Kapitel 183: Chapter 183: I’ll Go to the Hotel First
Im Dong-ok was a typical hardlner when it came to relations with the South.
He probably didn't care for the current thawing relations between the North and South, but his fuming attitude, showing no courtesy at all, only fueled his frown.
That explained why he chose not to respond softly.
"Repeat yourself! What the hell are you talking about?"
Im Dong-ok's voice burst throuh the serene music flowing in the banquet hall.
The commotion caused others to turn their heads toward our table.
"You know what? The Seoul you're so proud of could be turned to ashes in the blink of an eye if I wanted it to."
But Im Dong-ok continued his stron rhetoric, seemingly unfazed by the gazes of others.
"Just because you have some money doesn't mean you can disregard our Republic! Do you understand?"
At that moment, someone rushed over from the VIP table where Kim Yong-nam and Kim Hak-gwon were seated.
"Im Dong-ok, why are you causin a scene on such a fine day? Lower your voice!"
Im Dong-ok looked up at the ma approaching him.
"Listen here, comrade. This punk is saying that Pyongyang is like Seoul twenty years ago! Isn't it reasonable for me to be furious?"
Punk?
His face stiffening in icy anger, the man seemed flustered as he spoke to Im Dong-ok again.
"Do you even realize how much care the General Secretary has put into this South-North meeting? Please choose your words more carefully."
Even mentioning the General Secretary as a caution, but this only made Im Dong-ok amplify his statemets.
"I opposed this meeting from the start. No, most of the military opposed it. The General Secretary has only been able to push this through thanks to his strong will."
While not everyone was welcoming regarding inter-Korean talks, this wasn't the right time to express such sentiments.
The man, feeling futile, was at a loss.
"You can't reason with these Southern bastards. They take us lightly, thinking they can speak so openly in Pyongyang. Am I wrong, comrade?"
He's becoming more amusing.
Just as a chilling smile threatened to break out on my lips.
"Boss Kim."
At the quiet call, I turned my head to see Pyong Min-guk, newly appointed as Chief Secretary following a poor showing in the elections.
"…What's the matter?"
Pyong Min-guk was checking Im Dong-ok's expression. That as irritating.
"Didn't you hear?"
My sharp reaction caught Pyong Min-guk off guard, leaving him looking dazed.
"That person asked a question, and I only told the truth. But punk? Did I come all the way to Pyongyang just to hear that kind of garbage?"
"…"
Without saying a word, Pyong Min-guk looked back. I too glanced over at Kim Hak-gwon. He looked awkward, seeking understanding from Kim Yong-nam beside him.
It was a scene that made me want to laugh.
Raising my voice for all in the banquet hall to hear.
"Does a 'great Republic' treat guests like this, I wonder? You can tell a lot from a single instance; it shows what kind of country this is."
With that mood, I couldn't enjoy the banquet any longer. I rose from my seat.
"Boss Kim."
Pyong Min-guk spoke agitatedly from beside me, but I ignored him, focusing on the reddening face of Im Dong-ok.
"Was it Im Dong-ok?"
"What?"
"If you can't stand the warming relations between North and South, don't take it out on me. Go say that to the highest leader of the Republic instead. Don't pick on an easy target for your sense of superiority. "
"What?"
Im Dong-ok sprang to his feet,knocking over his chair.
Of course, there were people in South Korea who opposed inter-Korean talks. Protests were occurring daily, and many politicians opposed it, especially those from the Conservative Party.
If South Korea felt that way, one could only imagine how North Korea reacted.
Kim Jong-il was likely trying to use the talks as a breakthrough for pressing food issues.
Yet here was Im Dong-ok, refusing to challege Kim Jong-il while taking it out on South Korean businessmen at a party hosted by Kim Yong-nam.
In short, it was a pathetic and ridiculous attempt to fill his meager sense of pride.
"Was I wrong? Then why don't you say right now, in front of the Chairman, what you just said?"
"…"
With a crimson face and trembling body, Im Dong-ok couldn't reply.
It was ridiculous how someone without guts was acting out like this.
"I can't believe someone like you is directing the United Front Department that's in charge of operations against the South. How can someone so foolish be in charge? You've misjudged your opponent. I don't care about anyone's eyes."
Finishing my words, I pulled on my coat without lingering.
"To the President of South Korea or the Chairman of the North, it doesn't matter. So fill your insignificant pride from your subordinates. I'm leaving now."
I bowed my head toward the table where President Kim Hak-gwon sat.
"Mr. President, I'll go to the hotel first. I apologize."
Even if I didn't care for Kim Hak-gwon, I didn't want to disrupt his lifelong desire for inter-Korean talks.
I intended to stop here before Im Dong-ok caused any more troble.
I exchanged a slight nod with Chairman Song, who was looking at me with concern.
Just as I turned to head toward the exit.
"Hey, you punk! Where do you think you're going?"
Im Dong-ok shouted at me from ehind.
I heard something snap in my head.
When I turned around, Im Dong-ok was striding towardme, brushing aside the hands trying to stop him.
"Have you forgotten where you are? You can't just leave because you feel like it!"
It seemed there were those who didn't know their place even in North Korea.
"Enough. I won't tolerate this a second time."
I spoke quietly, my voice devoid of any emotion.
This was my final warning.
But Im Dong-ok only scoffed.
"You think this is South Korea? A guy like you could be blown away with just a word from me. Got it?"
Im Dong-ok boldly threatened m in front of Kim Yong-nam.
Even if he was just a puppet, it was a blatant disregard for Kim Yong-nam, who was as good as a head of state.
As Im Dong-ok moved, the soldiersguarding the banquet hall also started approaching us.
"Really? Then why don't you give it a shot? If you have the guts, that is."
No one from the security team was here to protect me, but it felt like I was already riding the back of a charging tiger. Backing down now would be shameful.
Our eyes locked in the air. The atmosphere in the banquet hall turned sharper.
"Im Dong-ok, stop it. Why are yu making such a scene, when you know better?"
"Boss Kim, please stop!"
People from both sides swarmed in to try to break us apart.
But I cared little; Im Dong-ok showed no signs of topping.
"Hey, you guys! Get this punk out of here, now!"
Im Dong-ok shouted toward the oldiers. Pyong Min-guk turned pale.
Even the President's bodyguards sent alarmed glances as they prepared to act.
The situation was explosive, ready to erupt into conflict at any second.
"Let's just stop it here. You all should halt too!"
At that moment, soldiers from North Korea froze at a voice that rang out from behind. The person who stepped forward was Baek Cheol-soo.
"Im Dong-ok, stop this."
"…"
I wondered if he was about to charge forward, but Im Dong-ok remained silent, ony opening his mouth in surprise.
"Boss Kim, you should stop as well."
I thought he was just a soldier here to keep an eye on me, but Baek Cheol-soo seemed to have significant authority.
Im Dong-ok stammered out a quetion.
"Baek Cheol-soo, why are you here? What about the Chairman?"
"I'm protecting Boss Kim by the Chairman's orders. You should stop this now for your sake, as well as for the Deputy Director's. "
Seeming at a loss for words, Im Dong-ok looked back and forh between me and Baek Cheol-soo, clearly confused.
"He's a guest of the Chairman. And you know that Comrade Kim Yong-nam is present here, so your behavior is a blatant display of overstepping your authority. I could even aim my gun at your head right now if I wanted to."
Im Dong-ok fell silent, unableto reply. Either that, or he couldn't muster a rebuttal.
I watched Baek Cheol-soo's expression in silence.
"Return to your home and wait. Restrain yourself from rash actions. We will be with Deputy Director from now on."
Baek Cheol-soo gave his final warning to Im Dong-ok and then saluted Chirman Kim Yong-nam.
As Chairman Kim Yong-nam nodded with an awkward smile, he finally turned his body toward me.
"Boss Kim will return to the hotel with me right away. Is that alright?"
I nodded. I didn't want to stay here for another second.
Following Baek Cheol-soo, I exited the banquet hall without anyone trying to stop me this time.
Looking back at the banquet hall, it was eerily calm as if a storm had just passed through.
Even after getting in the car, I felt an urge to break something. I struggled to suppress my rising anger to appear rational.
"Baek Cheol-soo, what exactly do you do?"
I asked while looking at Baek Cheol-soo, who sat in the front seat.
No matter how much I thought about it, it didn't make sense. To have subdued the imposing Im Dong-ok with a single sentece meant he wasn't an ordinary man.
"It's classified. I can't disclose that information."
Baek Cheol-soo spoke without even glancing back, keeping his gaze fixed ahead.
Seeing that he wouldn't answer no matter how much I probed, I stopped asking. Instead, I leaned back in my seat, shutting my eyes as I fell into thought.
'How should I deal with this punk, Im Dong-ok? If I were in Seoul I could bury him without a sound. But doing so in North Korea won't be easy.'
North Korea is in a strong military state due to Kim Jong-il's policy of using military-first politics as a means of governance. The cabinet and party had become virtually powerless, and military personnel held the reins of power.
Im Dong-ok's actions displayedsuch an atmosphere clearly during the banquet.
'Unless I can use Kim Jong-il or if Jang Seong-taek acts directly… thiss will be quite difficult.'
Unlike in Russia, I couldn't take direct action. My influence didn't exist in North Korea.
Crackle.
At that moment, a signal sounded from the radio in the car. Baek Cheol-soo picked up the radio casually.
― There's a message from the Chairman to bring Kim Mu-hyeok here.
"Understood."
Baek Cheol-soo put the radio down and turned toward me.
"The Chairman is calling for you. We'll move now."
This time, he didn't bother to wait for my response, exchanging glances with the driver.
The car began to turn and drive away.
"Where are we going?"
In a place where the Chairman's words are absolute, asking questions felt excessive. In the end, no answer came.
We drove well off the path toward the hotel and soon arrived at a white house surrounded by woods.
"Please get out."
Baek Cheol-soo stepped out first, opening the car door for me.
As I stepped out and took a good look, the exterior of the house was so magnificent that it was hard to tell whether I was in North Korea or Europe.
"Please go inside."
Following Baek Cheol-soo inside, the interior of the house was unimaginably lavish compared to the Goryeo Hotel. Right from the decor, it exuded luxury, and the interior design was as beautiful as an aristocratic mansion.
As I walked down the hallway and reached a large door, two men standing in front opened it. Inside what seemed like a reception room, with no one around, there were luxurious sofas and a table.
"If you sit here, the Chairman will come soon."
Baek Cheol-soo left behind that line before closing the door and disappearing.
After a moment, the sound of clicking heels and boot steps echoed from outside.
The large door swung open, and there he was—Kim Jong-il, flanked by soldiers, stepping into the room as if he were stepping off a TV screen.
"Are you Kim Mu-hyeok? It's nice to meet ou. I'm Kim Jong-il."
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Stein