Chapter 510: Unconditional Approval

I could feel the gazes of everyone gathered in the conference room shift toward me.

"Charlie, can you speak on behalf of the Republic of Korea?"

Rumsfeld asked me. I turned to Myeong-su and said,

"Mr. Secretary-General, may I have the floor?"

"Yes, go ahead."

Given the official setting, we spoke with a tone of respect.

I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Myeong-su, whose face had fallen.

"Kim Mu-hyeok has joined our government's advisory panel. Let's hear him out, shall we?"

Rumsfeld nodded, as if he expected me to speak.

"Right now, anti-American sentiment in Korea is quite strong. This stems from the tragic incident last year where two girls were crushed by an American tank and then sent back to the U.S. without facing any consequences. To send our young people to Iraq for deployment is absolutely impossible given the current domestic opinion."

Rumsfeld's expression hardened at the uncomfortable mention of the incident.

"Why are we bringing this up now? According to the SOFA agreement between the U.S. and Korea, we have the authority to penalize them. We acted in accordance with the agreement. Domestic political matters are for Korea to handle."

"Yes, SOFA—an agreement heavily biased against Korea. Previously, the people were indifferent to it, but not anymore. The public, now aware of the unfair terms of the SOFA agreement, protests daily."

"So you want them handed over? Hey, Charlie, do you really think that's possible?"

Both Rumsfeld and Powell looked at me with stiff expressions.

"This happened on Korean soil. Applying the exception clause, they should be able to face trial here in Korea."

"That exception clause has never been applied. It's that significant…"

"We have many pressing issues to address, starting with the deployment to Iraq and sanctions against North Korea. We can't let such a trivial matter strain U.S.-Korean relations. Please, look the other way and allow their return to Korea. Then, we will send combat troops to Iraq."

Rumsfeld turned to Myeong-su and asked,

"…Is that true?"

I had already informed Myeong-su about what I planned to say.

"…Yes. The President believes all of Kim Mu-hyeok's proposals can be regarded as official Presidential proposals."

"So, what Korea is asking for is not a revision of the agreement but for them to be sent back to stand trial in Korea?"

Powell asked on behalf of the stiff Rumsfeld.

"That's correct. Revising the SOFA agreement can be done slowly, but for now, this is our top priority. Isn't it the same for the U.S.? An American citizen was accidentally killed by soldiers from another country. We're just asking for the opportunity to thoroughly investigate."

"We've already conducted our investigation."

"In our country, we have a saying: 'An arm bends inward.' If the investigation took place in the U.S., they would certainly arrive at a conclusion favorable to their citizens."

"…Isn't that the same for Korea?"

I nodded; he was stating the obvious.

"That's true. However, this isn't just a simple individual incident. If it were, anti-American sentiment wouldn't be so severe. This was a case involving stationed U.S. troops moving forces. Even if there was no intent, questions concerning negligence should be handled here in Korea. But the U.S. swiftly returned them home."

Both Rumsfeld and Powell remained silent.

After several discussions, no conclusive decisions were reached.

"Let's take a short break. We need to confer among ourselves as well."

Powell said, and Myeong-su checked his watch before responding.

"Agreed. Let's reconvene after lunch."

After a long meeting, we were granted a brief break. We dispersed to grab something to eat.

Leaving the other delegates heading to the hotel restaurant, Myeong-su and I entered a private room.

We shared the pre-prepared food while conversing.

"What do you think the U.S. will do?"

"In the end, they'll send them back. They wouldn't be so foolish as to refuse something that would solve the deployment issue in Iraq right away."

"Really? I don't know since this hasn't happened before."

Myeong-su murmured, worry etched on his face.

"Don't worry too much. They'll likely accept it. The break means they are determining how to coordinate with those in the White House."

My reassurance finally eased Myeong-su's tense expression.

He accepted my strong confidence; he knew when I spoke this decisively, things would unfold as anticipated.

Though he nodded, a shadow still lingered on Myeong-su's face.

"Why so glum? Is it because of the combat troop deployment? If the U.S. accepts our conditions, will we have to send them to a violent area?"

"Well, of course. That's what the U.S. wants. But I don't want to send our youth there."

Myeong-su's voice dropped. Watching him, I set down my fork and wiped my mouth.

"Let's do this. We'll deploy the Korean troops to the south and hire Black Bear mercenaries to handle combat in Baghdad and the northern regions where fighting is intense."

"Hire mercenaries? Is that possible? Would the U.S. allow it?"

Myeong-su's eyes widened in surprise.

"We're deploying Korean troops and hiring mercenaries simultaneously, so it shouldn't be a major issue. The U.S. will accept it. But you'll need to propose this, not me; they know I'm the actual owner of Black Bear."

"Hmm…"

"Don't stress too much. The U.S. is also hiring mercenaries to conduct operations. In terms of combat capability, mercenaries excel in the Middle East. It's not about dismissing the Korean troops; it's simply the reality there."

Myeong-su also set down his fork and took a drink of water. As he emptied his full glass in one go, he opened his mouth.

"So, you mean they'll accept that?"

"Yeah. They'll give their unconditional approval."

"But hiring Black Bear mercenaries will cost quite a bit, right?"

"It's not a small amount. However, if Korean companies can participate in the upcoming reconstruction contracts, it won't be a losing deal. Politically, it will also alleviate burdens. The choice is yours."

Hiring Black Bear, a top-tier mercenary firm, would indeed demand a hefty fee.

Black Bear stands at the pinnacle among existing private military companies.

They boasted many ex-special forces soldiers from around the world, equipped and trained to match regular military capabilities.

"It's a decent idea, but budget is a concern."

"But isn't it better than sending Korean troops to die afterward? Plus, if we want to lead the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, we must engage in combat. The government's plan focuses on deploying forces to the Kurdish autonomous region in the north, right?"

"Yeah, that area is distanced from the war and should be safe."

"I'm against it. The Hussein regime has collapsed, and those taking power won't be friendly to the Kurds. As I mentioned before, this could turn out worse than not deploying at all."

In my previous life, Korea, along with all the participating nations, could not exploit oil fields, resulting in no tangible benefits.

However, this time we started a war under the UN's pretext.

Iraq's oil and Afghanistan's mineral resources.

Securing just those two would yield significant profits.

The biggest issue was the rise of ISIS, but as we were gradually working on methods to curb their influence, I felt relatively unconcerned.

"Okay. Let's throw it out there. If the U.S. accepts it, I'll do everything I can to ensure it happens."

"Sure. Shall we get up now?"

After weighing the pros and cons in such a short time, Myeong-su nodded.

I felt reassured; I smiled, looking at my watch.

There was still some time left before the meeting resumed.

"Let's go. I think I need to have a word with the people we came with. I need to sort things out with them as well."

"Oh, why don't you head out first? It might be awkward with me around. I'll leave once I have the time."

Myeong-su exited the room, and Manager Ma entered.

"We've scheduled a meeting with China. In three days, I will meet with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao."

"That's good news. Did you explain the reason for your visit?"

"I told them it's about the recent UN resolution."

"How about Russia?"

"Russia has welcomed the Boss's visit at any time."

I nodded. I hoped this time to proceed without any unusual complications.

"Any other issues?"

"No. Oh, one more thing… I received word from Director Il-sung's office. Seo Jae-hoon will soon return to the detention center. He inquired about how to handle the matter we discussed last time."

"That guy is something else. Handling both father and son at the same time…"

"How should I relay that?"

I took a moment to gather my thoughts. Living yet not truly alive— essentially turned into a living corpse…

"Let him know that's the plan. Tell him to handle things delicately to avoid any issues. Also, message him that I will visit once in Korea."

"Understood. I will convey that."

"How's Cheon Ji-su doing? Did you hear from Manager Lee Seok-min?"

"Yes. He asked to meet, but Manager Lee Seok-min declined."

It seemed like a warning was issued. He wasn't unintelligent, yet sometimes it was amusing to see him act so clueless.

"For Manager Lee Seok-min, there's no reason to give up that money. Still, Cheon Ji-su overlooked my warning. Perhaps greed made her forget who I am."

"What shall we do, Boss?"

"Let's wait and see. Right now, we need to focus on wrapping this matter up before considering anything else."

"Understood."

"Also, tell Manager Lee Seok-min to increase security. We can't predict what that crazy woman will do."

Manager Ma reported on various other matters, and I issued corresponding directives.

"And tell Eric to come to the hotel where I'm staying for dinner tonight."

"Understood."

After giving the final directive, I stood up and shook off my fatigue.

"Let's go."

Together with Manager Ma, I exited the room.

Almost simultaneously, the room where the special envoy team had gathered opened, and we all returned to the conference room.

We arrived first at the conference room. A bit later, the U.S. delegates arrived.

Rumsfeld spoke first.

"If we send those involved in that incident back to Korea, can we confirm that combat troops will be deployed? Will it pass through the National Assembly?"

As I had anticipated, the U.S. accepted the proposal.

Myeong-su glanced at me before responding to Rumsfeld's question.

"Yes. We'll do that."

"What level of deployment are we looking at?"

"We need to negotiate the details, but we're aiming for one division's worth of troops."

"One division…"

Rumsfeld seemed to think it was insufficient, trailing off in his speech.

"We've already deployed many non-combat personnel. If this deployment goes through, we won't fall short compared to other nations, aside from the British forces."

"That may be true. So, where will the troops be sent? Will you manage the northern region of Kirkuk as per our request?"

"…"

Myeong-su hesitated to respond. Rumsfeld raised an eyebrow and asked.

"You're not seriously considering sending troops to the northern region, are you? That's not deployment; it's a vacation."

"No. We plan to send a multinational division to the south."

"That region is already under British stabilization efforts. There's no real need for Korean troops. Moreover, the western and Baghdad areas are under intense combat by U.S. forces. The central-northern region poses the biggest problem."

The areas experiencing the most combat in Iraq were the U.S.-occupied western region and Baghdad.

Clashes occurred sporadically, making it nearly a hellish environment, according to soldier reports.

Next in line was the northern-central region, known as the Sunni Triangle—a hotspot for conflict.

"Hmm. Deploying troops there would carry too heavy a political burden. It's a dangerous area."

"We've made concessions based on what Korea has requested. As allies, we can't just pick the safest southern region to participate in combat."

Rumsfeld raised his voice.

Myeong-su glanced at me, his expression troubled. I nodded silently.

Taking a deep breath, Myeong-su looked at Rumsfeld and said,

"In exchange, we'll hire mercenaries to handle the Kirkuk region in the north."

"Mercenaries?"

"Yes. We'll hire Black Bear to manage security there."

The mention of Black Bear made both Rumsfeld and Powell look my way simultaneously.

I simply shrugged and smiled.