Chapter 551: The Situation Is About to Change

Everything is ready.

That means the internal cleanup is mostly done too.

"All we have to do is target him, right?"

— Yes. Once we secure Chairman Kim Jong-il, the rest will follow naturally. The military has the most power…

Jang Seong-taek began explaining the operations he had been working on.

— We've also arranged for a vacation with Chairman Kim Jong-il at Special Room 72 in two weeks.

"Special Room 72… where exactly is that? Give me a moment."

Manager Ma quickly brought out a map. I checked the location right away.

"Is it Yeohori?"

— Yes, that's correct. We'll be staying there for a week.

The Yeohori villa was Chairman Kim's favorite retreat.

It's located in South Hamgyong Province.

Considering its distance from Pyongyang,

— It is a place he usually visits in the summer. But now it's winter, isn't it? Chairman Kim loves fishing. I suggested we use winter fishing as an excuse to head this way. Closer to Pyongyang means quicker support.

I nodded at Jang Seong-taek's explanation.

Kim Jong-il's passion for fishing is well-known. Just look at how most of his villas are located near lakes or the sea.

He loved fishing so much that he would even create artificial lakes if there were none.

"What about the escort troops?"

— About 200 for close protection, and over 2000 when you include outer security. It'll take roughly an hour for troops from the nearest base to arrive.

That meant we had to finish everything within an hour. Once we secured Kim Jong-il, military could struggle to break in easily.

Whether Jang Seong-taek could send them back was up to him.

"That's quite a lot."

— After all, it's a matter of trust. The troops are more than sufficient. Most of the outer forces are the ones regularly guarding Special Room 72. They know the area better than anyone.

"What about the infiltration route for the mercenaries in Russia? Have you decided what to do?"

— Moving around 200 people by boat is tough. We plan to use the railways for infiltration. Checking trains is the Security Bureau's job, so there shouldn't be any issues.

Infiltrating by train?

It was bolder than I expected.

"Are there trains coming from Russia into North Korea? Isn't the border closed due to sanctions?"

— The line's been shut down, yes. The workers who were in Russia are all returning to North Korea due to the sanctions. However, from a humanitarian perspective, Russia hasn't stopped that train. It runs once a day. Splitting it into smaller groups should work.

The workers earning dollars were also being sent back due to the sanctions.

"I'll give you a contact. You'll be able to arrange the infiltration using that. Half will raid Kim Jong-il's special villa, and the other half will secure nuclear weapons."

— Huh? Nuclear weapons?

"Yes. Even if this operation fails, we must secure the nuclear weapons and return them to Russia."

— …

"If we fail this time, there won't be another chance. This is a promise to Russia. Once Manager Jang takes power, both Russia and China will support you unconditionally. Do you understand what that means?"

— … I understand.

His voice was laced with tension.

I passed Jang Seong-taek Igor's contact information.

"Let's make sure we meet again after all this."

As soon as I hung up with Jang Seong-taek, I contacted Igor.

"Igor, the operation date has been set."

— Is that so?

"Is your training sufficient?"

— Yes. Training is top-notch. There won't be any failures.

"You'll be contacted soon. Do you still have the map I handed you before?"

— Yes, of course.

"Yeohori villa in South Hamgyong Province. That's the operation area. Detailed information will be sent separately, so I'll leave it to your judgment to adjust plans according to that information."

— Understood.

"Good luck, Igor."

As I hung up the phone, Manager Ma, standing nearby, asked.

"Are we finally starting?"

I nodded silently.

There was no turning back now. Jang Seong-taek was already in motion. Even if I stopped now, Kim Jong-il would find out soon enough.

"I have to head to the Blue House first. Yoon Chang-ho needs to be informed."

"I'll prepare everything."

Manager Ma swiftly left, and I dialed Yoon Chang-ho's personal phone.

— Boss Kim, it's been a while. What's going on?

Yoon Chang-ho answered the phone cheerily.

"I have something important to discuss."

— … What's the matter?

Perhaps sensing something was off, Yoon Chang-ho's tone grew serious.

"It's urgent."

— … Come in right away. I'll be ready.

"I'll arrive in an hour."

I hung up and stood up. Taking my outerwear, I left the study, where Manager Ma approached me.

"Boss, everything's ready."

"Let's go right away."

* * *

As promised, I was able to enter the residence without any formalities.

"You've arrived. Please, take a seat."

As I sat down, Yoon Chang-ho poured soju and said.

"What's going on? You look so serious. Are we at war or something?"

I downed the soju he poured in one go.

"It's about North Korea."

"North Korea?"

Yoon Chang-ho's eyes widened as he picked up his chopsticks.

"The situation is about to change."

"What?"

His horrified gaze pierced through me.

"There will be a coup. If it succeeds, Kim Jong-il will either die or step down, and Jang Seong-taek will seize power."

"Wait a minute."

Yoon Chang-ho exclaimed urgently, downing his soju in one go. Even after finishing the water beside it, he finally asked.

"Are you involved in this?"

"Yes."

"… Why? Is there any reason to do it? North Korea will bend to pressure if left alone. The economic blockade has already started, and no one will help North Korea. Even if Kim Jong-il isn't in his right mind, he can't withstand this indefinitely. It should be fine to let things unfold naturally."

I shook my head.

"No, he will hold out."

I lifted the soju bottle to fill the empty cup.

The half-full soju flowed rapidly until the cup was close to overflowing before it finally ran out.

Whether it overflows or not, nobody knows until pouring.

"Kim Jong-il has a nuclear weapon in his possession."

"What?"

"It's not a crude one. It's a usable nuclear weapon. In a cornered situation, that madman could reveal it or fire it at Seoul."

"…"

Yoon Chang-ho fell silent, unable to respond.

"We understand it to be one of the nuclear weapons that vanished when the Soviet Union collapsed. We must eliminate it before he does something insane."

"… Did you come up with this idea all by yourself?"

"Russia knows about it. We received help to penetrate North Korea. An operational team composed of Black Bear mercenaries and Russian special forces is on the move. The Russian special forces will secure the nuclear weapons, while Black Bear will ensure Kim Jong-il's capture. Even if we fail, retrieving the nuclear weapons will be the top priority."

I couldn't say that eliminating Kim Jong-il was more important.

For President Yoon Chang-ho, the nuclear weapons would undoubtedly take precedence over Kim Jong-il's elimination.

"Hah…"

With a blank expression, Yoon Chang-ho sighed deeply.

"Why are you telling me this? It would have been better if I'd stayed in the dark."

"Regardless of success or failure, Korea's role is crucial."

"Korea's role?"

"Once the coup is successful, just put out a government position supporting Jang Seong-taek. If it fails… we need to have the military on standby."

"Are you saying a war could break out?"

"Just preparing for contingencies."

"…"

If Jang Seong-taek were to commit suicide immediately after failure, that might change things, but there's no guarantee it would play out that way. He wasn't the type to take his own life.

"Preparation will be necessary."

If that happens, Kim Jong-il would be out for blood to kill me.

"If a war breaks out, South Korea is finished. Even if we win, it's not really a victory. You understand what I mean? I didn't know this before, but I understand now how dangerous war is. Once it starts, Seoul will be doomed no matter what."

"I know as well. Kim Jong-il may not take it to full-scale war. But localized provocations are certainly possible. If only to eliminate me."

If a full-blown war occurs, North Korea will eventually lose.

The moment war breaks out, U.S. forces will immediately intervene. China may extend its hand, but would they really want to fight against the U.S.?

Beijing has urged me not to let war break out… but what if it starts with a preemptive strike from North Korea?

Kim Jong-il knows this well. Yet, in his anger, he will certainly try to pressure me in some way.

While I'm confident I won't die, it's evident that serious damage would occur no matter which side it plays out on.

"Who else knows about this?"

"Not more than ten people, including you, Mr. President. You are the only one in Korea who is aware."

"What about the Chief?"

"… He doesn't know the complete plan. I've hinted at what might happen."

I didn't disclose everything; it was too much for him to bear.

Yoon Chang-ho rubbed his face, clearly stressed out.

"Alright, what are the chances of success?"

"Fifty-fifty. We've prepared for a long time, but North Korea is full of variables…"

Yoon Chang-ho looked about ten years older in an instant.

"Whenever I meet you, we always end up making these tough decisions. We need to keep this quiet and prepare quietly, right?"

"Yes. Fewer people know, the better."

"Exactly when is it planned?"

"In two weeks, Kim Jong-il will vacation at the villa with Jang Seong-taek. We plan to target then; the farther we are from Pyongyang, the higher the success rate."

"Understood."

Yoon Chang-ho must realize by now that stopping this was impossible.

The trigger has already been pulled. All we can do is hope the bullet hits Kim Jong-il.

"Let me know when the exact date is set. No, just come to the Blue House and wait with me that day. It'll be better that way. You'll get contacted directly after all, right?"

The soju glass in Yoon Chang-ho's hand trembled a bit.

I turned away and said.

"I was planning to leave for Russia but is it better to stay?"

"Leave for Russia only after everything is settled."

"Understood. I'll be at the Blue House that day."

"Alright, let's have a drink."

Yoon Chang-ho proposed a toast, but his mind was still focused as he poured more soju.

I simply kept pace, knowing he must be feeling overwhelmed.

"But what changes when Jang Seong-taek takes power in Korea?"

Why is he only asking this now?

"During your presidency, I believe economic cooperation between Korea and North Korea would begin. There would be construction of the gas and oil pipelines from Russia to Korea. While I might not see the results, the beginning is important, isn't it?"

Only then did the shadow on Yoon Chang-ho's face lighten somewhat.