Dear Comrade Leader, Episode 326
Chapter 112. the only thing you can do now
“… … !!!”
The meeting room, which had been drenched in the afterglow of a relaxed emotion at Jeonghwan’s words, thrown without any notice, was instantly engulfed in shock.
It’s a cliche metaphor, but it was as if someone had dropped a bomb in the conference room.
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No joke, the news that a nuclear bomb had just exploded in the middle of downtown Pyongyang would not have surprised them so much.“Cho, Comrade General Secretary. what did you just say… … .”
“I said I was going to retire. I’ve already made plans in advance. Of course, I don’t mean to step down right away, but it will probably come true in three or four years at the latest.”
“… … Oh no… … !!”
Various reactions and thoughts flashed across the faces of the executives at Jeonghwan’s declaration of brilliance.
Baek Seung-cheol looked like he was hit in the head in the middle of the night, Hyun Young-sook was surprised for a moment, then regained his composure and wondered if this was a test to test their loyalty. It was the same.
Jeonghwan, who had fully guessed their feelings, began to explain the background of his decision and his plans for the future in a calm tone.
“Comrade, for what reason… … .”
“Ah, it must be difficult for everyone to understand. Now is the beginning of the republic’s heyday, and it’s hard to believe that I, who led the heyday, will retire. I haven’t even decided on the next general secretary. But these words are even more difficult to understand, so listen carefully. In the future, this country, to be more precise, the Workers’ Party of Korea, will gradually emerge from the position of one-party dictatorship and one-party leadership in this republic. I will make it that way.”
“Do, comrade… … .”
This time the reaction was a little different.
Baek Seung-cheol was now in a crucible of astonishment with his face almost bluish, but Hyun Young-sook noticed something and his eyes were shining, and Kim Yong-geon firmly shut his mouth with an expression that it was coming.
And Jeonghwan looked straight ahead at Hyun Young-sook, who had the most complex and subtle expression, and said as if tossing him.
“And the next general secretary is you, Comrade Hyun Young-sook. After decades of eating by men, it’s time for a female general secretary. Gosh, straighten your complexion, it’s a position you’ve been aiming for under me for a long time, but it’s okay if you like it more honestly.”
“… … Do, comrade, I am… … .”
“Oh, don’t worry. Because you can’t inherit it so quickly, and you can’t monopolize all the rights alone. For the rest of my tenure, I will revive the supreme People’s Assembly, which has been infamous. It’s about trying to get a free election for the first time, though limited. And the process will be supervised by Comrade Kim Yong-gun, who also serves as the Presidium Chairman of the Supreme People’s Assembly.”
Everyone’s heads quickly rotated at the change in the structure of the republic’s power core that was decided in an instant.
When he said that he would hold a proper election for the first time by energizing the Supreme People’s Assembly, which played the role of a parliament in other countries, but had been practically only the bridesmaids of the Workers’ Party of Korea, he meant to weaken the WPK’s one-party superiority.
And Hyun Young-sook was crazy about why these WPK executives were making the sound of lightning in the dry sky right after they had won the war, but the question was answered quickly.
‘No, Comrade General Secretary must have thought ‘because it is now’.’
Currently, Jeong Hwan has won as many as two victories during his tenure, and the former leaders only shouted slogans and dared not even dare to realize it. have.
Of course, it was true that he was a virtually undisputed dictator, but the long-term abolition of the cult of the leader, the inevitable gap between the rich and the poor due to the introduction of a market economy, and above all, the influx of foreign information, which had no choice but to flow despite censorship. In the end, it continued to weaken the authority of the Workers’ Party of Korea and General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan, to some extent.
Of course, all of these changes were led by Jeong-hwan himself, but the world today is not like a tyrannical monarch in the Middle Ages, nor is North Korea an isolated island from the world.
In other words, in the current Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 2015, the unscientific sound of ‘a great tax-saving man on Mt. Baekdu who uses the Chukji method’ against Kim Jung-hwan even within the party is ‘a member of the Kim Jong-il era that has been fossilized for a long time’ or an over-loyalty to the point of trying to get one place. Isn’t that the reality of being suspicious?
Even within the Workers’ Party of Korea, this was true, not to mention among the general public already tainted with materialism and individualism, especially among the young people, who in recent years are showing scientific skepticism and the phenomenon of cynicism peculiar to modern people.
Of course, if you ask them right now whether they want to abolish the one-man dictatorship of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Kim Jung-hwan and look for another system right now, it’s never going to be that, but it’s just the verifiable achievements of General Secretary Kim Jeong-hwan and (a significant part of it induced by the party). It is only because of political indifference and anxiety about the future.
In short, the era has come when even Jeong-hwan cannot help but care about the low public sentiment of the people and party members, or, more directly, the so-called approval rating, if he wants to cause social and political fluctuations beyond a certain level.
It was a phenomenon that had to happen because the present North Korea has been separated from the former North Korea for ever, regardless of Jung Hwan’s individual abilities or transcendent achievements.
And just half a year after winning the battle, with his political resources at the peak of his approval rating, Jung-hwan declared that he would use those resources to do things he couldn’t normally do and put his sword where he couldn’t.
‘Until now, the Workers’ Party of Korea and its general secretary, Comrade Kim Jeong-hwan, were virtually synonymous, so protecting Comrade Kim Jung-hwan was protecting the Workers’ Party of Korea and its members… … If the general secretary becomes a threat to the interests of the Workers’ Party of Korea, it will be difficult for other party members to accept it immediately. So my comrade is like this… … .’
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No one in the world would like to see their power and vested interests diminish.In particular, if you are a member of the Workers’ Party of Korea, a dictatorial power group in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, a state that has been reborn as an undisputed powerhouse, you will want to maintain the current structure and system with all your might, from key cadres such as the Standing Committee of the Politburo to the lowest level.
The fact that he promised to hand over the position of general secretary of the Workers’ Party to Hyun Young-suk, who has the strongest base within the party among the three executives in this position, was a kind of deal to prevent such a situation in exchange for the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) compliantly accepting the blade of change. It was clearly suggested.
And the goal that Jung-hwan, the creator of the current Workers’ Party of Korea system, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, wants to reach as he endures this kind of stabbing himself with a knife… … .
When his thoughts reached that point, Hyun Young-sook couldn’t help but ask.
“indeed… … Comrade General Secretary said that the people are out of the party’s leadership… … What… … . that… … If we go into a system of chaos and disorder, are you not worried about such a situation?”
It was a question that was repeated while avoiding many words that he could not have dared to speak as much as possible because it was identified with ‘the threat to the regime’ in the republic, but Jeong Hwan understood the intention and explained the background for his decision.
“There are two reasons. First of all, for security reasons. Will the Chinese Communist Party never stand still, subjected to this humiliation by us and deprived of the land it once belonged to? The next ten years… … It may take twenty years, but one day they will rise again. And when that time comes, they will turn to their stolen territory, this Yanbian.”
“… … .”
“And maybe then they’ll never be as impatient and stupid as this time. They’re not stupid enough to make the same mistake again. But until then, if our republic remains only as a ‘good neighbor’ with South Korea like this time… … We’ll end up breaking each other down. Fundamentally, they are a large country and we are a small country, but it would be natural to fight an enemy that is difficult to defeat even if we become one.”
At Jeonghwan’s words, all the executives nodded inwardly as they groaned.
Because Jung Hwan is not talking about this party, the Workers’ Party, but about the future of the entire republic beyond the Workers’ Party, which may not have a Workers’ Party.
However, the next reason Jung-hwan really made the executives including Hyun Young-sook tilt their heads.
“The second reason is Park Tae-ryong’s top rank.”
“… … Yes?”
“I didn’t hear it wrong. He’s the comrade of the Baekdu Mountain Special Operations Team, who was awarded the Order of Heroes of the Republic for his active role in the North Manchurian War. After seeing the report on the post-battle of Ando Prefecture, it became clearer the road I had to go. There are, of course, many obstacles ahead to get there, but you will need a lot of help from your comrades to clear them.”
* * *
– A lot has come. What the hell did Kim Jung-hwan bring so many together to say?
-Well, seeing the largest number of Korean journalists, I am also thankful that Korea participated in the war in the North Manchurian War.
-Ah, that went too far. Right now, if the former president comes up with such a word, he’ll be shocked and deny it, and why are those old people sitting there… … uh? out there!
A few more weeks later, such a buzzing noise was spreading in the press room of the Workers’ Party of Korea office.
Considering the size of the reporters invited to North Korean media such as the Rodong Shimbun, the Korea Daily, the Allkyoreh, as well as the progressive and conservative media in South Korea, CNN, BBC, Reuters, and Al Jazeera, this is a surprising yet significant announcement. Because everyone has a gut feeling that there will be.
And their murmuring changed to a camera flash and a hand pressing a laptop keyboard to write one step, stopping all at once when the main character of the day, Kim Jeong-hwan, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, appeared in the waiting room inside the office building.
Soon, Jeonghwan stood on the podium in the center, held the microphone and looked around the press room.
His calm gaze is not from reporters pressing the camera shutter and smartphone record button with curious eyes here and there, or party officials looking at him with eyes full of respect and trust, but a group of elderly people in a separate invitation in front of the podium. were fixed on them
For this very day, he and the party were specially invited from south Korea.
“… … Today, I, Kim Jeong-hwan, general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, stand here to make an important declaration on behalf of the Party and the Republic.”
Click click… … .
“It was a declaration and recognition that I personally have kept in my heart for a long time and that I should have done it someday. However, it has been postponed to this day due to issues of timing, advice, and conditions within and outside the various parties, but now it is decided that there is no longer a right time to make a decision.”
At Jeonghwan’s words, the murmur of the people in the hall, including reporters, was amplified rather than resolved.
What the hell kind of bombshell are you talking about?
However, as soon as the words came out of Jeonghwan’s mouth, their curiosity turned into astonishment in an instant.
“… … At this meeting today, I and the Workers’ Party of Korea would like to withdraw a certain position on the Korean War, a national tragedy called the War of Liberation of South Korea within the Republic. It is the position of the Korean War, or the Korean War, or the Korean War, which is called the 6.25 Incident.”
“… … What?”
“After long deliberation… … It has been concluded that the 6.25 Incident did not start as a preemptive attack by the North Korean invasion or unfavorable forces from the South, as our Party and Republic have always claimed. The 6.25 Incident was ordered by Kim Il-sung, then Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea, this Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Therefore, the 6.25 Incident and all the devastation of the Korean War that followed are caused by acts of aggression against our fellow-national compatriots and invasion of the South. I hereby officially acknowledge that it is.”
“… … !!!!”
The press room was instantly engulfed in astonishment.
The reporters who were frantically pressing the shutter button of the camera were also furious for a moment, so the flash that had been pouring like hail stopped for a moment, and then a few seconds later, it rained again much more violently than before.
“I will say it again. The South Korean War of Liberation, the Korean name for the 6.25 Incident, was a preemptive attack by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, that is, an aggression, and I hereby acknowledge that it is a war crime.”
“Second, second… … General Secretary! What is the political significance of making this announcement now? … ? Did any sudden change happen in the North?”
“… … I’ll answer the question a little later. Therefore, as of today, the name ‘South Korean Liberation War’ will be officially abolished in this republic, and we promise to the South Korean people that we will take a proactive and proactive stance against all historical distortions and cover-ups that have been committed against the Korean War over the past 70 years. I’ll give it to you. and… … .”
After saying that, Jeonghwan stepped out of the podium where the microphone was installed and moved right in front of the special seat in front of the press room.
There was also a group of elderly men sitting there, looking at them with expressions of astonishment and sorrow, like the reporters.
Those old people were some of the Korean War veterans and their bereaved families who are still alive.
“… … And for these war crimes and the indescribable suffering and damage on the part of South Korea that resulted from them, I apologize to the victims too late as general secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the subject of the crimes. In addition, we promise that this apology will not simply be a temporary expression of intention or catch winds for a change of state, but will result in continuous and practical investigation and compensation.”
And without saying anything more, Jeonghwan bowed deeply in front of the veterans.
It goes without saying that once again the camera flash frantically fell on Jeonghwan’s back as he bowed his head.
It was a moment that will go down in history.
