Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 313



Only Krnovel

#313. Why are those Chinese guys acting up in our seas!

October 23, 1962.

Although November 5th is the official election campaign period as it is the presidential election day, South Korea was peaceful.

This is because Song Jin-woo ran for the Liberty Korea Party and Jo Bong-am ran for the Progressive Party, but it was obvious that Lee Kang-cheol would be elected.

But an election is an election, so Lee Kang-cheol pretended to show his face here and there during the day, and by the evening he was very tired.

“Eugyagya! Aham!”

“Are you very tired?”

Seok-man Ko, who was drinking tea across the table, asked.

“Yeah. I’m not the same as I used to be. I’m tired because I showed up in a few places during the day.”

“Hahaha! Brother, aren’t you tired of campaigning with your personality?”

“Ugh! Shit, but this is the last time.”

“So, try harder.”

“From now on, it’s your job. Don’t get too excited.”

“Me? Hey, I told you I wouldn’t do it, right?”

“… … .”

Under the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, the President can serve up to three five-year terms.

In other words, this is Lee Kang-cheol’s last term.

Even if that wasn’t the case, it was still difficult because of my age.

So, I’ve been telling Seok-man Ko that it’s his turn next, but he keeps refusing.

He said that he was a staff officer and that he was five years older than Lee Kang-cheol, so he thought he was too old to wear the mask.

“Stop talking nonsense. Just do it once. I won’t ask you to do it again.”

“Why do you do that to someone who doesn’t like you?”

“Use it!”

“No, hyung! Didn’t you say that Jin-taek would represent the next generation?”

“Okay, you do it just this once. Then let Hong Jin-taek do it next time.”

“Why on earth?”

“It’s true that Jin-taek has decided to take charge of the next generation, but the timing is ambiguous for him to take over right after me. If Jin-taek becomes president in five years, it’s obvious that many of the senior officials from the expedition team who are older than him will try to retire. How are you going to handle that?”

“… … .”

This was true.

Even without that, most of the high-ranking officials from the current expedition team were in their sixties, and some were approaching their seventies.

So there were many officials who were eagerly waiting for an opportunity to resign, but the problem was that there were still no suitable candidates to replace them.

Of course, they each claimed that there was a suitable successor, just as Kim Kyu-sik had raised Vice Minister Park Jae-seung, but it was true that they were inferior to those who had already built up considerable experience in modern times.

But what if the young Hong Jin-taek becomes president?

It was obvious that they would resign en masse, saying that new wine requires new wineskins.

The military was particularly problematic, as its key commanders were all seniors of Hong Jin-taek, who were from the same military, so it must have been quite awkward.

But this was only the reason that Lee Kang-cheol put forth on the surface, and in fact, he had another reason.

Although Goh Seok-man is the undisputed second most powerful person in the Republic of Korea, there is a world of difference between being the president and not being the president.

It would not be remembered much in history.

Ko Seok-man is the person Lee Kang-cheol relied on the most, and also contributed greatly to creating the Republic of Korea as it is today.

So, Lee Kang-cheol wanted, at least once, for Ko Seok-man to become his next president.

Of course, other than the reasons I explained above, I also thought he was the most suitable person.

“So you do it. Just once, once. I won’t ask you to do it twice.”

“Hey, I was going to go to bed early… … .”

“You little punk! Get some rest later!”

“… … .”

The presidential election has passed.

As expected, it was Lee Kang-cheol’s landslide victory.

December 20, 1962.

Several people were gathered at the Blue House residence and enjoying dinner.

Of course, there was Lee Kang-cheol, Prime Minister Koh Seok-man, and former Prime Ministers Kim Ho-jin, Kim Kyu-sik, and Cho Tae-hyun.

The reason they gathered was to reconcile with Kim Kyu-sik, who was finally stepping down before January 1, 1963, when Lee Kang-cheol’s third term officially began.

“Thank you for your hard work, teacher.”

“Hahaha! You say all sorts of things.”

“Hehehe! Mr. Kim, you’ve been waiting for a long time. Now, take it easy like me.”

“Hahaha! I’ll see you often in the future.”

Kim Kyu-sik smiled and said he was very happy to be stepping down.

Kim Kyu-sik was born in 1881 and is now in his eighties.

He was so noisy that he was almost in a general ward, but he was surprisingly healthy, as if trying to prove that he was in his eighties.

However, as I passed the age of eighty, my energy level declined and I became weaker, so I was not the same as before.

So, in the end, it was decided that I would step down this time.

“Don’t be too fond of me. I’m going to appoint you as the President’s foreign policy and security advisor.”

Here, Lee Kang-cheol steps forward and strikes.

“Hahaha! Isn’t that an honorary position?”

“Who said that?”

“……yes?”

“That’s the position of advisor. At first glance, it seems like an honorary position, but according to the law, the president can call them in and order them to do whatever he wants. Didn’t you know that?”

“Ah, no, why are you doing this? I’m trying to rest now.”

“ha ha ha!”

“ha ha ha!”

When Kim Kyu-sik protested in embarrassment, laughter erupted.

But Lee Kang-cheol’s words were half a joke and half true.

His successor, Vice Minister Park Jae-seung, was scheduled to become Minister of Foreign Affairs on January 1, but he had no idea of ​​the fame and ability of Kim Kyu-sik, who had served as the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs around the world since the founding of the Republic of Korea.

That is why he was shackled as a foreign affairs and security advisor upon his retirement, and his intention was to call him in and use him often, although not as often as when he was deputy prime minister.

“If you keep calling me, I’ll run away to a foreign country?”

“Hoo hoo hoo! Wherever you go, an agent with communication equipment will follow you.”

“this!”

“ha ha ha!”

“ha ha ha!”

The dinner continued late into the night in a relatively friendly atmosphere.

As the time to wave approached, Lee Kang-cheol got up from his seat.

Then, as if they had made a promise, the other attendees also stood up.

“No, why?”

“Professor Woosa! Thank you for your hard work over the years. I, President Lee Kang-chul of the Republic of Korea, would like to express my gratitude to you for your dedication on behalf of the people of the Republic of Korea.”

As Lee Kang-cheol spoke, bowing his waist almost 90 degrees in a respectful manner, the other attendees followed suit, bowing their heads in a similar manner.

“Thank you, teacher!”

“It will be difficult to see a patriot like you again.”

“thank you!”

“… … .”

Kim Kyu-sik’s eyes became bloodshot and wet.

Lee Kang-cheol and the people gathered here are all powerful figures who can control the superpower South Korea.

Those people bow their heads to him and say thank you.

Who on earth could possibly receive such courtesy from them?

“Oh, thank you. Hard work? Thanks to you all, I have had truly happy years.”

“… … .”

“I was a member of the provisional government for several decades. Looking back now, it was a truly hopeless and harsh time. Since my time in Paris, I have been running around with my feet swollen, protesting against the atrocities of the Japanese and calling for our country’s independence, but I was often thrown to the ground by the guards.”

“… … .”

“But after the founding of the country? Hehe, I couldn’t have been more excited! Ministers from many powerful countries who had looked down on me were lining up to see me. I was really happy working.”

Kim Kyu-sik stood up and bowed his head.

“It is all thanks to your expedition team. I would also like to thank you on behalf of our Korean people.”

Woo Sa Kim Kyu-sik.

He was born as the son of Kim Ji-seong (金智性), a magistrate of Dongrae, but his father was exiled after submitting a petition protesting the Min regime’s policy of relying on foreign powers, and he had a very difficult childhood.

Fortunately, with the help of Pastor Horace Grant Underwood, he survived and went to study abroad in the United States, where he earned a master’s degree from Princeton University with his genius-like brilliance.

Princeton University, which valued his talent, offered him a full scholarship to study for a doctorate, but he declined, saying it was for the sake of his country’s independence, and returned to his home country.

His life of patriotism and independence movement, which began like that, was truly a path filled with thorns.

After China, he went to Paris and suffered all kinds of humiliation, but he continued to call for independence for his country. After that, he devoted himself to the independence movement, using his almost god-level language skills as a stepping stone to travel to the United States, all over China, and even the Soviet Union.

Also, around the time of the liberation that he had so desperately hoped for, he had become a big shot, counted as one of the three right-wing leaders along with Syngman Rhee and Kim Gu, but it is known that he was kidnapped by the People’s Army just before the September 28th Restoration during the Korean War and died a miserable death in Chagang Province in December of that year.

However, for the sole reason that such a great person was kidnapped, he was treated coldly by the Syngman Rhee government as well as subsequent governments, and he virtually disappeared from our history.

It was an extremely heartbreaking event, as he was only awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation in 1989 after the dictatorship ended.

But this time, history took a completely different path in life.

He was the only one of two people, along with Kim Gu, who knew the identity of the expeditionary force. Based on his genius linguistic skills and the connections he had built up over several decades, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. For nearly 20 years, he traveled all over the world, devoting himself to the Republic of Korea.

And today, I retire with the utmost respect.

* * *

The new year of 1963 has arrived.

However, from the beginning of the new year, bad signs began to appear in Asia.

January 9, 1963.

Basco, an island located midway between the Philippines and Taiwan.

In the sea north of Vasco Island, Filipino fishermen were busy fishing.

however.

“Huh? What is that?”

Fisherman Juan pointed to a boat far to the north as he was clearing his nets and asked his colleague Manuel:

“what?”

“That ship. It’s coming towards us?”

“Huh? Really? What is it?”

“It looks quite large. I don’t think it’s a fishing boat.”

“if?”

“no way?”

And that prediction turned out to be true.

The ship that approached them about 20 minutes later was a Republic of China Coast Guard vessel.

“We are the Coast Guard of the Republic of China! You are now invading our waters and engaging in illegal fishing! Stop immediately and be inspected!”

Out of the blue.

What the heck is this?

This is the sea north of Vasco Island, and it is clearly Philippine waters?

Angry Filipino fishermen shouted.

“What the hell are you talking about! This is our Philippine sea!”

“That’s right! Why did you come to our sea!”

“Get out! I said go!”

But resistance was futile.

Swaaaaaaah!

Water cannons immediately poured down, destroying small fishing boats and swept away fishermen.

“Ugh, ugh!”

“Those guys!”

“Call our guards! Quickly!”

“You damn kids! Just wait and see!”

After nearly an hour of desperate resistance and fighting.

A Philippine Coast Guard vessel arrived after receiving a rescue radio message from a Philippine fishing boat.

“It’s our ship!”

“Save me!”

The Philippine Coast Guard has been insignificant throughout history, but this history is different.

Because President Ramon Magsaysay survived and reformed the Philippines, the Philippines became a fairly prosperous country, and the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard, although not to the extent of the Republic of China, possessed considerable power.

The Philippine Coast Guard was furious after witnessing the suffering of its own fishermen.

“What the hell, those bastards! Why are those Chinese guys acting up in our seas! Stop them!”

Soon, an enraged Philippine Coast Guard vessel blocked the ROC Coast Guard vessel almost causing a clash, this time with water cannons aimed at the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

Unfortunately, the Philippine Coast Guard ships were smaller than the Republic of China Coast Guard ships, and they continued to be pushed back.

“These little bastards! They’re making our stomachs bigger!”

“All right.”

The collision left one Filipino fisherman missing and several others injured.

The Philippines is starting to boil.