140. Eight on Nine
This is what Director Jackson called me for.
The UN special ambassador is visiting Korea right now, and he wants to meet me, and the reason is… It’s because I saved his life last August.
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Not only this.
Director Jackson asked for my address, so that a handwritten thank-you letter from UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had arrived at the Department of Defense and sent directly to me.
Last year’s Liberation Day… I thought it was just a joke that Incheol cracked the code, but this seems like Incheol had a big accident.
I spoke to Director Jackson in a cold voice. I don’t need a thank-you letter, and I won’t even meet the UN ambassador.
When I hung up the phone, In-cheol just came out of the fishing boat rental shop, and I grabbed In-cheol.
“Isn’t it a joke that you cracked the code last summer?”
At my words, Incheol had a blank expression on his face for about 3 seconds, and then opened his mouth as if he had remembered.
“ah… ! it?”
“I just got a call from Director Jackson because of that!”
I told a story about the UN ambassador, and In-cheol, who heard the story, raised an eyebrow and said:
“okay? So that means the detox was done right!”
Incheol continued with an excited voice.
“Jackson, you motherfucker! You mean you haven’t sent any money? Eight—! deceiving me! Jackson is like a swindler!”
There was no reason for President Jackson not to send a bonus. At that time, I had already closed my Swiss account, so maybe Ledger Jackson opened a new account and sent me $200,000?
“In-cheol-ah, have you ever received spam messages from abroad?”
“Foreign spam texts?”
“Yeah, it’s a text message from overseas, but they say that there is an additional charge to view text messages… .”
In-cheol, who had been thinking deeply, nodded his head violently and said.
“that’s right. 150 causes? I was told a fee was charged, so I just ignored it… .”
“I think it was a message telling us about the account information where the $200,000 was deposited.”
In-cheol’s eyes widened at my words.
“really? is that really What if I tell you that now!”
Incheol continued to speak while checking his phone.
“OMG-! I think I deleted it… ah… please… please… … .”
By the way… How did In-cheol crack the codebook of the terrorist group?
Late at night on the day of Liberation Day last August, Incheol called me. I asked if it was okay to send the decrypted password to Ledger Jackson directly, and I said so without much thought.
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Naturally, I believed that In-cheol was bluffing, and by giving false information at this time, it was not bad for Director Jackson to lower the trust in me.
However, In-cheol decoded the cipher text correctly. It was around 10 am when Incheol first checked the password in my officetel that day… Incheol means that he solved the code book password table in just 12 hours. This is absolutely ridiculous.
“I must have deleted that text message. OMG-!”
In-cheol took a deep breath as if the world had collapsed, and I said to In-cheol.
“How did you do it?”
“What?”
“How did you crack that password?”
In response to my question, Incheol said with a firm expression.
“Don’t ask that. It is a trade secret.”
“Tell me how you solved it, and I’ll check the Swiss bank account details again.”
Incheol said with twinkling eyes.
“Really?”
I nodded and started talking only after In-cheol received a confirmation from me again.
* * *
6 months ago, August 15th.
Incheol created a new account by accessing 165.com, a Chinese portal site.
Incheol muttered to himself as he entered account information.
“Hmm… What was that person’s name? Kayama… Kayama… What was it?”
In-cheol, who tilted his head for a while, snapped his finger and it was perfect! said aloud.
“right! Kayama Mitsuro!”
In the summer of 2000, before enlisting in the military, In-cheol hacked the server of the Chongryon Central Headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. And the name of the broker that appears frequently in those records was Kayama Mitsuro.
The full e-mail sent by Ledger Jackson contained two e-mail addresses, including ciphertext. One is the sender of the ciphertext, and the other is the e-mail of the recipient. Now you have to choose between these two emails.
Judging from the fact that the cipher text was quite short, it was highly probable that the cipher text was an order from the superior to the members of the organization. This is because orders from the top are usually short, and reports from the top are long. This means that among the two emails, the sender’s email is the head’s contact information.
In-cheol, who had been thinking up to this point, nodded with a proud expression and muttered.
“Five-! I’m a little smart today. Good good!”
Incheol logged into 165.com with the newly created account and clicked the compose email button. And rubbing both palms together, he said.
“ruler-! Now, shall we go fishing for $200,000? Hehe-!”
+ +
My name is Mitsuro Kayama, General Bureau of Overseas Propaganda of the Korean Association of Korean Residents in Japan.
Currently, the North Korean Ministry of Defense is looking for buyers of about 70 pieces of 240mm multiple rocket launchers (M-1985).
Recently, the Japanese government conducted a search and seizure of the Chongryon Central Headquarters. Therefore, it is currently impossible to use a verified communication account. To use the original communication account, an encrypted communication method is required.
If you would like to negotiate a specific purchase, please send us the codebook password table.
I don’t think they would trust me, so I’ll tell you the information I got from the General Reconnaissance Bureau under the Ministry of Defense of North Korea. The United States knows that some of your gang members bought bombs from Russia’s ‘Svetlova’ some time ago.
Finally, since China’s 165.com site backs up all users’ account information on a 24-hour basis, this e-mail account will be deleted after about 12 hours.
If you would like to purchase weapons, please send us the codebook password table by 23:55 Beijing Standard Time on August 15th, China, when this account will be deleted.
More than that.
Kayama Mitsuro
+ +
5 hours later.
Checking the email sent to Mitsuro Kayama, Incheol clenched his fists and murmured.
“You caught a big fish! Leah Kim! My skills are not dead yet!”
After a while, In-cheol was able to decrypt the cipher text sent by Ledger Jackson using the cipher table he received.
＜target SVdeMello. August 19th at 16:00. Baghdad Canal hotels.>
Incheol said while checking the decrypted ciphertext again.
“S… V… d… mellow… ? What do you mean? Hmm… Did I decipher this correctly?”
In-cheol called Jeong-ho and said that he had cracked the code, but Jeong-ho didn’t seem to believe In-cheol’s words.
– What is the decrypted password?
In response to Jung-ho’s question, In-cheol said.
“This is a date, a hotel, and something like that, I don’t know what it means either.”
-Did you decode it properly?
“haha-! I don’t think so… But in case you don’t know, can I send this to Uncle Jackson?”
-I do not know. In-cheol, you do it yourself.
“OK! If I get this bonus, it’s all mine. Understand?”
– Well, that’s right!
* * *
After finishing the explanation, Incheol looked at me with bright eyes and said.
“Now that I’ve told you everything, I need to give you my Swiss account number.”
I smiled sadly, pulled out my phone, called and left a message on the US Army unit number that General Jackson had given me, and within five minutes the phone rang.
I said that I would meet the UN ambassador and asked for Swiss account information.
The next day, Wednesday, March 3rd.
The UN office on the 8th floor of the Seoul Global Center in Jonggak Station.
The UN ambassador was a middle-aged man, with a slightly drooping eyebrow. He smiled brightly and asked me to shake hands.
“(I heard you were the benefactor who saved my life. Thank you so much.)”
Actually, this is what Incheol did… .
I smiled awkwardly and took his hand.
“(I’m glad you avoided a terrorist attack.)”
After such a brief greeting, the UN ambassador said:
“(Then shall we go to Gyeongbokgung Palace now?)”
Today’s schedule was known in advance through the US embassy staff. It was planned to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace first and have dinner at a Korean restaurant near Gwanghwamun.
“(Do I have to go by car?)”
I shook my head at the UN ambassador’s question.
“(It would be faster to go on foot.)”
“(Then let’s go quickly.)”
He continued, pointing out the window.
“(It’s too noisy here.)”
The noise from the Cheonggyecheon restoration work could be heard all the way here.
So we got out of the building, crossed the street across from Jongno, and walked along the narrow road to the right of Kyobo Bookstore instead of Sejong-daero.
While walking down the street, I talked with the UN ambassador. His hometown is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Before being dispatched as a UN special ambassador to Iraq in August last year, he said that he worked mainly in conflict areas such as East Timor, Kosovo, and Cambodia.
It was about a 5 minute walk.
A small intersection came out, and a loudspeaker sounded from the right of the intersection.
“(Why are people gathering over there?)”
Judging by the sound of slogans, it seemed that a small assembly had been held.
I shrugged my shoulders at the UN ambassador’s question.
“(I don’t even know. It looks like they’re having a meeting.)”
“(A meeting in the middle of a city like this?)”
The UN ambassador continued with a curious expression.
“(Can I check what kind of meeting it is?)”
“(Sure.)”
The ＜Wednesday Rally> was being held in front of the Japanese embassy.
“(Who’s that old man in the black-and-white photo over there?)”
It was a portrait picture.
I answered the UN ambassador’s question with a bitter expression.
“(I think he died a while ago.)”
In response to my reply, the UN ambassador muttered ‘Rest in peace’ softly, and pointed to the number written under the portrait.
＜1932. 9. 23 – 2004. 2. 28>
“(Then that must be the date he was born and died.)”
I nodded silently, and the UN ambassador continued.
“(By the way, who are you… people gather to pay tribute?)”
“(It’s not such a pleasant story, are you okay?)”
At my question, the UN ambassador said with a smirk.
“(For the last 30 years, I have worked in areas of civil war and conflict around the world, where machine guns rang every night, loud explosions every two or three days followed by screams. What’s going on there. Could there be a more unpleasant story?)”
“(Could be more offensive. Are you okay?)”
At my question, the UN ambassador narrowed his eyebrows and nodded.
And I started explaining.
Who is the old man in the picture of Yeong-jung?
What is this meeting held every Wednesday…
Why is this rally held in front of the Japanese embassy?
And who are the grandmothers sitting next to the picture of Yeong-jung?
After my explanation, the UN ambassador said that he was very interested in the issue of sexual slavery during war, and our conversation naturally led to the content of the assembly and the issue of comfort women.
After talking for a while, I pointed to the clock and said,
“(Now it’s time to go. If it’s too late, you may not be able to see Gyeongbokgung Palace.)”
“(The time has already come.)”
The UN ambassador smiled slightly and continued.
“(By the way, didn’t Jung-ho also say he had never been to Gyeongbokgung Palace?)”
So we stayed in front of the Japanese embassy until the ＜Wednesday Rally> was over.
After the rally, people cleaned up the surroundings, and while the last picture of the deceased grandmother was taken… The UN ambassador opened his mouth, pointing to the picture of the portrait.
“She was only 13 years old when World War II ended.”