1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 28



Only Krnovel

Episode 28

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After his defeat in the last presidential election, TJ came to the United States for a short break.

I was worried that the National Intelligence Service or another agency might try to stop me from going abroad.

I was able to come without any restrictions whatsoever.

During the presidency of Lee Jung-hwan, surveillance was carried out on everything, and in 1972, he was even kidnapped in Japan.

There was a time when I was on the verge of death.

However, after President Kim was elected, there was no surveillance or sanctions, perhaps because he was not considered a political enemy.

‘I feel disappointed that you don’t care to this extent..’

As TJ waited for a moment, lost in thought, the reception room door opened and President Carter came in.

“Mr. Kim Tae-jun! It’s an honor to meet you. Welcome to the White House!”

President Jimmy Carter welcomes TJ to the White House and shakes his hand.

President Carter had friendly feelings toward TJ from the beginning. It wasn’t just Carter. Republican Reagan also knew TJ and was friendly with him, so he was already a fairly famous democracy activist and politician around the world.

In fact, President Carter tried to meet TJ when he visited Korea two years ago in 1979 to hold a summit with President Lee Jung-hwan. However, Korea obstructed the meeting between President Carter and TJ until the very end.

But after the 1980 Korean presidential election, when I heard that TJ was coming to the United States to take a break after his defeat, I personally invited him to the White House.

“I am honored to be called this.”

TJ also admired President Carter, who was sincere about human rights policies.

“Please sit down.”

It wasn’t a long time, but the two sat down and exchanged opinions on various issues.

Since both of them are politicians who are very interested in human rights, there are many areas where they sympathize with each other.

Despite the lack of an interpreter, TJ continues his conversation with President Carter.

TJ’s English skills, which he had been honing while in prison, shine.

“Hahaha. As expected from Mr. Kim Tae-jun. You have extraordinary insight.”

President Carter laughs heartily, apparently enjoying his conversation with TJ.

“I am honored to have this opportunity to speak with President Carter.”

And towards the end of the story, Carter asks TJ about President Kim Jong-guk.

“These days… how is President Kim?”

“President Kim… Hmm… Honestly, I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

“You don’t know what’s on your mind?”

“Yes. When they passed the constitutional amendment without term limits, I thought they were going down a path similar to the Yushin dictatorship of President Lee Jung-hwan, but it’s the opposite.”

President Carter did not have good feelings toward former President Lee Jung-hwan.

The reason was the human rights issues in Korea under former President Lee Jung-hwan.

South Korea-U.S. relations deteriorated rapidly after President Carter took office, and eventually, with anti-war sentiment in the U.S. growing after the Vietnam War, the relationship deteriorated to the point where the issue of withdrawing U.S. troops from South Korea was brought up at the 1979 South Korea-U.S. summit.

Although I had a favorable impression of President Kim Jong-guk because of his role in rescuing the Iranian hostages, I couldn’t help but suspect that his actions in pushing for a constitutional amendment to eliminate term limits were intended to follow the same path as President Lee Jung-hwan.

So, before the Korea-US summit, I asked him, a Korean democracy activist who was persecuted throughout the Lee Jung-hwan presidency, for his opinion.

“There is almost no control over the media, no disadvantage to the opposition party, and even no interference within the ruling party. In fact, it is so unsettling that it makes me feel uneasy.”

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“Ughhhhhhhhh..!!!”

He suffers as his arm is broken by a yellow-haired foreign NIS agent.

A harsh curse comes out of his mouth.

“FUCK!!”

A senior NIS officer approaches and asks the agent who is twisting his arm.

“Who is it this time?”

“I am an agent from the Dutch intelligence agency.”

After the news of the semiconductor development came out, many countries tried their best to obtain information through their respective intelligence agencies.

The number of foreign agents arrested in this way has already reached seven.

“Isn’t Samjeong also thoroughly maintaining security?”

“Yes. It is said that all personnel directly involved in development and production will be staying in dormitories within the Giheung Industrial Complex for the time being. In addition to the police, the number of security guards within Samjeong has also been greatly increased.”

“Yes. Keep a closer eye on it until the summit.”

“yes!”

February 25, 1981.

Air Force One lands at Osan Air Base.

A short while later, President Jimmy Carter and his wife emerge from the plane, and a 21-gun salute prepared by South Korea welcomes them.

“It’s been a while, President Kim.”

“Thank you for coming.”

It was Kim Jong-guk and Jimmy Carter’s first meeting as presidents.

The two had already become acquainted at the time of the 1979 Korea-US summit.

We will go straight to the Blue House and enjoy a brief welcome dinner.

And as soon as the welcoming dinner was over, President Carter asked:

“So… when can we see that semiconductor process?”

“It’s a little late, but is that okay? If you’re tired, you can go tomorrow.”

It’s already 7pm.

President Carter must have been tired from the long flight.

But he shook his head and spoke.

“No, I’m fine. Let’s go see it right now.”

“I understand. Then, as I told you through the staff in advance, only the President and two experts can enter the room. Also, you cannot bring in any records, including photographs. Do you agree?”

“Okay, let’s go quickly.”

I headed to the semiconductor complex in Giheung with President Carter and two experts.

When I arrived at Giheung, Vice Chairman Yoo Geon-ho of Samjeong was already there.

Perhaps the fact that the vice-chairman, not the chairman, was sent to such an important position actually hinted at the succession structure.

The tightly closed factory opens and we go inside.

Chairman Yoo Kun-ho guides President Carter in fluent English.

The two experts from the United States were the top semiconductor process managers at Antel and IBN, respectively.

Both of them were outstanding people whose individual salaries were worth their weight in gold.

Even those people’s expressions gradually changed to one of shock as they passed through the process.

The vice president points out each process and explains it in detail.

‘But is it okay to do that?’

I asked Vice Chairman Yoo in a small voice, feeling uneasy.

“Vice Chairman. But is it okay for you to explain it in such detail?”

“Even if I explain it like this, these products cannot be made without that exposure equipment.”

“Is that so···?”

“Yes. In fact, among the technologies provided by the National Technology Agency, the main one seems to be the technology for making the exposure equipment.”

“Semiconductor equipment technology···.”

I nodded my head as I looked at the huge semiconductor equipment in front of me.

I’ve definitely heard of it.

Semiconductor equipment companies were so powerful that they were called super-Eul, unlike other equipment companies.

In 2023, the price of a single piece of semiconductor equipment reached 200 billion won, but the waiting time was one year.

“What about Korea’s semiconductor technology?”

After a tour of the facility, President Carter questions the experts.

“Honestly… it’s amazing.”

“To be honest, I would like to quit my job right now and work here as a researcher. This is technology that is more than ten years ahead of American technology.”

Both of them answer with dumbfounded expressions.

Both practitioners were among the top semiconductor engineers in the United States.

From their perspective, the fact that such a thing was coming out meant that the technology was definitely real.

“President Carter, shall we return to the Blue House and negotiate?”

There was a complex emotion in Carter’s eyes.

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From President Carter’s perspective, he had to somehow share this technology with Korea.

Otherwise, the U.S. semiconductor industry will shrink to a ridiculous extent.

Thankfully, however, President Kim was the first to propose technology sharing.

“Mr. President, our country, Korea, is willing to share technology with the United States. Isn’t the United States the number one ally of the Republic of Korea? However…”

But Carter knows too.

That Korea will not readily give up that technology for free.

“Tell me.”

“There are two conditions I want.”

Take a sip of your coffee and state your first request.

“One is to add one condition to the ROK-US alliance.”

“What are the conditions?”

“Yes. Anyone, including myself, if the President of South Korea dies or is in a similar state due to a North Korean terrorist attack, we will accept this as a de facto declaration of all-out war by North Korea and transfer wartime operational control to the South Korean Chief of Staff.”

President Carter speaks with a terrified expression.

“Are you really going to start a war?”

“War? I’m just saying this because I’m so frustrated with the situation where we can’t do anything despite North Korea’s countless terrorist attacks. At least if the head of state is attacked, shouldn’t we be able to have a local war?”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to just remove the US troops from Korea?”

Carter was not someone who thought that the US military should be maintained in Korea, to the extent that he promised to withdraw the troops from Korea when he was first elected.

However, US forces in Korea were needed at least until all of North Korea’s territory was taken over.

They were supposed to be a deterrent to China and Russia.

“What are you talking about? I’m not saying that we should break the ROK-US alliance. But… I’m saying that we want to make some moves.”

“Whew.. Then what’s the second one?”

I hesitated for a moment and then said to him.

“Please tolerate South Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons.”

Building nuclear weapons in itself was not a great technology.

Since several nuclear power plants were under construction, the nuclear weapons themselves could easily be built in about a year.

But ultimately, possessing nuclear weapons required the approval of the United States.

‘As an ally of the United States, it is inevitable that we will need the United States’ approval to possess nuclear weapons.’

“That absolutely cannot happen! We cannot have more countries with nuclear weapons, and the United States does not want to see tensions on the Korean Peninsula increase any further.”

Carter objects so vehemently that spittle is flying from his mouth.

“Did you say that it was because you didn’t want tensions on the Korean Peninsula to increase?”

“Yes.”

“So what happens after tensions on the Korean Peninsula ease?”

‘What on earth is this guy trying to say?’

Carter stares at my face for a moment.

I saw that Carter and said,

“If Korea could directly check the Soviet Union and China, wouldn’t it be a military advantage for the United States as well?”

Carter ponders for a moment.

Then he speaks as if he has decided on something.

“Okay. I will accept both 1 and 2 on the condition that you share semiconductor technology. As for 2, I will only accept it after the tensions on the Korean Peninsula have subsided, as you said… that is, after unification.”

“Good idea, Mr. President.”

I took Carter’s big hand and shook it.

It was a moment when both paths were opened: a nuclear-armed South Korea and an all-out war with North Korea.

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