The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 67

67. Block the 200 Nautical Miles!

“Japan’s territorial waters will be the Amami Islands, Okinawa Islands, and Senkaku Islands line, both north and south.”

“That’s right.”

“China’s territorial waters will be Taiwan and the Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands: disputed area between China and Japan).”

“…….”

“If it becomes 200 nautical miles, the southeastern sea of China will be the territorial waters of China and Japan, preventing Korea and the United States from entering. Every time we pass through, we will have to get permission from Japan.”

“Hmm….”

If the 200-nautical-mile territorial sea law takes effect, the sea route to Japan and China would be completely blocked, and oil tankers and import/export container ships coming to Korea from the Middle East would have to obtain permission from Japan and China.

Kennedy’s brow furrowed.

The President spurred his horse on.

“Furthermore, there will be a competition to expand territory by creating artificial islands.”

“What do you mean by artificial islands?”

“Since it is based on islands exposed on the surface, it is legal to create artificial islands in areas with low sea levels on the high seas and claim them as territorial waters. Currently, there are small islands like Ieodo scattered in the southern sea of Jeju, the South China Sea, and the southwestern sea of Japan.”

“Hmm, 200 nautical miles has such problems.”

“In addition, from a security point of view, China will have completely secured its sea route to the Pacific. The continental blockade, which is the main strategy of the United States against China, will be gone.”

“Oh dear. If China’s maritime blockade collapses, America’s Asian strategy will collapse.”

“That’s why I’m telling you what Japan is trying to do. Japan doesn’t care about security for the sake of oil.”

“Hmm….”

“Japan can share oil with China, but it intends not to concede even a drop to Korea. However, Korea is willing to share half with the United States. Which country, Korea or Japan, is more beneficial to the United States?”

“Hmm, President Park has excellent aides around him. Our aides can’t make this kind of analysis at all, and they’re clamoring to make Japan an Asian superpower.”

Kennedy never dreamed that the Korean president was a regressionist.

The President advised.

“Although I don’t know for sure, I speculate that Japan has provided a large amount of money to the election camp and has also bought off people around the President.”

“Bought off….”

Kennedy’s face, which had been excited about the inauguration, was quite dark.

The White House was getting closer.

“If you’re curious about Japan’s intentions, test Japan to see whether security comes first or oil comes first.”

“I should. I need to confirm whether Japan is really pushing for 200 nautical miles.”

“Yes, please check. At best, they will try to gloss over the situation by diluting it with joint Korea-Japan development.”

“Hmm, diluting….”

Vroom~

Kennedy asked.

“By the way, you were with Mr. Cornell earlier, did you have any business with Exxon?”

In fact, this was the question Kennedy had wanted to ask first since earlier.

The President took out a document from his bag.

“Please keep this to yourself for the time being. This is an MOU [Memorandum of Understanding] signing document to develop the 7th mining zone with Exxon.”

“Even an MOU?”

Kennedy scanned the document.

The joint development of the 7th mining zone and the signatures of Exxon and the Korean President were clear.

“Joint development. The progress is faster than expected, and I’m embarrassed.”

“Now that you are the President of the United States, what matters is whether it benefits the United States rather than speed.”

“…….”

“This MOU is proof that I am sharing profits with the United States, unlike Japan, which is joining hands with China.”

“Hmm, Exxon supports Okinawa’s separation and independence….”

Kennedy knew better than anyone what Exxon, especially AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee], as a business partner meant.

Exxon’s business card began to show its power.

Vroom~

* * *

UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS).

Japan, the chair country, convened a meeting to discuss changes to the maritime boundary standards.

The vice-chair countries were China and Brazil, but Korea was not in the executive position.

In Korea, it was late to advance to all major international organizations established under the Law of the Sea Convention, such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the International Seabed Authority, and the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, but the election of executives was next year, so they had to work only in subcommittees.

The Chinese Vice-Chairman said.

“The current continental extension is very unfair. Does it make sense to occupy an ocean several times larger than land? It is reasonable to set a certain distance from the land territory, for example, 200 nautical miles.”

The chairman said.

“Excellent opinion. Borders must be clear and manageable. Let’s revise the articles, distribute them to 110 member countries for viewing, and hold a revision vote.”

China and Japan entered the process of revising the maritime law in a swift manner as they had agreed in advance.

* * *

Tokyo, Japan.

A special envoy dispatched from the White House was meeting with the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The National Security Advisor was a pro-Japanese figure, so Kennedy dispatched him for objectivity.

“If it changes to 200 nautical miles, China will have a route to the Pacific Ocean using Taiwan and Senkaku as leverage. A big hole will be created in the US-Japan-Korea-Taiwan continental blockade strategy. The White House hopes to stop the revision of the maritime law.”

The Japanese Foreign Minister said.

“If it becomes 200 nautical miles, Japan will build a stronger maritime defense barrier based on Senkaku. This rather strengthens security.”

“Minister, isn’t the reason you’re trying to push for 200 nautical miles because of the offshore oil fields in the 7th mining zone?”

“Hmm, there is that too.”

“You should seek a way to compromise with Korea and develop it jointly. It is very regrettable that you are joining hands with China even to the point of overturning the security alliance.”

“…….”

“Why are you trying to share oil with China when it is better to share it with Korea?”

“I have no intention of sharing with China. The 7th mining zone is clearly Japan’s territorial waters. We are only coordinating with China on the revision of the maritime law. We will consider joint development with Korea as per your special envoy’s opinion.”

As the United States took a strong stance, he reluctantly showed the Korea-Japan joint development plan.

If it becomes 200 nautical miles, 80% of the 7th mining zone will belong to Japan, so they were thinking of disguising developing in their respective territorial waters as joint development.

However, there was no intention to stop the 200-nautical-mile revision.

* * *

The White House.

The special envoy explained the results of his visit to Japan to Kennedy.

“They will not stop the 200-nautical-mile revision, and they said they would consider joint development of the 7th mining zone with Korea. We don’t know what tricks Japan will play once the law is revised.”

Kennedy, who was listening, had a stiff expression.

“Senkaku is a disputed area with China, so if it becomes 200 nautical miles, China will create military tension.”

“That’s right. It will be an excuse for China to increase its military power and advance into the South China Sea.”

“It’s as President Park said. Japan doesn’t care about the security alliance.”

“I was also surprised. From what I felt, Japan seems to be taking its own path once it has oil in its hands.”

“…….”

* * *

The Blue House, the President’s office.

Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil received an urgent call and was meeting with the President.

“Your Excellency, this morning, Japanese Ambassador to Korea Tanaka came to me and made a proposal regarding the development of the 7th mining zone.”

Kim Jong-pil was the point of contact with Japan during the Korea-Japan agreement, so Japan was using him as a channel for dialogue.

He was very curious about Japan’s official diplomatic response.

“What did he say?”

“He proposed joint Korea-Japan development.”

“Joint development?”

“As security allies, the aim is to sublimate division into common interests for the stability of the region. They also exchanged opinions with the United States.”

During Chairman Wang’s time, Japan declared joint Korea-Japan development with the same justification and then stabbed them in the back by revising the 200-nautical-mile law.

He wanted to reject it outright, but diplomacy was a battle of justification, so he had to seize the substance with justification.

Besides, he couldn’t reject the US mediation outright.

“Prime Minister, tell them this.”

“Yes, please tell me.”

“If Japan signs a document stating that it will not revise the 200-nautical-mile law, we will fully consider joint development.”

“In writing?”

“It has to be in writing. Absolutely.”

As the Prime Minister stepped down, he called the Minister of Foreign Affairs and had him convey the counter-proposal to Japan.

If he didn’t communicate with the United States immediately, Japan would definitely play tricks in the middle.

* * *

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Japanese Foreign Minister frowned as he listened to the words of the Korean Ambassador to Japan.

“In writing? Do you distrust Japan that much?”

The ambassador said.

“It’s not that we don’t trust you, but the home country likes things that are certain.”

“Even if Japan does not want the revision, it will be revised if the member countries want it. It is unreasonable and unfair for Japan to take responsibility for that.”

“Currently, the chairman of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf is Japan. If you exercise your veto power as chairman to reject the agenda, you will be recognized for your sincerity.”

“The chairman is a position that follows the greater cause. Japan cannot interfere with the work of the UN.”

The minister was busy spouting sophistry.

The diplomatic lines of the countries involved were working breathlessly.

* * *

The White House.

President Kennedy called the Japanese Prime Minister directly.

“You must reject the bill from being put on the agenda.”

– I would like to do that, but it is the work of the UN, so the Japanese government is not in a position to….

“If you push ahead, we will stop discussing the withdrawal of US troops from Okinawa.”

– What? That’s not possible. How can you stop it when the working-level officials of both countries have reached an agreement?

The Prime Minister was wailing.

“Prime Minister, oil is not a resource that one country can monopolize like coal. Especially if it is a huge deposit.”

– …….

“I have made it clear. I will watch the results.”

He thought it would be smooth sailing because of the chairmanship of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, but rather, the chairman’s veto became an obstacle.

* * *

The 7th mining zone.

In the sea, an exploration ship sent by Exxon was inserting pipes into the continental shelf to conduct geological surveys.

In the sky, an exploration airship was roaming around, scanning the deposit with state-of-the-art techniques such as seismic exploration, gravity and magnetic exploration.

Exxon reported surprising preliminary exploration results.

The continental shelf on the South Sea side of Korea extends beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline to the Okinawa Trench.

This was shorter by 38 km to longer by 125 km towards Japan than the area previously surveyed by the UN. This was a figure that doubled the area of Korea’s continental shelf.

The President, who received the report, jumped up.

“Submit it to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) immediately! We cannot give Japan even 1% of the continental shelf!”

* * *

The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly Members’ Office Building.

A closed-door meeting was being held with the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties at the request of independent member Teruya.

Member Teruya was receiving great response by introducing the historical relationship between the Ryukyu Kingdom and Korea through media contributions and historical and cultural activities.

Thanks to this, his influence was greater than ever.

He said to the members.

“You are well aware of the fact that the Japanese government has once again deceived Okinawa with a secret agreement with the US government. The reason we wanted the US military to withdraw and remain in Japan was not because we liked Japan. It was because there was no other option.”

Everyone nodded.

“Isn’t it our belief that we can separate and become independent at any time if we have an army to protect us and are economically well-off?”

“That’s right!”

Clap, clap, clap!

One member asked.

“Then are you saying there is another option?”

“Of course. That’s why I requested a closed-door meeting.”

“Let’s hear it.”

Member Teruya took out a piece of paper.

“This is still a confidential document.”

“…….”

The eyes of the members were all focused on the hand of Member Teruya holding the document.