The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 187

187. A Decisive Match

The South Korean lineup presented a tight defensive formation, strategically staggered like pieces on a Go board, focused on the center.

As the North Korean midfielder passed the ball back from the center line, two North Korean attackers surged forward with explosive speed.

This was their signature ‘charge soccer,’ relying on relentless speed and direct attacks.

The North Korean tactics were straightforward.

Three attackers, possessing exceptional stamina, would relentlessly charge toward the opponent’s goal whenever possession was gained, with the midfielders quickly distributing the ball to them.

The ball soared through the air, landing precisely in front of the North Korean left-wing attacker.

*Thwack!*

The instant the North Korean player attempted to dribble, two South Korean defenders exploded into action, clamping down on him like a vise.

“Ugh!”

The North Korean player, locked shoulder-to-shoulder with a South Korean defender, cried out as he was knocked to the ground.

Immediately, the South Korean player cleanly stole the ball and kicked it forward.

The fallen North Korean player remained down, the impact feeling like he’d been hit by a car.

The referee, seeing the situation, rushed over.

“Are you alright?”

“Wasn’t that a foul?”

“It was a fair shoulder charge.”

The North Korean player struggled to his feet, using his hands for support.

*Thwack!*

He spat, revealing blood in his mouth from the collision.

The South Korean players, showing no urgency, casually passed the ball amongst themselves in their own half. Cha Bum-kun occasionally took a shot from mid-range, but they seemed uninterested in mounting a serious attack.

The North Korean players, struggling to penetrate the dense defense, committed nearly all their players to the attack, leaving only two defenders back.

“Kugh!”

A North Korean player, tripped by a South Korean player, grimaced and groaned in pain.

The referee immediately called for assistance.

“Doctor!”

As the doctor examined the player’s leg, he cried out in agony.

“Ah! It hurts a lot right there.”

“It looks like a fracture!”

He was carefully carried off the field on a stretcher.

With North Korean players consistently falling during challenges with their South Korean counterparts, those who managed to retain possession were too focused on quickly passing to avoid physical contact.

Consequently, their attacks lacked any real threat.

At that moment, Coach Hiddink signaled to the team captain.

The players then advanced from their own territory towards the center line.

They shifted their strategy from primarily defending their goal to aggressively pressing in the midfield.

Partially implementing the Dutch concept of ‘total football,’ the midfielders and attackers fluidly combined offensive and defensive roles.

The North Korean players were visibly unsettled.

The South Korean players, constantly interchanging between offensive and defensive positions, participated in both attack and defense, overwhelming the North Koreans. They struggled to advance the ball past the center line against the relentless South Korean pressure.

A South Korean attacker intercepted a pass from a North Korean player.

A one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper!

Shoot!

*Bang!*

The shot, like a cannonball, flew past the goalkeeper.

The net bulged violently, as if tearing.

The North Korean goalkeeper stood frozen, unable to even react to the tremendous power of the shot.

Soon after, North Korea, again losing possession due to the suffocating pressure defense, conceded another goal.

Whistle!

Thus, the first half concluded with South Korea leading 2-0.

Three North Korean players had been carried off on stretchers and substituted.

Fortunately for them, the rules allowed for four substitutions.

*

North Korean players’ waiting room.

The North Korean coach was furious.

“What the hell happened out there? You’re getting completely dominated in the physical battles. Three injuries in the first half alone!”

All three of their key attackers were now sidelined with serious injuries.

“Don’t even mention it, coach. It felt like I was hit by a ten-ton truck.”

“That’s right. My shoulder doesn’t feel right either. I heard a cracking sound.”

“Is it that bad?”

“The impact was even greater than when I collided with a European player.”

“These guys have only been practicing physical combat.”

“Coach, I think I have a broken rib.”

“A broken rib! Let’s take a look…”

As he probed his abdomen, the player winced.

“Aah!”

“Oh no! It really is a fracture. If all four of you are replaced, we won’t have any substitutes left for the second half.”

*

South Korean players’ waiting room.

Hiddink addressed the South Korean players.

“Everything else was good, but those two goals in the first half went against the tactical instructions. We were supposed to start hunting for goals in the second half.”

“Sorry. I just kicked it because I didn’t want to pass, but the goalkeeper didn’t block it. I’ll refrain from doing so in the second half.”

“Hahaha, I’m just kidding. But let’s not go over 3-0. Even though it’s a closed-door match, there’s no need to reveal all our strength. Let’s shoot effectively, but avoid scoring.”

“Understood.”

A player spoke up to Coach Hiddink.

“I feel like I’m flying because I didn’t do weight training or the half-marathon yesterday and today, Coach. I can’t control my strength.”

“You have to train consistently until the very end to maintain your strength because you’ll be using up your stamina during the World Cup period of about 20 days. You have to keep in mind that it’s a long-term battle, unlike other A matches [international friendly matches]. Stamina is key.”

“Yes, sir!”

*

The second half commenced.

Whistle!

South Korea maintained their pressure, preventing the North Korean attackers from even approaching their goal with their relentless midfield press.

Crack~

“Ugh!”

A key North Korean defender went down and was stretchered off the field.

South Korea, as a gesture of goodwill, allowed them to bring on one more substitute.

Cha Bum-kun unleashed a powerful shot from inside the penalty area.

*Bang!*

The North Korean goalkeeper was visibly nervous.

The cannonball shot struck the goalpost and bounced out, just as he’d hoped.

Ting~

The goalpost resonated like a gong.

Throughout the second half, South Korea continued to practice set pieces.

They demonstrated various tactics with free kicks and corner kicks.

However, the ball repeatedly hit the goalpost and bounced out. The objective wasn’t to score, but to hit the post.

They only managed to score one more goal, a penalty awarded for a North Korean player’s handball.

The North Korean players, physically depleted, couldn’t even contemplate crossing the center line, let alone attempt their ‘charge soccer,’ and simply hovered near their own goal, defending desperately.

The North Korean cheering squad chanted enthusiastically as planned, but they couldn’t reverse the one-sided nature of the game.

Whistle!

As the second half concluded, the North Korean players collapsed on the field.

They had endured the 45 minutes of the second half with battered and bruised bodies.

Conversely, the South Korean players were brimming with energy, foreshadowing their sensational performance in the upcoming World Cup.

The newspaper published only a brief article stating that South Korea had defeated North Korea 3-0 in a friendly match between the two Koreas.

*

State Council meeting.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported to the President.

“Eight North Korean starting players were injured and returned to North Korea after receiving treatment in South Korea. There are three fractures, five contusions, and one concussion.”

“Even if the North had won, they wouldn’t have had enough players to participate in the World Cup?”

“That’s correct. They’ll be in the injury ward for at least two months. As promised, North Korea will only send two reserve players, and the facade of a unified Korean team will be maintained, Your Excellency.”

“It went according to plan. Now, let’s prepare to welcome the North Korean guests. The purpose is sports, but it’s a political event for us.”

North Korea was scheduled to send a large cheering squad of 10,000 people, including Jang Song-taek, high-ranking party leaders, and security personnel.

*

Wonsan, North Korea.

The Commander of the Security Command was secretly meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to North Korea at the Wonsan Security Command, avoiding the watchful eyes of the Escort Bureau [bodyguard command for top leaders].

They were in an office overlooking Wonsan Port.

The Chinese Ambassador stated.

“It’s fortunate that you’ve confirmed that Jang Song-taek has been compromised by South Korea.”

“I’ve been aware of the absorption unification operation [takeover of North Korea by South Korea] for a long time. We should arrest and imprison the reactionaries immediately, but the Escort Bureau is complicit, making it difficult for the Security Command to act.”

“What is the Security Command planning to do?”

“We have to overthrow them. If we revolt, we need China’s support.”

“China also supports the revolution. However, we cannot provide support that is outwardly visible. It must be a regime change that appears to occur purely internally to avoid international complications.”

“I understand that perfectly. The support I’m requesting isn’t material, but a guarantee that you won’t oppose our revolutionary task.”

“Of course. If the revolution succeeds, we will immediately recognize the new leadership. But if Jang Song-taek is removed, who will be the supreme leader afterward? The Commander?”

“Even without a Prime Minister, the 11 Standing Committee members can maintain the collective system. After a transition period, we will select pro-China figures. We would appreciate a recommendation from the Chinese side.”

“Are you suggesting a revival of the Yan’an faction [North Korean communists who had been based in Yan’an, China]?”

“That’s right.”

After the Korean War, members of the South Korean Labor Party, including Park Heon-young, were purged, but the pro-China Yan’an faction continued to hold important positions.

The Yan’an faction opposed Kim Il-sung, who advocated an economic policy prioritizing heavy industry, and instead favored an economic policy prioritizing light industry and greater democracy within the party.

This conflict erupted during the August Faction Incident [1956 attempt to remove Kim Il-sung], and the Yan’an faction, having lost the power struggle, were purged of most of their leaders, including Kim Doo-bong and Mu Jeong, except for those who sided with Kim Il-sung, such as Kim Chang-man and Heo Jeong-suk.

Currently, the Chief of the General Staff, a member of the Yan’an faction, holds the highest position in the hierarchy.

“Good. The Security Commander will lead the military force, and China will recommend the leadership.”

“Understood.”

“But how will you initiate and ensure the success of the revolution? Have you secured participants in the revolutionary military force?”

“We plan to proceed as follows.”

The Head of the Security Department explained the operation plan and the scheduled participants.

*

Sinuiju.

Sinuiju is a city located on the Amnok River [Yalu River] in the west of North Pyongan Province, directly across from Dandong, China.

This location has been on the border with China since ancient times, serving as the Haedong Gateway [eastern gateway] and defending the border.

At the Sinuiju Security Command, about a dozen people were gathered, including the Security Commander, the Chief of the General Staff, the Border Commander, the Director of the Light Infantry Training and Guidance Bureau, the Commander of the Airborne Landing Brigade, the Commander of the Maritime Sniper Brigade, and the Deputy Director of the General Political Bureau.

They all wore grim expressions.

The Security Commander began.

“The reason we are gathered here today is to carry out the historical revolutionary task of purging the leadership that has been bought off by South Korea.”

Among the People’s Armed Forces of North Korea, special forces commanders, especially those equivalent to the US Special Operations Command’s Tier 1 level units [elite special forces], were concentrated.

North Korea’s special operation forces included 1 special operation battalion corresponding to the US Special Operations classification system Tier 1 level unit, 8 airborne landing brigades, 2 maritime sniper brigades, 4 reconnaissance brigades, 9 light infantry brigades, 35 light infantry battalions belonging to corps, 5 mixed brigades with special maneuver and support missions, and 4 sniper brigades, totaling about 200,000 people.

Among these, the units with the strongest firepower and mobility were the 30,000-strong airborne landing brigade and the 9,000-strong maritime sniper brigade.

To minimize the risk of leaks, given the treasonous nature of the conspiracy, the smallest possible military force was selected, involving only units with the highest combat power and significant internal dissatisfaction.

Just as the Silmido unit members [South Korean black ops unit] were treated unfairly and their morale plummeted due to détente during President Park Chung-hee’s era, the same was true for North Korea.

Support for the special forces, which cost twice as much and numbered about 200,000, was drastically reduced, creating an atmosphere of impending disbandment, leading to peak dissatisfaction.

The Security Commander declared.

“We have already consulted with the Chinese Ambassador, and China is now on our side!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

China’s support was paramount, and securing it felt like gaining a million soldiers.

Confidence replaced the anxiety in the participants’ eyes.

“First, sign this revolutionary task alliance document with your blood!”