Chapter 62

EP 11 - That's Our Crazy Dog (6)

Politics is truly a complex thing.

"Mr. Won. The situation has become quite tangled."

In the world, everyone entangles themselves to achieve their own goals, and the essence of all things is to harm each other for that purpose.

"China has dragged us into their propaganda, and Japan is asking us to share the impossible task of stealing American nuclear bombs."

Since it's impossible for everyone to achieve their desired outcomes, we must slowly unravel each other's interests.

Unraveling tangled knots. This is usually called 'negotiation.'

"North Korea's military regime is trying to kill 100,000 defectors to stabilize their system, and in the midst of this, mysterious Gaeseong rebels have brought the Baekdu lineage to operate within the country."

But what is the dictionary definition of politics? It is the authoritative distribution of social scarce values.

In that sense.

"....Didn't Alexander the Great say something? He said that tangled knots should be cut with a sword."

Politics is no different from a mad dog with a knife, jumping around.

"Let's cut it."

* * *

Won Okbun is a 68-year-old woman.

In her youth, she was a frontline enforcer for the Roh Tae-woo security regime and a strong prosecutor leading the war on crime. The fact that she was a woman prosecutor at that time alone was enough to guess her character.

She was a fiery person.

She stepped out into the world with a passion for justice and righteousness, and was slashed by a gangster, leaving a large scar on half her face.

It was the kind of incident that politicians would love.

A 'female' prosecutor caught a 'gangster' and got a 'scar' from a 'knife' but showed her 'will' to 'crack down on crime.'

This context was widely publicized in the media. It was almost like a sensational and patriotic propaganda.

Roh Tae-woo was a president elected due to the internal strife between Kim Young-sam and Kim Dae-jung, and a president who was called a 'puppet' in a minority government. Therefore, he desperately needed the momentum of a rare policy.

Thus, the righteous prosecutor Won Okbun appeared in modern history.

The fact that she suffered from depression for four years in secret after the incident, burned all the photos taken during her healthy days, and was engaged to be broken off after smashing all the mirrors in her house was not very important.

She was forced to gain fame and lost love, health, beauty, dreams, and passion. All that was left to her was the meager fame given by the political world.

And she later found out that the gangster was actually an innocent person arrested by the police, and the person who slashed her was a relative, but she did not confess.

All that was left was power.

That was why she left Roh Tae-woo and became a prosecutor, and joined Kim Young-sam, and that was why she could rise to the position of chief prosecutor.

When you live a straight life, you eventually have to make choices, and the more such choices you make, the more miserable you become.

"......I lived like a reed."

Because if you bend, you break. Initially, I made sure not to be swayed.

Following the wind, not going against the tide, and living smoothly.

"Thus, I came to be just under the president."

During the purge of the Hanahoe, from Roh Tae-woo to Kim Young-sam.

During the DJP alliance, from Kim Young-sam to Kim Jong-pil.

In the National Assembly, from Kim Jong-pil to Kim Ki-chun.

In the 17th presidential election, from Kim Ki-chun to Lee Myung-bak.

Being a second-in-command is also too visible.

Approach Kim Ki-chun instead of Park Geun-hye.

Aim for the inner circle of the inner circle.

Always stay below the highest position.

Choose appointed positions over elected ones.

Sit in the Legal and Judicial Committee and only receive nominations according to party policy.

This was Won Okbun's politics.

"Cut it off...... I kind of understand what you mean."

"Isn't it too far gone to resolve through negotiation?"

She always rode the wave, sensed the flow, and let herself be carried by the current.

In other words, she rode the line.

"Representative Han. Haven't I told you many times? If you keep doing politics like that, you'll get hurt badly later."

"How long can you keep up this act when the world is in this state?"

"......"

Some people call it frustrating, and some call it cautious.

Won Okbun looked at Han Seung-moon calmly.

"......By the way, me."

Changing lines always comes with betrayal, and betrayal requires a weapon.

"I've got a useful card from an unexpected place."

In other words, her despicable line-riding life was a continuous series of tricks and schemes,

"......Is this your first time working with me, Representative Han?"

"Of course."

"......Heh. Come to think of it, you've only had your badge for less than a year, haven't you?"

In a situation where you're holding a big bomb.

"Representative Han, you'll have to take the lead this time. I'll stab from behind."

No one could backstab her more skillfully than her.

*

"Is it good?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Want more?"

"Thank you very much! Representative Comrade!"

The kid sitting next to me smiled brightly and took the shrimp chips. He chewed them happily. Our group had come on an outing to a nearby orphanage for the first time in a long time.

It's called an orphanage, but we're actually using a military hospital facility. It was an annex of the military hospital arranged by Kim Doo-shik.

In the yard, Yang Il-ho and Lee Ho-jeong were distributing onigiri to the children with Gang Shi-ho.

"We must protect our children, the hope of the nation......"

Yang Pan-seok was smiling for the camera in front of a reporter, awkwardly hugging a bunch of children.

I was sitting on a bench with a little girl, gently stroking her head and asking,

"Is it comfortable living in this area?"

"Y-Yes! I'm very satisfied!"

The girl's name was Kim Sung-ah.

"What's your friend's name?"

"My name is Park Su-jin!"

It seemed she wasn't used to using honorifics. I patted Kim Sung-ah and kept offering her food.

Filling her cheeks with food and looking at her fondly,

"Alright, I have a question for Representative Han Seung-moon!"

The reporter who was filming Yang Pan-seok came over with his phone. It was a live internet broadcast on Naver and YouTube.

The reporter asked in a news-like voice, and I put on my broadcast face.

"Following the establishment of the Han Seung-moon Foundation's juvenile protection center, you also set up an orphanage for North Korean defectors. Many people say you have a great interest in children's rights!"

While both were not purely intended, I tried to look embarrassed and stammered, bowing my head.

"Oh, Reporter! Don't be so awkward!"

"Ah, broadcast accident. Broadcast accident."

"Why are you suddenly acting like this after we cooked ramen together this morning!"

"Ah, have you done broadcasts only a few times?"

"It's just awkward......"

It was a skit for realism.

The reporter said with a smile in his voice,

"Your appearance, Representative Han, boosts the views. Could you say a few words?"

"Ah, um."

"About children's rights. Yes."

"When we escaped from Uijeongbu, citizens voluntarily evacuated the children first. I think I'm just following that, albeit late."

The reporter added a follow-up question with a bright smile.

"By the way, it's said that you have brought the hidden issue of North Korean defectors to the surface. What do you think about that?"

"Haha... Actually, it's the work of the national army and the government."

I drove the point home.

"I heard that they were protecting 100,000 North Korean defectors without my knowledge, right on the Civilian Control Line."

The reporter let out the expected exclamation.

"100,000!?"

It felt a bit like a skit, but for a war correspondent, this level of emotional acting was decent.

"Unknown to anyone, these were citizens sheltered by the government. I heard that the awakened ones from that area played a significant role in the Namyangju front."

"Ah...!"

"Actually, I didn't even think about it. My aides came to me first and told me about it."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. In fact, you can say that more than half of what I do is thanks to those guys. They are such a great help to me. They're like brothers I've known since my aide days."

The reporter naturally moved on to focus on Yang Il-ho and Lee Ho-jeong.

Yeah, it's time for them to show their faces.

I smiled fondly and patted the kid's head, then patted her back to send her off.

Yang Pan-seok sauntered over and whispered,

"......The North Korean envoy has been confirmed to enter Mr. Won's underground bunker."

"Fast."

"Since the Lee Yong-su regime didn't deny the legitimacy of the Kim regime, they probably didn't expect this kind of backlash from their constant military-first rhetoric."

Yang Pan-seok chuckled as if discussing the evening menu.

"You have good ears, you know."

I hesitated for a moment.

"To be honest, I'm quite surprised now. I'm not connected to the National Intelligence Service. I'm just an acquaintance of the Blue House Civil Affairs Chief and the National Assembly sauna. But you......"

Yang Pan-seok asked with a mix of admiration.

"Do you have an intelligence source from David Kim's side? Or GS Group? I heard you brought the Hong Seon-ah faction to form a PMC."

"Haha......"

"Are there still people under Jang Won-jang? Did you plant someone in the Security Command when you worked with Cha Jae-kyun? How did you know something even the Blue House didn't......"

I glanced at our orphanage director, Pi Chae-won. Pi Chae-won, who had been looking at us through the window, quickly closed the curtain.

I answered Yang Pan-seok.

"What would you like for dinner?"

I'm not telling.

*

North Korea immediately expressed strong opposition. They even

- The South Korean government has repeatedly engaged in behavior that goes against the close cooperation between the nations. Stop your reckless actions that ignore diplomatic norms and fulfill the agreement as stipulated.

They released a statement, though it wasn't broadcast in our country.

Won Okbun's foreign affairs line only issued a simple response.

The repatriation of defectors has become difficult due to the opposition party representative's attempt to boost his approval rating. It is regrettable.

Of course, it was a move that would make North Korea furious.

The indirect conversation between North Korea and Won Okbun and Yang Pan-seok went something like this.

- For the peace of the nation, we must adhere to the appropriate conduct as stipulated in the agreement.

- The government's policy implementation has become difficult due to the opposition party representative inciting public sentiment.

- The South Korean government must immediately repatriate the traitors to the North!

- It has become difficult due to the opposition party representative's unintentional mistake. It is regrettable. - The traitors who have harmed the people must be held accountable!

- It's all Han Seung-moon's fault.

- Hey! You! Bastard!

- It's all Han Seung-moon's fault.

When diplomatic talks start to repeat the same pattern, it usually means the other side is in a very urgent situation.

In the end,

North Korea made a move.

- The South Korean puppet regime, under the evil command of the wicked American imperialists, has committed countless criminal acts to intimidate the Chinese people!

- If you do not stop your actions to disrupt the peace of East Asia, you will taste the wrath of the People's Army like a rain of fire!

In essence, it exposed that we had provoked North Korea to attack China.

Considering that North Korea cannot hold the front against China without our air force support, it was a very bold move.

Of course, there must be someone to back up that boldness.

- Military actions by the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force in the Korean Peninsula have been detected. Not only are they approaching our airspace with bombers......

North Korea joined hands with Japan. Given that Japan's Air Self-Defense Force is among the top five in the world, it could be seen as a decent alternative.

"Japan has seized 200 American nuclear weapons, posing a serious threat to Northeast Asia. This is a violation of the U.S.-Japan Nuclear Agreement and, as a war criminal nation......"

I waved a map of Japan with uranium stickers plastered all over it.

"......"

In front of the Chinese ambassador.

"......I will contact my country."

Won Okbun decided to ride the pro-China line.

As a bonus, whether the U.S. actually gave or was robbed of nuclear weapons by Japan, at least on the surface, she also rode the pro-U.S. line.

China foamed at the mouth and threatened Japan, and I stood in front of the camera with the map of uranium stickers.

"This is a crisis for humanity. How can you arm yourselves with nuclear weapons in such a situation? And you're stealing American nuclear bombs!"

While it seemed like the U.S. and Japan might have colluded, as long as it wasn't publicly revealed, politics could still play the blind man's bluff.

"Japan must immediately apologize to the U.S. and immediately cease the significant threat to the peace of Northeast Asia."

And ultimately, diplomacy is also politics.

When China, after a long absence, smiled and foamed at the mouth, the U.S. moved the 7th Fleet to cautiously recover the nuclear weapons as promised, and Japan settled the matter with the resignation of a foreign minister. It's a dictatorship, after all.

Of course, it's a given that numerous lobbies went on during this process. We shared a bit of the masque technology to calm the U.S.'s hidden intentions and provisionally agreed to accept additional talks with China.

We returned some of the masque we had imported to Japan. After all, there's no place as stable in masque supply as our country. GS Group's masque stock was enormous.

In diplomacy, there are always backroom deals, and North Korea had no money to grease the wheels for other countries.

What money could a country that can't even secure its borders without air force support have?

North Korea thus remained silent.

And so, it seemed that peace had returned to Northeast Asia.

However, what we did was actually cut the peace.

"Who knows that we know about Kim Sung-ah?"

"North Korea will be skeptical, and the people from Gaeseong won't even suspect."

"I'll keep an eye on the outside for a while. Representative Han, try to approach the Gaeseong rebels."

"Yes, Acting President."

"I've already hinted to Commander Kim Doo-shik. Tell Representative Yang yourself. It's a matter of trust."

"Kim Sung-ah's guardian has the ability to teleport. There's a risk of assassination, so it's best not to provoke her if possible."

"......The U.S. has admitted that they were behind the nuclear bomb incident. They'll show a limited reaction for a while, so use it well."

South Korean politicians began to sharpen their knives in the dark.

*

On a half-broken TV, Han Seung-moon's passionate speech was shown.

- Japan must immediately apologize to the U.S. and immediately cease the significant threat to the peace of Northeast Asia!

A boy approached, shaking the blood off his knife. The boy stood in front of the TV for a long time.

"......"

She approached the boy.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Ah, sorry, sister."

"The Seoul Gate is just ahead. We don't have much time left."

"Okay. Let's go."

The boy sheathed his knife and got up.

She hesitated, staying in her seat and staring at the TV for a long time.

".....That guy is at it again."

She smiled faintly.

EP 11

That's Our Crazy Dog

END