I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 223



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (223)

“Should we press Busan a little more?”

“No, I don’t think it’s something we can discuss so hastily.”

This is the Daedeok County Government Building.

Minister of Government Administration and Home Affairs Kim Jong-pil is troubled by the issue of balanced regional development.

Before liberation, Busan had a population of less than 300,000, but it jumped to 800,000 in just 10 years after liberation, and in 1972, it exceeded 2 million.

The problem is that this is not the end, a year ago it surpassed 3 million, recording the steepest population growth rate in Korea in the past five years.

The rapid population growth, which amounted to a whopping 250,000 people in 1974 alone, led to a housing shortage and rising land prices.

Rising land prices are leading to another problem: companies need to buy or rent land to build factories, but how can they do business when land prices are so high?

The Korean government even decided that Busan had grown too large compared to its previous estimates.

The decision was made to relocate businesses and factories concentrated in Busan to surrounding areas to solve both the population and land price problems.

There are even plans to introduce a heavy tax on companies that do not move out of Busan, but Kim Jong-pil is struggling before making a final decision.

‘Isn’t this a lot faster than I thought?’

From 1977 to 1980, 150 companies moved out of Busan, and there is such a thing as balanced regional development. If things continue like this, Busan may end up becoming a ghost town.

It’s like burning down a house while trying to catch a flea.

The Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs also considered ways to make Gimhae and Yangsan satellite cities of Busan.

The problem is that there is no guarantee that this will work out well. Do you think Busan will become like Gyeongseong if the industrial base is moved to other regions?

Due to the population and land price issues in Gyeongseong-do, much of the infrastructure was concentrated in the Gyeonggi area, and Gyeongseong and Gyeonggi-do moved as one, creating a huge metropolitan city.

Then, can Busan be like that too?

What is clear is that companies are leaving Busan to avoid government regulations, which could worsen Busan’s economy and cause surrounding cities to grow.

The completion of the metropolitan area means that Busan and its outlying cities will operate separately from each other. Rather than the government regulating this, it is better to give autonomy to companies first.

It is true that Gyeongseong-do has developed that much.

As the government lifted development restrictions, the industrial area expanded and industrial capacity was concentrated in Gyeongseong, so why is Busan the only region being discriminated against like this?

After much deliberation, Kim Jong-pil decided to withdraw the Busan regulatory policy.

And with 13 square kilometers of development-restricted areas converted to industrial land and land secured, companies began to return to Busan.

“Minister, what will happen if Busan becomes even more overcrowded?”

“Yes, please re-impose the regulations now.”

“No. That’s right. I’ve made up my mind, so let’s not discuss it any further.”

He staked his political career on Kim Jong-pil’s latest policy.

By moving the capital to Daedeok County, he gained support from South Chungcheong Province, but is that enough to run for presidency?

The Busan area is about 1% of the Korean Peninsula, but the population will continue to grow in the future. If this policy is successful, the population of the Chungcheong region will increase to 4.5 million, and the Busan area will follow.

It is also possible to create a new party independent from the Korean People’s Republican Party, but the Korean People’s Republican Party, which noticed the plot, took action to keep Kim Jong-pil in check.

“Busan is becoming increasingly overcrowded, and you’re saying you’re easing regulations? Isn’t Minister Kim Jong-pil going too far?”

“Yes. We need to make a suggestion to the Prime Minister’s Office to stop Kim Jong-pil’s one-man show.”

If Kim Jong-pil, who gained power by moving to the metropolitan area, extends his reach to Busan, there is a risk that the ruling party will be split in half.

Will the People’s Republican Party of Korea, which has monopolized Korean politics for the past 30 years, just sit by and watch? But the departure has already begun.

‘Isn’t the only thing I can do under you all the time except become a member of the National Assembly? I want to be Prime Minister too!!’

Kim Young-sam is one of them.

He once led the opposition party called the New Millennium Democratic Party, but he felt political limitations and joined hands with vested interests, even serving a four-term National Assembly member.

But up until then, the vested interests did not give them any more status.

This is why I have the motivation to start a party and do something. If Kim Jong-pil takes root in the Chungcheong region and takes over Busan, he can rise to the top ruling party in one breath.

Kim Young-sam attempted tightrope walking like this,

Kim Jong-pil also did not turn down anyone who wanted to be on his side.

As the two Kims joined forces, the Korean People’s Republican Party had no choice but to become more desperate, so it brought in Park Jeong-ui, who once served as the political director of the Korean People’s Party.

“Minister, it seems like Kim Jong-pil is up to no good again.”

“Are you kidding me?”

“They are plotting to make Busan even more overcrowded and turn it into their own territory. If this continues, the ruling party that we worked so hard to unite will end up splitting up.”

“That won’t work, I’ll try to figure it out.”

Park Jeong-ui demanded a face-to-face meeting with Kim Jong-pil.

The head of state is pushing forward with a grand national project to establish a world government, so shouldn’t Korea also unite its party and support his cause?

At this time, it is an act of treason to split the ruling party by aiming for the creation of a new party.

But Kim Jong-pil showed a firm stance.

“I am not doing this to divide the passport. Busan is currently suffering from too many regulations, which is accelerating the exodus of companies. If we leave this to happen, it will not lead to balanced development, but will only turn a healthy city into a ghost town.”

“I’m not discussing such a private matter right now. I’m asking you not to divide public opinion. Are you, who used to call for balanced development, now trying to overpopulate Busan?”

Kim Jong-pil has long been a person who has pursued balanced development.

Didn’t you suggest to the head of state to move the capital under the pretext of balanced development and thereby establish a political base in your hometown?

Park Jeong-ui declared that he would be satisfied with that level, but trying to eat all the way to Busan would be crossing the line, and that he would do whatever it takes to prevent overcrowding in Busan.

“I think we should reduce the population of Busan to 1.5 million. Are we going to cram 5 million people into a land that is less than 1% of the area?”

“What’s the problem with the fact that 10 million people live in Gyeongseong-do? Aren’t you the one who can’t see reality properly because you’re playing political games?”

“What? Are you done talking now?”

“Don’t be angry and listen to me. In the past four years, 150 companies have left Busan. A healthy city is being ruined. The Korean People’s Party sees politics as a power struggle, so they can’t see reality properly. If you want to see reality properly, Minister, you should get out of there quickly.”

Park Jeong-ui was speechless.

It’s true that I’ve been so focused on diplomacy that I’ve been uninterested in domestic issues for a while. Is it really true that a large city with a population of 3 million is being ruined by regulations?

I checked the relevant information belatedly.

‘What is this, 150 companies… 20,000 employees left?’

The reality was much more serious than expected.

If the company leaves, that means the employees are leaving as well, and those 20,000 people are all working-age population.

The core class that pays taxes and supports the country, this is not an issue that can be overlooked.

Park Jeong-ui immediately revised the platform of the Korean People’s Republican Party and set the direction toward developing Busan into a second Gyeongseong.

“Hey!! We were the ones who proposed that promise first!!”

“What does it matter?!! First one to do it is the owner!!”

In the future, heads of state will be focused on establishing a world government, so shouldn’t someone take the wheel of domestic politics?

Both sides are making abusive promises for the development of Busan, sometimes ahead of others and sometimes behind.

This is how the battle of wits between Park Chung-hee and Kim Jong-pil over the next presidency began.

***

“Come this way.”

“yes.”

This is California,

I toured major industrial complexes with state ministers.

This is the garden I have invested my heart and soul into for the past eight years, and now it is time to harvest the crop.

California’s population, which was around 20 million, recently surpassed 25 million, more than 1.6 times the population of Texas, which is famous as the largest industrial region in the United States.

The increase in population means that the productive population has also increased, and as a result, the GDP here has grown to account for 14% of that of the United States.

Now that it has become a city with a lot to eat, there will be many satellite cities around it. In the future, California, including the metropolitan area, is expected to have a population of over 30 million.

Busan is also making a fuss recently about its population exceeding 3 million, but here it is 10 times that number. If you look at California alone, it is larger than the Korean Peninsula.

What problem could there be with a population of 30 million people living in a place like this?

An area with a population of over 40 million, I will grow this into a mega city that will account for 20% of the US GDP.

From here, I plan to have the entire United States in my hands. Of course, the American political world is wary of me.

‘If this continues, won’t a Korean become the President of the United States?’

‘Surely that won’t happen, right?’

Everyone is saying it can’t be happening, but now it’s becoming a reality.

President Reagan started out as the governor of California and ran for president, so why can’t I do the same?

Of course, I have no intention of running in the US elections myself.

Now that I have the position of Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, I can sway public opinion in the United States just by taking care of my own garden.

Of course, public opinion in California gives me absolute support.

AOPR provided economic support of 2 billion dollars to Russia, and I am the one who invested 2 billion dollars here alone, literally providing national support.

If I were to run for governor right now, I would definitely be elected, but I am not the type of person who would be satisfied with that, so I plan to appoint a representative to sit here.

The problem is that the executives think differently.

Voices urging him to run for office came from here and there.

“Your Majesty, since it has come to this, why don’t you run for office yourself?”

“Haha~ If I, the enemy of Korea, become the governor of California, what kind of reputation would Korea have?”

“My lord, I think differently. The state governments of the United States are like sovereign countries, except for their diplomatic rights. You established this place, so you should take command.”

“Is that how it is?”

“Yes, you should run for office yourself. It is true that there is no one as good as you, sir.”

But I rejected the opinions of the administrators.

I call myself a global citizen, but legally I am Korean. If I want to run for office in the US, I have to become a US citizen. Does that make sense?

He will remain in the position of the head of state of Korea and the commander-in-chief of the world government in the future.

Instead, they decided to nominate a candidate who could represent the interests of local businesspeople and administrators.

The problem is that this is a stronghold of the US Republican Party, and I wonder if the candidate I endorse can get elected here.

First of all, I recommended my person to the Republican Party.

The protagonist is Jewish businessman David Ackerman, who has contributed significantly to the development of the region, including providing capital to California with me.

His relationship with the administrative ministers is also smooth. Where else could you find someone more suitable for the job?

But the US Republican Party insisted on the candidate they put forward.

“Really? Then let’s give it a try.”

I pushed David Ackermann into the race as planned.

If I win here, it will mean taking away the Republican stronghold, and public opinion in the United States is also heating up because it is a match with the largest industrial area in the United States at stake.

“David Ackerman is a puppet who moves according to the will of Marshal Park Sang-geun!! We cannot hand over California to that man!!”

“So what? So California was actually raised by Marshal Park Sang-geun?”

“And Ackermann didn’t just pop up out of nowhere, did he? I heard he has a good relationship with the administrators, too.”

Are we going to hand over state power to a Korean puppet?

The Republican Party appealed to its supporters to unite to protect the American people’s country.

If it comes out like that, I have no choice but to come out fatally.

Using public opinion, the Republican Party argued that it had done nothing to develop California.

And that’s true, when he was governor of California, President Reagan overcame public opposition and attracted foreign capital to drive economic development.

Public opinion in the United States was in an uproar, claiming that Reagan was crazy and that he was polluting the United States by attracting foreign capital.

But now the Republicans are going to take credit for it?

That’s ridiculous, California is the city I grew up in and if it’s going to continue to develop, it needs to be under my influence.

If I withdraw, do you think the economy here will recover? If the California economy goes into recession, the city will be empty and the satellite cities around it will be in danger.

No matter how many times I say it, it is still an issue that voters have to choose.

That’s how the election began.