I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 19



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (19)

“At least a colonel, right? I was a colonel in the Japanese army….”

“I will rise to a higher position than those pro-Japanese guys, right?”

As the general election progressed, a subtle current flowed among the soldiers.

The military faction can be roughly divided into three groups: the Japanese military who graduated from the Manchurian Military Academy, the Korean Liberation Army under the Provisional Government, and finally the officers trained at the Military English School established by the US military government.

However, the number of the Korean Liberation Army was only about 500, and the officers trained by the US military government were still young children.

If so, it is natural that Japanese military officers are given high positions.

However, the South Korean government’s goal is not to rebuild the Japanese military, and should it appoint as colonel anyone who held the rank of colonel during the Japanese colonial period?

There is no particular reason for that.

The problem is that those from the Japanese military took it for granted that they would inherit the status they had enjoyed in the Japanese military. How would those from the Korean Liberation Army view this?

Even within the faction, incidents and accidents occurred repeatedly.

“Hey, aren’t you saluting properly?!!”

“What are you saluting? I am of higher rank than you.”

“Aren’t you just a so-called second lieutenant in the Japanese army?!! Where did you get your troubles from!!”

“Are you a Japanese soldier? The world has changed so much, and you still haven’t come to your senses.”

What if a subordinate who held a lower rank than me in the Japanese military is now higher in rank than me?

From a civilian’s perspective, this kind of disgrace is unthinkable, but for soldiers, it is a very sensitive issue.

Why did the 5.16 military coup occur?

There may be many reasons, but the backlog of promotions cannot be ignored. They shoot at each other because their fates are determined by a single rank.

This is why soldiers who don’t get promoted are fired. What other reason could there be?

Who will take the lead in the South Korean military and which faction will become the main force?

Park Jeong-ui looked at the situation calmly.

‘Should I continue to be a soldier or should I turn to politics?’

If things were to go well, I even considered turning to politics.

The military was fighting too much with factions, and more than anything, he was concerned about the fact that he was a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy.

If the government favors graduates of the Japanese Military Academy, it is natural that they will rise to high positions, but this could be a flaw for them as a politician.

Politics is ultimately about connections, so what kind of connections does a soldier have?

Park Jeong-ui’s power base is the military, and if he leaves the military, he will be penniless. Even if he joins the Korean People’s Party and becomes a politician, all he can do is ride the coattails of his nephew.

Then wouldn’t it be better to stay in the military and get promoted to general?

But here’s where the incident occurred.

“Major, a report from the front….”

“What’s going on?”

“There’s another commotion in North Korea.”

“Is this the first or second time something like that has happened? Perhaps the purpose is to interfere with the general election.”

“This time, something is not normal.”

Since 1946, North Korea has been constantly provoking South Korea.

The basic propaganda against the South is that since the US has colonized the South, the Korean people should unite and form a unified government.

A few days ago, the two armies fought a small battle along the 38th parallel.

The US military government was initially shocked, but as this happened every year, they now accepted it. Would North Korea invade South Korea while the US military was holding out?

Everyone didn’t think much of it, and Park Jeong-ui didn’t take it seriously either.

But it is true that reports kept coming in from the front, and this content was quite serious.

“This time, about 10 people from the North Korean armored division surrendered.”

“however?”

“They said that North Korea is preparing a large-scale maneuver war to invade the South.”

“Isn’t that just talk? Suddenly war? What the…?”

I can’t believe it, but there’s something really creepy about it,

Didn’t General Ji Chang-cheon speak out against a possible Soviet invasion not long ago?

Park Jeong-ui first encountered soldiers who had surrendered from North Korea.

“Are they really planning a war in the North?”

“Yes, we are training to advance 15km a day. We surrendered because the training was too difficult and harsh.”

“How cruel must it have been for you to be unable to bear it and run away?”

“Not only is the training difficult, they don’t even give us proper food.”

“No… How can you plan a war when there’s nothing to eat?”

Park Jeong-ui did not believe the prisoners’ words.

The soldiers’ specific testimonies continued, asking, “What kind of training are these guys who have nothing to eat to repeat, advancing 15 km?”

“Comrade Park Hwon-young claims that if Seoul falls, communist comrades throughout South Korea will start a revolution.”

“revolution?”

“Yes, they claim that since 80% of South Korea is leftist and there are 100,000 communists, the war will end if Seoul falls.”

Park Jeong-ui snorted.

It is true that there are many leftists in South Korea, but the idea that there are 100,000 communists who have infiltrated South Korea is an exaggeration.

30,000 communists abandoned by Park Hwon-young surrendered to the Korean People’s Party, so what kind of nonsense is that guy talking about?

The prisoners’ detailed testimony followed.

“Park Hwon-young is anxious now. He thinks that if Kim Il-sung seizes power, he might be pushed out of the center of power. That’s why he’s trying to start a war and communize South Korea.”

Park Jeong-ui nodded.

South Korea is in chaos right now because of factional fighting, so how could North Korea be any different?

It is true that Park Hwon-yong and Kim Il-sung were keeping each other in check, and it is quite possible that one of them would take a risk to catch the eye of the Soviet Union.

It can’t hurt to be careful,

First, he requested that the higher-ups send more troops.

***

“Where are we going now?”

“It’s reconnaissance. Follow me.”

This is the 3.8th parallel,

A unit was loitering near the border.

It is true that there have been sporadic clashes with North Korea recently, and it can be said that they are just reconnaissance, but why do they keep moving north?

The rear units, sensing something suspicious, attempted to desert.

As soon as I got back to Jinji, I reported to my superiors.

“Have you assigned Captain Kim Young-jun to a reconnaissance mission?”

“But? What’s going on?”

“The person who said he would do reconnaissance crossed the 38th parallel.”

The command was shocked.

The 38th parallel was a military demarcation line that civilians could cross until a few years ago. However, as the division between the North and South became entrenched and people even shot at each other, it became a wall that could not be crossed easily.

A reconnaissance unit passed through that place?

We set out to determine whether he was simply lost or had surrendered to North Korea.

“That kid betrayed you?!!”

“What should I do? If the government finds out about this, there will be chaos.”

The soldiers who had completed their own investigation fell into panic.

As evidence is pouring in that Captain Kim Young-jun was in collusion with North Korea, if this reaches the government, an investigation will be launched targeting the military.

No, the US military government won’t stay still.

If they do something wrong, even senior officials can be investigated.

Should the soldiers suffer because of one little rat? The people in charge wanted to hide the problem, but the information leaked out because their factions were fighting among themselves.

***

“Captain Kim Young-jun defected to North Korea?”

“Yes, sir, this seems like a serious problem.”

Today, as the daily routine continued, I received a report from below.

Who would have thought that a traitor would come out of the military?

Circumstances were also captured where North Korea persuaded South Korean soldiers.

“Anyway, only Japanese military officers are promoted in the South Korean puppet government. Do you think you can become a general by working hard there?”

“Well… that makes sense.”

“So come this way, we favor capable officers.”

A really plausible sweet talk,

Do you think you would be happy if you became an officer in a country that doesn’t even provide proper meals to its soldiers and makes them march 15km a day?

The problem is that there are people who are swayed by such words.

What could be the reason?

Because the treatment of soldiers is poor, honestly, the treatment of soldiers in South Korea is not that good either.

The people are having a hard time making ends meet, so I wonder if they will even be able to provide proper rations. Although they are busy with the general election, they cancelled all their schedules and inspected the military base first.

“Mr. President, the election is just around the corner, so if you cancel all your schedules….”

“The election is not important right now. There is a traitor in the military. What is more important than that?”

Korean People’s Party officials caught me.

The general election is just around the corner, so if you cancel all your schedules, won’t you not be able to campaign?

He ignored the argument that he should first win the general election and then head to the front lines.

In short, the soldiers are in a beggarly state, eating only rice, soybean paste stew, and a side dish made from turnips.

How can you train and fight the enemy by eating this kind of thing?

It is true that there is no force to properly support the soldiers because there is no government, so I expressed my apologies to the soldiers.

“I’m sorry. The country should have supported its soldiers well, but it failed to do so, and this is why this happened. I will keep quiet about this incident. Even I would have different thoughts in this kind of environment. Who dares to blame you? I am the sinner.”

The soldiers bowed their heads and sobbed.

Everyone seemed to be prepared to be punished for this incident, but I guess they felt relieved because the leader comforted them.

I didn’t stop there, but mobilized trading companies and members of the Korean People’s Party to transport food for the soldiers to the front lines.

I don’t know about anything else, but anyone who embezzles food and supplies for soldiers should be put to death. Those who committed corruption were sent to the execution site after consulting with the US military government.

The problem doesn’t end here,

The US military government kept urging me to get rid of the military once and for all.

“Shouldn’t we purge the military to completely eliminate communists?”

“That won’t do. That’s what they’re after.”

“That’s what you’re aiming for?”

“Yes, if we suppress the officers, we will only weaken our own power. If the government does not trust the soldiers, who will fight with their lives? We need support, not purges.”

I asked the US military government for support.

Even though they are mobilizing trading companies to support the soldiers, it is true that there are limits, and the situation in North Korea is also not good enough to the point where desertions are on the rise.

In the end, if South Korea strengthens its defenses, North Korea will be caught in a trap.

How long can the soldiers endure this forced march of 15 km without even eating properly?

The United States is also keeping a close eye on North Korea because of this incident.

Of course, the United States does not want an all-out war.

If we show that we won’t be shaken by whatever schemes you come up with, won’t we prevent war?

He repeatedly emphasized that now is the time to endure.

It is true that large and small battles are taking place at the front, and the US military government has additionally deployed two divisions to the front.

The US military showed North Korea that it was taking this situation very seriously, and the Soviet Union must have gotten the message as well.

This is enough response,

And I, as promised to the soldiers, did not take any action against the army.

“Let’s risk our lives to protect our country!!”

“The president is the country!!”

The effects were immediate.

Soldiers swear loyalty one after another, and when they betray the trust placed in them, who is responsible?

If you do something stupid, then it’s a real purge.

The US military government’s stance was that they would let it slide once, but not twice, and everyone knew that.