章 603: Chapter 603: Let’s Move Forward While We’re At It
President Yoon Chang-ho responded with a smile to the remarks made by Secretary Jang Seong-taek.
"I'm afraid I can't accommodate your request to send Boss Kim to the Republic."
"What a pity. If you had, our Republic would have been ready to make a grand concession."
What on earth are these people doing, sitting in front of someone like that?
I raised one eyebrow, glancing back and forth between the two.
"Why wasn't my opinion asked? What are you two up to?"
Yoon Chang-ho and Jang Seong-taek shared a laugh as they looked at me. Realizing it was just a joke between them, I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
"By the way, did you have a good conversation? The formal talks are set to begin tomorrow…"
Today's meeting was already a success, just by showing Jang Seong-taek performing the act of crossing the military demarcation line into South Korea.
After the cordial meeting at the House of Peace and having lunch together, moving to Seoul was just the icing on the cake.
Once in Seoul, a brief rest was planned before a welcoming dinner at the Blue House around the evening.
So the serious discussions would really start tomorrow.
Tomorrow, there would be a round of talks starting with the working-level staff, followed by a private discussion between President Yoon Chang-ho and Secretary Jang Seong-taek.
For that meeting, no one else would be accompanying them; just the two would converse.
At least, that's what I understood.
"Hmm… Didn't you see the live broadcast?"
Yoon Chang-ho asked, looking puzzled.
"I prepared early this morning, so while I was waiting, I accidentally dozed off for a bit."
"I see. The Secretary shared some important remarks. You could truly feel his sincerity."
"Important remarks?"
I turned my head to look at Jang Seong-taek. He shrugged, raising one corner of his mouth.
Seeing this, Yoon Chang-ho chuckled softly and continued speaking.
"He mentioned that the First Yeonpyeong Naval Battle from two years ago was an accident caused by North Korea. He expressed sorrow for the South Korean citizens and their families who suffered because of it."
Did Jang Seong-taek really say that? That was a statement not even discussed with me.
Even if Jang Seong-taek was a practical man, acknowledging and apologizing for past mistakes must've been a tough call for a leader.
Especially when it involved an enemy state, not to mention one confronting them at gunpoint.
'But to directly express regret… It's like broadcasting a message to transgress the past and move together into a new era. He's making quite an impression on the world.'
Jang Seong-taek has made a bold decision. I could only nod in agreement.
"I had no idea the Secretary made such statements. It's a pity I missed seeing that event."
Everyone around, including the reporters, must have been taken by surprise. Jang Seong-taek added.
"The reason I expressed regret for the incident in the West Sea wasn't for any other reason. It was the most recent conflict between the Republic and South Korea."
The First Yeonpyeong Naval Battle came as devastating news while Korea was caught up in the festive atmosphere of the World Cup.
While it was said to be a victory for South Korea, many young soldiers lost their lives.
Some soldiers would even have to live with disabilities for the rest of their lives.
Hence, Jang Seong-taek's expression of regret was a good start.
Next to him was Japan, which hadn't offered a proper apology yet.
However, if it were to be done, it would be better to ensure a proper apology and compensation.
"Since we're already on this topic, let's push this further."
"Push further? What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about not just expressing regret, but making a proper apology and offering compensation…"
"That's not acceptable."
At that moment, Choi Ryong-hae and Kim Yang-gun simultaneously interrupted me.
"Just saying 'regret' is already sufficient, Comrade Secretary. To push further would politically be a significant risk."
Kim Yang-gun opened the discussion, which Choi Ryong-hae echoed.
"Comrade Secretary, taking things further might provoke a strong backlash in Pyongyang. Our people also suffered greatly in that incident. You already acknowledged it as a mistake by the Republic and expressed regret. That should suffice from your side."
Even though I hadn't even proposed a method, the two were already strongly opposed.
Jang Seong-taek appeared worried about whether he would accept my opinion.
Narrowing his brow, Jang Seong-taek glared at Choi Ryong-hae and Kim Yang-gun before directing his gaze back to me.
"Are you suggesting I make a proper apology? Do you understand what that would mean in international politics? Just expressing regret already carries a heavy political burden."
I stared directly into Jang Seong-taek's eyes. Even though his aides were nearby, he didn't openly show it, but there was a hint of discomfort and anxiety in his gaze.
"I understand. Now that you've made a bold decision, let's take one step further."
"..."
Yoon Chang-ho, who had been quietly listening to my conversation with Jang Seong-taek, suddenly spoke.
"Boss Kim, I also think this is sufficient. The fact that the Secretary made such statements without prior consultation already brought us considerable benefits, don't you think?"
I hadn't expected Yoon Chang-ho to chime in with a dissenting opinion. I slightly turned my head to look at Kissinger and inquired.
"Kissinger. What do you think?"
At my unexpected question, Kissinger seemed taken aback, scratching his head.
"Well, there have been many discussions about how far state apologies can go. But there has never been a clear consensus."
"So you're against it too, Kissinger?"
Kissinger shook his head as our eyes met, a peculiar smile playing on his lips.
"No. If I were the Secretary, I would make a proper apology and offer compensation."
"Could you explain why?"
"Because of Japan. Isn't there some compensation that North Korea ought to claim from Japan? To receive a fair settlement, it's best to offer compensation to South Korea as well. If they hadn't said a word, it would be one thing, but since they used the word 'regret', they should set a precedent."
All eyes turned to Kissinger, eager for a more detailed explanation.
Kissinger cleared his throat before elaborating, ensuring everyone was listening.
"Three conditions need to be satisfied for a state apology. First, it should include measures to restore the dignity and honor of the affected country or group. By doing this, the victimized group recognizes that they did nothing wrong and acknowledges the offender's wrongdoing. This can probably be considered resolved with the expression of regret."
Kissinger went on to outline the second condition.
"The apology should express remorse for the actions of the offender. It's beneficial to convey that the perpetrator feels similar pain due to the past actions. This adds sincerity to the apology."
Kissinger adjusted his glasses before concluding with the last point.
"Lastly, for regret not to be merely dismissed as a political statement, there should be promises of compensation and future measures. Offering compensation for material and psychological suffering implies that the offender deeply reflects on their wrongdoing."
As Kissinger finished his explanation, a heavy silence fell over the room.
From Jang Seong-taek's standpoint, these would be conditions that are difficult to accept.
"…Dr. Kissinger, your words are difficult to accept. The word 'regret' doesn't suit inter-state disputes."
After briefly pondering with his chin in hand, Kissinger responded to Jang Seong-taek's comment.
"To put it simply, let me use Japan and Germany as examples. Right now, both South Korea and North Korea are also victims of Japan's war crimes, making this a good example."
Japan and Germany were perpetrators of World War II, i.e., war criminal nations.
"Japan has yet to give a sincere apology regarding the war it started. Instead of reparations, they only handed out consolation money to victim countries like Korea, China, and Southeast Asia, while persistently proclaiming their past actions are justified."
Japan absolutely refuses to admit its wrongdoings.
In fact, even if they do, they're a country that won't hesitate to make contradictory statements.
"However, Germany has repeatedly delivered sincere apologies and reparations. Thanks to this, their relations with neighboring countries aren't bad and they can assert themselves as a major player in the EU today. It's impossible to move forward without addressing past issues first."
Jang Seong-taek swallowed hard. Given North Korea's considerably harsh stance towards Japan, he seemed troubled by the example.
"As can be seen from these two countries, the quality of apologies from the two war criminal nations is completely different. I hope North Korea acts more like Germany."
As Kissinger wrapped up his point with a smile, I echoed his sentiment to Jang Seong-taek.
"Like Dr. Kissinger said, a sincere apology should be followed by compensation. I believe the benefits gained from this far exceed the risks involved. If the Secretary makes a bold decision, it could create an advantageous position in future negotiations with Japan."
Jang Seong-taek nodded seriously as he replied.
"I'll think it over. This doesn't seem like something I can decide on my own."
It was my suggestion, but I didn't hold out much hope.
With both Choi Ryong-hae and Kim Yang-gun opposing it right beside him, who would support him?
"If a sincere apology is made, it wouldn't be bad if the South Korean government took responsibility for the compensation. After all, it's the first step toward clearing the air. Isn't that right, Mr. President?"
"Hmm…"
Yoon Chang-ho seemed hesitant to respond. The deliberation was for the two leaders, so perhaps it was time to hold my tongue.
However, I felt compelled to say this.
"The decision is up to you two, so I'll refrain from further comments. But I believe that since the two leaders are meeting, it would be better to resolve any uncomfortable pasts. That way, we won't have any obstacles in declaring the end of the war, right?"
At the mention of declaring the end of the war, Yoon Chang-ho cleared his throat softly, while Jang Seong-taek's eyes widened in surprise.
"You both know, don't you? To enable proper cooperation, declaring the end of the war is far better than maintaining a ceasefire. Keeping the truce will result in enormous restrictions in travelling between North and South. Even if a warm atmosphere is created, we're still in a state of war."
The concept of ending the war was a topic Yoon Chang-ho had thrown my way.
I was in agreement with his belief that the war needed to end.
However, the will of the U.S., China, and North Korea would hold sway over the decision to declare the end of the war.
Unfortunately for South Korea, it had no authority in the matter.
This was because during the ceasefire, the North, China, and the U.S. had signed the armistice agreement without South Korean involvement.
"China also signed the armistice agreement not as a Chinese People's Army, but as a Chinese volunteer force. Therefore, like South Korea, China holds no authority in this matter. Even if the U.S. and North Korea were to declare an end to the war, they could do so without involving either country, or they could establish a meeting with all four parties."
Due to the haste to end the war, the armistice agreement was filled with gaps.
Seeming puzzled by my comment, Jang Seong-taek asked.
"…Is that something America agrees with?"
"That's not a question for me, but for Dr. Kissinger to answer."
This led to an in-depth discussion with Kissinger focused on the topic of ending the war.
Kissinger also believed that declaring an end to the war would help dismantle the wall dividing the two sides.
However, he wasn't entirely optimistic. This was an attitude consistent with placing U.S. interests first.
"The U.S. is positive about reaching a ceasefire agreement. Various conditions will likely apply, yet a ceasefire agreement could be negotiated under U.S. leadership."
Kissinger seemed confident that he had already discussed this with President Bush.
"For the peace of the Korean Peninsula, discussing a ceasefire agreement must be done."
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