54 episodes
The most recent interest of the Japanese ambassador to Korea was the development of Seron.
It is the first company to productively mine seabed resources, which made Korea, a resource barren land like Japan, self-sufficient in copper and zinc and even export it overseas.
Therefore, after receiving instructions from the government to somehow bring about cooperation with the development of Ceron, they continued to send love calls, but development of Ceron did not show any help.
No, to be precise, Chairman Han Ji-hyuk.
But then, Han Ji-hyuk, who was like that, suddenly contacted me first and wanted to meet him first.
“Is the tea table ready?”
The embassy staff nodded at the Japanese ambassador’s words.
“Yes. Not only coffee and tea, but also sweets and fruits, I didn’t know what I would like, so I prepared everything.”
“great.”
Relations between Japan and Korea are clearly not good.
However, it is at a level that cannot be compared to the harsh Japan-China relations, which can be called an all-out supporter.
However, since China recently imposed tariffs on raw materials for development of Korea, more precisely, Ceron, this could be seen as an opportunity.
Because the enemy of the enemy is your friend.
That’s when I was all ready and waiting.
“Chairman Han is here!”
The Japanese ambassador jumped up and said.
“Come on, take me this way!”
After a while, Chairman Han Ji-hyuk appeared with the guidance of the embassy staff.
The Japanese ambassador said with a bright smile.
“Welcome, Chairman Han.”
“hello.”
“Sit over here. Do you like tea?”
“give me anything.”
“All right. Please bring me some tea and sweets.”
Then the embassy staff put the well-arranged tea and sweets on the table.
“Here is the most famous tea and sweets in Japan. It was specially prepared because President Han is coming.”
“okay?”
Han Ji-hyuk, who had taken a sip of the tea, said.
“It’s delicious.”
“haha. I’m glad it’s delicious.”
“Hey, you’re so welcoming, I don’t know where to go.”
“It is a place to treat the president of the Ceron Group, but this is nothing.”
Then the Japanese ambassador said with a firm expression.
“By the way, I have heard the tariffs from China. After all, aren’t they selfish and know nothing but themselves?”
A Japanese ambassador that Han Ji-hyeok, who is fighting with China in real time, picks out only the words he wants to hear.
Naturally, the purpose was seabed resources, especially rare earths, the Achilles heel of Japan.
Rare earth does not simply mean one mineral, but is an expression to call several types of rare minerals together, and most of them had absolute value in high-tech industries.
For example, neodymium, a type of rare earth, has a magnetic force that is 10 times greater than that of a normal magnet, which dramatically reduces the size of a motor that requires a magnet, so it is one of the indispensable materials for electric vehicles.
Other rare earths are also essential materials for all kinds of high-tech industries such as batteries and semiconductors, so their value is bound to shine even more.
The problem was that China’s share of the world’s production of this rare earth was absolute.
Rare earths destroy the environment and release radioactivity during the refining process, so common countries cannot touch rare earths even if they are buried in their land.
The reason why China is willing to take such environmental damage is simple.
Because rare earths are money and power at the same time.
China weaponized rare earths enough to call it hegemony, and wielded them in all directions.
Even today, the apology for succumbing to China’s pressure to restrict exports of rare earths in the territorial dispute was a humiliating event that all Japanese people resented.
Therefore, the Japanese ambassador was not impatient, although the production of rare earths itself was an important task that was given the highest priority for Japan.
‘It’s greed to be satisfied with the first drink. First of all, we have to build a good relationship with a chairman, and since resources other than rare earth are also good, we have to work together and take it step by step.’
The development of Ceron, which has already proposed a joint venture through a smelter, has notified them that they will take care of the rest as long as they give out ships and mining rights.
Naturally, what Japan wanted was a resource that they could freely control, so it was an unacceptable offer.
Therefore, the Japanese ambassador who took the route in the direction of being sullen.
“What an absurd coercion at a critical time like this when all of humanity can benefit from undersea development. Even though I am Japanese, as a person living in Korea after majoring in Korean, it was really frustrating.”
Han Ji-hyuk nodded and said.
“So it is. It’s not like I’ve done anything wrong, but if I do anything, I will tackle it, and I’m very annoyed.”
“Isn’t that a characteristic of China?”
In that way, the Japanese ambassador thought as he responded to Han Ji-hyuk’s complaints and took a sip of tea.
‘great. After finishing this well, next time we will cooperate with submarine resources….’
But then.
“So, I’m going to give you a bite this time. what is it. Did you know that there are rare earths on the seabed in Japan? Do you have any plans to develop it together?”
“Fuck!”
The Japanese ambassador, who spewed out the tea he was drinking, said with a blank expression.
“Rare earth?”
“Yes.”
The Japanese ambassador was embarrassed when he suddenly scratched the most ticklish part without notice.
“That is, of course, welcome, no, it’s not that it’s a rare earth, but should I say that Chairman Han’s proposal is welcome? that······.”
Han Ji-hyuk said with a relaxed expression.
“First of all, I don’t like joint ventures, so I will exclusively develop Ceron for mining. The ship is provided by Japan.”
The content is not different from the previous proposal.
However.
“Instead, refining will be done in Japan. I think we should share the refined rare earths with Ceron development and Japan.”
In fact, Han Ji-hyeok is the first to offer the proposal that Japan has longed for the most.
In the end, the Japanese ambassador, who had been dazed, nodded violently and said.
“Come on, wait a minute. I will contact you right away!”
*
read at noblemtl.com
My plan was simple.
Rare earths emit radioactivity during the refining process, so the refining process is carried out on Japanese soil using skeletons, and in return, a small portion of the rare earths is given to Japan.
However, Japan’s readiness posture is not as common as expected.
“As a result of analysis of the elements of the rare earth under the sea by an unmanned submersible, it was found that the content is 130 times higher than that on the ground. It was confirmed that the amount of radioactive material there was also significantly less.”
The Japanese ambassador, who had been in contact with the Japanese government, said with an excited expression.
“So, the Japanese government has already selected an uninhabited island based on the sampling results and prepared for refining work, and has completed research on radioactive treatment methods as well as methods for refining rare earths under the sea.”
When Japan told China that they ate one bite and grinded their teeth, you are really serious about rare earths.
Literally, Japan has already finished all the preparations.
There was only one thing that Japan lacked in mining undersea rare earths.
How to mine right away.
“But the problem was how to mine rare earths 3,000 meters below the sea floor. These can’t be picked up one by one like manganese nodules, but you have to break the veins of rare earths to collect them… There’s really no way I haven’t tried. I installed a miner to break it up and then sucked in the crushed minerals with water, and installed a crusher in an unmanned submersible. But it all failed.”
The Japanese ambassador shook his head and said.
“It was not enough for all of them to continuously mine minerals. However, since there is no other way, we have been focusing our efforts on developing unmanned submersibles for mining, and the development of Ceron appeared at that time.”
The Japanese ambassador said with a bright smile.
“The conditions of our government are really simple. We’ve got everything ready, just mine the rare earth ore from the bottom of the sea and we’ll take care of the rest. Of course, I will share the refined rare earth with Ceron. oh If you wish, we can also provide you with the equipment we have developed for you. The reason the subsea mining machine failed was that it could not be moved after mining, because it is a different story with a skeleton.”
A collaboration between Japan, which has prepared everything except mining methods, and Ceron, the only company in the world that can mine seabed resources.
But I don’t like it very much.
‘Then there are too many things to do in Japan.’
I was literally trying to borrow only the land and mining rights, but in this way, not only Japanese equipment but also the Japanese side would be in charge of virtually the entire refining process.
Naturally, the bigger the Japanese part means, the bigger the share to be shared.
“Then what is the dividing ratio?”
“How about six to four?”
“Seron is 6?”
“Japan is number six, and in effect, Japan is in charge of all processes except mining.”
I got up from my seat and said.
“That can’t be it. Negotiations are broken.”
Then the Japanese ambassador said in an urgent voice.
“Come on, wait a minute. Don’t you like the proportions?”
“Absolutely. I don’t like the fact that Seron is 6, but even Japan is 6.”
At first I thought the ratio was 9 to 1.
But what… yes.
In the process of refining, radioactive material was leaked, so I was going to use a skeleton.
In addition to the hassle of developing a refining algorithm, if Japan takes over the whole awkward situation of radioactive leaks, I will admit it up to 7-3.
Because Ceron development and smelters are trading at just that rate.
But what?
Japan is 6 and Ceron is 4?
Don’t make such a deal.
“Do you have a desired ratio?”
“8 to 2. Of course, Seron is 8.”
I’m thinking of going 7-3, but I can’t play from the start.
Then the Japanese ambassador was astonished and said:
“Chairman Han, it is not for nothing that all countries are reluctant to produce rare earths and China is holding on to rare earths! Refining rare earths is so difficult, and the side effects are enormous!”
“Instead, the rare earth under the sea has a low amount of radioactivity and a high content. Of course, the difficulty level will be very easy even compared to the rare earths on the ground.”
“Yeah, but that’s it.”
“Besides, the fact that Japan has prepared it, which is great, does not mean that there are no substitutes.”
Obviously, Japan’s readiness is great, but it’s nothing compared to the uniqueness of the development of Ceron, the world’s only subsea resource that can be mined.
“I heard that the US is working with Australia to develop rare earth elements to contain China. Shall I contact America?”
The United States and Japan are allies, so if the United States cooperates with me to develop undersea rare earths, Japan will also switch to American-made rather than Chinese-made.
But if Japan were satisfied with that, why would they have prepared for the development of undersea rare earths in its territorial waters in the first place?
The United States and Australia are already promoting the development of rare earths.
Of course, the most important thing for Japan is self-sufficiency.
Complete self-sufficiency without borrowing power from any other country.
“Chairman Han, isn’t negotiation a little bit of exchange? But how about 5 vs 5?”
“like. Let me make some concessions too. 7 vs 3. But no more concessions. If you ask for more, I’ll look into other countries, huh. But do you know that?”
I said with a bright smile.
“Ceron always gives preference to first-come-first-served customers. If this negotiation goes wrong, Japan will be pushed back a long way. You know? Undersea resources are limitless, but ships and skeletons are lacking. I’m busy developing things from other countries, but when will it be my turn to come to Japan? Isn’t it?”
If it’s late, there’s no soup.
“Contact the Japanese government. If you reject this offer, I will do nothing.”
*
In the end, the Japanese government, receiving my ultimatum, accepted my 7 to 3 offer.
Instead, on the condition that I give the Japanese government the right to purchase the 7 to 2 priority, which is my share.
Of course, I had no reason to refuse.
I’m digging to sell anyway, but if Japan buys something made in Japan right away, it’s convenient and good for me.
When the contract was formally drafted, the Japanese government moved at the speed of light.
The Japanese government operated an undersea rare earth refining facility that had been prepared on an uninhabited island in advance, and quickly provided used ships for subsea mining.
Thanks to this, I immediately put in a skeleton and a worker to start mining rare earths, and the rare earths that had been dormant on the seabed in Japan were finally revealed to the world little by little.
“Here it is.”
The first rare earths made by Japan refining rare earth stones mined by skeletons.
I said picking up a small mineral.
“Isn’t this radioactive?”
“It is said that there is no post-processing at all.”
“okay?”
Is this a rare earth that China is so proud of?
“How much does this cost?”
“It varies by type, but expensive ones cost 300,000 won per kg.”
“Wow. 300,000 won for 1 kg? So, it is several dozen times more expensive than copper.”
“Yes. Instead, the production is definitely lower. The amount of rare earth ore we supplied to Japan this time amounts to hundreds of tons, but only one ton was recovered by refining it.”
Even though the content is 130 times higher, it is only 1 ton.
So how much land do you have to dig to mine rare earths?
It’s worth it.
“ah. And in the near future, Japan will hold a major press conference to formalize the success of subsea rare earth mining.”
Development of undersea rare earths that have been done secretly.
Now that the results are out, I’m proud to say this.
We, Japan, are finally producing rare earths.
I said with a smirk.
“Chinese people will be fed up with Japanese announcements.”
Rare Earth was one of the few strategic cards that China could use against the United States.
Of course, the US is well aware of this and is working with Australia to increase rare earth production, but China still accounts for 83 percent of the rare earth production.
How would China feel if a substitute called Ceron appeared at this time?
“Probably fucking.”
Just like Russia shouting to shut off the gas valve, China was shouting to shut off the rare earth, but now the rare earth lock doesn’t work?
From China’s point of view, it’s like lightning falling on a dry sky.
It means that all the diplomatic and economic advantages that China has enjoyed with rare earths will disappear.
“Hey. Just thinking about it makes me complain.”
So why are you touching me?
I looked at Kim Deok-bae and said.
“President Kim, please contact the Korean government in advance before Japan announces, that we are now producing rare earths as well. If you hear the news on the news, you won’t be sad. I have to tell you in advance. ah! In addition, they tell us that for the time being, we will supply rare earths to Korea as our top priority.”
Korea is also a country with a 90% dependence on rare earths from China.
If China locks down rare earths, all high-tech industries, including semiconductors, will come to a standstill.
It is to make Korea self-sufficient in rare earths.
“Then let’s go to the US and Europe one by one.”
They have a bad relationship with China, but one by one, the countries that have been holding up because of rare earths are independent from China’s hegemony of rare earths.
Naturally, the more they depend on the rare earth of Ceron, the weaker China’s power and at the same time, the higher and higher the position and status of Ceron.
I said with a bright smile.
“Now, when you think of rare earth, you think of Ceron, not China.”
China’s Rare Earth Hegemony?
No.
It is now the hegemony of the rare earth of Seron.