Damn the World, Ride a Submarine - Chapter 148



Only Krnovel

Episode 148 – PATA (Pan-Asian Treaty Alliance)

We arranged economic and military cooperation between Myanmar and Laos, also to check China and suppress its expansion.

…

The second Arsenal ship was launched and commissioned. The ship was named Shingijeon No. 2.

However, there was a shortage of missiles to fill the gap. It was decided to fill the gap at the OSS-LAND munitions factory in Kiribati.

OSS Carrier Strike Group 1 passed through Brunei and Palawan and arrived at Tawi Tawi, returning after spending a season in the Burmese Sea.

It was already midsummer, and although this country was famous for being hot, the weather was cool and autumnal. The humidity was low, so it was comfortable.

It seemed to be a warning of how harsh the third winter would be.

Now, the new camp felt like home. It was even more so when I saw Hye-in running towards me to greet me.

The welcoming ceremony was concluded in a small manner, and a large banquet was prepared in which both the OSS members and the Northern 1st Army could participate.

It was a huge event with 100,000 people, including employees and their families, participating in a three-day festival of eating, drinking, laughing, and talking.

I was showing Hyein the aircraft carrier, the Guidance.

I went around the aircraft carrier and explained to Hyein its greatness.

“Hyein! Look at this! Isn’t it amazing?”

“Hmm… It’s bigger than I imagined.”

“My brother is really ···.”

“really?”

“I think I like lumps of metal. Ships, airplanes, guns, etc..”

“I think so.”

“When you meet a new lump of iron, your eyes light up brightly and you can feel the excitement in your voice. At times like this, you get jealous of such lumps of iron…”

Hyein was looking at me with a cold expression.

“After coming here after a few months. And now you’re bragging about your belly….”

“Oh, sorry, sorry…”

“It’s okay. That’s what I mean… Anyway, since these are things that my brother likes, I’ll try to get attached to them too.”

“Thank you… for understanding… oh, look at that boat over there….”

He said, pointing to the Arsenal Ship Shingijeon No. 1.

“That ship looks a bit strange. It’s huge, but it’s a bit plain. The deck looks like a checkerboard. Haha.”

“Even though it looks like that, it can fit 700 missiles.”

Hyein was looking at me again with a cold expression.

“Hahaha. Sorry, sorry. Should we have a glass of wine?”

I escaped the situation with an awkward smile and hung out with people with her.

Director Kim Wan-jun, who flew in from Kiribati, had a bright face as always.

Director Jeong Si-woon, who returned from traveling around the world and negotiating all kinds of things, also told an interesting story.

Director Lee Shin-young, who is always sincere in everything he does, was also there.

Director Kim Jun-myeong also seemed to be enjoying the time he spent with familiar faces he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Unfortunately, Secretary General Jin Min-gyu was not present. While people were laughing and chatting, the assistant secretary came with a satellite phone. It was Secretary General Jin Min-gyu’s call.

“President! I feel so empty when everyone is here and you’re not here.”

“I’m sorry. The representative’s schedule got messed up… I’ll wrap things up quickly and move on to Tawi Tawi.”

“Please come quickly. I want to see the president’s face.”

“Yes, me too. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

“I’ll be waiting. Haha.”

“CEO!”

“Oh, I guess you have something else to say.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Judging by the tone of your voice, it doesn’t seem like it’s bad news…”

“It’s not bad news. I’m contacting you because I think your decision is important.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“Vietnam has expressed its intention to join ESSO.”

“Yes? ESSO is the Far East Union…”

“That’s true, but the Philippines is also a member, and Vietnam seems to feel threatened by China.”

“Well, Hainan Province, where the Chinese naval base is located, is right in front of us…”

“Yes. In addition, China’s tyranny in the South China Sea has become increasingly extreme. There are even rumors that China will soon sell navigation rights in the South China Sea.”

“Hey, those guys are about to leave.”

“In that situation, Vietnam did reconcile with the United States and strengthen cooperation.”

“That’s right. The US sold fighter jets to Vietnam and…”

“However, I think it is worrying that the US has recently been taking a stance of withdrawing from Southeast Asia.”

“Um… Okay. But. If only Vietnam joins… Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia will become unstable.”

“Yes. There may be something like that.”

“Then, please consider creating a new Southeast Asian federation that includes the OSS and the Philippines, or expanding and reorganizing ESSO into a new international federation.”

“Sir, if we accept Vietnam, does that mean that Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand, which you mentioned earlier, should be included?”

“Yes, that seems right.”

“Okay, I’ll stop by Vietnam and then go to the new camp.”

“Yes. I will wait.”

Since occupying Taiwan, China has been turning into an international bully.

In the South China Sea, they have long been considered no better than pirates, and they have also revealed their blatant ambitions in the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

That greed wasn’t limited to the sea.

The provocations in the Sikkim region, which borders India and China and between Nepal and Bhutan, were also blatant. In some ways, it seemed as if the Indian military was waiting for the first shot.

Also, in Arunachal Pradesh, next to Bhutan, they were even setting up military bases, ignoring the border.

But India seemed to be positioning itself as a new regional balance arbiter, taking a moderate step back from the conflict with China and walking a diplomatic tightrope with Russia, the United States, and others.

In this situation, the weak countries of the Indochina Peninsula could not help but be helpless in the face of China’s threats.

The United States could not even protect Taiwan, which it absolutely had to protect, and there was no reason for the United States to explicitly guarantee the security of the Indochina Peninsula.

Rather, the United States has shown signs of taking a step back from the South China Sea, so it is understandable that other countries, including Vietnam, are nervous.

Despite worries about the future, the busy daily life continued. Secretary General Jin Min-gyu completed all his schedules and came to the Shinheung Camp.

“CEO!”

“How long has it been since you last spoke?”

“It feels like it’s been over a year.”

“Is that all? A lot has happened in just one year.”

“That’s right. Something else has happened.”

“Oh, you mean the Southeast Asian international organization?”

“Yes, that’s right. We still need to discuss it further, but…”

“Take your time talking about painful topics. Let’s get rid of the aftereffects first.”

“Yes, sir.”

Secretary General Jin Min-gyu looked around the Shinheung Camp with his eyes set on the distant horizon, as if he had returned home after a long time.

“Ah, I remember when the CEO first sent me here to buy an island.”

“Haha. I was a bit reckless back then.”

“That’s how it started… and ended up creating an international organization… and fighting two wars.”

“That’s right. When I was young, I longed for the life of a man of adventure… but I guess that’s not necessarily a good thing.”

“A man of great ability… It really seems like a word that suits you, sir. Haha.”

“A man of great fortune is someone who is born at a good time and stands out… But now doesn’t seem to be a good time.”

“For better or worse, isn’t it every man’s dream to leave behind a footprint in life? Wouldn’t it be better to leave behind a reputation rather than disappear without a trace?”

“Notoriety? Haha.”

“Your name is infamous among Russia, China, and the former Myanmar military. Hahaha.”

“That’s true.”

The answer that Secretary-General Jin Min-gyu brought was this.

The idea was to create an international organization above ESSO, have Southeast Asian countries participate in it, and have ESSO member countries automatically participate.

If a separate Southeast Asian organization is created.

There were also concerns that the influence of OSS could be reduced, and participating countries also said they wanted active participation from OSS and ESSO.

Naturally, I decided to concurrently serve as the chairman of the newly created international organization.

It was agreed that the post of Secretary-General for Southeast Asia would alternate between Vietnam and the Philippines.

The name of the international organization was decided to be PATA (Pan-Asian Treaty Alliance), which meant Pan-Asian Treaty Alliance.

PATA includes ESSO member countries such as the Far Eastern Republic, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand.

The combined population of the member countries reached 600 million, and the area was equivalent to 40% of China’s territory, creating a gigantic international alliance.

(It is less than 30% if you exclude the area of ​​the Far Eastern Republic.)

“Thank you for your hard work, Secretary General.”

“It was hard work. It was thanks to the reputation and achievements of OSS. And the good notoriety that the representative had seemed to have helped the member countries in their choice.”

“What is a good notoriety?”

“If you can’t be on the same side, then you’re a nightmare. Haha.”

“Hahaha. Anyway, I think it’s time to start rubbing shoulders with China.”

“Yes, that’s right. Indonesia and Malaysia have not joined yet, but if those two countries join PATA, China will have a power that cannot be ignored.”

“That’s right. Indonesia is quite large, and has a large population. It has a lot of resources and…”

“If those two countries join, PATA’s total population will exceed 900 million. Its area will also exceed 60% of China’s.”

“okay.”

“But I have a concern.”

“What is that?”

“If PATA is formed, the risk of war will increase.”

“Ah… I guess that’s true.”

“In the past, whenever China hit us, we just took the hits.”

“…”

“Once PATA is created, if there is no retaliation in some way, the treaty itself becomes meaningless.”

“I’m sure it’ll be the same in China.”

“…?”

“Now China will know that if they want to commit piracy in the South China Sea or the East China Sea, they have to fight the entire PATA. My notoriety is included there.”

“That’s right… That’s right. It seems that the name of the representative who started a war with one death and turned Myanmar into a wasteland has become PATA’s insurance policy.”

“But. Strangely, I don’t hate the word ‘infamy’ that much. Hahaha.”

“I like that too. I like a CEO who is a polite gentleman but has a reputation of being feared at crucial moments. Me, hahaha.”

“And it’s all thanks to the Secretary General.”

“yes?”

“Since I was the Vice President of OSL, isn’t it because I trusted the Secretary General and just kept yelling at him? Haha.”

“Anyway, I always feel grateful because I feel like I’m living a wonderful life thanks to you, CEO.”

…