Chapter 185: You Will Have to Take Responsibility

Kim Jong-il displayed no visible reaction as a person lay dying before him. Whether it was familiarity or indifference, he raised his glass and continued to look at me.

“The more you get to know Mr. Kim, the more interesting he becomes.”

I could hear Kim Jong-il saying something, but my focus remained fixed on the collapsed Im Dong-ok.

“…What just happened?”

He hadn’t said a word about the clash with Im Dong-ok.

As I pondered this, Kim Jong-il continued speaking as if to provoke a response.

“I heard there was a quarrel with Deputy Minister Im at the People’s Cultural Palace.”

“…”

“Whether Im Dong-ok knew or not isn’t te point. What matters is that he was disrespectful to my guest. This is a responsibility of our Republic. Do you understand?”

Soldiers began to carry away Im Dong-ok’s lifeless body, strting to clean up the blood.

Watching the soldiers work with practiced skill made me ponder.

“Is this a warning? Or perhaps a gift?”

The thoughts of how to reprimand Im Dong-ok instantly became irelevant.

Yet, I couldn’t be too pleased, as I was unaware of the deeper motives behind it.

“I haven’t known much about Mr. Kim for long. Hearing that Deputy Prime Minister Wen Jiabao asked someone to investigate raised some questions for me.”

As I said this, I slowly turned my head back towards Kim Jong-il.

The smoke from his cigarette obscured his face, making it impossible to read his expression.

“It’s surprising. The one person who has never spoken to us about South Korea suddenly requests our Republic to take action after hearing your plea, despite the political risks involved.”

Kim Jong-il poured more liquor into his glass. I clenched my hand tightly, fearing my own hand might tremble as I poured my drink.

“Drink up.”

As he extended his glass, I raised mine in response.

My throat moved as I tilted my head back to drink. After finishing his glass, Kim Jong-il continued speaking.

“That’s why it’s only natural to be curious. Who is such an impressive person that even Deputy Prime Minister Wen Jiabao was moved to action? That’s why I ordered you to find out everything about Mr. Kim.”

Kim Jong-il surveyed me with a sharp gaze. I swallowed hard, involuntarily feeling my throat dry.

“I’ve found you engaging in activities across not only the U.S. but also China and Russia. This expansion has piqued my interest, which is why I summoned you to our Republic.”

“…It was just luck, really.”

“Luck? With just luck, it’s hard to achieve such influence. If it were that easy, who would risk their life for power?”

Kim Jong-il’s bitter expression suggested a tangled mix of emotions.

“Outside the Republic, they think of me as an all-powerful ruler. But inside, it’s a different story. I always have to worry about military coups.”

Yet, claiming to execute Im Dong-ok, a key figure in th hardliner faction, without trial? It made no sense.

“I need achievements like reviving the economy. That’s why I agreed to a summit with South Korea.”

Ultimately, for the dictator, it’s collapse due to either coup or civil riots.

I could vaguely grasp what it was that he feared.

But as far as I could remember, there had never been a coup or riot during his reign.

Perhaps feeling the stress, Kim Jong-il took another puff of his cigarette and sipped his drink.

“Let me be honest. The issue of people’s food and livelihoods doesn’t concern me. What matters is maintaining my position here.”

If he was willing to speak this openly to an outsider, it hinted at something severe within the internal atmosphere of North Korea, beyond what was already known.

“Mr. Kim, I need your assistance.”

“Is there something I can assist you with, Chairman?”

“I need you to actively engage in negotiations with the United States.”

The request took me completely by surprise.

“Are you referring to the U.S.?”

“Yes, the U.S.”

With a complex smile, Kim Jong-il held his drink tightly.

“Chairman, may I ask why you chose someone who isn’t from the Republic to negotiate with the U.S.?”

Kim Jong-il exhaled cigarette smoke and stared at me intently.

“In the Republic, there are many who oppose the U.S. with fervor. No matter how much I trust someone to send them as an envoy, they can’t escape their scrutiny.”

“Are you talking about the military?”

“It might be the military, or it could be others…”

Leaving his answer ambiguously, Kim Jong-il began to speak again.

“There are many nations wary of our Republic reconciling with the U.S. That’s why I chose you. With your resources and influence, wouldn’t it be possible to pursue negotiations?”

The risk involved in taking Jang Dae-ho’s family to China was too great.

Not only China and Russia, but also Japan—every country surrounding the Korean Peninsula would not welcome changes in North Korea.

This was by no means an easy task.

“Will you accept my proposal, Mr. Kim?”

As I contemplated how to refuse, Kim Jong-il pressed for an answer.

“…I don’t think I’m capable of handling this. Perhaps it’s best to seek someone else.”

“Listen here, Mr. Kim. How desperate do you think I am to propose this to a South Korean? That shows how much I’m willing to risk on this matter.”

“Yes, I can understand your determination towards change, Chairman. But it’s just too dangerous.”

What Kim Jong-il was demanding could jeopardize everything I had built.

“Deceiving the neighboring countries and negotiating with the U.S.—this is no light task. I’m an investor, and I don’t engage in ventures that don’t yield profit.”

Not anticipating my refusal, Kim Jong-il shot a cold glare in my direction.

The silence in the room was so thick that I could almost hear the soldiers far away swallowing their dry throats.

“Mr. Kim, are you really refusing me right now?”

When Kim Jong-il finally broke the silence, his voice was stiff and unyielding.

“Yes, this is beyond my abilities.”

“Even if everyone you want is dead? You still can’t do it?”

“…Chairman.”

The family of Jang Dae-ho was important to me.

But it was clear that accepting this request was asking too much.

“Do you really think you can’t? Just a single order from me and they are all dead. No, I could take your life right now if I wanted to.”

“Chairman, I’m not a citizen of the Republic.”

“What difference does that make? Mr. Kim is sitting in front of me, and this is the Republic.”

I held my tongue and clasped my hands together, staring at Kim Jong-il.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

“…You will have to take responsibility for this.”

“Didn’t I mention? In the Republic, words and actions bear consequences. That’s true for me as well.”

“…”

“From the moment you heard about my plans, Mr. Kim, you had no choices left.”

“But Chairman, if you kill me, everything you’ve planned will fall apart.”

No matter how many times I rejected him, I knew he couldn’t actually kill me. No matter how reckless Kim Jong-il was, he couldn’t do that.

Unless he was planning to start a war.

“If this goes well, I’ll grant you anything you desire. Just name it.”

Noticing that my resistance wasn’t working, Kim Jong-il subtly shifted his approach.

“Even bringing your family here to South Korea, I can turn a blind eye.”

The first thought that crossed my mind was that accepting would lead to my entrapment. Instead of answering, I carefully examined Kim Jong-il’s face.

His stubborn lips were set firm.

“Chairman, even if I agree, I can’t guarantee success. I don’t know how long it will take either.”

I began to explain why I couldn’t readily comply with his demands.

“And it’s difficult to claim that I have a good relationship with the U.S. government right now.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, the Clinton Administration and I initially had a decent relationship, but now I’m facing some limitations.”

It seemed Kim Jong-il hadn’t known this detail, as he stared at me intently, absorbing the information.

“Besides, it would look ridiculous for someone with South Korean nationality to negotiate with the U.S. Can you really grant me full authority?”

The U.S. is lukewarm about easing tensions with hostile nations.

If the U.S. assesses that the benefits of a peace agreement with North Korea are minimal, they have no reason to pursue one.

Looking back at my previous life, North Korea had two summit meetings with the U.S. yet achieved no tangible results because the U.S. judged that maintaining tensions yielded greater benefits than engaging with North Korea.

“You’re suggesting that you’d give me full authority?”

“Exactly. That way, we can satisfy what both you and the U.S. want.”

“Merely abandoning the nuclear program won’t be enough, will it?”

Frustrated by our stagnant conversation, Kim Jong-il filled his glass with liquor again.

“You are harboring too many illusions about nuclear power, Chairman. Can you really guarantee that undeveloped nuclear weapons are a threat to the U.S.?”

With a deep sigh, Kim Jong-il set down the empty bottle and barked an order at Baek Cheol-soo.

“Bring more liquor.”

As Kim Jong-il downed the freshly filled drink, his voice rose for the first time.

“I’m not interested in humiliating negotiations!”

“I’m not asking you to bow to the U.S. I’m merely stating the reality, Chairman. Serious negotiations can only occur when mutual benefits are aligned.”

Kim Jong-il uncorked a new liquor bottle, filling his glass once more.

His hand trembled slightly as he poured.

“Listen here, Mr. Kim.”

“Speak.”

“If I grant you full authority, your regime will be sure to remain secure?”

“I can try to negotiate. I cannot guarantee the outcome.”

Not receiving a firm answer, Kim Jong-il slammed the table lightly.

“Then what’s the point of granting full authority? It’s meaningless!”

“It must be substantial enough to allow for some discussions; ultimately, you must accept the results, Chairman, so I cannot give a definitive answer.”

The conversation stagnated, and silence filled the air. Kim Jong-il lit up another cigarette, getting lost in thought.

With plenty to think about, suppressed breaths permeated the room. While he contemplated, I tried to methodically tidy my own thoughts.

“I need to consider what benefits I can gain from this situation.”

The advantages between the U.S. and North Korea were not my concern. What mattered was the profit I could gain as an investor amidst them.

“…Let’s do it. I’ll grant you whatever authority you want, Mr. Kim.”

After much deliberation, Kim Jong-il finally responded.

“Understood. I’ll give it a try. But please send my family to China right after this meeting concludes.”

“Sure. I’ll arrange it through my connections. But they must not appear in the South Korean media. Do you understand?”

If their story made it to the Southern media, it would create complications for me. I nodded lightly.

“Yes, I’ll accept this as a gift. If the situation with the U.S. resolves favorably, I’ll discuss the rest later.”

In the face of my seemingly shameless words, Kim Jong-il erupted in hearty laughter.

“You’re a true investor—never wanting to take a hit. Now, let’s drink!”

After that, Kim Jong-il discussed what he aimed to achieve from the U.S. He desired a permanent peace agreement, regime stability, and economic assistance.

As we neared the end of our drinking session, I asked the question that had been nagging at me.

“Chairman, what made you choose me? There are other reliable individuals, like Deputy Jang Seong-taek, close by.”

“You think I trust my brother-in-law?”

A chilling smile spread across Kim Jong-il’s face.

“This year alone, there have been three assassination attempts.”

That statement caught me off guard. While assassination attempts against Kim Jong-il had been known, hearing it presented so directly took me by surprise.

“All three were attempts by the Guard Command soldiers. That’s why rumors never circulated.”

“You don’t think it was Deputy Jang’s doing, do you?”

Kim Jong-il shook his head, a sardonic smile playing on his lips.

“It wasn’t my brother-in-law. He doesn’t have the guts to pull something like that.”

“Then… who?”

“I don’t know.”

Hearing this from North Korea’s most powerful man was unbelievable.

To think there were realities within North Korea that he was unaware of was hard to comprehend.

“You really don’t know?”

“Excluding those existing in this room, I trust no one. Even if it’s my brother-in-law.”

“…”

“As for the recent West Sea incident, that wasn’t my order either. I learned about it too late.”

The Yeonpyeong naval clash that heightened tensions was not directed by Kim Jong-il.

Who stood to benefit from escalating the hostile atmosphere between the North and South? I racked my brain, with too many suspicious individuals complicating my theories.

“Everyone involved in that incident was killed, but things I’m unaware of are happening within our Republic.”

Kim Jong-il inhaled deeply from his cigarette, exuding a self-deprecating grin. The thick smoke wafted around him.

“Currently, there’s no force to keep the military’s power in check. That’s why a peace negotiation with the U.S. is necessary. New environments create opportunities for new political movements… So, is your curiosity satisfied?”

Is my curiosity satisfied?

No, it only fueled more significant questions.