1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 13
Only Krnovel
Episode 13
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As soon as the morning State Council meeting opened, dozens of stars flew out.
Not only the generals who participated in the rebellion, but also all officers above the rank of colonel who were believed to be members of the Hanahwe were dismissed from their posts.
“Manager Kim. Are you saying that all of these people are members of Hanahui?”
Chief of Staff Lee Dae-sik receives the list and is surprised.
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve checked this information several times.”
The number was much larger than expected, and Chief of Staff Lee Dae-sik laughed in disbelief.
Starting with the 11th class of the Korea Military Academy, nine out of ten of the so-called elites in that class were all members of the Hanahoe.
“Hehehe.. This military is really going to be a mess. The intelligence power of the central government is truly amazing.”
“That’s too much praise.”
In fact, this was not the information power of the Central Intelligence Agency, but the power of Wikipedia.
[11th class of the Korea Military Academy: Jeon Dae-hwan, Noh Dae-jun…]
[12th class of the Korea Military Academy: Choi Tae-jun, Oh In-seok..]
“Can you arrest me?”
“We must do it. If we can’t even properly catch these rebels, shouldn’t we step down as the Chief of Staff?”
“Please take good care of me.”
Not only the generals who were arrested first, including Noh Dae-jun and Choi Hyeon-gyu, but also dozens of officers above the rank of lieutenant colonel who directly or indirectly participated in the rebellion by joining the Hanahoe, were also killed.
“But… I’m worried that if we blow up so many people at the same time, the military academy graduates within the military will become dissatisfied.”
President Lee Dae-sik’s concerns were justified.
If dozens of officers, especially those from the Korea Military Academy who held key positions in the military, were to leave, it was only natural that dissatisfaction among graduates of the Korea Military Academy within the military would build up.
But there is an easy solution to this problem.
“How about promoting key military positions that were transferred to Hanahweh based on their abilities, regardless of their background at the Korea Military Academy or the Korea Military Academy?”
“Are you going to give key positions in the military to those from the Samsa and the ROTC?”
President Lee Dae-sik is surprised. He is not a graduate of the Korea Military Academy, but it has been the custom up until now that elite graduates of the Korea Military Academy fill key positions in the military.
“Yes. If that’s the case, the officers of the Samsana Military Academy will definitely keep an eye on the officers of the Military Academy. And it will also be a chance for the officers of the Military Academy to become more nervous.”
###
President Lee Dae-sik also agreed with my opinion, and filled key positions within the military with more people than expected from the three military academies and the military training corps.
They began to keep an eye on the graduates of the Military Academy as they had planned, and the officers from the Military Academy were now so busy competing with them that they had no time to look outside.
Now, I have realized that just because I graduated from the Military Academy, it doesn’t mean I will always be promoted and get a good position.
And then, before you know it, your smartphone, which had been turned off because its battery was dead, starts vibrating.
[Be elected as President by the National Conference for Unification.]
[Reward: No more battery limits.]
[Special Reward: If you are elected with 100% of the votes, the Corporate Confidential Documents application will open.]
[If you fail, you will be excluded from politics.]
‘Reward, special reward..? This isn’t some kind of game.. Seriously..’
It’s absurd, but if you think about it, the current situation is more absurd than this text message. It’s clear that just a little while ago, I was going to go eat tteokbokki with my girlfriend, but now I’m Kim Jung-guk, shaking up Korea.
‘But… the president…?’
Being elected president was a separate matter from taking power.
But then Prime Minister Choi happened to call me to dinner.
‘This… no way…’
It is certainly time to talk about presidential elections now, because by law, if the presidency becomes vacant, a new president must be elected within three months.
As soon as I finish my evening work, I head to the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Prime Minister, Director Kim is here.”
The staff guides me into the kitchen.
A drinking party was already set up in the kitchen, and there were some familiar faces besides Prime Minister Choi.
“Was President Kim there too?”
Kim Joong-pil, leader of the Democratic Republican Party. He was sitting to the right of Prime Minister Choi.
“Oh, Manager Kim is here.”
I had already met him several times to resolve the President Lee Jung-hwan incident.
I sat down and poured a drink for Prime Minister Choi and JP first.
“Let me offer you a drink first.”
Prime Minister Choi and JP give me some words of encouragement while drinking.
“Chief Kim played a major role in suppressing this military rebellion. I am truly grateful to him.”
“That’s right. These days, even within the party, there is a lot of praise for Director Kim.”
I answered, waving my hand.
“Haha. That’s too much praise. But what brought you here today? I don’t think you called me here just to have a meal.”
Prime Minister Choi empties his remaining glass and begins to speak.
“Actually… Now that the political situation seems to have stabilized to some extent, shouldn’t we start holding elections soon?”
“Are you talking about the presidential election?”
More than a month has passed since President Lee Jung-hwan died. Considering the election preparation period, it was definitely time to start talking about it.
“Isn’t the most important thing first a direct election constitutional amendment?”
“.. .. Are you talking about direct election constitutional amendment?”
Prime Minister Choi is the first to bring up the issue of direct elections. This is only natural, as he was not a very positive person towards the Yushin Constitution.
“His Majesty has passed away, so we can’t continue with the Yushin Constitution forever. The people are also very tired of this Yushin Constitution.”
JP also agrees with Prime Minister Choi’s remarks.
I completely understand that there is a great deal of fatigue with the Yushin Constitution.
In fact, the ruling Democratic Republican Party was effectively defeated in the last general election.
If there had been no National Assembly members appointed by the President from the National Unification Advisory Council, the Democratic Republican Party would have lost its majority in the National Assembly.
But now I should have become the president of the National Conference for Unification.
‘In the first place, a direct presidential election is impossible for me right now.’
“I agree, too. However, according to the law, a president must be elected within three months, and it is realistically impossible to amend the constitution during that time.”
“That’s true.”
I emptied the remaining alcohol and slowly laid down the rice.
“Then how about holding a presidential election through the National Conference for Unification? And then after revising the Constitution, how about electing a president through direct elections?”
“Hmm… that’s a good idea.”
JP also agrees with my story.
“Then who would be a good candidate for president?”
“What about Prime Minister Choi?”
JP looks at Prime Minister Choi. From his perspective, there is no one better than Prime Minister Choi as a puppet president. However, Prime Minister Choi shakes his head.
“I am done now. I was certainly a person who lusted for power. However, I changed my mind a little after seeing the military rebellion in Hanahwe not long ago. If a weak person like me were to take the presidency, there would certainly be another rebellion in that short period of time.”
Originally, Prime Minister Choi should have been nominated as a candidate for the unification subject conference, but the accelerated military rebellion changed his mind.
“then···.”
Then Prime Minister Choi looks at me and says.
“Manager Kim, don’t you have any thoughts?”
‘it’s okay..!’
Even though he has no power, the opinion of Prime Minister Choi, who is currently acting in the government, carries more weight than you might think.
“Am I the one talking?”
I deliberately made a face of embarrassment.
“If it’s Director Kim, the people will be convinced.”
“Even if it’s temporary… Do you think I have that level of ability···?”
At that time, JP strongly took my side.
“Director Kim. If it’s Director Kim, the members of the National Assembly will definitely agree.”
Since JP only knows about Kim Jong-guk in the past, he probably thinks that Kim Jong-guk doesn’t have much of a desire for power.
That is why I believe that I am the only one who can temporarily maintain power, and so I am taking your side now.
“Haha.. this is..”
###
After several rejections, I reluctantly accepted the candidacy with a gesture of acceptance.
Now all that remained was the opposition’s consent.
The next day, a luncheon was held with the three Kims, hosted by Prime Minister Choi.
JP arrived first.
And then came YS Kim Yong-shin, the current leader of the New Democratic Party and a pillar of the opposition camp.
“Now we just need one person to arrive.”
President Yongshin Kim speaks in a thick Busan dialect. And a little later, the last of all, TJ Taejun Kim, known as the giant of Honam, arrived.
“I’m sorry. I think I arrived last. Where is the Prime Minister?”
The three big names in South Korean politics, known as the Three Kims, all gathered in one place. When YS and TJ entered the room, they were surprised to see me sitting there.
“Isn’t this Manager Kim? It’s been a while.”
TJ greets me warmly.
“Manager Kim. It’s been a while.”
Although Kim Jeong-guk was the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, unlike previous heads of the Central Intelligence Agency, he did not suppress opposition politicians and instead gave them favors, which is why his relationship with TJ and YS was also smooth.
“Because of the current situation, I haven’t been able to properly greet you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. Don’t you know that Manager Kim is busy? Don’t worry about it.”
TJ waves his hand, saying it’s okay, and sits down. YS and JP also sit down next to him.
As everyone takes their seats, Prime Minister Choi begins to speak.
“Thank you all for coming here.”
“Why have you called me today, Prime Minister?”
As soon as the Prime Minister finished speaking, YS asked directly.
“You are still the same. Geosan (Kim Yong-shin’s nickname). The reason I called you today is because some time has passed since His Majesty passed away, and the rebellion has been put to rest, so I thought it was time to come up with a plan for the future, so I invited the busy people.”
“Then, the reason you called us like this is because you are saying that you will amend the constitution through direct elections.”
TJ speaks as he looks at Prime Minister Choi. His eyes are shining with a desire for a direct election constitutional amendment.
“Yes. I called you to discuss the direct election system and the provisional president who will serve until the constitution is amended.”
At Prime Minister Choi’s mention of direct election, both YS and TJ’s eyes were filled with eagerness.
It would be natural, since they are future presidents.
‘I don’t know if you can become president in this era, but…’