Chapter 467: Time Will Solve It

A heavy silence filled the room.

I lifted my glass, savoring the scent of whiskey, while observing the faces of the two men.

Wen Jiabao had his eyes closed, absently toying with his glass, while Jang Seong-taek appeared completely out of his mind.

I decided to let them have enough time to think while sipping the chilled whiskey.

As the ice melted completely, I set my glass down and called out to Jang Seong-taek.

"Deputy Chief Jang."

"Ah… Yes, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok."

"This is something you must do. If a nuclear explosion occurs right in the heart of Pyongyang, you can imagine the chaos that will ensue. We need to confirm the bomb's location before taking any action."

Since World War II, nuclear weapons had never been deployed.

If they exploded, it could ignite World War III.

"But even if we confirm the location, how do we secure it? The moment we raid that site, news will reach Dear Leader instantly. It would be the end of us."

Jang Seong-taek, who had been hesitating, spoke firmly, noting that it was not impossible to find out.

"We will handle the securing of it ourselves."

Just then, Wen Jiabao interjected.

I turned towards Wen Jiabao. His face was rigid and serious.

"If I visit Pyongyang directly, I could bring security personnel with me. Even Kim Jong-il wouldn't be able to stop that."

I never expected Wen Jiabao to take such a proactive step.

Was he worried about how dangerous it was for Kim Jong-il to possess nuclear weapons?

But I couldn't leave such an important task to China.

"No. This has to be handled by Russia."

"Hey, Mr. Kim. If Russia gets involved, it'll complicate matters even more. We'll secure the nuclear weapon and then hand it over to Russia."

Despite his firm tone, Wen Jiabao added on.

I gazed at Wen Jiabao, silently observing him.

"If we involve Russia, the U.S. will definitely intervene. That would ruin your plans, Mr. Kim, so we…"

Those Chinese folks always do this. I coldly interrupted Wen Jiabao.

"I mentioned earlier that the fact that Russia's nuclear weapons could fall into Kim Jong-il's hands is a secret between us. Don't try to politicize this for personal gains. Are you really saying China will secure the nuclear weapons?"

"Mr. Kim."

"Are you sure, Prime Minister? You intend to hand over nuclear weapons to Russia without any conditions? This is the Soviets' hidden treasure. Do you really believe Russia will just sit back and let China handle it?"

Wen Jiabao seemed to struggle to speak, his lips moving as if to say something, but I continued.

"Let's not go down this path. If we do, I might regret trying to save your position. The people in this room are those I trust as partners moving forward. But to use this situation for personal or national interests is unacceptable."

"…"

"And since we mentioned U.S. intervention, let me ask: Do you truly believe we can succeed without their approval? Why are your insights so narrow-eyed when you claim to understand international politics better than I do?"

Even if a coup succeeded, without U.S. acceptance, it would count as a half-baked success.

The U.S. had been closely monitoring North Korea's situation, and they already had plans in place should anything change.

Whether it be a rebellion, a coup, or assassination, if Kim Jong-il were to die or lose power, there was a plan for U.S. troops stationed in Korea and Japan to march into Pyongyang.

"The U.S. must ensure this. Deputy Chief Jang must be recognized. Without that, even if China and Russia support us, it will be a half-hearted regime. It will just be a second Kim Jong-il all over again."

It wouldn't benefit me if Jang Seong-taek walked the same path as Kim Jong-il.

"I will get the approvals from the U.S. and Russia. So don't think about anything else. Otherwise, you can leave now and let go of my hand."

"…I got momentarily excited."

Wen Jiabao stepped back. I warned him.

"I fully understand your position, Prime Minister. You saw this as an opportunity to gain diplomatic leverage over Russia. To be honest, currently, Russia holds more importance than China and North Korea. So for my sake, don't entertain any more thoughts. Otherwise, we can no longer maintain our relationship."

If other political interests got involved in this matter, it would become even more challenging.

It was already a difficult endeavor, and I had no intention of making it harder.

Wen Jiabao fell silent at my warning, turning towards Jang Seong-taek.

"Let's wrap up this discussion here. Deputy Chief Jang, if we confirm the location, everything will be handled from Russia."

"Have you already spoken to the Kremlin?"

"Not yet. But if we can recover the nuclear weapons, I will acknowledge Deputy Chief Jang. So for now, please check some likely hiding places and prepare a list of individuals who might revolt when Kim Jong-il is ousted. Everything hinges on these preparations."

"Please share the detailed plan with us."

Still feeling anxious, Jang Seong-taek demanded a precise plan from me.

Instead of elaborating further, I pointed out his responsibilities.

"For now, use your slush fund to recruit as many people as possible. We can discuss further plans afterward. Once the coup is successful, focus on gathering those who would support your leadership."

"That shouldn't be too difficult. During this purge, many have lost faith in Dear Leader. Of course, the moment anyone voices it, they risk death, so everyone keeps quiet about it."

"With the failure of the rationing system and prolonged food shortages, the public sentiment must not be good, either."

Jang Seong-taek nodded gravely.

"That's right. I felt that acutely during my recent visit to the regional farms. Things have changed a lot."

"Then if Deputy Chief Jang takes power and shows a different approach, there might be less resistance than expected."

The extent of how fragile an authoritarian regime is can be confirmed by future events like the 'Arab Spring.'

Decades of fear tactics can breed resentment instead of fear. There is a limit to how much public sentiment can be controlled by intimidation.

Jang Seong-taek had to leverage that sentiment for legitimacy.

"But are you telling me to use my slush fund for this task? You won't provide any financial support?"

"…Do you expect me to furnish assistance?"

I found myself at a loss for words, my response delayed.

"Isn't this something Mr. Kim proposed? So you should also contribute to the funds involved to some extent…"

I briefly forgot the true nature of Jang Seong-taek.

He wore the guise of an intellectual, but harbored a lot of greed.

"Deputy Chief Jang, do you wish to provide funds, knowing what I might ask in return?"

"You won't suddenly go back on your words just because I don't donate money, will you?"

The requirements would drastically change… He's clearly not thinking that far ahead.

I had no reason to feel regret.

"Alright. I'll provide the funds. Right now, other things are far more important than money."

Money could be thrown in, simply enough. If I could gain the upper hand with cash, it was a good deal.

"Today, let's focus on unifying our intentions. You must comply with everything I've asked, Deputy Chief Jang. And you, Prime Minister, must also prepare in advance for tasks after Deputy Chief Jang takes power."

If Hu Jintao intervened in North Korea's sudden change, it would all be over.

China must never cross the border. That was why I had pulled Wen Jiabao into this situation.

"I will take care of that."

Hearing Wen Jiabao's brief response, I nodded.

"Then when we meet again, I expect all preparations to be in place. It will allow us to map out our next plans."

"Will we be able to meet again? While it is fine for Mr. Kim and me, but Deputy Chief Jang may find it challenging."

Jang Seong-taek was visiting China once again under the pretense of attending Hu Jintao's inauguration. So creating excuses wouldn't be a problem.

"Time will solve that. Make sure the six-party talks are held in Beijing. Also, demand the presence of Jang Seong-taek as a participant."

"Demand Jang Seong-taek's attendance?"

"Yes. If not, just say China won't participate. Or you could say you will halt all supplies of goods provided by China."

Currently, North Korea was barely surviving off the food aid from China.

The moment that support ceases, Kim Jong-il would face immense pressure.

With the plans all drawn up, as long as there are no unforeseen variables, everything should progress smoothly.

As night deepened, our conversation grew weightier.

With a busy schedule, Jang Seong-taek left first.

I continued discussing with Wen Jiabao for about an hour before getting up to leave.

"Boss, we have a tail."

Not long after exiting Wen Jiabao's house, Manager Ma turned to me and said.

Kim Jong-il seems to be more careful than I expected.

"Is that so? It's probably an agent from the North."

"Yes. It seems so. They've been following since we left Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's house."

"They're probably trying to figure out who I am. Can you shake them off?"

If news of my meeting got out, it would be disastrous for Jang Seong-taek.

"Yes, I've prepared for such situations. When we enter downtown Beijing, I'll switch vehicles to lose them."

"Understood."

Shortly afterward.

As my vehicle passed, several cars appeared from the outskirts.

At the same time, the road came to a halt. The tailing vehicle came to a standstill, caught up in a scuffle.

My car smoothly made its way into downtown Beijing, separate from the commotion.

The next day.

I attended Hu Jintao's inauguration ceremony.

True to the Chinese mindset of prioritizing appearances, the grand ceremony ended only in the evening.

"Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok, thank you for attending."

"It's nothing. I'm honored you called me here."

It wasn't until late at night that I could finally meet with Hu Jintao privately.

After the usual pleasantries, Hu Jintao asked directly.

"What did you discuss with Wen Jiabao yesterday? I heard that even Jang Seong-taek was present at Wen Jiabao's house…"

I had anticipated the question, so I was ready with a response.

"We were merely sharing drinks and discussing some worldly matters as old acquaintances."

"Is that so?"

Hu Jintao, who had been looking at me suspiciously, finally nodded his head and said.

"Well, Wen Jiabao did mention something similar. Regardless, the reason I called you here was…"

I hadn't planned to meet Hu Jintao during this trip.

However, just as the ceremony was concluding, Wen Jiabao's secretary had looked for me.

Thanks to that, I found myself in a private meeting once all the events were wrapped up.

"I still don't hold all the power. So, I need to ask you, Mr. Kim."

Did Hu Jintao have a favor to ask of me? I watched him closely, concealing my surprise.

"Please let me know of good investment opportunities for me and my close associates."

"…Investment?"

"Yes. In the end, money is essential in politics. The Shanghai faction became the mainstream party largely due to money."

The Shanghai faction, which had grown strong from Shanghai, accumulated enormous wealth along with China's opening-up policy.

And they used that money to solidify their political position.

The Shanghai faction had slipped cash to the elders and gained their support.

Wen Jiabao must have envied that. However, I didn't expect him to be this straightforward in asking.

"Mr. Kim, I have heard that you have never failed an investment. So please lend us your assistance. In return, I promise to repay you generously."

It wasn't too difficult. I just had to think about how to leverage it.

But the thought process was brief. A good idea suddenly popped into my mind.

"There are many good businesses within China. May I recommend a few?"