The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 170

170. The Demise of Number One

Director’s Office, National Security Agency.

Jang Song-taek met with Director Lee to deliver information not published in the *Rodong Sinmun* [North Korea’s state newspaper].

“The Chairman personally ordered the summary execution, hahaha!”

“That ignorant butcher finally got purged himself.”

“You reap what you sow. Now that it’s being upgraded to the Guard Command [elite military unit responsible for protecting the leadership], we’ll be taking over the prime parts of the Ministry of People’s Armed Forces.”

“It’s all thanks to you. Kim Dae is now at the center of state affairs.”

“But now is the time to be cautious. Absolutely do not act rashly.”

“What do you mean?”

“The National Defense Chairman is furious. He has declared that anyone who denies the monolithic leadership system or engages in factional behavior will be severely punished. You’ll be summoned soon and given orders. So, you must never mention academic ties, blood ties, regional ties, or organizational lines. You must absolutely obey the sole leadership system.”

“Hmm, that’s how things are turning out. Thanks for the valuable information.”

The Director of the National Security Agency thought everything was over with the purge of the Director of the State Security Department.

But the finishing touch remained.

*

Pyongyang.

The UN nuclear inspection team was inspecting the dismantling process of North Korea’s five nuclear warhead missiles.

The dismantled nuclear warheads would be stored in containers, with three heading to the Soviet Union and two to the United States.

Leading media outlets from the United States and the United Kingdom were invited to cover the event with their broadcast cameras.

A reporter from the United States asked the North Korean official in charge.

“When are the remaining five scheduled to be disposed of?”

“…….”

The North Korean official had no comment.

He didn’t know, nor was he in a position to speak.

*

A typhoon made landfall in North Korea, and torrential rain poured down as if the sky had burst.

Rumble~ Crash!

Swish! Swish!

Thunder and lightning tore through the sky.

The heavy rain swept across North Korea, causing rivers and streams to overflow.

“The levee has burst!”

Emergency evacuation sirens wailed.

Eeeeng~

The agricultural levees burst in succession, engulfing low-lying villages and causing thousands of casualties.

*

Upon receiving the report on the flood disaster, the National Defense Chairman gave instructions.

“Prepare for an inspection tour!”

With public sentiment already volatile due to the public executions, and even the heavens not helping, he began an inspection tour, which had been paused for a while, to appease the public.

The Guard Commander of the Guard Command said.

“Comrade Chairman, roads are cut off due to the floods and typhoon, so traveling by vehicle will take a lot of time.”

“Is that so? Then launch a helicopter!”

“Yes, sir!”

Thud thud thud!

The National Defense Chairman boarded the helicopter.

Fortunately, the wind had subsided, and the weather was clear, so there were no obstacles to the flight.

Thud thud thud~

The helicopter soared into the sky.

Three escort helicopters flew on the left, right, and behind, guarding it.

It was passing over the Daedong River, which had turned yellow due to the floods, after leaving Pyongyang.

The river water was rapidly rushing, writhing like a dragon, as if it would swallow the mountains.

The National Defense Chairman said.

“The river has swollen twice as much. It’s fortunate that it didn’t overflow into Pyongyang.”

At that moment.

Bang!

A loud explosion was heard from the Number One helicopter, black smoke billowed from the propeller, and the helicopter body began to spin around like a top.

The passengers, including the National Defense Chairman, screamed.

“Aaaagh!”

The pilot urgently sent a radio message.

“The engine has stopped! It’s impossible to control! Aaaagh-”

The helicopter stopped and spun in place, colliding with the escort helicopter following behind.

Crash bang!

As the two helicopters collided, red flames erupted, and they exploded in mid-air like balloons.

Boom!

The National Defense Chairman let out a short scream.

“Argh!”

The image of the Director of the State Security Department, whom he had executed not long ago, approaching him like a zombie, bleeding profusely from his entire body, was vividly visible in his eyes.

Whoosh~

The passengers and debris fell into the Daedong River.

Splash~

Splat!

The wreckage immediately disappeared into the yellow floodwaters and was swept away.

*

Immediately, special marine units were deployed.

Dressed in diving suits, they risked their lives and jumped into the river.

However, in the muddy water where they couldn’t see an inch ahead due to the strong currents, they couldn’t find anything.

Thus, North Korea’s Number One met a tragic end, unable to even find his damaged corpse.

*

An emergency Standing Committee meeting was convened.

Everyone was dressed in black mourning clothes, and the atmosphere was somber.

The first thing to be clarified was the cause of the accident. Was it an accident or an assassination? That was important.

Jang Song-taek, as the Vice-Chairman of the National Defense Commission, presided over the Standing Committee and made the first move.

“Even if the roads are cut off due to the floods, he shouldn’t have taken the helicopter. Helicopters are prone to accidents. It’s my eternal regret that I couldn’t stop him.”

He put on an act of grief as if he had lost his country.

The Chief of the General Staff said.

“How could the Number One helicopter malfunction with such maintenance? The Guard Department must be held accountable for this!”

Jang Song-taek threw out a guiding remark.

“I’ve already looked into the chain of command for the helicopters. The helicopter operation units are still under the influence of the State Security Department and the Air Force Command. It hasn’t been long since the Guard Department was reorganized, so the specialized personnel remain as they were.”

Choi, a member of the Party Central Military Commission and three years senior to Kim Dae, chimed in.

“The most likely scenario is that the State Security Department, resentful of being demoted, retaliated against the remaining personnel. That is, if it wasn’t an accident.”

The atmosphere was flowing as Jang Song-taek wanted.

Jang Song-taek said.

“I ordered the Inspection Bureau to investigate, but it’s difficult to recover the exploded bodies and wreckage as they were swept away by the Daedong River. It will take a long time to find out the truth. I also suspect the State Security Department, so I have ordered the Pyongyang Guard Unit of the Guard Department and the Chief of the General Staff here to be on special alert to prepare for the actions of subversive elements.”

Everyone seemed relieved by Jang Song-taek’s meticulous precautions.

Jang Song-taek drove in the wedge.

“We can no longer hide the death of Number One. We should announce to the people that he died in a helicopter accident while bravely conducting an inspection of flood-stricken areas despite the bad weather. Announcing to the world that the Supreme Leader practiced his utmost love for the people with all his being is the best way to enhance the prestige of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Helicopter accidents are common, so no one will think it’s strange. Of course, we will continue the investigation regardless of the announcement.”

The Propaganda and Agitation Department Director welcomed Jang Song-taek’s words, as he had said what he was supposed to do.

“That’s the right decision. I will take measures to promote it in all propaganda media.”

“I agree too.”

The most critical moment, the suspicion of assassination, passed safely.

The Propaganda and Agitation Department Director was very worried.

“We need to prepare for the funeral, but it’s daunting to know how to proceed without the body.”

Jang Song-taek said.

“Let’s not reveal the fact that we haven’t recovered the body and use wax instead.”

“A wax figure?”

“Yes. After all, it’s a farewell to the dead body, so a wax figure will do. The Soviet General Secretary’s funeral was done that way too. We just need to make the face elaborately. Or do you have any other better ideas?”

They looked at each other and couldn’t open their mouths.

It was decided to hold the funeral with a wax figure.

The next was the order of the funeral committee.

It was an important moment when the next power would be determined.

Secretary Maeng, from Kim Dae’s faction, suggested.

“Of course, Vice-Chairman Jang Song-taek, who is the next in rank after the National Defense Chairman and the representative of the Baekdu bloodline [referring to the Kim family’s claim to legitimacy], should be the chairman of the funeral committee.”

“That’s right!”

The Director of the General Political Bureau, who quickly grasped the center of power, quickly added.

“The National Defense Chairman’s eldest son (Kim Jong-un) is only just over a hundred days old and cannot be included in the ranks, and the First Lady is politically inexperienced and cannot succeed. It is best to prevent confusion by transferring the prepared order as it is when Number One is vacant.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The atmosphere quickly reversed from a sorrowful death to a line-up for the powerful.

All national flagpoles in North Korea were flying at half-mast.

The news of the death was reported on the front page of the *Rodong Sinmun* in large letters.

– The Great National Defense Chairman Comrade passed away gloriously while inspecting flood victims despite the severe storm!.

Heavy funeral music played all day long on TV, radio, and even from the loudspeakers and speakers of village worker-peasant Red Guards and companies for several days.

*

Daedong River estuary.

Divers were taking turns diving from the search team’s barge to recover Number One’s body and the wreckage of the exploded helicopter.

Splash!

Only heavy propeller wreckage was recovered, and the bodies and wreckage that exploded in the air were swept away by the strong currents without a trace.

A diver shouted.

“There’s a body over there!”

Indeed, a body was floating down.

They approached by boat and pulled up the body.

It was a soldier in an Air Force uniform.

The body was severely decomposed.

They checked the name tag on his chest and identified him.

The search team leader grumbled.

“We’re only pulling up the wrong bodies. It’s already the 14th one. Another fruitless day.”

They were only pulling up bodies that had gone missing due to the upstream floods.

The body that floated down today was recorded as an Air Force soldier who had deserted a few days ago.

It was processed as having drowned in the flood while hiding during his desertion.

That man was the very person who had robbed the Director of the State Security Department’s residence and planted explosives on the Number One helicopter.

The person himself thought he would receive a huge reward and change his fate after completing the special operation, but the person who gave the instructions eliminated him like a disposable item to keep the secret.

*

Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea [South Korea].

The National Security Council meeting was held, presided over by the President.

The Director of the National Intelligence Service reported.

“We have received a formal obituary from the North.”

The President said.

“Looking at the *Rodong Sinmun*, there is no controversy over the cause of death.”

“According to HUMINT [Human Intelligence] information, normal funeral procedures are underway. Jang Song-taek is listed as the first in the order of the funeral committee.”

“Hmm, a proper regime change has taken place. We can now begin full-scale inter-Korean projects.”

“It may take some time longer than expected, Your Excellency.”

“Really? In what aspects?”

“It is clear that he has seized central power, but the people and local officials in the North are resistant to the change of the Supreme Leader’s surname because the Kim family’s sole leadership system has been so firmly established. If control becomes lax during the transition period, there may be chaos in the North. The State Security Department, which has been pushed out of the center, is still strong in the provinces and may attempt a counterattack under the pretext of chaos.”

“It’s because the North doesn’t have the concept of a regime change. A transition period is inevitable.”

“That’s right.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

“According to information from Beijing, China wants North Korea to settle into a collective leadership system rather than a one-man leadership system. A Chinese special envoy has already been dispatched, and this appears to be a measure to discuss this.”

“A power struggle with the Soviet Union, which wants a one-man system, is inevitable.”

“That’s right. They see it as a power vacuum.”

“We cannot let it fall into the clutches of China and the Soviet Union. Let’s support Jang Song-taek so that he can quickly win the hearts and minds of the people.”

“Yes, sir!”

A large delegation consisting of the Prime Minister and the Director of the National Intelligence Service was dispatched.

The North’s regime change operation was a great success. The next step was unification.