1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 112



Only Krnovel

Episode 112

An employee of the Cultural Heritage Administration approaches Park Dae-chun, director of the Cultural Heritage Conservation Bureau, and reports on the items from Haesong City.

“Director, we have sent you an item from Haesung City.”

While the director is absent-minded, he looks at the item brought by the employee at the story of Haesung City.

“Haesung City? Where is that?”

Director Park heard the name Haesung City for the first time.

“It used to be Vladivostok. Now it’s called Haeseong City.”

“Ah, Vladivostok. So what did you send me?”

“I haven’t opened it yet. They say it must be something important, so wouldn’t it be better for you, Director, to open it yourself?”

“is it so?”

Director Park pauses for a moment to open the item the employee brought.

‘Why are you wrapping it up so tightly?’

After struggling for a while, the director finally opens the bundle.

And after a while, Director Park opened the bundle and was speechless in surprise.

‘Dojang… … ? Huh… … ? Wait a minute… … !’

It was clearly a familiar shape, having been seen in old books.

“You really sent this from Haesung City?”

“Yes. They say it was something that came out during the development of Vladivostok. Is it something great?”

“Oh, no. This isn’t something great… … .”

Director Park’s hands begin to shake.

Director Park Dae-chun was the highest authority on cultural properties in Korea.

But the object in front of me now was so similar to the object I knew from the history book.

‘This, this thing really existed… …?’

This was not the time.

If this item really is what you think it is, its value will be unimaginable.

Director Park gives immediate orders to his staff.

“Let’s start with measuring carbon emissions right now! Tell them to throw everything else away and start with this!”

“Oh, yes! I understand.”

“And you must make sure that this is never made known to anyone! And you must never allow it to be damaged. Do you understand?”

If it were genuine, it had to be kept secret for now.

When confirmed as authentic, this item was not something that could be done on one’s own.

However, the staff was curious as to what on earth this object was that was making the director so anxious.

“Yes, I will warn you to be careful, Director. But what is this object? It just looks like a seal… … .”

Director Park looks around to see if anyone might be listening and speaks in a small voice.

“I’m not sure, but judging by its shape, I think it might be the national seal.”

“Um, the Imperial Seal of the State… …? Are you talking about the imperial seal made during the Jin Dynasty? It’s said to be the greatest treasure in China!”

The employee is so surprised that his voice becomes loud enough to be heard outside.

The director calms down the staff.

“Be quiet! If anyone hears, it’s a big deal. And we haven’t even confirmed whether this is real or fake yet.”

“Ah, yes… … !”

The staff carefully wraps the royal seal in a bundle again, as if it were a sacred vessel, and takes it outside, unlike before.

As soon as the employee left, Director Park Dae-chun immediately contacted Professor Yang Siming of Peking University, with whom he was acquainted, without hesitation.

He was the highest authority on such ancient cultural relics in China.

In terms of determining the authenticity of the national seal, this is much more reliable than Korean experts.

“Professor Yang Seong-ming, I am Director Park Dae-chun of Korea.”

Professor Yang Seong-ming answers in a tired voice.

“Ah, Director Park Dae-chun. It’s been a while. What’s going on?”

Without any further ado, Director Park immediately asked Professor Yang Shiming to come to Korea.

“It’s sudden, but could you please come to Korea?”

Professor Yang Siming is a little flustered by the sudden invitation and asks back.

“Are you in Korea? When?”

“I would like you to come right now.”

Professor Yang Seong-ming refuses, seemingly dumbfounded by the words “right now.”

“Right now? No. This month is tough because of the conference and everything. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to go home for the past few days.”

‘I can’t help it… I guess I should just tell you.’

Director Park sighs and tells the inside story.

“Whew, I was going to tell you this when I got here… Professor. Can you stake your scholarly conscience on not talking about what I’m going to say anywhere else?”

When Director Park Dae-chun suddenly sets the mood, Professor Yang Seong-ming also becomes curious.

“What on earth is that?”

“If you promise me first, I will tell you.”

At this point, even Professor Yang Seong-ming starts to feel a sense of urgency.

“Okay, I promise. I promise on my scholarly conscience that I won’t tell anyone else. Now tell me. What is it?”

Director Park hesitates for a moment and then speaks in a small voice.

“I think I found the national seal of Korea… … .”

“What, what did you say!!! The national seal… …!”

Professor Yang Siming’s voice rings out through the phone.

It’s not strange.

The Warring States Seal is known as the greatest treasure in Chinese history.

However, as a Chinese person and as a scholar studying cultural assets, I could not help but be surprised when I heard that such a treasure was discovered in Korea.

“Lower your voice! Who will hear you?”

“Ah, sorry. I was so surprised that… … .”

Professor Yang Shiming barely manages to hold back his surprise.

Director Park Dae-chun asks Professor Yang Se-ming again.

“Can you come now?”

“I’ll go tomorrow, no, right now! I’ll go to the airport right now!”

Nothing else mattered right now.

If this was genuine, it would be worth more than any other cultural asset currently in China.

“Okay, let me know your arrival time and I’ll send a car to the airport.”

“Phew, I’ll see you later.”

And Professor Yang Shiming arrived in Korea less than 12 hours after the call ended.

“I’m really sorry to call you so suddenly.”

Director Park Dae-chun apologizes as soon as he meets him.

Professor Yang Shiming shakes his head and says it’s okay, then starts looking for the national seal.

“No, that’s fine. But where is the national seal?”

“Come this way.”

Director Park guides Professor Yang Seong-ming into the Cultural Heritage Administration.

“This, this is… … .”

Professor Yang Seong-ming examines the royal seal stored in the Cultural Heritage Management Office of the Cultural Heritage Administration using various tools.

After several hours of silently examining the seal, Professor Yang Shiming finally puts it down on the desk.

Director Park Dae-chun asks cautiously.

“How is it, is it genuine… … ?”

Professor Yang Seong-ming asks another question first without answering Director Park’s question.

“By any chance, what are the carbon measurement results… … ?”

“It matches the times.”

Professor Yang Seong-ming sighed deeply and answered.

“Hoo… I’m sure. This is definitely a genuine national seal made in the Jin Dynasty.”

Director Park is secretly delighted.

Professor Yang Seong-ming looks at the national seal with a look of surprise and says:

“I never thought this would exist in another country… … .”

The National Jade Seal, known as China’s greatest treasure.

However, after the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, the whereabouts of this national seal became unknown.

Although subsequent emperors made great efforts to find this seal, no one has been able to find the national seal since then.

But no one would have imagined that this royal seal would be in Haeseong City (Vladivostok).

Professor Yang Seong-ming continues to look at the national seal and asks Director Park.

“Now, what are you going to do about this… Are you not willing to lend it to China?”

“Hahaha, Professor Yang Shiming. You are the one who knows the value of this item better than anyone else in the world. First, we should also report it to the government.”

“Huh, I guess so.”

Professor Yang Shiming was also not unaware of the value of this seal.

However, this jade seal was more valuable in China than in Korea.

Within China alone, this object was worth dozens of times more than the Mona Lisa.

“Since you came so suddenly, you probably didn’t have time to eat, so let’s go get something to eat.”

Now, Director Park is trying to somehow separate Professor Yang Seong-ming from the National Seal.

“Phew, let’s do that… … .”

Even as Professor Yang Shiming leaves, he cannot take his eyes off the national seal.

‘I really hope China can bring it somehow… … .’

And the very next day, this news reached the Blue House.

Before I even had breakfast, the chief secretary reported to me that he had discovered the national seal.

“The national seal? Are you sure that’s genuine?”

“Yes. They say it is definitely authentic. The highest authority in China has come to this side to confirm it, and it has already been scientifically verified.”

I have heard of it.

‘In the old games, if you had the national seal, your charm would go up to 100… … .’

Although I thought it was a great thing, I wasn’t particularly impressed.

“But is that such a great thing?”

“It may not be much from our perspective, but in China, it is said to be the greatest treasure of all.”

“is it so……?”

‘I guess I can use this… … ?’

* * *

“Your Majesty, then what if we gave you a gift that was worth the territory?”

“What are you talking about? Are you talking about exchanging it for Korean territory?”

I laugh and reject the ridiculous story.

“Haha. No. How could that be? While I am in power, I have no intention of handing over even a single square meter of Korean land to another country.”

It’s not something I should say as someone who always asks other countries for their territory, but as long as I am the president of Korea, not even a single square meter of Korean territory will be given to another country.

President Jiang Zemin asks me, as if he is frustrated.

“Then what on earth is this gift that is comparable to the territory?”

I asked him quietly.

“Have you ever heard of something called the National Seal?”

“… … .”

President Jiang Zemin remains silent for a while.

Then he asks me in a very serious voice.

“Mr. President, are you really trying to tell me that Korea has the national seal?”

“That’s right. The thing that the emperors of the many countries that ruled China in the past wanted so much. It’s now in Korea.”

He asks me back, his voice trembling as if in disbelief.

“… Is that true? Are you saying that the national seal is really in Korea?”

“Yes, it really is.”

“Oh, is this by any chance a fake?”

It was an item that had countless counterfeit versions.

It wasn’t strange to have doubts.

“Yes. It has already been scientifically verified and has been secretly confirmed by top experts from Korea and China.”

National Seal.

Even though China is now a communist country, it is impossible for the Chinese leader to remain swayed by the words “national seal.”

The legendary jade seal created by Qin Shi Huang and disappeared during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

Although this jade seal was not actually stamped on all of the emperor’s documents, it served as a symbol of the legitimacy of Chinese emperors after the Qin Dynasty.

Literally, for China’s leaders, there could be nothing more desirable.

From Korea’s perspective, it is just another expensive foreign cultural asset, but the status of the national seal in China is probably greater than we can imagine.

However, although it was significant in China, it had no particular meaning in Korea.

At best, only people who know about it will know about it through games or Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

‘It’s not like we have anything meaningful to have.’

Rather, it was clear that if they had it, China would keep pestering them with endless demands.

In that case, it would definitely be more profitable to receive the money and hand it over.

“Okay, let me think about it for a moment. Is it okay if I contact you in 30 minutes?”

I guess he also needs time to think.

“Okay, then.”

“Thank you. I’ll get back to you shortly.”