The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 193

193. Revive the Chain of Command

World Cup Stadium.

Wow!

The stadium shook with deafening cheers.

It was because South Korea had scored their second goal against Nigeria.

The announcer shouted hoarsely, and even grandmothers who didn’t know soccer were dancing in their seats.

That day, South Korea completely defeated Nigeria 3-1 and secured a spot in the quarterfinals.

Citizens took to the streets, waving the Taegeukgi [South Korean flag] and enjoying the festivities late into the night.

*

Kim Il-sung University.

Located on the outskirts of Pyongyang, Kim Il-sung University had approximately 2,300 faculty members, 12,000 full-time students including master’s and doctoral candidates, and 5,000 students in evening and correspondence courses. As North Korea’s largest and most prestigious comprehensive university, the campus was enormous.

There were also nearly 1,000 international students from communist countries such as China, Vietnam, and Russia.

On a dark night, the university’s main gate was guarded by North Korean rebel forces with tanks and armored vehicles.

The university students were unarmed, so the dozens of rebels were only standing guard, letting their guard down.

The rebels sat on the tanks, sharing cigarettes and talking about the bright future of the new revolutionary army.

The heroes of the revolution would surely be included in the founding merit list, and their social status would change.

At that moment, four shadows were heading towards the president and faculty residences below Ryongnam Hill.

Faint lights were coming from the president’s residence.

Since the curfew had been in effect since 8 PM, only the rebels patrolling in jeeps occasionally roamed around.

Knock! Knock!

The president, who couldn’t sleep and had a book open, turned his head at the sound of the knock, a cigarette in his mouth.

“Another face-to-face patrol, I guess.”

The university’s key administrators were under the control and surveillance of those guys, unable to leave the university.

The president shouted.

“Come in. You come so often I don’t even lock the door.”

Creak!

Seeing the group entering, the president was so startled, as if he had seen a ghost, that he dropped the cigarette from his mouth.

“Huh! Chief of Escort Bureau 1!”

Although he was wearing a regular infantry uniform, the president knew his face because he was his junior.

“Senior, how have you been?”

“Chief! You’re definitely the Chief of Bureau 1, right?”

“Yes, Senior!”

“Shouldn’t you be in South Korea right now? With the Prime Minister?”

“The Prime Minister is still in South Korea. Only I came north to assess the situation and rebuild the command system.”

“Is the Prime Minister safe?”

“Of course.”

“So the leaflets were right.”

“Did you see the leaflets?”

“I did. A student brought one. So I guessed the Prime Minister was alive and was relieved. I’m so glad you came, so glad. I couldn’t sleep, wondering if I would have to live and die under the boots of the Security Command goons.”

The rebels were planning to replace all the current Kim Dae executives as soon as they seized power.

“Senior, I have company.”

“Oh, tell them to come in.”

“One member of the escort team is on lookout, and two are special operatives from South Korea.”

The president blinked.

“South Korea? You came with South Korean operatives?”

“We were able to infiltrate this far with their help.”

“So they are helping the Prime Minister in South Korea?”

“Yes. The leaflets were also made and distributed in South Korea. We are working as one now.”

“Hmm, to think we would join hands with South Korea. I don’t know if it’s fortunate or unfortunate.”

“I came with the mission to rebuild the command system. There is someone we need to find first.”

At that moment, the lookout rushed in.

“Patrol!”

The president said.

“They patrol the faculty rooms almost every hour, keeping watch. Wait, where should we hide… Ah, right! Go up to the roof for now. They don’t go there. Here’s the roof key.”

The four, who received the roof key, quickly went up the stairs.

*

After a while, when the rebels’ patrol was over, the president went up to the roof.

“The next patrol will be at dawn. But didn’t you say you were looking for someone?”

“Yes. Isn’t the Vice Commander of the Escort Command here?”

“…….”

“The Prime Minister said that if he was alive, he would be hiding here.”

“That’s right. He escaped just before the Escort Command building collapsed from the shelling and has been hiding here.”

“Ah, we came to the right place!”

“But he was injured. A fracture.”

“Is he mentally sound?”

“His movements are restricted, but it’s just a fracture and abrasions, so it shouldn’t hinder his ability to command.”

*

Kim Il-sung University gymnasium storage.

Guided by a student, the Chief of Bureau met the Vice Commander of the Escort Command hiding in the storage tool room.

“Vice Commander!”

The Vice Commander, sitting on a gymnastics mattress, had a cast on his arm, a bruised face, and his hair was matted with dust, showing that he had barely escaped with his life.

“Chief! How did you infiltrate here?”

“Are you alright?”

“It’s a miracle I’m alive. How did you find this place?”

The Chief of Bureau 1 reported in detail on what had happened in South Korea, including the assassination of the Escort Commander.

The Vice Commander also exchanged information with the Chief of Bureau 1, explaining what had happened in the North.

The Vice Commander said.

“All the Standing Committee members have been dragged to the Workers’ Party building, so political recovery is impossible. The traitors are few in number and concentrated in Pyongyang, so for now, the only way is to mobilize forces that have not joined the traitors.”

The Chief of Bureau 1 said.

“Restoring the Prime Minister’s command system is the top priority.”

“That’s right. Since Pyongyang has been occupied, everyone thinks the power has changed and is leaning towards the traitors, so they won’t listen to me. They’ll report me instead. Did the Prime Minister defect north?”

“No. He is still in Seoul.”

“Then how do we restore the command system?”

“Knowing that, I have prepared this.”

He took out a heavy military satellite radio from his backpack.

“Isn’t that a radio? Don’t you know that if you communicate with South Korea, it will be immediately wiretapped and your location will be tracked?”

“Knowing that, I prepared this. This is a satellite radio used by the US military. It can’t be wiretapped and can communicate from anywhere. It was supported by South Korea and the United States.”

“You’re using a US communication satellite?”

“Yes.”

The Chief of Bureau turned on the power and attempted to communicate.

Static~

– This is Mother Bird, Little Bird respond with the code!

The communication was established.

“This is Daedong River Mallard.”

– Identity verification complete.

“Arrived at Kim Dae [Kim Il-sung University] and made contact with the Vice Commander! Connect me to the Prime Minister.”

– Stand by!

After a while, a familiar voice was heard from the radio.

– Ahem, ahem, this is Jang Song-taek. Is that the Chief of the Escort Bureau?

The group was moved and stood at attention.

“Yes, Prime Minister! This is the Chief of the 1st Bureau of the Escort Command.”

– Oh, Chief of Bureau 1! You arrived in Pyongyang?

“I made contact with the Vice Commander at Kim Dae. We are together now.”

– Oh, really? Let me talk to him.”

The Vice Commander cleared his throat and spoke into the radio.

“Prime Minister, this is Vice Commander No Mun-jin of the Escort Command.”

– Vice Commander No, how fortunate you are alive.

“I barely escaped, Prime Minister!”

– The situation is critical now. We must activate the command system before the traitors take over the entire Ministry of People’s Armed Forces.

“It is possible enough if we have only the Prime Minister’s voice.”

– We must secure the nuclear missiles first. Contact the Air Force Command and secure air supremacy first.

“Understood, Prime Minister!”

– I will be on standby next to the satellite radio at all times, so communicate with me anytime.

“Yes, Prime Minister!”

The infiltration team put their heads together and planned their operation.

“Even if we seize the nuclear missile base, the traitors will blockade it, so we must secure and defend the air force first.”

“The traitors are blockading Pyongyang Airport right now, so we must first secure a military runway. The Pyongyang Defense Command is currently engaged in battle with those guys. We must contact them, secure the military runway, and seize and defend the nuclear missile base with the support of bombers.”

“Then we must contact the Pyongyang Defense Command first.”

*

D+4 days.

Northernmost part of the East Sea [Sea of Japan].

Whoosh~

A squadron of Soviet strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons approached the Northern Limit Line [maritime boundary], staging a show of force.

It was to check the appearance of the US aircraft carrier.

It was a warning that if the United States intervened in North Korea’s problems, it could escalate into a war at any time.

*

Outskirts of Pyongyang.

Bang! Bang!

Shelling flames erupted here and there.

A reconnaissance team reported to the commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command.

“The enemy’s armored units have been reinforced and are advancing from the west as well.”

“Damn it! We have no choice. Retreat to the northeast!”

As the rebels’ shelling became increasingly intense, the Pyongyang Defense Command forces abandoned the buildings they were using as cover and began to retreat.

Other North Korean military units were watching the situation with their arms crossed, despite the Pyongyang Defense Command’s urging to advance into Pyongyang.

Discontent had been building up as Premier Jang had been mistreating the military, and with the Prime Minister gone and Pyongyang already occupied, they were hesitant to take sides, fearing they might be executed for treason depending on the final outcome, so they were standing by and playing it safe.

So the only ones blocking the rebels with force were the Pyongyang Defense Command.

The Pyongyang Defense Command leadership, pushed back 10km, held an emergency operations meeting.

“We requested support from the armored units, but they are only protecting themselves. On the other hand, the enemy’s firepower is getting stronger and stronger. It’s a sign that more military units are joining them.”

“Damn it! A rebellion has broken out, and they’re just standing by with their arms crossed! Useless, bat-like bastards!”

“If the Prime Minister doesn’t command, the war situation will become even more unfavorable.”

At that moment, an aide rushed in with a scout.

“The Vice Commander of the Escort Command has arrived.”

“The Vice Commander? Is he alive?”

“Yes.”

“Bring him in quickly!”

*

Seeing the Vice Commander, the Chief of Bureau, and the South Korean operatives arriving in a car, the commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command expressed both surprise and joy.

“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that the death notice was wrong.”

“You have done well. The Pyongyang Defense Command is the only true patriot.”

“The Commander of the Escort Command was shot and killed by the rebels while coming north.”

“The Prime Minister is innocent, right?”

“That’s right. Now the Prime Minister will command directly.”

“Did you come to North Korea?”

“He is in Seoul, South Korea.”

“…….”

The Chief of Bureau handed over the satellite radio.

“This is a satellite radio. The Prime Minister will communicate from South Korea.”

Static~

“Prime Minister, I am with the commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command.”

– Oh, you met? Let me talk to him.

When Jang Song-taek’s voice suddenly came from the radio, the commander was confused whether it was real or acting.

– This is Prime Minister Jang Song-taek.

Only then did he stand at attention and dispel his doubts.

“Prime Minister, this is Shim Min-seok, commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command! Are you innocent?”

– I am innocent. I heard that only the Pyongyang Defense Command is fighting. Only the Pyongyang Defense Command are patriots.

“Thank you, Prime Minister!”

– The situation is critical now. The longer it takes, the more the traitors will prevail. Instead of retaking Pyongyang, first retake the nuclear missile fortress and the Air Force Command.

“Are we giving up Pyongyang?”

– We will retake it in a different way. Our forces are completely evacuating Pyongyang and staying away. A firestorm will fall on Pyongyang.

“…….”

– From now on, I will command the operation, so move according to my orders.

“Yes, Prime Minister!”

He gave the commander of the Pyongyang Defense Command a satellite radio.

Receiving the satellite radio meant it was under the direct command system of the Prime Minister.

At that moment, the aide came in and reported.

“The Security Command has sent an envoy. He has a letter from the Security Command.”

“It’s probably a final ultimatum to surrender. Let him in!”