Chapter 97

EP 16 - Minister of Portrait Management, Han Seung-moon (3)

Creak.

The front door closed, and Yoo Jae-kyung left. At the same time, the hand that his daughter had been waving stopped, and her smile slowly faded.

What remained was a gloomy expression and a sigh filled with all sorts of worries.

“Sigh......”

What will happen from now on?

Her worries were as heavy as Mount Tai. She turned around and trudged into the living room, thinking.

The politics she had learned was merciless. The incoming administration of Yang Pan-seok would storm in like an occupying army, grab her father by the collar, and throw him to the ground.

Perhaps prosecutors would raid her father's office, sweep everything into boxes, and carry them away, leaving her father sitting on the sofa, dazed, watching the scene.

And that evening, in a corner of a street stall, the tears of a pitiful head of the household, who could no longer return to work or home, would drip into a glass of soju, one by one...

“Eek...!”

She had scolded her father for his family troubles, but money wasn't the issue.

Her father was a high-ranking official, and her mother was a silver spoon.

Money was plentiful. The problem was the neck.

Every regime had crushed the previous one to establish its legitimacy, and in her view, Won Ok-bun had too many weak points, while Yang Pan-seok was a professional fighter with gloves on his fists.

Her father would not escape the impending bloodbath unscathed.

“Damn...!”

But what could a graduate student, who had just left school, do? She downed a glass of milk and slumped onto the dining table.

“Ugh...!”

She ruffled her hair with a groan. She was the only one who could protect the family.

How was she supposed to save her father?

“Should I enter politics?!”

Thus,

She wandered around the living room, pondering the heavy responsibility before her, while Yoo Jae-kyung's wife, who was watching from the second floor, only trembled with a flushed face, trying to suppress her laughter.

* * *

At that moment, unaware of her daughter's torment, Yoo Jae-kyung was grinning and shaking the phone with a smile.

“Oh, Mr. President! Yes! Yes! I've arrived. Yes. Ahaha! Yes, I'll come to see you right away!”

As the black E-Class car stopped on the road, an aide rushed out to open the rear door.

“Ahem...!”

Yoo Jae-kyung, receiving the aide's protocol, walked out confidently and stood on the gravel courtyard in front of a large Korean restaurant, straightening his clothes. He waved away the aides and entered the restaurant.

“Oh!”

“Ah...”

In the restaurant lobby, surrounded by bodyguards, Yoo Jae-kyung smiled and ran up to shake hands.

“Commander Kim Doo-sik! It's good to see you here!”

“Ah... Yes, nice to meet you.”

Kim Doo-sik's reaction was slightly lukewarm, but Yoo Jae-kyung shook his hand warmly.

“The President-elect is waiting. Let's go!”

“Ah, Minister Yoo Jae-kyung?”

A plump middle-aged man standing next to Kim Doo-sik called out to Yoo Jae-kyung. Yoo Jae-kyung smiled and scanned him with his eyes.

It was Shin Su-gwang.

Judging by his attire, he didn't seem particularly wealthy. After all, he was a commoner who had become a representative of the Seoul metropolitan area refugees while working at a supermarket in a rural area of Siheung.

However, he was now a prospective member of the National Assembly.

Thus, Yoo Jae-kyung greeted him warmly, but not too familiarly.

“Oh, isn't that Representative Shin?”

“Pleased to meet you. I'm Shin Su-gwang!”

“Nice to meet you.”

Shin Su-gwang was a slightly plump uncle. He looked a bit heavier than the man in the video with 20 million views.

He grinned and bowed almost 90 degrees, shaking Yoo Jae-kyung's hand with both hands. Yoo Jae-kyung, who didn't dislike such people (those who flatter a bit), still felt a slight discomfort while shaking hands with Shin Su-gwang.

Of course, it wasn't because Shin Su-gwang was a high school graduate and a self-employed person. While he might have had a slight prejudice, it was definitely not the main reason. Yoo Jae-kyung thought he had a bit of a conservative streak, but was it strange for a 50-year-old elite bureaucrat to be somewhat particular about educational background?

Moreover, such people had always existed in politics. Like the leaders of the civil servants' union or the chairmen of various labor federations.

Regardless of educational background and wealth, these were people that even an elite bureaucrat like Yoo Jae-kyung couldn't ignore. In fact, there were countless situations where he had to play the role of the subordinate.

What about Shin Su-gwang?

The core of South Korea is undoubtedly the Seoul metropolitan area. More than half of the population lives there. And now, there are about 10 million refugees from the Seoul metropolitan area.

“Representative of the Gyeonggi refugee camps and... Chairman of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Citizens Affected by the Monster Disaster, right?”

“Ah, yes!”

And Shin Su-gwang was their representative.

While he didn't have absolute support, like a union chairman, 10 million was a formidable number in a democratic society.

However, the reason he was slightly off-putting was—

“Minister, your leadership in leading the government complex in Sejong from the early stages of the crisis! As a citizen, I am truly grateful and admire you! I look forward to your guidance in the future!”

“...Ah, yes.”

—Shin Su-gwang was originally a presidential candidate for the People's Party.

However, he withdrew from the presidential race and registered as a candidate for the National Assembly as soon as Yang Pan-seok announced his candidacy. Moreover, due to the expulsion of the Kim Jo-in faction, he managed to place some refugee camp representatives in the vacant seats.

This all happened within two days.

In Yoo Jae-kyung's view, this was a thoroughly directed action by Yang Pan-seok. The timing was impeccable, and the coordination was perfect.

Thus—

“...I was also moved by Representative Shin's video about his daughter's death.”

—Shin Su-gwang's emotional appeal about his daughter's death might have been a 'political emotional appeal' to stop the recapture of Seoul.

“...Well, let's work together to run the country well.”

Yoo Jae-kyung, a doting father, thought.

*

In a secret room on the third floor of the Korean restaurant, there was a large dining table. Under a beautiful chandelier that didn't quite fit the Korean restaurant, a sumptuous feast was laid out, as one might see in a movie.

It was a table that cost a fortune. A person unfamiliar with such settings would undoubtedly be nervous. Indeed, Shin Su-gwang looked a bit nervous.

Of course, Yoo Jae-kyung was familiar with such dining arrangements and had often sat at the head of the table, so he walked in quite naturally.

However, what was different from usual was that the President-elect was sitting at the head of the table.

“Mr. President!”

“Hey, how should we address you?”

“Oh, I did it without thinking...”

“You're showing your true colors, aren't you?”

“Ahaha...!”

Here, Yoo Jae-kyung's intuition kicked in. He smiled and narrowed his eyes, quickly scanning the room.

Yang Pan-seok's right-hand seat was empty. A few people were sitting next to it, clearly leaving it vacant.

Of course, it wasn't prepared for him.

“...!”

Fortunately, the left side had some empty seats. He pretended to move inside to make room for Kim Doo-sik and Shin Su-gwang, and naturally sat on Yang Pan-seok's left.

After that, he smiled and finished the light pleasantries.

Yoo Jae-kyung calmly surveyed the faces and backgrounds of the people sitting at the table.

“The People's Party narrowly won this election, with 154 seats. Congratulations, Governor Cheong Jung-yeop.”

“Haha, it's a result where the minor parties were eliminated. Essentially, it's a tie, isn't it?”

“154 to 146. I don't think we'll see such a result again. Yes.”

First, the Jeju Island overlord, Governor Cheong Jung-yeop.

He held the safest territory in Korea and was a fortress lord with the established conglomerates, including the Federation of Korean Industries.

Moreover,

...Seok Jae-bong, the chief of staff?

I didn't expect this gentleman to be from Yang Pan-seok's camp.

I only knew him as one of Won Ok-bun's confidants, but it seems this political advisor, who was a two-term member of the National Assembly, had made a significant move. He was the one who advocated for the recapture of Seoul, so he would likely secure a prominent position in the next administration.

“Ah, I thought I could finally catch my breath, but there's another local election next year.”

“Haha, what are you so worried about?”

“Governor Cheong is well-respected, so he must be at ease. But I'm in a tough spot.”

There was also Governor Ji Hui-gap of South Jeolla Province, a first-term governor placed by Yang Pan-seok in the past. As a traditional follower of Yang Pan-seok, he was invited.

Next to him was...

“Hey, auntie, could you bring some more water?”

Damn. It's Inspector Gan Gyeong-su.

Inspector Gan, a special prosecutor known for targeting high-ranking officials. He took down a two-term member of the National Assembly when he was a young prosecutor at the Central Investigation Department, and after being demoted to Gangwon Province, he managed to send the governor of the Republic Party to prison.

He returned to the central government after marrying Yang Pan-seok's daughter. I heard he was dealing with superhuman criminals these days, but it seems he was involved in this presidential election in some way.

“...”

Yoo Jae-kyung continued to observe the people for a while.

Judges, traditional allies of Yang Pan-seok.

The Chief Justice, a classmate of Yang Pan-seok, and a Supreme Court justice he brought in. He was likely the former head of the National Election Commission and would become the next Chief Justice.

Moreover, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, who unified the domestic and overseas factions through this presidential election, and the commander of the Gangwon Province military, Yu Hyun-jong, were also present.

Of course, Yoo Jae-kyung himself and Commander Kim Doo-sik were major figures, and the political newcomer Shin Su-gwang was also a significant presence. The people in this room could be considered the top brass of South Korea.

Yoo Jae-kyung inwardly marveled at himself.

So far, there have been four such meetings.

First, the secret meeting convened by Cha Jae-gyun when North Korea detonated a nuclear bomb.

Second, the secret meeting convened by Won Ok-bun when China threatened with nuclear power.

Third, the emergency response center in the Cheongmuh facility's underground bunker when the Seoul Gate incident escalated.

And now, this is the fourth.

Such secret meetings were proof of power and evidence that he was at the center of power.

For example, only three people attended all four meetings. These three were the highest powers in South Korea.

The first was himself, and the second was Yang Pan-seok, sitting at the head of the table.

And the last was...

- Tap.

A sound was heard.

- Tap.

- Tap.

As the sound of a cane grew closer, the room gradually fell silent.

“...”

As the sound of the cane approached, a heavy silence settled over the room.

Yang Pan-seok leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile, the Governor of South Jeolla Province, who had lost his right-hand position, frowned slightly, and Shin Su-gwang swallowed hard.

Embarrassed by the silence, the elderly Governor of South Jeolla Province forced a smile and spoke.

“...Haha! In any case, this election was intense. A fierce battle, as they say?”

Yoo Jae-kyung chuckled.

Some might say this election was a close race, with the People's Party winning 154 seats and the Defense Party 146 seats.

However, Yoo Jae-kyung thought differently.

Absolutely. He didn't think so.

People's Party 154 seats, Defense Party 146 seats?

That's nonsense.

The election results couldn't be understood so simply.

“...Hmm.”

Yoo Jae-kyung began to do the math in his head.

First, the Defense Party.

63 seats in the pro-Yang Pan-seok Democratic Party regions in Honam.

46 seats in the pro-Won Ok-bun Republican Party regions in Yeongnam.

37 proportional representation seats in the Defense Party from the lost Seoul metropolitan area.

And the People's Party.

34 seats, including proportional representation, in the pro-Cheong Jung-yeop Jeju regions.

7 seats, including proportional representation, in the pro-Shin Su-gwang Seoul metropolitan regions.

15 seats in the pro-Han Seung-moon Dongdaemun regions.

15 seats in the pro-Han Seung-moon Apgujeong regions.

13 seats in the pro-Han Seung-moon nationwide regions.

70 proportional representation seats in the pro-Han Seung-moon lost Seoul metropolitan area.

The result was obvious.

- Tap!

The sound of the cane stopped, and a silhouette appeared beyond the Korean restaurant's lattice window.

Soon, the door opened.

“...Ah, everyone is here?”

About 50 seats in the National Assembly for the pro-Han Seung-moon faction within the People's Party.

113 seats for the pro-Han Seung-moon faction within the People's Party.

Control of the party.

“Sorry for being late.”

“Don't apologize. Come over here.”

Pro-Han Seung-moon allies.

Including the People's Party and the Yang Pan-seok faction.

217 seats.

Securing the constitutional amendment line.

“Ah! Minister Han! It's been a while!”

“Ah, Minister Yoo Jae-kyung?”

“