I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 93



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (93)

“Chief of Staff, isn’t the security at the government building too lax?”

“What do you mean by sloppy?”

“Isn’t there a “what if”? Is it possible to ensure His Excellency’s safety with just the Presidential Security Service and the Guard?”

This is Gyeongseong, and the soldiers were having secret conversations.

The President’s security is the responsibility of the 145th Security Brigade, an organization under the Office of the President and consisting of only about 83 people.

So does that mean the life of the Korean President depends on these 83 people?

In fact, the presidential security is not that lax.

The 145th Security Brigade has the authority to command the Gyeongseong Police Department, and when the president leaves the government building, up to 150 security personnel follow him.

The problem is that in peacetime, about 100 people, including security guards, ensure the president’s safety.

Is this really enough?

Escorting the President is not a military duty, but some have crossed the line.

“No matter how much I think about it, the security of the presidential office seems too lax. The 38th parallel is right in front of us, so who knows when North Korea might launch an armed provocation?”

“Yes. Didn’t a shell fall 28km away from the government building due to North Korea’s provocation not long ago? We need to strengthen our security from now on.”

As the soldiers’ voices grew louder, the Army Chief of Staff took a step back inwardly.

“Isn’t the role of the military to guard the front lines? We have no right to interfere with the security of the Presidential Office.”

“It’s something that is legally possible if you just think about it a little.”

According to South Korean law, military units cannot be directly affiliated with the government.

However, it is possible that some soldiers will be ‘dispatched’ to the 145th Guards Brigade.

In fact, the 1st Guards Division serves as the capital defense force and the president’s personal guard.

The 1st Guard Division is again divided into two units, one unit is on standby, setting up a base at Changgyeonggung Palace, and the other unit is on standby, setting up a base on the outskirts of Gyeongseong.

A significant number of troops are already guarding the government building,

That’s because the distance between the government building and the 38th parallel is only 38km.

If North Korea attacks, we should block it with the military. Should we just send a police officer and security guards to the forefront?

The soldiers hope this will serve as an opportunity to build a closer bond with the president.

The problem is that the President has no intention of doing so, and as soon as the Shanghai War ended, he discharged his uncle, an army general.

It is natural for the president to distance himself from the military.

Recently, the Guatemalan government failed to properly control the military, and a military revolt overthrew the government.

This was also the case in the Soviet Union, where Khrushchev hastily purged Georgy Zhukov and faced a backlash.

Korea is not free from that danger either, and if we make a mistake, the military could end up turning the country upside down.

“Military coup? No way.”

“Did you just give up democracy?”

Of course, Korea has safety measures in place here and there.

If the Korean president had been a dictator like before, he would have been around with the military, but now that we have achieved democracy, things are different.

30 million citizens elected the president, so what right does a military have to stage a coup and seize power?

That is also the reason why the president does not place the military directly under the government. Let’s assume that the president uses the military as his own servants.

Soldiers will be free to move between military bases and government buildings under the pretext of protecting the president.

Then, if the president suddenly dies or there is a problem with his security, the military has no choice but to take political action because it is directly under the government.

This is the big picture drawn by the soldiers of the Republic of Korea.

The military can only exert great power when it is unconditionally linked to the president.

It is no coincidence that the soldiers are just sucking their thumbs because the president does not permit it, and that there are voices within the military calling for strengthening the president’s security.

So who will take up the gun and make the proposal to the President?

The soldiers chose Park Jeong-ui, the director of the political bureau of the Korean People’s Party.

The president’s uncle and a big shot in politics,

In addition, because he had served as an army general in the Shanghai War, the soldiers believed that Park Jeong-ui would represent their interests.

***

“Strengthen security for the presidential office?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, the only ones responsible for your safety are the 145th Security Brigade and dozens of police officers. Your Majesty’s safety cannot be guaranteed if things continue as they are.”

“If it’s the capital defense, there’s the 1st Guard Division, right? I thought there were two units there?”

“Chief of Political Affairs… Why don’t you understand our feelings? Are you deliberately pretending not to understand?”

“Ahem~.”

This is Gyeongseong,

Park Jeong-ui was surrounded by harassing military officials.

Soldiers who were secretly pushed out of the center, even in the early days of the nation’s founding, soldiers had such great influence that they occupied important government posts.

Ji Cheong-cheon and Lee Beom-seok, who were active in the Korean Liberation Army, as well as graduates of the Japanese Military Academy, entered politics in large numbers, and the momentum was literally high.

But what about now?

Ji Cheong-cheon is now old and cannot even properly fulfill his duties as the Speaker of the National Assembly, and Lee Beom-seok has abandoned his military status and is now serving as Prime Minister, doing the bidding of the President.

In addition, Park Jeong-ui, who was active as an army general, lost military power and became a mere politician, and the current military’s power is indescribable.

But this is something that can be understood when looking at the world situation.

How are Guatemala and the Soviet Union doing now?

Korea now has the strongest military power in East Asia, and if we fail to control this, the democracy we have worked so hard to achieve will collapse.

But what is more important to soldiers, democracy or their own power?

Park Jeong-ui also struggled with the choice between the two.

‘If Sang-geun steps down, it’ll be my turn next, right? There’s no need to push yourself too hard.’

Park Jeong-ui just turned 40.

He is young, so why would he be the Grand Prince Suyang who usurped the throne from his nephew? Rather than becoming the Grand Prince Suyang, it would be better to wait for the right time and inherit the throne legally. In addition, to maintain the throne, he needs support.

To Park Jeong-ui, it’s the soldiers,

As a former soldier myself, I understand the military better than anyone else and am confident that I can control them.

Then wouldn’t it be better to strengthen the relationship between the government and the military from now on?

First, we submitted to the National Assembly an opinion to dispatch 500 more soldiers to the 145th Security Brigade to ensure the president’s safety.

Who would oppose strengthening security for the presidential office?

All members of the Korean People’s Party voted in favor, but the Democratic Republican Party of Korea, led by Kim Jong-pil, voted against.

“The role of the military is to guard the front lines. The security forces and police are responsible for protecting the presidential office.”

“Yes. Why do the soldiers want to stay by your side? If the army risks its life to defend the front line, your safety will not be in trouble.”

“Your Majesty, please consider why you did not place the military directly under the government. The military should not be too close to politics!!”

The Democratic Republican Party of Korea won 16 seats in the National Assembly in the last general election.

Thanks to winning the hearts of 4.2 million Chungcheong residents, His Excellency the President did not spare his praise, saying that Chungcheong Province is a region that has been loyal to the country for generations.

Is it really necessary to have the military by the president’s side to ensure his safety?

The Democratic Republican Party of Korea raised its voice, saying that public sentiment is the shield that protects the president.

“Your Excellency the President won 90% of the votes in the last election. To point a knife at him is to turn 30 million people into enemies.”

“No, let’s think realistically. Can you guarantee His Majesty’s safety based on public sentiment alone? Why would you have two divisions staying at the government building to protect him?”

“That’s because the distance between Gyeongseong and the 38th parallel is only 38km.”

“Yes. The Capital Defense Forces’ mission is to guard the front lines.”

Here the mission of the Capital Defense Forces became a matter of debate.

Are the Capital Defense Forces deployed in Gyeongseong to ensure the safety of the President? Or are they there to block foreign enemies and defend Seoul?

Of course, the role of the military is to protect the country and its people.

However, the Korean People’s Party interprets this as the president’s personal guard, and with that logic, a situation like this is possible.

“The President has fled to Daejeon!!”

“The capital defense area should retreat to Daejeon and escort Your Majesty!!”

If the role of the Capital Defense Authority is to protect the President, then they will follow the President to Daejeon.

Then what happens to the people who remain in Gyeongseong?

But if the Capital Defense Force is the people’s army, then it is right for it to guard the front lines wherever the president goes.

In a democratic society, it is impossible to interpret the military as the president’s private army, and Kim Jong-pil, the leader of the Democratic Republican Party of Korea, has driven a wedge into the issue.

“Your Majesty, if war breaks out, you are the one who will order the military to protect the country, not the government building. Do you think that kind of person would treat the military as his private soldiers?”

“That’s right. Soldiers’ duty is to protect the country. I’m sure the President thinks so too.”

“Of course, we need to be concerned about Your Majesty’s safety. But the alternative cannot be a soldier. The Korean military is the people’s army.”

The counterattack of the Democratic Republican Party of Korea is more serious than expected.

Besides, isn’t the Korean president someone who gave up dictatorship and chose democracy with his own hands?

If the Korean People’s Party makes a mistake here, the president could be seen as a dictator who has turned the country into a private organization.

What good does that do to the President?

The soldiers took a step back, but the problem was not completely solved.

***

“Your Majesty, we have decided to deploy an additional 500 police officers to the 145th Security Brigade.”

“Why? What’s going on?”

“That is… There was a heated debate in the House of Representatives recently regarding Your Excellency’s safety.”

The same routine that repeats itself today,

I met Prime Minister Lee Beom-seok face to face.

Even if Korea becomes stronger, it is still a divided country with the North and the South facing each other.

Moreover, since the front line has been extended to Shanghai and Taiwan, you never know when or where gunfire might ring out.

That’s why I deployed two divisions to the capital. I’m a person who is wary of military coups, but that doesn’t mean I can completely avoid the military.

Now that I have given up dictatorship with my own hands, does that mean a military dictatorship can no longer happen?

How can the people stop the army from pushing in with tanks?

Did the military take over in Guatemala because there was no democracy? It hasn’t happened yet in this era, but by 1976, the military will have taken over in Argentina as well.

It doesn’t matter because there’s a safety net called America?

We must not forget that it was the United States that recognized the 5.16 and 12.12 incidents as legal.

Frankly, even the US is in an untrustworthy position, so in the end, I have to take on this problem.

If I couldn’t keep the army away, it would be best to keep it by my side and control it. After much deliberation, I decided to add one division to the Capital Defense Forces.

The Korean army surrounding Gyeongseong now numbered about 50,000 men.

About one-fifth of the entire Korean military was concentrated here.

Will they become a coup force that overthrows Korea or a breakwater that prevents invasion by foreign enemies?

First, the ‘temporary payment provision’ system was actively utilized.

The temporary rank system is a system that promotes lower-ranking people to take over higher-ranking positions when there is a shortage of people.

It is a good time for a military career, as South Korea must now check North Korea and conduct operations with coalition forces in the Middle East.

If you stand out here, you can get promoted.

If the leader only thinks about restraining the military, will the military function properly?

We need to promote colonel-level personnel to brigadier generals, give them operational authority, and see how they behave before we can decide who should have real power.

So I promoted five colonels to brigadier generals and assigned two of them to the Capital Defense Forces.