1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 59



Only Krnovel

Episode 59

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“This must be protested through official diplomatic channels!”

“What kind of protest is this! This is a challenge to Japan! How can you challenge Japan when you are a Korean? How can this be possible for a country that was a vassal state only a few decades ago!”

The ministers who heard the contents of the phone call between Prime Minister Takeshita and President Kim Jong-guk are agitated and protest.

“Isn’t it already a known fact that South Korea has completed its development of nuclear weapons? We have already received an apology, so is there any need for further provocation?”

Prime Minister Takeshita calms down his ministers, but some become even more angry.

Prime Minister Takeshita was one of the moderates in the Liberal Democratic Party.

And now, most of those in power are from the so-called far right within the Liberal Democratic Party.

“This is a challenge to Japan! Prime Minister! If you give me the order right now, I will lead the ships to Takeshima!”

The Minister of Defense comes out roughly as if he is about to start a war.

“What if South Korea really launches a nuclear weapon? This is not an issue that can be dealt with emotionally.”

The relatively moderate Foreign Minister speaks of caution.

But the Minister of Defense did not back down at all.

“Does Korea have that much guts? Didn’t you mention nuclear weapons during your phone call with the Prime Minister and apologize to him several times? The President of Korea doesn’t have that kind of guts!”

The Foreign Minister shakes his head and says.

“Then what are you going to do with the Peace Constitution? Are you talking about getting on good terms with the United States?”

“What are you talking about? Takeshima is an inherent part of Japanese territory. Are you saying that sending ships to our land is some kind of declaration of war? We are simply sending out those who are illegally occupying our land!”

The Minister of Defense speaks to Prime Minister Takeshita.

“Prime Minister! Please give the order!”

Prime Minister Takeshita thinks for a moment and then speaks.

“Then… let’s do this. Let’s send two ships to the vicinity of Takeshima and ask the Korean Coast Guard to leave. Wouldn’t they also leave when they see the ships? But let’s try to avoid combat as much as possible.”

“Understood! We will definitely expel the Korean Coast Guard and occupy Dokdo!”

The Minister of Defense leaves the room as soon as the Prime Minister’s order is given.

But even after giving the order, Prime Minister Takeshita felt uneasy somewhere in his heart.

‘Surely… that won’t happen…’

Fear of nuclear weapons.

It was a deep-rooted fear that had been engraved deep in the minds of the Japanese since 1945.

That fear continued to make a corner of Takeshita’s mind uneasy.

###

“Thank you for your hard work.”

We arrived at Dokdo after a boat ride of about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The Dokdo Coast Guard’s faces turned pale as soon as I arrived.

It would be natural for the president to visit out of the blue.

“Mr.. President..!!! Chu.. Loyalty!!!”

A man who appears to be the captain of the guard salutes me in a loud voice.

However, all the guards, including the captain, were shaking with nervousness.

“Oh, it’s okay. Don’t be so nervous. I’m not here to eat you all. Who is the captain of the guard?”

The man who saluted earlier steps forward and shouts.

“Chu.. Loyalty!! This is Lee Cheon-yul, the captain of the Dokdo Coast Guard!”

I shook his hand lightly and said to him,

“Captain Lee Cheon-yul, thank you for your hard work. I know very well how harsh the working conditions are in this place called Dokdo. The Dokdo Guard members are the ones who protect the Republic of Korea at the forefront.”

“Wow.. You are too complimentary!! Mr. President!!”

After that, we explore various places around Dokdo under the guidance of the coast guard.

Dokdo’s beautiful scenery truly lives up to the word “spectacular.”

After taking pictures with the Dokdo Coast Guard and eating with them, the clock soon pointed to 4 p.m.

“Mr. President, it is time for you to go back. If you delay any longer, it will be difficult to go back.”

The chief secretary comes to me and says.

Although it wasn’t that late yet, Dokdo had a lot of rough waves and such, so the time we could go there was limited.

I looked at the guards one last time and said hello to them.

“Guardians, I will now go. Lastly, Japan has never stopped its ambitions for Dokdo. That is why the role of the Dokdo Guard is more important than ever. I ask that you continue to do your best as the front-line unit guarding Dokdo.”

And the next day, I went back to work.

The unexpected happened.

###

“Isn’t it something we will see for a long time if we live to see the president?”

“That’s right. When I go on vacation, I’ll brag to my friends that I had dinner with the President.”

“He said he would send me a photo, so make sure to take it. If you don’t, who will believe me?”

Dokdo Coast Guard members stand guard and talk about what happened yesterday.

But then, two unknown ships are seen approaching from afar.

“Ms. Yoo Soo-kyung… That… No way..”

“Hey..! Go to the captain quickly and report!!”

Kim Il-kyung quickly runs to the captain and reports that a ship is approaching.

“Sir! Two vessels that appear to be from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are approaching!”

“What the..! These little shits are really..!! Everyone, arm yourself and prepare for battle!”

At that time, a voice recorded in Korean on a Japanese ship is played.

[You are currently illegally occupying Takeshima, an inherently Japanese territory. If you do not leave Takeshima within one hour, what happens next···.]

“These crazy kids···!”

Captain Lee Cheon-yool turns on the loudspeaker and plays a recorded voice in Japanese.

[This is Dokdo, Korea’s inherent territory! If you don’t leave immediately, this will be regarded as a declaration of war!]

The second-in-command, who was watching this scene from inside the ship, asks the captain.

“What should we do, Captain?”

“I guess you intend to fight at all costs. Shoot!”

###

“Let’s end today’s State Council meeting here.”

The first cabinet meeting after the holidays.

After receiving reports from each department, when the State Council was about to end, a man suddenly ran in out of breath and shouted in an urgent voice.

“Mr. President! I heard that two Japanese ships and the Dokdo Coast Guard engaged in a battle a little while ago!”

“What.. what did you say..!! So what happened now!”

The man speaks with difficulty, trying to catch his breath.

“Well.. for now, it is said that the Japanese ships have somehow retreated since our naval ships arrived. However, it is said that Captain Lee Cheon-yul was seriously injured. He is currently being transferred to a hospital in Pohang via Ulleungdo.”

“These crazy kids are for real!!!”

bang!!!

He slams the desk next to him with a harsh curse.

The State Council members were also surprised by the sight.

I’ll tell you what to do first.

“First, save Captain Lee Cheon-yul! Send the best medical staff from Seoul National University Hospital or Severance Hospital to Pohang right now! We have to save him no matter what!!”

I looked at the chief secretary and said.

“Chief Secretary. Right now..”

The chief secretary answered me before I could finish speaking.

“I just called in all military officials, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs asks me in a worried voice.

“Mr. President. What are you going to do···.”

“They have touched our people and our territory. It is time for them to pay the price. The gentlemanly resolution is over.”

###

A little later, all the relevant army generals and state council members, including the chiefs of staff of the army, navy, and air force, gathered in one place.

Let me first explain the current situation.

“The Dokdo Coast Guard commander is now in critical condition due to an attack by a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel. Although he was forced to retreat after fierce resistance, I can no longer stand by and watch this situation unfold.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs cautiously expresses his opinion.

“First, call the ambassador and check the situation..”

I looked at Prime Minister Lee Hwa-seong and asked.

“Do you think so, Prime Minister? That this matter should be resolved through diplomacy.”

Prime Minister Lee Hwa-sung answered in a firm voice.

“No. They have already turned their swords on us. The only people we can talk to are civilized people. We have no need to talk to barbarians who invade our territory and put our people in critical condition.”

I also tell people that I have no intention of engaging in conversation any longer.

“I agree with you. I think that war should be avoided if possible. In war, the people who suffer the most are the ordinary people. However, I think it is very immature to talk about peace even when the territory of a country is invaded.”

With this level of attitude, even the Minister of Foreign Affairs cannot respond any further.

I looked at the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and asked.

“Chief of Staff. Where in Japan is it possible to strike at this time?”

President Lee Dae-sik answers in a solemn voice.

“If you give the order, we can even hit the center of Tokyo, Japan.”

When the word central Tokyo is mentioned, people are surprised.

“If it’s the center of Tokyo, then… surely… are you thinking of a nuclear missile strike?!”

But I ignored people’s reactions and continued to ask the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“What do you think, Chief of Staff? Where do you think would be the best place to strike?”

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff thinks for a moment and then answers.

“How about Maizuru Base here? This is where the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force is in charge of Shimane Prefecture. The ship that invaded Dokdo must also belong here.”

It was a good suggestion as it was a strike on a military base.

A strike on central Tokyo could have devastated Japan, but it was not an easy option.

There were more than a few things to consider, including diplomatic issues with the world and issues regarding Koreans living in Japan.

But compared to that, the impact on military bases was less of a burden.

It was an option that allowed us to retaliate meaningfully while minimizing civilian casualties.

“Okay. Get ready to strike right away.”

“Mr.. President..! The use of nuclear weapons will definitely cause problems for the international community!”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is trying to stop it somehow.

But I said firmly.

“Minister, our territory has been invaded, and the guard guarding that territory is now in critical condition. If we can do nothing after being treated like this, what is the purpose of our military? Now is the time for us to act.”

###

“Mr. President, we are ready.”

“What is the best way to throw it?”

“Based on our military’s judgment, we believe it would be better to deploy an F-35 rather than an ICBM and drop it.”

ICBMs are good, but considering the distance to Japan, it’s likely to be like using a sledgehammer to kill a chicken.

“Let’s do that. How are the nuclear warheads prepared?”

“Four types of nuclear warheads have been prepared: 0.3kt, 1.5kt, 10kt, and 170kt.”

I thought about it for a moment.

If it was 0.3kt, the impact range was too narrow.

But if 10kt had been dropped, the war could have escalated to world war level in an instant.

It was enough to cause hundreds of casualties and reawaken the fear of nuclear weapons ingrained in their DNA.

“Let’s do 1.5kt.”

“Okay, I’ll get it ready right away.”

There was no need to drag it out for long.

Rather, it was obvious that if it dragged on for too long, various problems would arise.

The F35 is equipped with a 1.5kt nuclear warhead.

The best stealth fighter flies over the East Sea carrying a 1.5kt nuclear warhead.

“Approaching the strike position. Prepare to launch.”

The F-35 approaches at high speed right near the Maizuru base of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

But even though they got this close, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force showed no response.

To be exact, I couldn’t react.

There was no way that Japan’s radar technology from 1988 could detect the F35’s stealth features.

###

The Maritime Self-Defense Force Maizuru Base in Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture, was in the midst of a celebratory event celebrating their victory.

“Next time, shouldn’t we occupy the entire Takeshima?”

“Of course. If the order comes down again this time, our fleet will drive out all the Joseon people in Takeshima and show Korea a lesson. Ahahahaha. Drink. Drink!”

And among them was a man who put Dokdo Coast Guard Captain Lee Cheon-yul in critical condition.

“Hahaha! Koreans are always all talk. They never actually put anything into action!”

[3.. 2.. 1.. Throw!]

And just as they were having such fun, a huge bomb fell from the sky.

A nuclear weapon with a yield of 1.5 kt.

Although this was a nuclear weapon of small power compared to the nuclear weapons dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, it was a weapon of an absurd level of power compared to ordinary conventional weapons.

A nuclear weapon explodes, sending up a mushroom cloud.

Hundreds of troops within a 500m radius of the closest one evaporate and disappear in an instant.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force members who had been laughing and chatting until just a moment ago said goodbye to Seung Lee in an instant.

But they were blessed people.

At least they didn’t suffer and die without even knowing that they were dying.

People within a 1.5 km radius of the radioactive fallout literally began to die a slow and painful death.

In an instant, Maizuru City Naval Base turned into hell.