Lee Seong-su's living room.
Ring ring, ring ring!
I was just going out to leave after having been summoned to the Blue House by the President when the phone rang.
'Is it Smith?'
I debated with Senator Walker Smith and Lt. Gen. Smith regarding how detrimental the ping-pong diplomacy indulged in by the Nixon administration was to the future of America.
'That too.'
Even talking about the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, which must have been hell for the senator.
Ring ring, ring ring!
"Hello, hello!"
Unknowingly, I asked in English who it was.
-Are you sure it was me?
Of course, it was Lieutenant Smith. And when I answered the phone, the secretary who had arrived to take me back from the Blue House gave me an evil eye. In short, he was inquiring how I was answering the call when the President was calling.
"Because I waited."
-Father began.
Should I term it a hasty decision?
Everything is occurring too quickly.
Of course, things are proceeding as per my wishes.
"Do you need support?"
-Is there a way?
"America is the land of movies."
-What does that mean?
"I don't know if it's possible, but I'll make a documentary about the atrocities of Battle of Chosin Reservoir and mail it to you as soon as possible."
-Is that possible in a short period of time?
"If possible, we could mobilize all of Korea's national capacity."
-Ah, well, that is possible I guess since it is a dictatorship country.
right.
The President can call out the whole military if he wishes.
Apart from that, now it is January.
-Seongsu, you mentioned you needed money, right?
Needless to say.
-Come to America, I can invest.
This is good news to hear again.
* * *
The Blue House presidential house's living room.
'I can't believe I came in here.'
It's amazing.
And in the master bedroom of the official residence, the second daughter, the third daughter, and the youngest are sitting.
'Neither of them are beauties.'
If you look at her looks, that's true.
And I know what my second daughter will become.
'When do you bring it up?'
If Senator Walker Smith is to begin sprinkling pepper powder over the Nixon administration's ping-pong diplomacy, he must make a video clip that will anger the American people and send it to America. And the only one who can do that in a short space of time is the president.
"Seongsu-gun."
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The President's Chief of Staff called me.
"yes?"
What are you doing? His Majesty is waiting for you to bow."
"ah."
Because today is New Year's Day.
"Yes, Mr. President, I will bow to you."
I promptly offered my New Year's salutations to the President.
"Hahaha, since I got New Year's bows from Seongsu, I should give him some New Year's money."
Since he's the president, his hands will be big.
"No, Your Majesty."
"I called you to give you some New Year's money.
The President pulled an envelope from his pocket. It was slender.
'Is it a check?'
I hope it's a big check.
"Take it."
The president gave me an envelope and I took the New Year's money carefully, but it was slender, as predicted.
'How much did it cost?'
I'm dying of curiosity.
However, it is not something that can be checked immediately without any etiquette.
"thank you."
First of all, I need to say thank you before confirming.
"You guys go out and see."
The president spoke to me and then spoke to his children who were sitting quietly, and they immediately left.
"Master, take care of your work too."
Seeing the President ask the First Lady to leave as well, it seems he will be more specific about what he said to me before.
"Seongsu."
Glancing in your eyes, I get the feeling that you are asking me something useless.
'Are you going to question the Yushin Constitution?'
So far as I can remember, the Yushin Constitution was proclaimed in October 1972.
In November, there is a referendum and the Yushin Constitution passes with 91% affirmative votes and 8.5% negative votes.
It is astounding that anything as ridiculous as this can pass with a vote.
What was even more shocking was that the approval rating in the Jeonnam province was 95%, the nation's highest.
'If I ask that?'
So do I need to become a crafty individual?
Or do I need to take a risk on my life and speak up like a lightning?
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Seongsu, what's your opinion regarding a more robust government driving more robust economic growth?"
Doomsday thoughts are never erroneous.
I am inquiring regarding the Yushin Constitution.
'It's a consequence of the delusion that it can't be done without me.'
I think so.
In my heart.
But suppose I say that?
It's not only me who's at risk, my father's at risk too.
'The President is the one who will be.
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It becomes an effective force.
But if you turn your back to that hill, you'll fall down a thousand-foot cliff.
"For democracy to succeed well, I think that South Korea's middle class needs to be over 70% and the rate of absolute poverty less than 3%."
I chose to use sarcasm and did not reply immediately.
I am certain this is the smartest thing to do.
"You think so?"
Depending on how you frame it, it might sound like the president is looking for.
It is hard to tell now.
"Yes, and as South Korea grows more economically wealthy, I believe redistribution of wealth is absolutely necessary."
"Seongsu, are you criticizing me for giving special favors to big business in the name of economic development?"
Is this how you respond to it?
On the other hand, this is an indication that even the president knows that it is not good.
"I think it was a matter of selection and focus."
This is an objective fact.
There are lots of places to put the money, but no money.
So naturally, only core businesses are going to be supported, and hence conglomerates are formed.
"But I think that in the future, the plenty should be shared with the people, and that is what I think the President wants."
"right."
thank god.
Because I don't think anyone will inquire about the Yushin Constitution anymore.
"To begin with, South Korea should grow richer than the Philippines as soon as possible, and without fail."
Would the President all of a sudden mention the Philippines?
'Yes, I was insulted by the President of the Philippines.'
That I am well-qualified in the modern history of the Republic of Korea is serving me in this manner.
Having assumed office, he made visits around Southeast Asian nations, and in those days, the Philippines was deemed to be a developed Asian country, thus he made a demand for a summit.
The Philippine president did not receive him, explaining he lacked time to meet with the head of state of a poverty-stricken nation.
As much as I am aware, henceforth, the President had the President's teeth pulled for the Philippines.
Actually, following Japan, it was the Philippines and Taiwan."
But since 1970, the Philippines has been an underdeveloped nation.
South Korea becomes the leader of the four Asian dragons.
"It will happen soon."
"Is this the flattery you want me to hear?"
"No. The rulers are different."
This is true flattery.
"The rulers are different?"
In the future Republic of Korea where I resided, the president would no longer be referred to as a ruler.
He's just a head of state.
Anyway, I'm very good at sycophantic flattery.
"okay?"
"Yes, based on what I know, the Philippines is already corrupt to its worst form."
The hopelessness of the people of the Philippines is that they voted for such a dictator by their own hand.
'And later.'
The son of the dictator also becomes the president of the Philippines.
Thus, the Philippines is bound to be poor, and the citizens who voted the son of the dictator president once again are responsible for it.
"The end of that dictatorship, or rather the ruler of the Philippines, is in sight."
You will receive a cold shoulder if you use the term dictator in front of a dictator.
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And when I was about to utter the word he was a dictator, the chief of staff stared at me.
'He's a dictator.'
Naturally, no one can utter this now.
"Corrupt?"
"Yes, that's right. It's not the same for your Majesty."
"The little guy knows how to flatter."
The president smiles at me.
"No, Your Majesty."
I looked over at the Chief of Staff, and he seemed like he was going to scold me when I emerged from the Blue House residence.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
"Do you have a recommendation?"
He is a president who can read other people's minds.
"yes."
"What will you surprise me with this time? Hahaha!"
* * *
The living room of the Blue House residence.
"Do we make a documentary movie of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, where Senator Walker fought, and send it to him right away?"
"Yes, that should be so."
"why?"
"The Nixon administration in the United States is going to have a honeymoon with the Chinese Communist Party to contain the Soviet Union."
The President had already received briefing on the ping-pong diplomacy. And he had assumed that the ping-pong diplomacy was at the end stage.
"I guess so."
"If America and the Chinese Communist Party enjoy a honeymoon romance, interest in Korea will be ignored. And the Chinese Communist Party, aided by America, will try economic growth, which will be harmfully permanent to the Korean economy."
"Harmfully permanent?"
"Yes, if you examine the past of the Republic of Korea, you will know. When China grew powerful, it always set its target on the Korean Peninsula. It attempted to deal with it as a vassal state. If such a China were to pursue an open policy, the Chinese economy would develop quickly. This is because it had resources and manpower beyond imagination."
"The Chinese Communist Party population is nearly 700 million."
"Yes, indeed. Your Majesty, can you picture it? South Korea's industry remains based on light industry. South Korea imports all of its raw materials from overseas. But China can get its own. It simply cannot compete."
"It would prove to be suicidal to Korea's national growth rate."
"Yes, the future will be more serious. In a sense, Your Excellency is pre-emptively discouraging a strong enemy of the United States."
"Will China become a strong enemy of the United States?"
"Yes, that's right."
The president stared at me, lost in thought for a moment at my response.
"Seongsu, you are right."
of course.
Because you only say the right thing.
"Chief Secretary."
"······."
The chief of staff remained silent, perhaps more shocked than the president.
"owner!"
"Oh, Your Majesty, I apologize."
"Invite the Army Chief of Staff to come in and invite the Minister of Culture to come in."
It seems that he is going to order making a movie on Jang Jin-ho.
"Yes, I see."
"When can it be prepared for me to make and deliver?"
"I need to reach the United States within two weeks."
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"Full moon?"
Yes, that's correct. That way, Senator Walker can put pressure on Nixon."
"Then Nixon will pressure me?"
But if the US and China get cold, then the US will have no other option but to ally with South Korea for its national interests.
"You will grow closer to President Nixon."
"why?"
"Because there is no other choice than you in America, Your Excellency."
"Are you going to make it like that?"
"Yes, Your Majesty.
You are my and Korea's lucky charm, lucky charm hahaha!"
In this event, a documentary on the Battle of Chosin Reservoir will be dispatched to the United States at the earliest opportunity.
Because it will be produced rapidly by mobilizing all of Korea's resources.