My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 398

“But the problem is the initial cost.”

It’s true that it costs a lot of money upfront. The problem is that Madagascar is a country with more debt than income.

They are somehow managing to balance it out and pay it off little by little, but considering the initial overhaul costs and missile costs, it will cost at least billions, and there is no way to get that money.

“What about payment in kind?”

Rodney Tsai offered a potential solution.

“Payment in kind?”

“Yes, they want to import nickel from us now. That’s why they approached us. Instead of exporting the nickel, getting paid in currency, and then using that currency to purchase overhaul services and missiles, we can just settle the payment directly with nickel.”

“Hmm.”

“Then there will be a hole in our budget. The money is all earmarked for other things once it comes in……”

Bang!

At that moment, the Minister of National Defense slammed the table hard.

“Who authorized that?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s not even money that’s in hand, and we don’t even know how much it will sell for, but you’ve already prepared to spend it all, is that what you’re saying now!”

“Well, it’s for the sake of the economy……”

“These bastards, are they trying to embezzle everything!”

At those words, the Minister of Economy flinched. Of course, he wasn’t really trying to commit corruption. Well, maybe he had a slight inclination. But more than that, he was actually intimidated by the Minister of National Defense’s fierce words.

“You bastards! Is this democracy? Huh! Is this what you call democracy! One side decides how to spend the money that will come in, and the other side is told to shut their mouths, is that democracy?”

“No, no! That’s a misunderstanding, Minister of National Defense!”

“Misunderstanding? Bullshit, a misunderstanding? Do you not even know what you just said? Bullshit, should I give you a proper taste of democracy?”

The Minister of Economy started sweating at those words. The Prime Minister hurriedly stopped the Minister of National Defense.

“Calm down, Minister of National Defense. From the Minister of Economy’s perspective, he has no choice but to prioritize the economy, right?”

“That’s why we came all the way here to discuss it. But you’re telling me to shut up because it’s already been decided? Is this a discussion?”

“Minister of Economy, apologize. You were in the wrong this time.”

“I’m sorry.”

In the end, the Minister of Economy had no choice but to apologize in a subdued voice. And as things turned out that way, the flow of the conversation naturally shifted towards receiving aid.

In fact, having such naval power to protect one’s own sea actually has the effect of saving on defense spending.

“According to what I’ve gathered, Indonesia requested three ships, but Korea has decided to donate only one, and the decision on the other two has been postponed.”

“Then let’s ask for all three as well.”

“They might not give them to us.”

“They’ll give us one out of the three, though. That alone is something.”

“What about the market price of the payment in kind……”

That’s how the story was flowing, with the answer virtually decided. But they never dreamed that all of this was designed by Park Do-joon.

“What is this……”

Yoon Tae-min felt strange after receiving a call from Rodney Tsai.

“What do they say?”

“They say they will request the donation of three Pohang-class corvettes [a class of patrol combat corvettes built by South Korea].”

“Well, the government can decide on the other two depending on the situation.”

‘They’ll probably give them later.’

Because they won’t be giving them to Indonesia anyway. There’s nothing to lose by improving relations with Madagascar. It’s not just a matter of nickel.

In a situation where China is openly weaponizing resources, having improved relations with Madagascar, one of the resource-rich countries, will reduce the need to be mindful of China’s gaze.

“And if possible, they want to pay for the overhaul costs and equipment costs such as missiles with payment in kind. With nickel.”

“Wasn’t that the original purpose?”

“That’s true, but……”

Yoon Tae-min felt strange. When he was put in charge of this matter, it seemed like there would be nothing difficult. But when his faction’s idiot screwed things up, it felt like his life and career were being ruined together.

But later, when he heard that the failure to reach an agreement was the work of another faction, he was so dumbfounded that he even thought about taking the administrative civil service exam instead of the foreign service exam, or becoming a lawyer.

Of course, his grandfather wouldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

But suddenly, in an instant, the direction changed, and the most important thing was resolved. That is, the import of nickel.

Originally, even if they reconciled and normalized diplomatic relations, negotiations on the import of nickel would have to be done again, and the remaining negotiations would generally take several months.

But using one Pohang-class corvette as bait, they offered to provide nickel in kind. Moreover, since it is an already operating mine, there is enough nickel piled up.

In other words, all they have to do is bring the ship and load the nickel.

“How much overhaul has been done?”

“Yes? Ah, yes, we need to fix some linguistic parts, but it won’t take long.”

After all, the computer code cannot be touched. Because it’s based on English. So, all you have to do is fix the command part. Other than that, the other parts had already been overhauled almost immediately after the donation to Indonesia was decided, so the maintenance was almost finished.

But in a situation where it was almost finished, Indonesia refused to receive it at their own discretion.

“Then we’ll give it soon. And if they say it’s usable, the Madagascar government will want to receive more, so we can continue to trade with that.”

Madagascar is an island nation. It is also an island nation with six times the area of South Korea. One corvette alone can never cover it.

Even if you exclude the ocean side, you need about one ship per direction to feel a little more comfortable. And that’s how you can invest in the economy in earnest.

“How did you know?”

“What?”

“No, I mean, that this would happen. You don’t seem surprised at all, so I think you already expected it.”

“It’s simple. It has no choice but to be that way.”

“Yes?”

At those words, Park Do-joon smiled. Then he sat on the bed across from Yoon Tae-min.

“There’s a saying, ‘enrich the country and strengthen the military.’ That’s what all rulers, no, all people belonging to a country dream of.”

“That’s true.”

“But these two things, you can never separate them.”

“You can’t separate them?”

“Of course.”

Lots of money but no army?

Then, from the perspective of other countries, it’s just prey. There is an army but no money? Then there is a high possibility that the army will rise up and overthrow the country.

“And Madagascar is trying to strike a balance between these two.”

The problem is that it costs a lot of money to do that. If you build up the military, you can’t invest in the economy, and if you invest in the economy, the military’s dissatisfaction grows.

“The military’s dissatisfaction?”

“In the first place, Madagascar’s current regime was created by a coup.”

“That’s right.”

To be exact, that’s what the previous regime did. The past regime ruled the country like a dictatorship, and in fact, Madagascar’s poverty, like elsewhere, was caused by the incompetence of those politicians.

Because Madagascar is a resource-rich country, has a large territory, and is not in a bad location.

“And the current president is also the president of the previous regime.”

“That’s right too.”

Madagascar’s coup is unique in many ways. It is true that the coup seized power. However, instead of wielding dictatorship or controlling power, the coup forces appointed the then-opposition leader, who was fighting against the dictatorial president, as president after the coup. So, he was able to become president at the young age of thirty-five.

Although it is said that he was the most opposed to the corrupt dictator at the time, it was a very unusual case considering that the ending of a coup usually ends with the military taking power.

“And even that president stepped down in the middle.”

“He did.”

The reason was simple. It wasn’t because he was incompetent or his approval rating had fallen. It was because foreign countries did not recognize him as a regime and president who came to power through a coup.

So, he himself declared that he would not run for office when his term expired and transferred power through elections. Even though he could have been elected if he had run for consecutive terms, he declared that he would not run, saying that if he ran, it could be seen as an extension of the coup regime.

After the democratic regime was established, his term ended, and when elections were held again, he finally ran and became president. For that reason, the current president was also the former president.

“I don’t know what that has to do with this.”

“They are basically really worried about the future of Madagascar. As of now.”

“Are you simply predicting that because of that? No, they could sell that nickel and use that wealth elsewhere, couldn’t they?”

At those words, Park Do-joon shook his head.

“I mean, the military is still fiercely alive.”

“Yes?”

“They have a history of staging a coup and legally transferring it to a democratic regime. But what if they stage another coup and say that this regime is undemocratic?”

“Ah!”

Only then did Yoon Tae-min realize.

“The current president needs to appease the military!”

“That’s right.”

The biggest reason why the current president was able to succeed and survive is the military that staged the coup. They even transferred power.

“I don’t expect them to repay the favor, but I can’t neglect them.”

The problem is that Madagascar is still a country full of shortcomings, so it is inevitably neglected.

“But the military has a bait called the Pohang-class corvette.”

There is a saying that it is beyond one’s means. If you hadn’t seen it, you wouldn’t know, but once you’ve seen it, you can’t help but be greedy. Moreover, it’s said to be free.

Of course, there are overhaul costs and missile costs.

From Madagascar’s point of view, there is absolutely no possibility of having more ships than this within the next 10 years. No, depending on the situation, it may take more than 20 years if you think about the general case.

“He needs to relieve the military that pushed him and the emotions that have been suppressed for a while. As you know, the situation in Africa is not very stable.”

Although the people of the former military transferred power based on the democratic spirit, there is no guarantee that the people of the new military will do so.

“At the same time, the Madagascar government also has a good excuse.”

“A good excuse?”

“Yes, if we just block the sea, we are safe. That’s not wrong. But at the same time, it’s also a condition to prevent a coup.”

“Ah! I know what you mean.”

If we just block the sea, we are safe. So, we should reduce investment in the ground forces for the time being. But a coup is basically something that the ground forces commit.

The navy and air force, which absolutely need supplies, do not have the ability to stage a coup.

Job is Profiler