Capítulo 696: Chapter 696: What Does the Kremlin Mean?
As I surveyed Nampo City, I headed straight for Jang Seong-taek's office as soon as I arrived in Pyongyang.
Mungyeong-deok had left, and I went up to the office alone.
The secretary of Jang Seong-taek, who had been waiting outside, knocked to announce my arrival.
"Comrade Chairman, Kim Mu-hyeok has arrived!"
As if waiting for my arrival, a voice echoed from the office.
"Let him in right away."
The secretary opened the door the moment Jang Seong-taek's voice called out.
I bowed my head in greeting to the secretary and stepped through the open door.
As soon as I entered the office, I could feel the heavy atmosphere.
'They must have been discussing serious matters.'
To break the awkward silence, I greeted them cheerfully.
"Chairman Jang Seong-taek, it's great to see you and Administrative Head Medvedev here."
Jang Seong-taek welcomed me with a smile.
"Kim, did you have a good inspection in Nampo?"
"Yes. I got along well with a person named Mungyeong-deok. You sent a good person."
"Haha! I'm glad to hear that. Even though he's young, he gets the job done. I'm impressed by his ability, so I keep him close."
Nodding, I turned my attention to Medvedev.
"It's even more heartening to see you in Pyongyang, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok."
Medvedev smiled back as he received my greeting.
"Indeed! Seeing you here definitely feels different from when we met in Seoul. But it's equally refreshing!"
Jang Seong-taek and Medvedev were seated facing each other.
Sitting next to one of them would seem like choosing sides.
However, it wouldn't be proper to sit in the main seat knowing that.
Jang Seong-taek, noticing my dilemma, smiled as he spoke.
"Please take a seat here."
Jang Seong-taek's designated seat was the main one. Even if it was meant as a courtesy, it felt a bit excessive.
"It wouldn't be right for me to take that seat when both of you are present."
"Haha. Are we really in a position to care about such things? I don't mind at all. But I wonder how Mr. Medvedev feels about it."
"I don't mind either. Please, have a seat, Kim Mu-hyeok."
Both men accepted my sitting in the main seat as completely natural.
As I settled into the main seat, I joked,
"Whoever I sit next to will seem to have my support, so today, I'll be here for a while."
Both men nodded as if they had agreed on something silently.
At this rate, it seemed they were truly in sync.
"But why does the atmosphere feel so heavy?"
I took my seat and immediately asked about the somber mood.
Perhaps feeling relieved to see an ally, Jang Seong-taek responded promptly.
"We were discussing leasing Nakhodka with Russia."
"You're talking about the special economic zone in Nakhodka, right? Do you two have issues worth arguing about? I thought the North Korean government agreed to lease Nakhodka to Russia in exchange for forgiving a debt of 10 billion dollars?"
"Yes, that's right. However, they say they will station their fleet in Nakhodka and Seonbong. Our Republic cannot accept that. Even if we did, the U.S. or China would use that as a pretext to station their troops."
It looks like they were discussing a topic even more serious than I anticipated. Naturally, the mood fell.
It was a tough question to answer, so I rubbed my chin while swallowing hard.
"Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok, at the Six-Party Talks in South Korea, no country agreed to send troops to our Republic. But suddenly, Russia breaks that agreement, and it's frustrating for me too."
I turned to Medvedev, seeking answers.
"Administrative Head, what's the reason for wanting to station the fleet?"
"We're leasing Nakhodka for use, but it will serve as a passage for our merchant ships. We need to protect that passage by stationing the fleet."
That reasoning is nonsensical.
If that was the reason, there would be no need to station the fleet.
"Have you spoken with the U.S. or China?"
"Do we have to get permission from those two countries? It's a matter for us and North Korea to decide."
Medvedev's reaction was quite firm.
The normally slick Medvedev showing such a strong reaction suggested this order likely came from the Kremlin.
I swallowed a deep sigh inwardly as I asked.
"Is this the will of the Kremlin?"
"Yes. It's the President's intention."
It seems I can't turn this stubbornness around.
I had expected something along these lines.
If they simply needed a trading port, they wouldn't have forgiven a debt of 10 billion dollars.
Russia needed a warm-water port leading to the Pacific Ocean, and matching those conditions were Nakhodka and Seonbong.
"If it's the Kremlin's will, then they are determined to see it through."
"If a fleet cannot be stationed there, the value of leasing Nakhodka would drop from 100 million dollars to less than 10 million. Significant investments are necessary to improve the facilities at Nakhodka and Seonbong."
It was true that both ports were in dilapidated condition.
"Why didn't you tell me in advance? From North Korea's perspective, it feels like a bolt from the blue."
I glanced over at Jang Seong-taek.
From the moment the Kremlin was mentioned, a heavy shadow fell across Jang Seong-taek's face.
'How do we sort this out?'
Just because the Russian and North Korean governments reach an agreement doesn't mean everything will be settled.
If the Russian fleet were stationed, it was likely China would demand to station troops in Sinuiju.
The U.S. or Korea might also station troops in Kaesong or Nampo.
Everything revolved around justifying claims.
"No matter how I think about it, even if North Korea and Russia reach an agreement, it won't end the matter. It might escalate into something much bigger. Does Russia have the confidence to persuade the U.S. and China?"
"That's not our issue. It's something the North Korean government must handle."
At that moment, Jang Seong-taek interrupted.
"We have no grounds to persuade the U.S. and China. It's agreed upon at the Six-Party Talks that no nation will station troops. How can we convince them?"
"Then Russia will give up Nakhodka. The agreement between the North Korean and Russian governments will be void."
North Korea refused to accept it, and Russia was adamant about abandoning the lease if these conditions weren't met, leading to a standoff.
I listened to the two men discuss while organizing my own thoughts.
'Even if Russia is greedy for a warm-water port, this is excessive. That person can't possibly be unaware that this could bring the U.S. and China into the mix. Something feels off.'
This was an issue that I had to side with North Korea unavoidably.
I interjected between the two raising their voices.
"Alright, let's calm down. Both of you are too heated right now."
Speaking gently, the two men stopped glaring at each other and fell silent.
"Medvedev, requesting to station the Pacific fleet right now is an excessive demand. The U.S. and China won't overlook it, and this could halt the favorable winds blowing right now."
"Do you think I don't know that? But that person is just too adamant."
"It feels like someone is fanning the flames from the sidelines. Am I correct? When we spoke earlier, such words never came up. That person knows well how much effort I'm putting into North Korea. Who is it?"
Medvedev hesitated before replying.
"…It's the Siloviki's thought. They see this as an opportunity to raise Russia's influence in the Pacific."
"I knew it. That was expected."
This was the sort of claim that the Siloviki, mainly composed of military and KGB veterans, would make.
"What about the oligarchs?"
"They oppose it. However, they are not particularly friendly toward the development of Nakhodka either."
"Are the oligarchs unfriendly to the development of Nakhodka?"
"They see no reason to come down to Nakhodka with Vladivostok sitting idle."
"The oligarchs are overlooking the North Korean market. The potential of North Korea cannot be underestimated. Whether in South or North, we're all of the same race. Given the chance, North Korea's economy could grow rapidly. If the economy grows, purchasing power will increase too. They're missing out on an attractive market."
This was the biggest flaw of the oligarchs.
They only paid attention to stable natural resources and raw materials, rarely turning their gaze towards other businesses.
Thanks to that, it was almost impossible to find a manufacturing industry in a country as big as Russia.
This was a chronic issue that began during the Soviet era, resulting from the peculiar collective farm system and the disregard for light industry.
Though after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia had been fervently working on fostering manufacturing, the oligarchs remained uninterested in such enterprises.
Moreover, there were no globally recognized banks or financial institutions in Russia.
The words 'a superpower following in America's footsteps' felt hollow as they relied solely on the export of natural resources. Much like Middle Eastern countries.
"They need to shake off that habit of being too reliant on natural resources. Or else, they should jump into high-value sectors like IT. They have Yandex, but they're still far from enough."
"Yandex is a company that Mr. Kim invested in, right?"
"That's correct. More importantly, if North Korea's economic power grows, the number of countries supplying raw materials to Russia increases. Economic growth consumes vast amounts of raw materials. So, this project must not fail."
Medvedev spoke in an uncertain tone.
"Even so… that person is too resolute. I don't have the confidence to persuade him."
I turned my gaze to Jang Seong-taek.
"Chairman, how about we concede and develop Nakhodka first, then discuss stationing the naval fleet again later? If you refuse outright, Russia might not invest at all."
"…If the U.S. and China turn a blind eye, then I will agree."
Jang Seong-taek, who consistently preferred the safest option, seemed to agree on this point as the best course of action.
I nodded and looked back at both men.
"Let's start the development of Nakhodka first, then discuss the fleet stationing issue later in future negotiations. It's not always advisable to pressure the North Korean government. I'll make a call to the President."
Reading my intentions to take action directly, a smile spread across Medvedev's face.
"Will you do that for me?"
"Yes. Go ahead and call."
"Thank you, Mr. Kim. Chairman, I'll reach out to Moscow now."
Jang Seong-taek gestured to the phone in front of him.
"Feel free to use it."
Medvedev picked up the phone. Perhaps having dialed a direct number, a familiar voice quickly came through the receiver.
"Mr. President, it's Medvedev. Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok wants to speak with you. Yes, yes. I'll put him on now."
Medvedev passed the receiver to me.
"Mr. President, it's Kim Mu-hyeok."
― Mu-hyeok. What's the matter?
"Actually, I'm contacting you regarding the issue of stationing the Pacific fleet in Nakhodka."
― Why should you worry about that? It's a matter for us to decide with the North Korean government.
"But if we don't make concessions, North Korea's development will inevitably slow down. For now…"
I needed to persuade the owner of the Kremlin for some time.
At first, he seemed uneasy, clearing his throat multiple times, but eventually, he softened his voice as if he were convinced.
― So, you mean for them to proceed with developing Nakhodka first?
"Yes. Let's carry out the development first and then discuss it again. Waiting for a chance to persuade the U.S. and China would be ideal."
― I will think it over.
"For today, let's finalize the oil pipeline project first. Please reconsider the Nakhodka situation later."
― Understood. Pass me back Medvedev.
I handed the receiver back to Medvedev.
By the time he took the receiver, the anxious look on his face had noticeably brightened.
"Mr. President, it's Medvedev. …Understood. So we will just reach an agreement about the construction of the oil and gas pipelines for now. As ordered, we shall proceed with the execution."
After a long conversation, Medvedev finally hung up the phone.
"The President said we can discuss the issue of the fleet later."
"That's a relief."
"Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok's persuasion must have worked."
Medvedev's voice sounded much more relaxed as he smiled.
"Chairman Jang, please don't be so quick to dismiss things. Think about it. Stationing the Russian fleet isn't purely detrimental to North Korea."
Jang Seong-taek nodded reluctantly.
"Then let's put that issue aside for now and start discussing the construction of the oil and gas pipelines."
Both men nodded, and we began to delve into a thorough discussion about the construction of the oil and gas pipelines.
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