Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 175



Only Krnovel

#175 Are you saying we should go all the way to the end?

“Are your preparations going well? “Mr. Chancellor?”

Three days before the truly historic meeting.

Lee Kang-cheol presided over the meeting and checked the preparations.

“haha! “We had a really hard time with Mr. Usa because we don’t have much experience in such important meetings, but we are still getting it together.”

“The president is having a hard time.”

“He says all kinds of things.”

The biggest international event so far? was Lee Kang-cheol’s wedding.

Because so many heads of government from so many countries attended as congratulatory envoys, the government suffered greatly.

But this meeting was a bit different.

Since everyone attended the wedding as an ally or friend, or at least with good intentions, to improve relations with the Republic of Korea, the government only had to worry about protocol.

However, this time it is a meeting attended by the heads of hostile forces, each with millions of armies.

Even though the scale was much smaller, there were bound to be many things to worry about, such as security.

“I had a hard time with the accommodation problem, but it has now been resolved.”

“Why the accommodation?”

“The two sides are having such a war of nerves…”

“ah…”

“Luckily, two new hotels of similar size were scheduled to open within the Four Great Gates, so we solved this problem by renting both. “I lived there because it was close to the guesthouse, which was the conference venue, and it was all 5 stars.”

“I’m really glad.”

I was really fortunate.

This is because the pride of both sides was at stake, and if both the Embassy of the Republic of China in Korea and the Communist Party liaison officer felt that the other side was being pushed back even a little, they would rush in and fight to the death.

Fortunately, Seoul is experiencing a hotel construction boom due to a surge in business and tourist demand from not only domestically but also overseas.

Thanks to this, we were able to satisfy both sides.

“It’s hard work, but in things like this, you tend to show off your pride by doing something that doesn’t really matter. “It is annoying for us, but we ask all State Council members to pay attention until the meeting ends safely.”

“All right.”

“By the way, Minister Go Seok-man!”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“How is the civil war going? Is it still the same?”

“Yes, it’s still the same. You can think of it as exactly right before the armistice of the Korean War. There is no need to rush to take even an inch of land and occupy an advantageous position. “This is probably the most intense fighting since the outbreak of the Second Chinese Civil War.”

“Is it that much? “No, I told you both to respect yourself because the war is going to end, right?”

“Will that work? “Just think about when we had a ceasefire in the Korean War.”

“…”

He warned both of them to exercise caution since negotiations were clearly scheduled to end the war.

But that couldn’t have worked.

No, there was a reason to fight more fiercely.

Since the United States and the Republic of Korea made threats disguised as proposals or recommendations, the end of the war is now as obvious as a sign.

In that case, it was clear that the territory taken by both sides would be based on the time of the end of the war, so both the Communist Party and the Nationalist Party had no choice but to fight to the death.

As Ko Seok-man said, this was the same during the Korean War.

Armistice negotiations began at the suggestion of the Soviet Union in June 1951, but the actual ceasefire was concluded on July 27, 1953.

The ceasefire negotiations lasted over two years, and during that time, local wars on the front lines were waged more heatedly than before, with both the North and the South trying to seize even one pyeong of land.

“Both the Communist Party and the Nationalist Party have released all of their stockpiled supplies. They are pouring all their firepower into it like there is no tomorrow, so it is bound to turn into a sea of ​​blood. “On bad days, several division-sized troops disappear every day.”

“You’re crazy.”

“There is a reason why this is worse than during the Korean War in our original history. Although the Korean War armistice was not something that would be concluded right away, it can be expected that the end of the war will be concluded sooner or later by either the Communist Party or the Nationalist Party. Neither we nor the United States will tolerate any laziness. That’s why we’re putting all our effort into it.”

“Whew! I get it. “Anyway, it’s already been decided, so let’s get it done quickly.”

“All right.”

September 4, 1951.

There was a strange tension in the guesthouse conference room.

“Aren’t these people coming? “Time is running out?”

“It is said that the departure was delayed because both insisted that they would only depart when the other departed.”

“Oh, really! “These humans!”

“Please wait a moment. They said they have left and will be back soon.”

“…”

From the beginning, Lee Kang-cheol became very uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the hotels we used as accommodations were both close by, so we didn’t have to wait long, so about 10 minutes after the designated time, a convoy of vehicles with flags arrived at the guesthouse.

“Welcome, President Jiang.”

“It’s a little late. I’m sorry.”

“But you arrived faster than Chairman Mao Zedong?”

“It wasn’t even the kids, but they were arguing about the starting time, so I told them to just leave. “I think it’s at a similar level.”

“…”

Lee Kang-cheol was a bit surprised that Chiang Kai-shek was already late and said that he was on a different level.

And about 5 minutes later, Mao Zedong arrived.

When the car stopped, a large middle-aged man got out from behind.

This man, who looked at least 180 degrees taller, was none other than Mao Zedong.

“Welcome, Chairman Mao. “I am Lee Kang-cheol, the President of the Republic of Korea.”

“Now you can see it. “I am Mao Zedong, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China.”

“Ugh!”

“ok?”

The moment Lee Kang-cheol shook hands with Mao Zedong, he lost consciousness due to the stench that assaulted his nose.

The moment Mao Zedong opened his mouth, a foul odor stronger than the smell of feces, combining the smell of cigarette smoke and something rotting, hit him.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Ugh! Please…”

Lee Kang-cheol quickly released his hands and stepped back.

If possible, I could tolerate it in an official setting, but this was far beyond the limit of what a human could tolerate.

And then it occurred to me.

Mao Zedong This man was famous for being a heavy smoker who smoked more than three packs of cigarettes a day and for having a terrible oral health because he never brushed his teeth properly.

However, Mao Zedong himself did not seem to know much.

Because he was in the position of the highest authority, it was difficult for those below him to express his feelings even if he stinks.

Perhaps that’s why Lee Kang-cheol looked quite embarrassed when he stepped back with an arrogant frown on his face.

‘Does this damned human poop with his mouth? No, what smells so bad? wait? So you’re saying that you showed off your feminine side like that while wearing that mouth?’

Although Lee Kang-cheol was inwardly appalled, he roughly settled down.

I couldn’t openly tell him to brush his teeth and live here.

“Hmm! Ha, anyway, nice to meet you.”

“Ah yes…”

And Mao Zedong faced Chiang Kai-shek.

We glared at each other as if we were going to kill each other.

“President Jiang.”

“Chairman Mao.”

The two shook hands while glaring like that.

After a while, the three people sat around the round table set up in the conference room.

This is a round table that was deliberately brought for this meeting in order to eliminate any controversy over the head of the table or anything.

Lee Kang-cheol thought it was fortunate that the round table was large.

Even if you are some distance away, the foul smell that Mao Zedong emits every time he breathes makes you dizzy, but if it were closer, it would have been difficult to proceed with the meeting.

This was despite secretly telling the secretary to turn on the ventilation system to maximum and bring scented candles or something while moving to the conference room.

Anyway, the meeting had to proceed.

As agreed in advance, only the interpreter and a few key personnel were present.

“Today, we are here to end the civil war in China that has lasted too long. Since we agreed to end the war in advance anyway, let’s end negotiations as quickly as possible so that peace can be established in China. Do you agree?”

“…”

“…”

When the two people remained silent despite Lee Kang-cheol’s question, Lee Kang-cheol frowned and asked again.

“You two, I remind you again that this is a position that President Truman of the United States and I worked hard to create. If you don’t keep saying that, I can’t help but think that you look down on the United States and the Republic of Korea. Is that so?”

“Oh, no.”

“It’s not like that.”

“So, do you agree to end the war?”

“I agree.”

“Whoa! I agree.”

The two people answered reluctantly, but in the meantime, Mao Zedong did not ask for understanding, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

Lee Kang-cheol, who does not smoke, and Chiang Kai-shek, who is currently quitting smoking, did not look good on their faces.

But the times are the times.

There was nothing I could say about this.

Moreover, since the gurgling smell coming out of Mao Zedong’s mouth was minimal because he smoked, Lee Kang-cheol did not say anything.

We have no choice but to end the meeting quickly.

“And there is more. Do you also agree that the Republic of Korea will officially mediate at the core of the end-of-war negotiations between the Republic of China and the People’s Republic of China? Of course, the final document will include the signature of the United States, but the United States has entrusted these negotiations to the Republic of Korea. That will be confirmed by Special Envoy Patrick Hurley, who is sitting in the background, participating in the working-level negotiations. Do you agree to this too?”

“Yes, I agree.”

“I agree.”

“Thank you. Then, we will discuss the most important border issue first. Currently, fierce battles are taking place, and highlands are being taken from each other several times a day, but not all war situations can be reflected on the border. “It is physically impossible to reflect the current situation, and if we do it that way, there will be no end.”

Of course, the South Korean government knows the current situation on the front line in more detail than the warring parties, but there was no need to say that.

“Then how do you define borders?”

Chiang Kai-shek asked what Lee Kang-cheol said.

“We, the Republic of Korea, will determine a virtual border by considering various circumstances. So, I hope you negotiate while looking at that border line.”

“What are those ‘multiple situations’?”

This time Mao Zedong asked as if he were suspicious.

“The situation of the front line we are securing, and whether it remains a potential source of conflict in the future, etc.”

“How are we supposed to believe that?”

“You both will check with your home countries, but they are probably close to correct.”

“Where on earth do you find such a thing? “The border must be clearly defined, right?”

“No, so on what basis do you want to decide exactly? “That wide front?”

“…”

“…”

“Do you have something to say? So let’s just do what we do. Otherwise, we cannot end this war.”

“If I can’t finish it, can’t I just continue?”

“You think so? Chairman Mao?”

“yes?”

“Are you saying we’ll go all the way to the end? By turning our country into an enemy?”

“…”

Mao realized that he had crossed a line.