Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 367



Only Krnovel

#367. Thank you guys so much.

November 14, 1966.

The Blue House.

“Master Simsan has passed away.”

“ha…….”

Lee Kang-cheol sighed involuntarily when he heard Go Seok-man say that Simsan Kim Chang-suk had passed away.

He was the most prominent independence activist who supported and sponsored the expeditionary force.

However, he could not overcome his old age and eventually passed away.

“I don’t know why everyone is in such a hurry.”

“Still, he returned happy. He was also very grateful to his brother.”

“What did I do for you… … .”

“For an old man of this era, you’ve lived a long life. You’ve lived four years longer than the original record. Don’t be too heartbroken.”

“Okay. What about the funeral?”

“There were some opinions in the Confucian community that they wanted to hold it as a Confucian funeral, but the trend is to hold it as a social funeral.”

“Is he just an adult in Yurim? Make him the head of society. Let the government take charge of it.”

“All right.”

November 19th.

Amid the mourning of the entire nation of the Republic of Korea, Simsan Kim Chang-suk was laid to rest in a sunny spot on the hill behind Sungkyunkwan University, which he had founded and nurtured.

“Thank you for coming here in person, Mr. President.”

Mongyang Yeo Woon-hyung, who is currently the Speaker of the Senate, approached Lee Kang-cheol and thanked him.

“You have a lot to say, Mr. Chairman. Of course I should attend.”

“Haha! Lord Simsan has always been grateful. He said that you made our country so wealthy.”

“Did I do that alone? It was an achievement made by the entire nation working together on the foundation laid by people like Mr. Simsan and Mr. Mongyang.”

“But the people all know. It is all thanks to the President and the people of Kanggye that our country has become such a superpower.”

“You are too kind. Anyway, Mr. Mongyang, are you in good health?”

“Well, I was born with strong bones. Hehehe!”

“But you still have to be careful. Both Baekbeom and Simsan have passed away. I hope even Mongyang lives a long and healthy life.”

“Oh my! Don’t say that. I’m also thinking about retiring soon.”

“No, what are you talking about?”

“I am over eighty years old. Although being the President of the Senate is not a particularly busy position, I am still feeling a bit overwhelmed. Next year, I plan to hand over the position to someone else and take a break.”

“Huh! Well then, there’s nothing we can do. Have you thought about a successor?”

“I think Baeksan would be suitable. What do you think?”

“I think Mr. Baeksan would do well.”

Lee Kang-cheol thought that Baek San Ahn Jae-hong would be a worthy candidate for the chairman of the Senate.

He was also born in 1891, making him four years younger than Mongyang, so he would not have any problems living for the next five years.

Above all, among the people who survived at that age, there were almost no people with the same level of fame as Baek San.

Below him, Kim Hong-il, Kim Won-bong, Lee Jae-yu, and Lee Gwan-sul were in charge.

“Haha! Then that’s enough. Since we’re forcing Baek-san to sit down when he doesn’t want to, it probably won’t last long.”

“The next generation survived quite well, didn’t they?”

“Well, Hong Il-na and Won Bong-i are all healthy.”

“Then there’s no need to worry.”

“By the way, I’m worried about Brother Usagi.”

“… … .”

The person who is currently darkening Lee Kang-cheol’s mind the most is Woo Sa Kim Gyu-sik.

He was fine until the war this year, but after Baekbeom passed away, his health deteriorated rapidly and he was bedridden more often.

Even if other people didn’t know, Woo Sa and the expedition team, including Lee Kang-cheol, were like family to each other.

He was the only person from the provisional government who had been a comrade for over 20 years since he took over as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the founding of the country.

In short, Kim Kyu-sik was a comrade and friend to the leadership of the expedition team, both soldiers and civilians, and was like a big brother and teacher to them.

Accordingly, since his level of closeness with other major independence activists was different, all members of the expedition team were worried about Kim Kyu-sik’s health.

“The best doctors are taking care of you. We will do our best to help you live a long life.”

“please.”

“You know what he means to us Ganggye people?”

“Hahaha! That’s why there’s no one in our Senate who doesn’t envy Brother Woosa. Of all the people who did great things in the provisional government, he’s the only one who did a pivotal job in the new government.”

“He is a great person.”

“Haha!”

Mongyang was really jealous of Kim Kyu-sik.

Thanks to the government’s consideration, many independence activists served as senators, and those who were relatively young, such as Kim Won-bong, were elected as members of the House of Representatives and served the country.

However, in the current South Korean system, it is true that members of the National Assembly, whether the Senate or the House of Representatives, have less presence than the executive branch.

No, for them, it was difficult just to keep up with and endorse the work of the administration armed with future knowledge and technology, but Kim Kyu-sik was so active that he could feel the world was small while standing shoulder to shoulder with them, so they could only envy him.

On the way back to the Blue House after the funeral.

Lee Kang-cheol asked Lee Seon-yeong.

“honey.”

“Huh? Why?”

“What do you think, Professor Usagi? Tell me as a doctor.”

“Ha, I think I need to prepare myself mentally first.”

“What are you talking about? Mentally prepared?”

Lee Kang-cheol was so surprised that he asked back loudly.

“I’m not feeling very well.”

“But wasn’t Mr. Baekbeom in good health before he passed away?”

“You have to consider his age. He is already eighty-six.”

“But he’s in his mid-80s, right?”

“You lived in a different time than us, didn’t you? Even though you’ve been taking good care of your health since we came here. And unlike Mr. Baekbeom, you were originally weak.”

“… … .”

As Lee Seon-yeong said, Kim Kyu-sik was a man known for being weak-willed.

There was an anecdote that the US military government originally nicknamed him ‘sickly’, and when a reporter asked him where he was sick, he asked them to ask him where he was not sick instead.

“I guess you’ve been working hard so far, so it seems like you’ve held on, but honestly, I think you need to be prepared.”

“Damn it! Is there no way?”

“Even in the 21st century, there would have been no way.”

“… … .”

From that day on, Lee Kang-cheol visited Kim Kyu-sik, who was bedridden, until the threshold wore down.

Since he didn’t have much time left, I wanted to be with him for one more day.

“Teacher, I am here.”

“Oh my! Stop coming!”

“Hey, why are you like that? Even though you feel good inside?”

“Heh heh heh!”

Kim Kyu-sik also liked Lee Kang-cheol’s visit, even though he said something with his mouth.

They enjoyed talking about old times together.

But December 1st.

Suddenly, I received a call from Lee Seon-yeong.

-honey.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

―Professor Usagi… … .

“… … .”

-hello?

“Okay. I’ll be right there.”

-yes.

Seok-man Ko and Tae-hyeon Jo, who were there, asked Kang-cheol Lee after seeing his serious expression.

“What’s going on?”

“It looks like Mr. Usagi is about to leave.”

“yes?”

“I’m leaving for the hospital right away.”

“Let’s go together.”

“I’m going too.”

Armed Forces Integrated Hospital.

When Lee Kang-cheol, Ko Seok-man, and Jo Tae-hyeon rushed to the hospital room, Kim Kyu-sik’s second son, Kim Jin-dong, came out to greet them.

He was practically the eldest son since his eldest son died young, and he followed Kim Kyu-sik in the independence movement.

“Mr. President.”

“What about the teacher?”

“He is inside with the First Lady.”

As Lee Kang-cheol hurried into the hospital room, Lee Seon-yeong was holding Kim Kyu-sik’s hand.

“honey.”

“teacher!”

“Heh heh! Why are you here again?”

“teacher…….”

There was nothing like Baekbeom’s Hoegwangbanjo.

Kim Kyu-sik, who is having difficulty breathing and has an oxygen tube attached to his nose, is smiling weakly and asking why he came again.

And at that sight, Lee Kang-cheol finally burst into tears.

“Khuuuuk! Teacher!”

“Don’t cry. Why is this old man crying so much?”

“Khuuuuk!”

“Ugh!”

Ko Seok-man and Jo Tae-hyun also burst into tears at Kim Kyu-sik’s words.

There was no one here who was not close to Kim Kyu-sik.

Because we’ve all spent more time together than family for over 20 years.

Meanwhile, ministers from each ministry arrived at the hospital one after another after hearing the news, and from the military, figures from Yongsan, including Minister of National Defense Nam Byung-woo, Kim Jong-woo, and Jeong Seon-ho, also came over one after another.

This is where all the factors that lead the Republic of Korea come together.

“Thank you all, I am grateful. I was especially happy that the President came to visit me in the morning and evening and played with me these past few days. Hehehe!”

“teacher…….”

“You all must be busy with state affairs, so please go back now.”

“No, sir.”

Boom boom boom!

Suddenly the hospital room door opened wide.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jae-seung, who had been to Japan, heard the news and rushed over.

My eyes were swollen from crying so much.

Park Jae-seung was Lee Kang-cheol and ran straight to Kim Kyu-sik, even though he was invisible to his eyes.

“Teacher! Kheuk!”

“Hey, why did you come here when you were supposed to be in Japan?”

“Don’t say that, sir.”

“Haha! Yes, but it’s still nice to see you. Stop crying. Isn’t this the life you’ve truly lived and passed away after being born a great man?”

“Eww!”

Kim Kyu-sik touched the head of Park Jae-seung, who was sobbing, with trembling hands.

They were teacher and student.

Having been together for over 20 years, their love was no less than that between father and son.

“Jaeseung-ah.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You’ve worked hard to take care of me. I know how annoying my personality is. Hehehe!”

“No, sir!”

“Yes, you should always approach your work with a cool-headed attitude. When you go out, you are the Republic of Korea. You know that?”

“I always keep that in mind.”

“Yes, I was really happy when I traveled the world with you. Thank you, Jaeseung.”

“Hehehe!”

“Mr. President, Prime Minister Goh and everyone else. Thank you very much. Hehehe!”

“teacher!”

“Honey, you’ve had a really hard time with a bad husband.”

“Sob! Honey!”

Kim Kyu-sik’s wife, Kim Sun-ae, cried sadly while holding her husband’s hand.

As he said, she was truly a woman who had suffered a lot.

Kim Kyu-sik’s first wife passed away at an early age, but he met her through the introduction of Kim Pil-sun, who was active as a doctor for the independence army, and they got married in Nanjing in 1918.

He was also close to Kim Kyu-sik’s late first wife, Jo Eun-soo, as they were classmates at Jeongsin Girls’ High School. Before she died, Jo Eun-soo is said to have believed in Kim Sun-ae’s character and told Kim Kyu-sik to marry her for the sake of their children’s future.

Anyway, Kim Soon-ae, who had such a great husband, had a strong sense of national identity from the beginning, so she did not just support her husband, but also worked hard as a proud independence activist herself, and together with Maria Kim, she became one of the most prominent female independence activists in the history of the Republic of Korea.

But now, as I was sending off that great husband, I was just sad as the wife of a husband.

“Jindong, you too have suffered a lot following in the footsteps of your father. You were truly disqualified as a father, weren’t you?”

“Kuuuuk! No, Father.”

“Haha! Okay, thanks.”

4:30 p.m., December 1, 1966.

Woo Sa Kim Kyu-sik passed away.