Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 238



Only Krnovel

#238 Something I Can Never Give Up

The flight time from Rome to Paris is just two hours.

As they got closer to the airport, security agents including Chief of Security Lee Seong-su became more nervous.

“Everyone, brace yourself. Things can really go wrong in Paris.”

“All right.”

“As everyone knows, the President is willing to take some risks. But we cannot tolerate even that minimal risk. Fortunately, Mr. Woo Sa negotiated with France all night yesterday, and our security service’s security area has been expanded and our discretion has been increased. Even without that, our top priority is the President’s safety. Even if it is a bit difficult, I will take responsibility, so if there is even the slightest suspicious part, we will thoroughly search and move on, no matter what the French say.”

“All right!”

“Whew! Shit… … .”

Curses came out of Lee Seong-su’s mouth without his knowledge.

The French are the ones who are second to none in terms of pride on earth.

So, given the current instability in France, we negotiated with the Blue House security service to increase their security area and discretion and to use as much weapons and equipment as possible, but that was extremely difficult.

At that time, there was no such thing as the GSPR (Governmental Bodyguard of the Republic) as there is today in France for presidential protection. Instead, the President was protected by a small number of members of the Special Bodyguard (GSP) established in 1943, and the Elysee Palace, the presidential palace, was protected by the Republican Guard (Garde républicaine) under the French Gendarmerie Nationale, in consultation with the national police.

In some ways, it is extremely sloppy and unsystematic, but in fact, it is not only France that is being criticized for this.

Because in most countries, it was a time when the protection of enemies was done in a rough and tumble manner.

Even the United States Secret Service (USSS), the most powerful country in the world, was so lax in the eyes of Lee Seong-su, who was from the Blue House security service, that he had to frequently exchange information and pass on his security know-how. Needless to say, France, where politics were still in turmoil, was no exception.

In the end, Kim Kyu-sik came forward and negotiated through the night, but when it didn’t work out, he contacted President de Gaulle directly and was barely able to wrest considerable discretionary power from him.

Soon, the private plane arrived at Paris airport.

“Mr. President, please wear this.”

“Damn, do I really have to wear this?”

What Chief of Security Lee Seong-su handed to Lee Kang-cheol was a bulletproof vest.

“But fortunately, there’s a breeze so it won’t be hot.”

“Ugh! Can’t you wear something a little lighter? There are some that are just made of Kevlar.”

“You know very well that at best it can only stop pistol bullets, right? If you don’t want to wear this… … .”

“What if you don’t like it?”

“Just let the plane take off. I like that too.”

“Okay. Just wear it.”

“thank you.”

The bulletproof vest that Lee Seong-su handed over to Lee Kang-cheol was the highest quality bulletproof vest brought from Hyundai, and was made with synthetic polymer plates of the Dyneema series instead of heavy and thick AR500 steel plates or ceramic plates.

Thanks to this, it is NIJ Level Ⅳ rated, which means it can protect against almost all rifle bullets except for large objects such as 12.7mm, but it is incomparably lighter than other bulletproof play.

However, the price was ridiculously expensive, but I was able to get a few sets for VVIP use.

“honey…….”

Lee Seon-yeong called out with a worried expression as she looked at Lee Kang-cheol, who was wearing a thicker bulletproof vest than usual.

“It’s okay! It’s okay! I’m wearing it just in case. Besides, even though it looks like this, it can stop most bullets. Isn’t that right, Chief?”

“Yes, that’s right. Madam, you don’t have to worry.”

“yes…….”

Still, Kang-cheol Lee did a circle as he looked at Seon-yeong Lee who was looking at him with a worried expression.

“How is it? Does it taste too salty?”

“The suit doesn’t look that good.”

“… … .”

I wore a suit jacket that was one size larger than the one I wore when wearing the bulletproof vest, but it was still difficult to cover the legs of the suit while wearing the NIJ Level Ⅳ bulletproof vest.

“Well, I guess I’ve gained some weight. Except for President de Gaulle, no one else would know what my body type is.”

“… … .”

As Lee Kang-cheol and his wife walked down the trap, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs welcomed them.

“It is an honor to meet you!”

“Nice to meet you.”

“Then, the protocol… … .”

“wait a minute.”

“yes?”

Director Lee Seong-su intervened from the side.

It was extremely rude diplomatically, but Lee Seong-su didn’t care.

“Surely you had an agreement with our Deputy Prime Minister yesterday? To omit all the formalities at the airport?”

“Ah, no, but still… … .”

“Mr. President, please go.”

“Yeah, yeah… … .”

Airports are very open and exposed on all sides, making them extremely unsafe places for security reasons.

In the end, we skipped the protocol prepared by France and headed straight to the Elysee Palace.

As Lee Kang-cheol and his party passed through the iron gate that was transparent and entered the courtyard of the palace, President de Gaulle, who had been waiting, smiled brightly and opened his mouth.

“Hahaha! You finally made it!”

“Yes, I finally came. Because it was a promise. Hahaha!”

De Gaulle seemed genuinely pleased with Lee Kang-cheol’s visit.

No, I was really happy.

Even though the situation was chaotic and there must have been strong opposition within South Korea, he visited to keep his promise.

Currently, the relationship between France and South Korea is somewhat ambiguous.

On the surface, the alliance was an alliance as members of the same Allied Powers, but looking inside, it was not so.

Although it was not widely known to the outside world, ordinary French citizens were aware that the country that forced France to withdraw from the Indochina region, including Vietnam, was South Korea.

Because of this, there used to be considerable anti-Korean sentiment, but as time passed, at least among the general public, such sentiments have diluted a lot.

It was due to economic necessity alone.

Even when France was at odds with South Korea in Southeast Asia, South Korea’s status was just so-so.

Although it was rapidly emerging as a leader in Asia, it was still a country far removed from Europe.

But as time went on, that wasn’t the case.

Korean products, which are produced in abundance every day, have swept the entire world, and France is no exception.

And as it swept up money from all over the world, South Korea’s economic status rose to unprecedented heights, and at some point it emerged as the second largest economic power after the United States, to the point that even France had no choice but to cooperate properly in order to revive its post-war economy.

In short, the country that could have caused a dent in the French economy if it had been chosen wrongly was South Korea.

So, we had to forget about the grumbling we had in the distant Southeast Asia in the past.

Anyway, looking back, it seems that the world has come to a point where if we continue to manage our colonies like we used to, we won’t even be treated as a properly civilized country.

Of course, some far-right soldiers thought differently.

In any case, it was a time when French citizens’ expectations for South Korea were at their highest.

In this situation, no matter how chaotic the domestic situation was, if the first president of the Republic of Korea had skipped France during his European tour, it would have dealt a significant blow to President de Gaulle’s position.

For those who still have the idea that France is the leader of Europe, the very idea of ​​a “European tour” without France makes no sense.

“Thank you very much, President!”

“You are being very generous. I understand that President de Gaulle is in a lot of trouble these days.”

“Yes, honestly, I am a little tired. There are still some impure people who do not know that the world has changed and who seek the glory of France in colonial management.”

“That’s why you must always be careful. If anything happens to the President, France will fall into extreme chaos.”

“Hahaha! Don’t worry. I survived two world wars.”

“Still, you have to be careful.”

“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”

After a brief chat, the two leaders immediately entered into an expanded summit attended by ministers from both countries.

As expected, the main agenda was to strengthen trade cooperation between the two countries. France needed South Korea’s enormous capital and advanced technology, while South Korea, although it had withdrawn from colonial management, still coveted the French market, which allowed it to exert considerable influence throughout the world.

Of course, mainland France itself was also a huge market.

Now that France had completely withdrawn from Asia, there were no obstacles between the two countries, so the talks seemed to proceed smoothly.

Until this issue arose.

“South Korea’s cultural assets should naturally be in South Korea!”

“Regardless of the circumstances, once it has come into our French hands, it is our French cultural property! And since trade is the agenda, why are you bringing out the cultural property?”

“Are you leaving the police station? You are asking for the return of what you plundered in 1866! What are you? Are you robbers? Are you pirates?”

“What? Robbers? Pirates? You guys are done talking? Why is that called plunder? It’s clearly loot! You guys have made some money lately, haven’t you?”

“Did you just make money? You also made land!”

“Arai!”

“… … .”

As the issue of returning South Korean cultural assets to France was raised, the once amicable atmosphere quickly became chaotic.

In particular, Jeon Hyeong-pil, the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, who accompanied the group on this trip to retrieve cultural assets that had been smuggled to Europe, scolded them with venom streaming from his eyes.

“How can France, a so-called cultural powerhouse, do this? Invading a peaceful country and plundering cultural assets as spoils of war! And yet you call yourself a cultured people!”

Gansong devoted his entire life to preserving the cultural heritage of Korea, even sacrificing his private wealth.

For that reason, the return of cultural assets was something he could never compromise on.

Eventually, the meeting was suspended, and only Lee Kang-cheol and de Gaulle sat down again.

“This is really difficult. It is difficult for even I, as the President, to touch cultural assets.”

“I agree with you. This is something that we, the Republic of Korea, can never compromise on.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

There was no way that two people could come up with a solution when they faced each other.

Eventually, the meeting was called off and they decided to talk again the next day.

And the next morning.

“President, I’m talking about returning the cultural property.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“I found out that there are two types of cultural properties of your country in France. One is the one that was brought in as spoils of war in 1866, as your country claims… … .”

“It’s plunder! Pillage!”

“Ugh! Anyway, there were two types of cultural properties: one was the cultural properties that our Admiral Rose brought back at that time, and the other was the cultural properties that our French people legally purchased from your country after 1886, when we signed the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with your country.”

“… … .”

It was true.

There are approximately 2,800 Korean cultural assets in France.

Among them, there were cultural assets that were plundered during the Byeonginyangyo, such as the Uigwe of Oegyujanggak, while there were also cultural assets that were purchased and taken over by diplomatic missions to Korea, such as the Jikji Simche Yojeol, the world’s oldest metal type book.

“So?”

Lee Kang-cheol’s eyes became fierce.