The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 121

121. No Sanctuary

The U.S. envoy who flew to Beijing exposed Taiwan’s plans to China.

Betraying confidential talks to an enemy nation instead of an ally is almost unheard of, but that’s how critical the situation was for the United States.

Mao Zedong was furious.

“Independence! Nonsense! Immediately launch a nuclear strike on Taiwan!”

It was the reaction they had anticipated.

The Washington envoy tried to calm him down.

“Chairman, the United States is providing this information and fully cooperating with China. You must understand the sincerity and determination of the United States, Chairman!”

“…….”

“The United States can tolerate China’s military tension, but not war. However, the transfer of the UN Security Council permanent member status should not be revealed for the time being.”

The United States was sweating profusely, trying to persuade Mao Zedong to maintain the status quo.

*

Chinese destroyers appeared in the Taiwan Strait under the guise of training, staging a military demonstration.

Chinese MiG fighters circled in the sky, conducting live-fire drills.

Whoosh-

Bang! Bang!

The naval guns were also firing live ammunition.

Taiwan was on high alert.

With the United States standing idly by, and Taiwan neither independent nor allied with South Korea, a Chinese invasion could be devastating.

The issue of independence, which had provoked China, quickly subsided.

Due to China’s fierce military demonstration, the issues of Taiwan’s independence and the transfer of UN Security Council permanent member status were put on hold.

The United States succeeded in buying time to maintain the status quo until the presidential election.

However, it was not a solution, merely a temporary reprieve.

The countries involved were busy stepping up diplomatic and military efforts behind the scenes.

The biggest beneficiary of this stalemate was South Korea.

Because the United States tacitly condoned South Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

South Korea gradually increased its influence in East Asia.

*

The President’s office.

President Jung took out a handkerchief and wiped his reddened eyes upon hearing the news of the nuclear approval.

Before his regression [reversal of time], the issue of nuclear possession and approval was what troubled President Jung the most.

He was shot and killed just as he was about to push through with it, staking his presidency, so he couldn’t help but feel regret.

“Your Excellency, I feel like my resentment is finally being resolved. How can I ever repay this grace?”

“Haha, are you going through menopause? A man shedding tears over something like this?”

“I am being overly sentimental, aren’t I?”

“When Kennedy reluctantly said okay, the first person I thought of was President Jung. But we don’t actually possess nuclear weapons yet. We’re still developing them. We have a long way to go.”

“The United States will definitely not stand still. Security must be thorough.”

“Of course. We’re developing them in a place no one could ever imagine.”

The CIA was desperately trying to find out the number and location of the nuclear warheads South Korea possessed. The United States deployed thousands of informants to South Korea to gather information.

* * *

00 Unit GOP [General Outpost].

“Ah, damn it! Everyone get out here!”

Sergeant Na, unable to contain his anger after a heated argument with the company commander during a company dinner, ended up barging into the company commander’s office.

“Company Commander! I’m going to expose the embezzlement of the food expenses!”

“What? Are you crazy! If you’re drunk, just shut up! Unless you want to go to the stockade [military prison]!”

“Oh, so you’re underestimating a seagull [slang for a low-ranking soldier], huh?”

Sergeant Na, still not sober, stormed into the barracks.

He cursed at the waiting soldiers, kicked them, and vented his anger.

“Hey, you bastards! Do I have to get bruises on my joints because of you? Everyone, do a headstand! Let’s see you bleed a little blood today!”

Private Ha tried to stop him.

“Sergeant, calm down. You’re drunk.”

“What? Even a lowly private is disrespecting me?”

The sergeant picked up his M16 rifle, which had a magazine inserted.

“Eat this!”

The sergeant staggered and swung the butt of the rifle, but the private dodged it.

“Huh? You dodged? You’re refusing the teachings of a superior? That’s insubordination!”

Click!

“Let’s see if you can dodge a bullet!”

He pointed the gun at Private Ha’s chest.

As he released the safety, the other soldiers rushed to stop him.

“Sergeant, please don’t do this. We’ll take the punishment.”

“Get off me!”

Bang!

“Ugh!”

Private Ha, shot in the right chest, collapsed bleeding.

“What? It fired…? Damn it, I’m screwed!”

Sergeant Na and the other soldiers turned pale.

A corporal ran to report to the company commander.

Hearing the gunshot, the company commander wondered what was going on and opened the door, running into him.

“Company Commander, Sergeant Na had an accident. He shot Private Ha!”

“What? It wasn’t a misfire?”

Arriving at the barracks, Private Ha was bleeding and gasping for breath.

The company commander, aghast, called Sergeant Na outside.

“Hey, you bastard! You’re going to eat prison food for the rest of your life?”

“I, I’m sorry. The bastard pissed me off….”

“Clean it up quickly!”

“Clean it up? How….”

“If you don’t want to end your life, make it look like a suicide!”

Sergeant Na went into the barracks, helped Private Ha up, and went outside.

When another soldier tried to help, he refused and took Private Ha out alone.

The company commander came in and ordered the soldiers.

“If this is treated as a gun accident, you’re all done for! This is a suicide! Understand?”

“…….”

“Wipe up all the blood here!”

The soldiers wiped up the blood with wet cloths.

At that moment, two gunshots rang out outside.

Bang! Bang!

Private Ha was found dead behind an abandoned oil depot, about 50 meters south of the barracks, with two gunshot wounds to the chest and one to the head.

The division and corps military police investigated the scene.

The military police chief said to the battalion commander.

“If this comes out, everyone will be stripped of their uniforms, and the Ministry of National Defense will be screwed! If you’re going to cover it up, cover it up properly!”

“Yes, sir! I will definitely defend the honor of the military!”

The military police concluded that Private Ha had committed suicide.

The military headquarters military police came to the same conclusion.

However, the bereaved family, hearing the tragic news of their son before his leave, could not believe it was suicide and strongly protested.

In response, the Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Army Headquarters Judge Advocate General’s Office launched a reinvestigation, but ultimately notified them that it was suicide.

When the bereaved family raised the issue with the media, the military investigation agency announced the results of the investigation.

“The deceased had been suffering from the company commander’s abuse, violence, and erratic personality, and had requested to be reassigned to a squad several times, but was ignored. He felt severe revulsion towards military service. On the day of the incident, he was severely scolded by the company commander for not ironing his combat uniform properly, and was assaulted by a senior soldier for not managing his helmet properly. He lost his will to serve due to severe compulsion and decided to commit suicide.”

They tried to cut off the tail [end the problem quickly] by retiring the sergeant, platoon leader, and company commander for abuse.

Regarding the three gunshot wounds, they explained it this way.

“The deceased loaded one live round into the M16 rifle and attempted suicide by aiming at his heart, but missed due to movement, resulting in a non-fatal wound. The deceased then grabbed the muzzle with his left hand, pressed it against his left chest, and pulled the trigger again with his right thumb, but again failed to inflict a fatal wound. Finally, the deceased lay at a 45-degree angle, pressed the muzzle against his right eyebrow, and pulled the trigger with his right thumb, ultimately dying from a skull fracture.”

The military investigation agency dismissed the bereaved family’s complaint as suicide.

The Presidential Truth Commission on Suspicious Deaths conducted a separate civilian investigation, publicized the case extensively in the media, and held protests.

In response, the Ministry of National Defense received the interim investigation results from the civilian commission, formed a special investigation team (special investigation team) headed by an Army lieutenant general, and launched a reinvestigation.

However… the special investigation team also announced the final investigation results that there was no accidental shooting in the company headquarters barracks, and that the deceased committed suicide alone outside.

*

The President received this article and called the Minister of National Defense.

“What happened in this case?”

“The military investigation agency has processed it as a suicide.”

“Does a suicide victim aim a gun at their right chest?”

“…….”

“Is it possible to shoot the left chest again with an M16 with a bullet in the chest, and then shoot the head again?”

“…….”

“And why commit suicide with someone else’s gun?”

“Hmm, hmm….”

“It’s obviously a military cover-up.”

“I think so too, but that’s what the responsible military investigation agency and the military court have determined….”

“Perhaps they initially tried to handle it as a simple suicide and move on, but they didn’t know the problem would become this big.”

“…….”

“If we send them to the military, and they frequently suffer abuse, and if they come back as corpses like now, who would send their precious children to the military?”

“I’m sorry. I take full responsibility, Your Excellency!”

“The truth won’t come out just because the minister orders it, will it? Because everyone from the company to the Army Headquarters and the Ministry of National Defense is in cahoots [conspiring together].”

“To be honest, that’s the case. Even if Your Excellency orders it, the chances of reversing the outcome are extremely low because the entire group of people involved are suspects.”

“In the end, a strong reform of the military’s judicial system is inevitable. Let’s select this as the top priority in this defense reform. Minister, please resolve this yourself. Even the military is no longer a sanctuary.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

A defense reform TF [Task Force] was formed and drawing up a blueprint.

The main tasks were the creation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, modernization of weapons, expansion of special mission forces, overseas deployments, advancement of military culture, and reform of the military judicial system.

*

National Assembly National Defense Committee.

The National Defense Reform Act from the Defense Reform TF was being revised.

Ruling and opposition lawmakers reviewed the clauses.

“We are drastically increasing naval and air power to expand our territory and protect the 7th mining zone, completely transforming the army-centered organization.”

“The establishment of the Joint Chiefs of Staff seems very desirable. It will allow us to wash away the stigma of being an army-centric organization.”

During the Korean War, there was the Joint Chiefs of Staff Conference, an emergency non-permanent organization, but to transform into a practical national defense that integrates and commands the three services, the Joint Chiefs of Staff was newly established as the highest military command standing organization of the armed forces.

The military manpower was maintained at 600,000, but the army was reduced, and the focus was shifted to the air force, navy, and special mission special forces.

A huge budget was allocated to completely replace the weapon systems used in the past in the Korean War and Vietnam with modern weapons comparable to the U.S. military, such as fighter jets, aircraft carriers, submarines, next-generation tanks, missiles, destroyers, and self-propelled guns.

A separate budget was allocated for the modernization and localization of defense weapons, and the actual defense-related budget increased fourfold compared to previous years.

Oil money and national wealth fund profits were poured into security and defense, designing the defense industry to become one of the industrial pillars.

“I don’t know if the improvement of military culture will go well. The military is originally a top-down organization, and insubordination is absolutely taboo, but if we touch it rashly, military discipline may be lost and it may become a disorganized mob.”

“That’s why we’re changing from ‘do what you’re told’ to a ‘motivation’ organization like the U.S. military. Instead of blindly obeying gangster-like superiors, we’re establishing an organizational culture that delivers and evaluates clear missions. Like the U.S. military, the leadership of commanders becomes important.”

The promotion method also reflected changes in the advancement of military life.

“We give preferential treatment to those with practical experience and excellent training in promotions. Currently, grievance procedures are the only way for subordinates to express their opinions, but we create promotion evaluation items that prevent rank abuse by including ‘fairness, rationality, and leadership’ items in the regular superior evaluation by subordinates. Subordinates who fail to meet the evaluation standards are eliminated from promotion, no matter how good their other scores are. It’s a kind of multi-faceted evaluation failure.”

A clause was also newly established to always prepare and maintain the number of soldiers deployed overseas at 10% of the entire army.

This is to prepare a force that can be dispatched to conflict areas at any time to expand Korea’s influence to the world.

The salaries of soldiers were also significantly increased, so that 5 million won [approximately $3,700 USD] would be deposited in the national wealth fund when a general soldier is discharged after completing his service.

It was a huge amount of money that could be used as a down payment for a house.

The food and barracks budget was also increased more than doubled, so that there would be no inconvenience in eating and sleeping.

The 3 million reservists were maintained as they were.

Enrollment of women of the corresponding age in civil defense and completion of annual civil defense training hours became mandatory.

The highlight of defense reform was the reform of the military judicial system, which has recently become a topic of interest.