.
And it was around that time that Jeong-hwan, who foresaw a day like this would come, and waited for four years after preparing a meal in advance, sent a special envoy to FIFA and the Korean Blue House at the same time.
The World Cup, like all international sporting events such as the Olympics, should aim for a festival of human harmony and peace.
Then, wouldn’t it be more appropriate for the original purpose of this World Cup to be co-hosted by the North and the South, who started exchanges after ending the confrontation that had lasted for half a century?
Moreover, Japan has never made it to the finals in the history of the World Cup, and it doesn’t make sense for a country that has never made it to the finals to host the World Cup.
At that time, the North Korean national football team, which fought with all their might at the 1998 World Cup in Paris, France, under the special interest and consideration of the party, advanced to the finals after a match against Saudi Arabia with an oil-producing country (of course, they only advanced to the finals, but were eliminated immediately after meeting the host country France). These words were more powerful.
Apart from other reasons, it is the same as North Korea, the very creditor of South Korea, who has sworn a kind of ‘guarantee that the World Cup will be held safely’, so the logic of the Japanese side, which was put forward due to the economic hardship, has greatly lost its power.
All that remains is the judgment of the South Korean national leader, and South Korean President Yu Min-jung persuaded the people to sign a joint statement between South and North Korea declaring that FIFA would be held at the same time.
“I know that some of the people are outraged that they should be humiliated by North Korea again. But think about it, folks. If South and North Korea jointly hold the World Cup instead of South Korea and Japan, you will be able to listen to the World Cup soccer broadcast in real time, not through simultaneous interpretation.”
I do not know whether this persuasion, which seems to make sense or not, however, after all these twists and turns, the two Koreas agreed to co-host the event, and in July 2002, it was agreed that Jeong Hwan would also participate in the opening ceremony of the Seoul World Cup. it was
But now, with less than six months left before the opening day, if the schedule suddenly changes and demands that a few more important matches be held in Pyongyang, whether FIFA will stand still in the sensitive South Korea, second to none, that was Jang Sung-taek’s question right now.