Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 210



Only Krnovel

#Episode 210 The only thing to trust is blood

January 15, 1953.

Fuzhou City, the capital of Fujian Province, Republic of China.

It is a city with a long history, built by the Han Dynasty in 202 BC, and the Republic of China made Fuzhou its capital after the end of the war with the People’s Republic of China.

This is because not only Shanghai but also Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, were too close to the border with the People’s Republic of China to be considered the capital.

The official residence of the President of the Republic of China.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes, father.”

Chiang Kai-shek was talking to a middle-aged man wearing glasses, who was Chiang Kai-shek’s eldest son, Jiang Jingguo (蔣經國).

Zhang Jingguo was born in 1910 and was already in his early 40s.

He studied abroad in the Soviet Union and became a member of the Communist Party. At that time, he met Deng Xiaoping and they became close friends.

Then, in 1927, Chiang Kai-shek staged a military coup against the left wing of the Chinese National Party and the Chinese Communist Party, which in history was called the 4.12 Shanghai Coup.

In any case, due to this incident, Chiang Ching-kuo even disowned his father by openly defining him as an enemy of China in Pravda, the Communist Party’s organ, but later restored his relationship with Chiang Kai-shek upon returning to Korea.

From then on, he helped his father work, and this time he returned after being included in a delegation celebrating the inauguration of President Lee Kang-cheol of the Republic of Korea.

“Okay, what did you think when you saw it with your own eyes? “The country called Korea.”

“My mouth was so open that I couldn’t close it. How on earth was it possible for a country that was a colony of Japan just 10 years ago to develop so much? “I couldn’t believe it was the same Asian country.”

“I saw it well. Korea has developed to the point where it can no longer be considered an Asian country. That’s why I included you in the inauguration congratulatory delegation. It meant go and see and learn.”

“I was really jealous. High-rise buildings lined up on well-maintained roads. Moreover, even though Seoul is the capital, even ordinary people live affluent lives.”

“Did you just see that? “Maybe what you see isn’t everything?”

“That’s right, father. Society as a whole was extremely well-organized. They say children have to receive compulsory education, but it’s all free. That means it’s free. “They said that if you really have the will, you can even go to college without money.”

“Hoo?”

“It’s not just that. “There is a medical insurance system, so any citizen of the Republic of Korea can receive treatment at a low price or for free.”

“Is there such a system?”

“Yes, it is. Even in the United States, President Truman said he was trying to introduce the health insurance system to the United States.”

“It’s amazing.”

“This is why there was no one in the Republic of Korea who did not praise President Lee Kang-cheol.”

“… … .”

“In addition, workers’ rights were protected very well. If an employer treats an employee poorly or steals money from him or her, he or she will be punished harshly. Ha, do you know what I was thinking?”

“What were you thinking?”

“For a time, I thought that the communist utopia that I was passionate about was the Republic of Korea.”

“Hmm! “Don’t say things like that outside.”

“Of course, right? “Am I stupid?”

Chiang Ching-kuo was a person who had a history of openly swearing at his father while studying in the Soviet Union.

Although he declared that he would abandon communism upon returning home, it was not good for others to hear this.

“Furthermore, the relationship between those in South Korea and Mao Zedong’s Communist Party is suspicious, but they are not communist. No, it’s not that they aren’t, they are allies of the United States and openly reject communism. “It can never be seen as communism.”

“I know. “As a result, that’s what it means.”

“Anyway, that’s it. The Republic of Korea has now become a superpower to the extent that we cannot dare to do anything about it. So much so that even I and Mao Zedong have to pay attention. So, should we continue to watch out for them in the future? To those who only paid tribute to us just a few decades ago?”

“That is absolutely not the case. We are the Chinese nation, the center of the world. That won’t happen.”

“Yes, that’s right! “If the people who paid tribute to us can do it, we can do it too.”

“you’re right! We can do it too. No, we can do better. Although our territory has been reduced to three provinces, our Republic of China still has a population of over 100 million people and our territory is not small.”

“Then what should we do? “If we want to surpass the Republic of Korea.”

“hmm… … .”

Zhang Jingguo seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment in response to his father’s question, but then opened his mouth again.

“First of all, like my father said, we need to clean up our insides. In particular, the biggest reason why we had no choice but to be pushed out by the communists! Corruption must be eradicated.”

“Is that right? right! Corruption is our greatest enemy. This means that we lost because it rotted from the inside. That’s why I will not forgive those who commit corruption in the future, even if they are my family. Even if it’s you.”

“Don’t worry, father. “That will never happen.”

“Yes, we must not forget to always lead by example. And what else should I do?”

“You have to learn about Korea. “Isn’t that why you sent me?”

“ha ha ha! This father is very happy that you understand my will. Yes, it is something that must be overthrown someday, but even enemies must learn what needs to be learned. If they implemented it and found it effective, we should also implement it and implement it. “If you can’t be first, you have to at least imitate.”

“That’s right, father. So, I think we should send our young people to Korea to learn. “As many young people as possible.”

“Yes, if that’s the case, I will actively support you.”

“It’s 10 years, 10 years! Within 10 years, we will have to be on par with the Republic of Korea, and after that, we will have to surpass them. And we must recover the lost northern territory.”

“Great! my son! ha ha ha! After all, the only thing you can trust is blood.”

The winds of change began to blow strongly in the Republic of China.

* * *

January 16, 1953.

Gimpo International Airport.

It’s usually a crowded airport, but today there were a lot of people flocking to it.

“Whew! I said I would go really quietly… … .”

“Hehehe! “What do you do with those who flock to you voluntarily?”

“What if it continues like this in the future? Now, I will often go on overseas trips, right?”

Today is the day Lee Kang-cheol goes to the United States to attend President Truman’s inauguration ceremony.

However, upon hearing the news, tens of thousands of people came to the airport to bid farewell, so much so that the airport almost came to a standstill.

And Lee Kang-cheol hated this situation very much.

Doesn’t it seem like an event that took place during the military dictatorship in the 80s?

That’s why he was getting fed up, but Kim Gyu-sik, who was accompanying Lee Kang-cheol, soothed him.

“haha! “If you go out more often, things like this will gradually disappear.”

“… … .”

While receiving a grand farewell that they did not want, Lee Kang-cheol and Kim Gyu-sik boarded the plane, Code One Air Force 1, K303, the presidential plane, and soon took off.

“oh! “It’s finally worth going now.”

“ha ha ha! “I said the same thing at first.”

Now there is no need to struggle when going to the United States.

This is because jet airliners capable of crossing the Pacific began to operate last year.

And the first person to receive the plane was not Lee Kang-cheol, but Kim Gyu-sik.

Due to the nature of his work, he had to travel overseas all the time, so a government plane was arranged first, and from then on, Kim Gyu-sik was able to travel comfortably on business trips.

The presidential plane carrying Lee Kang-cheol arrived at LA Airport after a 13-hour flight, which was not much different from Hyundai.

Compared to the few days I had to endure after first taking the C-27J Spartan transport plane and then switching to the B-29, the mulberry tree fields had literally turned into a blue sea.

In LA, he stayed overnight and hosted a banquet for Korean residents to comfort them from the joys and sorrows of living in a foreign country.

Among Koreans living abroad in Korea, most of them who lived in Asia, including Japan and China, immigrated to Korea, but many of them still lived in the United States.

Due to the lack of domestic population, Koreans living in Japan and China were actively encouraged to immigrate, and a lot of support was also provided.

In addition, as the development of the mother country became known day by day, overseas Koreans did not necessarily try to live while being discriminated against in other countries, and because the situation in Japan and China was a mess, emigration occurred rapidly.

But Koreans in America were different.

Although they suffered discrimination for a long time, they had established themselves in their own way, and it was not easy for them to abandon their hard-earned home and immigrate to the United States, which is still the most powerful country in the world.

So, as only some returned to Korea and most lived in the United States, many Koreans came out and welcomed Lee Kang-cheol.

“Welcome to America!”

“ha ha ha! Thank you. “Are you having any difficulties?”

“Before, I couldn’t even speak, but now, if I say I’m from Korea, I’m almost treated as a semi-white person. So there are no major difficulties.”

“Quasi white… … .”

“Racism is inevitable, Mr. President. “Fortunately, we do not face overt discrimination just because we are from Korea.”

“okay.”

It was absurd to hear that he was a semi-white person, but at this time, racism was still severe in America.

Especially in the southern region, although they were not officially slaves, they were usually no better than servants.

Bullshit like ‘Separate but equal’, a ruling from 1896 at the end of the 19th century, still dominated, and ‘Brown v. Board of Education (347 US 483)’, which broke this, was in 1954 and is still around. There is one year left.

Even then, in rural areas such as Arkansas, black high school students had to be escorted by the 101st Airborne Division mobilized by the president in order to receive education alongside white students.

This is the Little Rock incident of 1957.

Therefore, no matter how prosperous Korean-Americans were treated as ‘quasi-whites’, some degree of racial discrimination was inevitable.

“Damn, semi-white? What kind of honorary white man is this? Not even Japanese ones… … .”

“yes?”

“no. Anyway, if someone is discriminating severely, report it to the LA consulate. We will do our best to protect you. Also, consider moving to your home country. We in Korea live really well. “No less than the United States.”

To be honest, I still thought it was better than the United States in some ways.

“ha ha ha! Thank you so much for your words. But it’s not as easy as you think. Once children grow up here, it is no exaggeration to say that they are Americans at heart. But if I go back to my home country, it won’t be easy to adapt.”

“okay.”

In the end, as in modern times, the children were the problem.

“Anyway, behind you is our Republic of Korea and me. Please don’t forget that.”

“thank you! President!”

Since ancient times, if your family is prosperous, you will feel secure even if life with your in-laws is a little difficult.

Koreans were truly moved.