บท 600: Chapter 600: What if I Hinder America’s National Interest?
Kissinger was visited by the U.S. Ambassador and the head of the CIA's Korea branch…
I set down my spoon and picked up my glass of water. Tilting it back, I tried to hide my tense expression.
"I was curious why you came to Korea with them," he said.
Surely, that wasn't the only reason they sought me out. I put down my glass and locked eyes with Kissinger.
"Isn't it strange that they wouldn't come looking for you? A big shot like you entering the embassy without so much as a word. The Blue House and the U.S. Embassy have surely been informed already."
It wasn't like he entered using a fake passport; he must have come through with a diplomatic one, so of course, there had to be a report.
"You must know who the U.S. Ambassador is, right?"
"Yes. We've met before."
I recalled Thomas, who had met Jang Seong-taek when he moved and visited the U.S. Embassy.
"What was your impression of Thomas?"
"He seemed a bit greedy and aware of his surroundings. But that's about it. Not someone I found particularly interesting."
Though it could have come off as bold, Kissinger only clapped his hands and laughed heartily.
"Ha ha! Looks like you can read people well. Yeah, Thomas does have that greed in him, but he knows where to draw the line. The moment he feels his neck in danger, he's quick to earn his escape."
"Is that so? You seem quite familiar with him."
"Why wouldn't I be? I'm Kissinger, after all."
That was a short but heavy self-praise. I chuckled and asked.
"But why are you suddenly asking about this? Are you surprised those people couldn't find you right away after you arrived? I doubt there's a reason to tell me about the inefficiencies of the embassy staff."
I was already aware that the U.S. Ambassador had visited the Myeong-dong Hotel where Kissinger was staying.
It was so obvious that I didn't feel the need to bring it up.
Yet, Kissinger brought it up first. He was skirting around the main topic.
"So, what about the head of the CIA's Korea branch?"
"I know of him."
"Have you met him?"
"I've only heard his name. Never met him in person."
Kissinger nodded.
Just then, the door opened and a waiter stepped in to start clearing the table.
Our conversation briefly paused until the waiters left.
Soon after, the staff set down neatly sliced fruits and sujeonggwa before leaving.
"Do I really need to meet the CIA chief? How often would I even cross paths with them?"
But Kissinger seemed to think differently.
His eyes were cold and serious behind his glasses.
He shook his head slowly as he spoke.
"Don't underestimate the CIA's operations. They're keeping a close watch on you. If you hinder America's national interest, they'll stop at nothing. Chris is renowned for his patriotism within the CIA."
"What could I possibly do to hinder America's national interest? Most of my profits come from the U.S. And I don't evade taxes; I pay my dues regularly."
"That's true for now. But you're not a U.S. citizen. To them, that matters more than anything."
With a dry throat, Kissinger lifted the sujeonggwa to sip.
His eyes widened as he stared at me and asked.
"This is delicious! What's it called?"
"It's called sujeonggwa."
"Hmm. It's quite good."
The atmosphere shifted again in an instant. He truly was an unpredictable person.
Nodding with satisfaction, he took a couple more sips of sujeonggwa before placing the cup down.
"Chris may have come to Korea because of you. He mentioned it was one of several reasons, but… well, isn't that saying he came because of you?"
"So, you're saying he was sent here to keep an eye on me, as the head of the Korea branch?"
"Exactly. As I've indicated, finding out about you is not a huge problem for me now, but should you seem a threat to U.S. interests someday, they'll have no qualms in targeting you by any means necessary."
If the CIA interfered, it could get troublesome.
But I still found myself confused as to why Kissinger was telling me all this.
"I'm not one to take things lightly. But Kissinger, why are you telling me this? You could easily oust a ruler of a nation if it served America's interests, couldn't you?"
Kissinger smirked at my sharp inquiry.
"I've looked over the path you've walked for the past five years. Our interests align more in keeping you on good terms than opposite sides. How's that? Does my info help? I've heard young people nowadays call it a friend fee. You might think of this as an advance payment for whenever I need to ask a favor from you."
Kissinger's reaction surprised me. It was unexpected. Yet, I couldn't fully shake off my suspicions.
Looking into his eyes, I posed the question again.
"But what if I become a hindrance to America's national interests? Would you still want to maintain a friendship with me? I prioritize myself and my people above all else. If my interests are threatened, I won't stand idly by, no matter who it is. You've seen what I can do; I'm someone who hits back tenfold when struck once."
Kissinger didn't shy away; he kept his gaze steady as he answered.
"That's something to decide later. But it won't be an easy choice, trust me. I plan to stay close by your side to guide you along your way. How does that sound? Isn't that fair?"
"…"
"I won't ask you to trust me. I only request a seat beside you, so I can watch over you. Just consider me an unpredictable old man's whims. I'm curious to see how far you can go."
Kissinger's gaze held a spark of curiosity.
He didn't seem insincere… I found myself nodding in agreement.
"Understood. But if I find you become an obstacle in my endeavors, I won't hesitate to cut ties."
"Oh, you trickster. What power do I have to obstruct your plans?"
Though he spoke firmly, Kissinger responded playfully. Truly a slippery old man.
Letting out a small sigh, I asked.
"So, you're saying Chris is potentially someone who could interfere with me?"
"Not at all. I just want you to know Chris is a man who can do anything. Just keep that in mind, and stay alert. If you don't threaten America, he won't make a move against you."
So, in summary, he's warning me out of concern for my well-being. But I never intended to become an enemy of the U.S.
There's no need to quarrel over his goodwill.
"Thank you."
I slightly bowed my head, showing my gratitude to Kissinger.
Waving his hand, Kissinger smiled.
"No need for that. Get up. How about a drink?"
"As much as I'd love that, let's save it for next time. I have quite a bit to do. I have an unexpected trip to Singapore, so I need to tidy up my postponed tasks one by one."
"Looks like I'll be drinking alone. Let's make it a point to share a meal sometime. I plan to stay in Korea for a bit, after all. I should visit Pyongyang as well."
Seeing him feign regret after stepping aside made me chuckle.
"Sure, taking time for that won't be a problem. I'll make sure to inform Myeong-dong Hotel to ease your travels. I'll send a driver I trust, so treat him like a secretary and give him tasks as you see fit."
That meant he could be comfortable, while I'd oversee who he met and where he went.
Kissinger, clearly catching my drift, chuckled lightly.
"So openly telling me you'll spy on me?"
"If that's how you take it, then I guess so."
"Not hiding it at all now."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kissinger replied easily.
"Fine by me. Just send him over. I'm just hoping I won't get in trouble for rejecting American protection while utilizing a bodyguard provided in Korea."
"I'll send him right away."
After dropping Kissinger back at Myeong-dong Hotel, I headed toward Pyeongchang-dong.
"Send someone to Myeong-dong Hotel to look after Kissinger while he's in Korea. Send someone who speaks good English and can keep his mouth shut."
"Yes, Boss."
After giving instructions to Manager Ma, I buried myself deep into the seat.
'Chris, the CIA Korea branch chief… I've got quite a few people to stay on guard for.'
The car was enveloped in silence, save for breathing.
Thanks to this, I could dive deep into thought.
* * *
Time passed swiftly.
With the inter-Korean summit looming, eyes from all around the globe turned to Korea as the meeting of top officials from the U.S., China, Russia, Korea, and North Korea was scheduled.
News outlets speculated throughout the preparation period, anticipating the exchanges at the historic summit while preparing for live coverage.
Before his meeting with the President, Kissinger wandered around Korea, taking a sightseeing tour of sorts without meeting anyone.
He occasionally had dinner with me, chatting casually, but he didn't seem to want much from me.
Eventually, the time came for Kissinger and the President to meet, with reports stating they had a rather serious conversation.
As time passed, winter gave way to spring.
The day of the historic inter-Korean summit arrived.
I made my way with Kissinger to Panmunjom, where the leaders from North and South Korea would meet.
"I've never seen you this tense before," Kissinger remarked, sitting beside me.
He laughed out loud.
"I'm not tense. I'm just aware that we're just getting started after a long road to get here, don't you think?"
"True. If Kim Il-sung hadn't died, there probably would have been a big event between the two Koreas about ten years ago."
"An event, you say?"
"Yes. At that time, the leaders of both Koreas had initially agreed to meet, and the U.S. was supportive of the Korean government to improve relations with North Korea. But with Kim Il-sung's death, everything fell through; Kim Jong-il was a wildcard."
Kissinger's gaze softened as he seemed to recall the past.
"I advised President Kim Hak-gwon that while proceeding with the inter-Korean summit, he shouldn't trust Kim Jong-il too much. But he believed in him too much; that's where the difference lies between President Yoon Chang-ho today and President Kim Hak-gwon back then."
Hearing it from a living witness was quite intriguing.
I couldn't help but ask questions, and he freely shared his thoughts.
"In any case, you've accomplished a tough job."
"That's flattering. Jang Seong-taek acted on his own. I merely nudged his ambitions; ultimately, it was Jang Seong-taek who took action."
"You know excessive modesty can be detrimental. The U.S. is already aware that you captured Kim Jong-il using mercenaries."
I turned to look at Kissinger. He responded with a playful smile and a shrug.
"Why are you so surprised? Did you really think the truth would remain hidden forever?"
Of course, I suspected the truth would come out eventually.
But I never expected to hear that the U.S. already knew about it.
"The U.S.'s intelligence capabilities deserve recognition. But is it okay for you to discuss such things?"
"Well, what's the harm? Gathering information with some level of foresight isn't too difficult."
While I marveled repeatedly with my mouth, my mind was in chaos.
Does the U.S. really know that Russian military forces directly entered North Korea?
And that they retrieved nuclear weapons that had been inside North Korea during that process…?
"It was interesting. An infiltration into North Korea, using only mercenaries from Russia to detain Kim Jong-il while giving Jang Seong-taek time to clean up the mess. That's something the U.S. couldn't accomplish. It would've been better if it had been the U.S. working together. They could have provided more assistance."
"I won't blame you for anything. I'm just sorry that such an interesting event unfolded without my knowledge."
He genuinely showed regret, which wasn't just empty words.
After all, this man had a penchant for pulling strings behind undesirable regimes.
"If something like this comes up again, I'll let you know indirectly. However, you must promise not to inform the U.S. government."
"Oh! That sounds fun. Would you really do that?"
While we shared laughs, we finally arrived at Panmunjom.
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