The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 195

195. Is Pyongyang Burning?

Panmunjom, North Korean side.

A North Korean guard post soldier peered through binoculars at the South Korean side.

“Not even an ant in sight.”

“Of course not. With the Commander of the Guard a bloody mess, who would dare cross over?”

“It’s more because any engagement here would escalate into an all-out war. The eye of the storm is always calm.”

“Ultimately, it’s because of the World Cup. They can’t wage war while hosting an international event. That’s why the revolutionary forces seized the opportunity to launch their uprising.”

“Hey! What’s that?”

One person with an automatic rifle poked their head out from behind a flower bed and started shooting.

Ta-ta-ta-

But it wasn’t just one person.

At the sound of gunfire, about ten people who had been scattered and hidden began firing at the North Korean side simultaneously.

Ta-ta-tang-

Ta-ta-ta-

The North Korean side immediately returned fire with machine guns.

The rebel guard post commander, after receiving the report, assessed the situation.

“Crazy bastards! They think they can pierce a tank with rifles?”

“Shall we fire the cannons?”

“No need to use an axe to catch a chicken [no need to use excessive force]. We can’t let it escalate!”

Ta-ta-ta-

Ta-ta-tang-

The exchange of fire continued back and forth across the North-South military demarcation line.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after receiving the report, finally issued an order.

“It’s a North Korean provocation. Strike the origin!”

Self-propelled artillery and multiple rocket launchers, gathered a few kilometers behind and camouflaged, opened their gun ports.

“Fire!”

Hundreds of gun ports fired simultaneously.

Bang-bang-

Boom-boom-

Boom! Boom!

The North Korean guard post commander, seeing flashes flying in from afar like fireflies, tilted his head.

“Could those be artillery shells?”

Ka-thoom!

Boom!

“Agh!”

Hundreds of artillery shells fell on the guard post gathered at Panmunjom.

The sound of the cannons arrived later than the shells, thumping.

As hundreds of artillery shells fell repeatedly, the North Korean guard forces, as well as the tanks, were shattered beyond recognition.

The North Korean side of Panmunjom became a sea of fire with black smoke rising.

The artillery shells rained down like a storm, digging deep craters, and then more shells fell, repeatedly turning over the soil and filling the holes.

Normally, the South’s provocation would have been immediately reported to Pyongyang, and the frontline units would have responded with counter-fire, but in the emergency situation, Pyongyang lacked a control tower to command the entire army in an orderly manner, so the order to retaliate was not transmitted.

A North Korean cadre [official] in the rear barracks belatedly reported to Pyongyang.

“The South Koreans are carrying out a massive artillery strike on Panmunjom! We’ve been almost completely annihilated by the surprise attack.”

-Retaliate! Open all the gun ports and retaliate tenfold, a hundredfold!

“Please issue the order directly to the artillery units. The command system here has collapsed, and instructions are not being delivered. The Revolutionary Guard Division is almost completely annihilated, so we can’t reach them.”

Then, as if by a lie, the artillery fire stopped.

“The South Koreans have completely stopped the shelling! We don’t hear any artillery fire at all!”

-What? So it’s not a Northern invasion?

“Since we’re not firing, the South Koreans have stopped too.”

-What’s going on? Is the Guard Commander dead? Why can’t we reach him!

“He’s probably dead. Tens of thousands of shells rained down like a monsoon for ten minutes.”

-What? So they’re annihilated?

“I’ll confirm and report.”

North Korean Panmunjom, where the artillery fire had stopped, was thick with smoke.

Limbs without torsos were scattered everywhere, and the smell of burning corpses filled the air, evoking hell.

At that moment, 1,000 armed guards from the South walked towards the North, crossing the Northern Limit Line [the de facto maritime boundary between North and South Korea].

The guard leader said to the North Korean cadre guard commander.

“In the name of the Premier, we have annihilated the traitors of the Republic. The armistice line is restored to normal!”

Jang Song-taek instructed the cadre guard via satellite radio.

-This is Number One. The People’s Army guards must eliminate all the traitors on the armistice line according to the instructions of the guards and defend the front!

“Yes, Comrade Premier!”

*

A cabinet meeting was being held.

Newspapers with headlines featuring photos of the Panmunjom shelling were laid out, and the Minister of Sports spoke with a worried expression.

“Foreign teams are inquiring about returning home without finishing the games if a war has broken out. South Korea has advanced to the quarterfinals, and the people are very excited, but how should we handle this?”

South Korea had tied with West Germany and advanced to the quarterfinals as the top of their group, and the whole country was in a festive mood.

The Minister of National Defense said.

“There’s no choice. Just say it’s the reality of a divided country that sometimes occurs.”

The President said.

“Minister of Sports, you’ve worked hard preparing, but let’s stop the World Cup.”

“What? Stop? There has never been a suspension during the World Cup in its history, Your Excellency! Moreover, if we stop, we’ll have to pay huge penalties for broadcasting rights and advertising fees.”

“A large-scale civil war will soon break out in the North. We can’t rule out a full-scale North-South war. Hiding this situation and forcing the games to continue will face even greater international criticism later. Pay the penalties and send the foreign players home. The World Cup is not important now.”

Faced with the President’s firm decision, the minister could no longer object.

When the government announced the suspension of the World Cup, the people finally realized the seriousness of the situation.

South Korea rapidly transitioned to a wartime footing.

Foreign athletes were leaving the airport one after another.

Although the players left, foreign media remained to cover the tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The world’s attention was focused on the Korean Peninsula, and they broadcast the Korean War situation instead of the World Cup.

*

North Korean nuclear missile underground fortress.

Jang Song-taek instructed the deputy commander and his party who had occupied the fortress via satellite radio.

-Panmunjom has been pacified. Plunge a nuclear missile into the Workers’ Party headquarters in Pyongyang, the base of the traitors!

“But, Comrade Premier, the Standing Committee members and Political Committee members are imprisoned in the Workers’ Party headquarters.”

-The traitors are holding them hostage to prevent the bombing of Pyongyang. We can’t give in to that. Burn them all!

“Understood, Comrade Premier!”

Jang Song-taek called out the launch code.

The nuclear missile hatch opened, and the countdown began.

*

Pyongyang outskirts.

A firefight was taking place 5km behind the Workers’ Party headquarters.

It was an engagement between South Korean operatives trying to rescue the high-ranking politicians of the Workers’ Party and the North Korean army.

They tried to infiltrate secretly, but they were discovered due to the human wall reminiscent of Ganggangsullae [a Korean folk dance often performed in a circle] and had no choice but to engage in combat.

Bang! Bang!

Ta-ta-ta!

They were special forces composed of sharpshooters, but they could not advance against the overwhelming enemy and the counterattack with firepower.

And finally, a tank appeared.

“Squad Leader, a tank has appeared!”

“Damn it! It’s an impossible fight!”

At that moment, a satellite radio call came.

-This is Mother Bird, Peregrine Falcon, retreat immediately from Pyongyang! Retreat as far as possible!

“Copy that, Peregrine Falcon!”

-I repeat. The operation has been canceled. Immediately, and retreat as far as possible!

“Copy that, Peregrine Falcon!”

The squad leader cut off the radio.

“Are they going to bomb us? Everyone, retreat! Retreat immediately! Get as far away as possible!”

The South Korean forces covered and quickly retreated one by one.

The Security Commander, who was watching the retreating South Korean forces through binoculars, was triumphant.

“A handful of guys dare to take Pyongyang! How ridiculous!”

Since the South Korean operatives were wearing People’s Army uniforms, he still thought they were military forces supporting Jang Song-taek.

He instructed by radio.

“Run them over with the tank, leaving no one alive!”

*

Workers’ Party headquarters conference room.

The rebel command was gathered for an emergency meeting.

Urgent reports poured in.

“After the engagement at the North Korean Panmunjom, the guard unit was annihilated by the South Korean concentrated counter-fire! The South Koreans are no longer shelling or invading the North!”

“The Revolutionary Army and the reactionary army are engaged in combat in Cheorwon!”

“The air force has cut off the bridge leading to the nuclear missile fortress with bombing!”

The Chief of the General Staff shouted.

“The air force and missile base have fallen into the hands of the enemy! Mobilize the 2nd Brigade, which is saving its strength, and wipe them out!”

The Security Commander, with a cigarette in his mouth, said.

“The Security Forces went and threatened them, and they are finally preparing to move out. Soon, the Pyongyang metropolitan area will be pacified.”

“Things are not going according to plan! The generals of the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces are all just watching. This won’t work. Telegraph to China.”

“To China? What do you mean?”

“Tell them that South Korea crossed the armistice line and invaded the North!”

“What? You said it wasn’t a Northern invasion yet?”

“Provocation is the same as a Northern invasion. If China crosses the Yalu River [the border between China and North Korea], the attitude of the generals of the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces will change.”

“Ah, you mean not to go to war with South Korea, but to use it politically.”

“That’s right.”

The Chief of the General Staff called the communications unit directly.

“Telegraph to China. South Korea has just carried out a concentrated artillery strike at Panmunjom, killing 5,000 of our soldiers, and is provoking a Northern invasion. We need China’s immediate intervention.”

-Yes, Comrade Revolutionary Marshal!

The Chief of Staff took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth.

“They’re all chicken-hearted. They’re not the kind of people who can complete the revolutionary task.”

At that moment, the air defense siren sounded.

Ooh-ooh~

“What is it? Is a U.S. B-29 really invading?”

The two went to the window and looked up at the sky.

A flash of light was flying straight towards them like a shooting star.

“A missile?”

The two quickly ran downstairs towards the bomb shelter.

But that was no ordinary missile.

Boom!

A roar that shook the earth resounded, and the windows of the Workers’ Party headquarters were all shattered by the powerful vacuum suction.

Immediately, as a fiery heat of thousands of degrees expanded, the outer walls of the Workers’ Party headquarters crumbled, turning into sand dust, and the trees and people were charred black, turning into ashes and scattering.

A mushroom cloud of death billowed in Pyongyang.

A crater the size of a soccer field was dug near the Workers’ Party headquarters, and houses that maintained their shape on the outskirts were engulfed in flames.

Dark red smoke rose from various parts of Pyongyang, burning.

The tactical nuclear weapon, with 1/5 the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, immediately turned 1/3 of Pyongyang into ashes.

*

China, Standing Committee.

The Chairman of the Central Military Commission reported to Deng Xiaoping.

“South Korea has carried out a provocation on the armistice line. It is reported that they have destroyed the border guards with a surprise concentrated artillery strike and are advancing north.”

Deng Xiaoping clenched his lower teeth.

“South Korea is finally committing arson!”

“Moreover, they are engaged in combat with General Jang’s supporters around Pyongyang. It is not that the Revolutionary Army has completely seized control of the situation, but that it is escalating into a civil war involving the South Korean army, Comrade Chairman!”

“The thing we were worried about has happened. The People’s Liberation Army should cross the Yalu River immediately! It’s war!”

At that moment, the Chief Secretary came in with hurried steps and spoke to Deng Xiaoping in a small voice.

Intruding during a meeting was beyond rudeness.

“Comrade Chairman, something terrible has happened!”

“Is it so urgent that you have to barge in during a meeting?”

“A nuclear bomb has fallen on Pyongyang. A nuclear bomb!”

Deng Xiaoping stood up abruptly with his small stature.

“A nuclear bomb!”