1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 149



Only Krnovel

Episode 149

I held a press conference immediately after meeting with President Megawati.

There were quite a few international media outlets gathered at the press conference, but this was simply because Korea was a powerful country, and the reporters seemed to have no idea that any announcement would be made there.

First, President Megawati stands up, takes the microphone, and begins to speak.

“We, Indonesia and Korea, have decided to cooperate more in various areas including economy, society, and military through today’s summit. In addition, there was one very important topic in today’s meeting. And President Kim Jong-guk, who is here, will talk about it.”

After President Megawati gives her usual post-press conference talk about cooperation between the two countries, she hands the microphone to me.

Reporters are clicking their camera shutters faster and faster.

Even at a glance, the number of flashes from the cameras turned on was twice that of President Megawati.

This also meant the difference in national power between Korea and Indonesia.

“Hello, this is Kim Jung-guk. As President Megawati mentioned earlier, today’s meeting has deepened the cooperative relationship between Korea and Indonesia. I will also talk about the important topic that President Megawati mentioned.”

I swallowed for a moment and then told the story about the earthquake.

“The story I am about to tell you is very important not only for Indonesia, but also for Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, and all of Southeast Asia and Southwest Asia.”

As the story feels like it’s getting bigger, the eyes of the reporters who had been bored until just a moment ago become lively.

I took the paper that President Megawati had shown me from my inside pocket and showed it to the reporters.

The GOX TV reporter at the very front asks me.

“President Kim Jong-guk, what is that paper?”

I started talking with a very serious expression on my face.

“This is a forecast for a major earthquake that will likely hit Indonesia sometime between November and December this year.”

As soon as the topic of a major earthquake came up, reporters started asking questions without exception.

“A major earthquake? If it’s a major earthquake, how big is it?”

“I know earthquake prediction is not easy, do you have any reliable information?”

I waited for the reporters to quiet down for a moment before continuing.

“This earthquake was predicted by our Korean government using the world’s best earthquake prediction technology. It is reliable information. The predicted period is between November and December of this year. And the predicted magnitude is 9.3 or higher, and if we are not prepared, the expected number of casualties is at least hundreds of thousands.”

When stories of a magnitude 9.3 earthquake causing hundreds of thousands of casualties emerged, several reporters used their cellphones to immediately relay the news to headquarters.

“So, in order to prepare for such a major disaster, Korea will work with Indonesia to thoroughly prepare for earthquakes in the remaining period. Thank you.”

As the story ended and I was about to leave my seat, the GOX TV reporter who had asked the question first asked me another question.

“Mr. President, according to the data you showed me earlier, Korea is not in the earthquake damage zone, so why are you cooperating with Indonesia to prepare for the earthquake?”

I answered him in a kind voice.

“This is a global catastrophe with hundreds of thousands of casualties expected. Where would Korea be and where would Indonesia be? If we don’t cooperate in this situation, there would be no reason for the AEU to exist. Furthermore, Indonesia and Korea have a close cooperative relationship. If such a large earthquake hits Indonesia and the economy staggers, this would be a huge loss for Korea as well.”

The reporters look a little moved.

‘It’s not for such a grand humanistic reason, but… … .’

* * *

Starting the very next month, construction work to prepare for the earthquake and relocate residents from the affected areas began.

Because the damage occurred over such a large area, it was not a problem that could be resolved in a day or two, so construction and relocation of residents began calmly.

South Korea also sent engineers to help build breakwaters and buildings for the displaced people to live in, providing both material and technical support.

However, even though an earthquake was predicted, the people who had lived in the area for decades were suddenly asked to relocate, so the local people were bound to express their dissatisfaction.

Linda, who lives in Kalang River, Indonesia, was also one of the many people who did not want to leave their hometown.

“I can’t leave! My family has lived here for generations. Where are you telling me to go if I leave this place? And when I look at it, those earthquake predictions aren’t even certain. Do they really happen?”

The civil servant tries to persuade Linda somehow.

“Oh, well. I said we’d all die if we stayed here. If we drowned and died, what good would our hometown be?”

“I see that this is a ridiculous rumor that Korea spread in Indonesia to make a killing. Aren’t you all part of it?”

The civil servant shouts in disbelief.

“No, Korea is helping us without much benefit right now, so why are you making a big deal out of it? And there are a lot of Korean engineers there, so what if you say something like that now!”

“Anyway, I’m not going!”

Somehow the construction and relocation plans went ahead, but as time went on, more and more Indonesians began to doubt whether the earthquake was really happening.

In particular, the fact that foreign media did not particularly predict the possibility of an earthquake also contributed to such doubts.

And in this process, in the Indonesian presidential election held on September 20, the current president, Megawati, lost to Yudhoyono, who had been a minister under her, resulting in a change of government.

And in this process, the reason that Yudhoyono was elected was because many people were displaced due to earthquake preparedness, and many citizens began to doubt that earthquakes occur in the first place.

Eventually, from October when President Yudhoyono began his term, immigration policies and earthquake preparedness construction began to slow down.

* * *

Ambassador Hong Sung-min of Indonesia reports by phone on the current situation in Indonesia.

“Mr. President, the situation here is not very good at the moment. There is a growing feeling among the Indonesian people that Korea has in fact lied and created a large number of immigrants, and this has led to a huge surge of anti-Korean sentiment.”

I said with a deep sigh.

“Whew, it’s not even November yet, what are you all so anxious about… .”

I can understand why he suddenly abandoned his hometown and immigrated, but it was a little disappointing that he reacted like that after being treated with such kindness.

But we can’t necessarily say that this is only their fault.

It was only natural that people would become agitated, as the world’s leading media outlets wrote countless articles saying that such a large earthquake was unlikely to occur.

“Ambassador, it will be difficult, but please talk to the Indonesian authorities and continue to encourage the relocation of people in the areas expected to be hit by the earthquake as much as possible. We may be criticized now, but that criticism will turn into praise after the earthquake.”

“Yes, I understand. I will do my best to help as many people as possible migrate.”

* * *

Anti-Korean sentiment within Indonesia grew, but thanks to continued pressure from South Korea, most of the relocation from the earthquake-prone areas was completed by December.

But as December drew to a close, there was no sign of an earthquake.

Christmas passed, but the earthquake showed no sign of stopping, and the Indonesian people’s discontent grew.

And the same was true for Linda, who eventually abandoned her hometown and immigrated to another place.

December 26th, 7:30 AM.

“What the heck is this! The year is almost over and there’s no sign of an earthquake!”

Linda shouts out to the Koreans in the immigration area.

And other immigrants also yell at Koreans and get annoyed.

“That’s right! What kind of suffering is this because of your country!!”

Kim Ho-chang, a Korean engineer team leader, tries to calm people down.

“Calm down. This doesn’t necessarily have to happen in December… … .”

But those words only provoked Linda even more.

Linda approaches Ho-chang, holding a wooden stick nearby.

Hochang tried to run away from Linda, but other Indonesians were already surrounding him.

“Because of you, I even abandoned my hometown. What is this!”

Linda holds up a stick toward Ho-chang.

And at that moment.

-Rattle rattle rattle rattle

Suddenly the surrounding buildings begin to shake.

“What, what is it… … .”

Linda is momentarily taken aback.

I thought it was just my imagination, but after a while the shaking started to get worse.

-Rattle rattle… rattle rattle… … !

Then Ho-chang shouts.

“Everyone, evacuate to the school!! There’s an earthquake!!”

This shaking was 100 percent an earthquake.

“What… an, an earthquake… … ? S, can it really be… … ?”

Linda is flustered and unable to move.

Others had already packed their bags and started heading to the school or a nearby shelter as they had been trained to do.

Hochang gets up and runs, grabbing Linda who is crying.

“What are you doing! It’s dangerous to stay here like this!!”

Linda, who came to her senses at the sound of the bell, hurriedly runs towards the shelter.

Moments later, hundreds of people, including Hochang and Linda, were evacuated to a nearby school.

And then one of them turned on the TV that was ready.

And on TV, footage from cameras installed in advance in areas expected to be hit by the earthquake was being broadcast.

The announcer looks at the scene and speaks in a trembling voice.

“Look, do you see… I don’t know if what I’m seeing right now is real. It’s like I’m seeing the end of the world. Most of the cameras that were installed are not working as the ridiculous tsunami is covering them.”

Although it was only for a moment, the scene captured on camera was so terrifying that it made you wonder if this was what the end of the world would look like.

And when the damaged area was filmed from a helicopter a while later, it was nothing short of hell.

But even in this hellish situation, the number of victims was extremely small.

As the commotion died down a bit, one of the people sitting there began to tell a story.

“Korea saved us… without even knowing it… … .”

Linda, who was sitting next to him, approaches Hochang, who was sitting in the next seat, holds his hands, and starts crying while apologizing.

“I’m so sorry… sob sob sob. You guys have been trying so hard to save us, and we’re just fools who don’t know anything… … .”

Hochang pats her shoulder and says it’s okay.

“It’s okay. Don’t cry. It’s okay since we all lived like this.”

The final detected magnitude was 9.4.

It was a stronger earthquake than the original 9.3 earthquake in history.

However, the death toll from this massive earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia was less than a thousand.

The damage from this disaster, which could have killed hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even millions, was reduced to less than a thousand thanks to Korea.

By the time the earthquake had stabilized to a certain extent, all anti-Korean sentiment among Indonesians had disappeared, and most people had become people with friendly feelings toward Korea.

To them, Korea has become a great friend who saved their country and their family from crisis.