The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 190

Rebel Number One Defected

In an instant, four men had holes in their heads and collapsed.

The squad leader turned pale.

“Why are you doing this, Comrade Chief!”

Swish!

“Cough!”

The soldiers quickly loaded the bodies onto the truck.

The Chief was indifferent.

“There are 15 guards in the second barracks. Eliminate them all!”

“Yes!”

The duty soldiers were all disarmed in the barracks, and the guards were all killed.

The soldiers advanced with tanks and armored vehicles, blocking the northern gate of Panmunjom [the Joint Security Area between North and South Korea].

“Do not let anyone pass! Refusal will result in immediate execution!”

South Korean intelligence officers, who were monitoring the situation at Panmunjom under orders, observed this scene through binoculars.

“They’ve finally moved! Messenger!”

“Yes!”

“Report to the higher-ups! More than 20 tanks, more than 10 armored vehicles, and a force of at least division-level strength have been deployed forward, and they have killed individuals who appear to be guards!”

“Yes!”

*

At the same time, at the Workers’ Party headquarters in Pyongyang.

A guard standing watch at the main gate, holding a rifle, was startled.

A group of armed soldiers poured out of a military truck.

Judging by their uniforms, they were from the Airborne Brigade.

However, they were all armed with suppressed weapons used only in actual combat.

“Why are those guys here? There’s no training scheduled?”

The guard blocked them with his rifle and shouted.

“What’s going on?”

“None of your business!”

Swish!

“Ugh!”

The sentry collapsed, bleeding from his left chest.

The guards inside the guard post leaned out the window and shouted.

“What’s going on!”

Swish!

“Cough!”

He died instantly, his neck caught on the window frame.

They shot the guards as they appeared and entered the party headquarters.

Following them, tanks arrived and completely occupied the Workers’ Party headquarters.

The Maritime Sniper Brigade raided the town where high-ranking officials’ residences were located and captured high-ranking officials, including members of the Standing Committee [the highest decision-making body of the Workers’ Party of Korea].

They quickly seized key locations such as the Pyongyang Broadcasting Station, the Rodong Sinmun [Workers’ Daily] newspaper office, Residence Number One [the official residence of the North Korean leader], and Mangyongdae [Kim Il-sung’s birthplace, a site of pilgrimage and national significance].

Gunfights broke out in the guard building.

Bang! Bang!

The guards had great power, but they were not combat troops, and all they had were personal firearms.

On the other hand, the rebels advanced with tanks, aiming the turrets directly at the guard building.

Bang!

Flames erupted from the muzzle, and a large hole was blown in the guard building, causing a fire inside.

Five tanks fired mercilessly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The guard building was riddled with holes and collapsed.

The guards who resisted inside the building were killed in the explosion.

The rebels, who started their operation at the start of the World Cup and completely occupied Pyongyang by the time the Chile game ended, arrested the leadership residing in Pyongyang and took them all to the Workers’ Party headquarters.

*

The Presidential Office in Seoul.

The two leaders, who had just returned from the stadium, were drinking tea while waiting for the final event, a dinner banquet.

Prime Minister Jang was still excited.

“I never knew South Korea could play soccer so well. It was so refreshing to win so decisively.”

“It’s thanks to the enthusiastic support from the North.”

“When I return to Pyongyang tonight, I’ll have tales to tell the Standing Committee that will keep us up all night, haha!”

The President was anxious, but Prime Minister Jang was excited like an innocent child.

At that moment, the Chief of Staff hurriedly entered and whispered in his ear.

“Your Excellency, we finally have contact.”

The President excused himself from Prime Minister Jang and went to his office.

*

The President’s office.

The Director of the National Intelligence Service, the National Security Advisor, and the Minister of National Defense were waiting.

The President asked urgently.

“Have we heard from the armistice line [the border separating North and South Korea]?”

The Minister of National Defense replied.

“Yes. According to information just received from the intelligence department, an armored unit of division size has blocked the northern side of Panmunjom. They have killed individuals presumed to be guards.”

“Have you confirmed whether it is a drill?”

“When the manager of the Paju Industrial Complex in the South approached, they fired warning shots, telling him to turn back.”

The Minister of National Defense continued to report.

“We have received reports that armored units have been deployed not only at Panmunjom but also in the northern regions of the armistice line, including Cheorwon.”

“The armistice line is definitely blocked.”

“Your Excellency, it has finally begun!”

“Now it’s my turn.”

The President took a deep breath, calming his trembling heart.

*

The VIP room.

Prime Minister Jang asked the President, who entered the room.

“You don’t look well. Is your hangover still not gone?”

“Prime Minister, this is not the time for this.”

“What’s wrong? You speak as if a coup has taken place.”

“There is an emergency situation on the armistice line right now.”

“An emergency situation?”

“The northern gateway of Panmunjom is blocked by an armored unit from the North, and a division-level force is guarding it, armed.”

“Hmm, hmm, ah, that’s a reserve border guard in case of an emergency. I told them to wait in the rear, but I don’t know why they’re creating a tense situation by being visible. I’m sorry. I’ll order them to pull back.”

He instructed the two guards who were guarding him from behind.

“Call the Commander of the Guard!”

“Yes!”

At that moment, the North Korean Commander of the Guard rushed in.

Jang Song-taek said.

“Speak of the devil, and he appears. You came at the right time.”

“Comrade Prime Minister, something terrible has happened!”

“Terrible? Are you talking about the deployment of the armored unit? Who ordered them to be deployed so close, creating a sense of unease?”

“Comrade Prime Minister! It’s a rebellion, a rebellion!”

“What? A rebellion!”

“We received a radio message that Pyongyang has been completely occupied by rebels. The armistice line, including Panmunjom, is now being blocked by the rebels.”

“W-what? I-is this possible? W-who on earth is doing this?”

“The State Security Department is leading the rebellion, and special forces and border guards are committing atrocities.”

“The State Security Department?”

“It seems they are retaliating for being pushed to the periphery.”

“How could this happen! To dare to revolt against Number One!”

The President, who was listening from the side, comforted him, pretending not to know.

“Prime Minister, perhaps it’s a drill. Check it out. A rebellion doesn’t happen that easily.”

“T-that’s right. Commander, go to Panmunjom and check it out yourself! Reconfirm with Pyongyang by radio!”

“Yes, Comrade Prime Minister!”

The President said.

“Take our helicopter.”

“Ah, may I borrow it?”

“Of course. It’s an emergency, so we must help.”

The President showed generosity.

*

The southern area of Panmunjom.

The Commander of the Guard met with the guards who were waiting at the inter-Korean family reunion hotel in Panmunjom.

“What’s going on? Is it really a rebellion?”

“It’s clear. Even if our guards try to enter, they just say it’s blocked and tell us to turn back.”

“Pyongyang is out of contact?”

“We just received a radio message from the Third Zone.”

“Really? What does it say? Report quickly!”

“The State Security Department, the Airborne Brigade, and the Maritime Sniper Brigade have occupied Pyongyang, and they have captured all the party leaders and gathered them at the Workers’ Party headquarters. They used tanks to bombard the guard building and brought it down. That’s why the guard is out of contact. They escaped to the Moranbong Guard District and contacted us from there.”

“This can’t be! I’ll check it myself.”

The Commander of the Guard drove past the South Korean side of Panmunjom and approached the North Korean gate.

Sure enough, a tank was aiming its gun and blocking the road.

The Commander got out of the car, approached, and shouted.

“What are you doing! Don’t you know you’re reactionary rebels?”

From the North Korean side, the Deputy Chief of the Guard looked at the Commander of the Guard, who was raging through binoculars, and said.

“He’s finally shown up. Power doesn’t last long. Get rid of him!”

A sniper who was waiting aimed at the Commander.

Unaware of this, the Commander of the Guard fearlessly walked towards the North Korean side, filled with anger.

Bang!

Thud!

The sound of a watermelon breaking was heard, and blood flowed down the Commander’s face, and he collapsed.

The news of the Commander of the State Security Department’s death was immediately reported to Jang Song-taek.

Jang Song-taek, who was on the phone, dropped the receiver and muttered like a man possessed.

“This can’t be… This can’t be… I am Number One of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea… Number One….”

*

Pyongyang Workers’ Party Headquarters.

The rebel forces, led by the Commander of the State Security Department and the Chief of the General Staff, who was a member of the Yan’an faction [a group of Korean communists who had fought with the Chinese communists during the Chinese Civil War] and a member of the Standing Committee, named themselves the ‘Korean Revolution Guard’ and directed the coup.

The Commander of the State Security Department pointed a pistol at the seven members of the Standing Committee he had arrested and threatened them.

The other two members of the Standing Committee were not in Pyongyang, as they were accompanying the World Cup event.

“From now on, North Korea will be ruled by the ‘Korean Revolution Guard’.”

The members of the Standing Committee sensed the atmosphere and trembled, unable to speak.

“Since the Prime Minister is vacant, you will control the party and the people under the command of the Chief of the General Staff!”

“……”

A member of the Standing Committee and a member of the Politburo asked.

“Well, even if we hold a Standing Committee meeting, we need to know what’s going on. Could you explain the current situation? What happened to Prime Minister Jang?”

“Jang Song-taek? That bastard defected to South Korea. He defected with the Commander of the Guard and 10,000 people.”

“Defection? Isn’t he just temporarily away for the North-South World Cup unified team event?”

The Director of the State Security Department pointed a pistol at his head. And he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang!

Thud!

One member of the Standing Committee fell forward.

Red blood flowed onto the floor.

The members of the Standing Committee turned pale with fear.

The Director of the State Security Department blew on the muzzle of the gun and said.

“Hoo~ You shouldn’t have argued with me. Don’t you know that we can appoint as many members of the Standing Committee as we want? Well, from now on, I’m also a member of the Standing Committee. Understand?”

“Yes, yes….”

“From now on, all propaganda and agitation media will print and broadcast my words exactly as they are.”

*

Emergency news was broadcast on Pyongyang television.

The announcer read the script with a nervous face.

“The traitor Jang Song-taek, taking advantage of his participation in the 10th World Cup being held in South Korea, defected with the Guard and 10,000 people! We condemn Jang Song-taek, who was bought by South Korea and sold out the country, as an enemy of the people, and we will arrest him soon and tear him to shreds hundreds of times! In order to manage this grave situation, the ‘Korean Revolution Guard’, centered on the Chief of the General Staff and the Commander of the State Security Department, will safely govern North Korea!…”