The president pressed a hand to his forehead.
“If that happens, how much economic damage are we expecting?”
At the president’s question, the National Security Director flusteredly took out his phone.
Taeho answered first.
“At least 30 trillion won. A 2% drop in GDP, a surge in unemployment, and medical recovery costs included—it will exceed 50 trillion.”
Taeho changed the screen on the tablet. Two graphs appeared side by side. The one on the left stabilized quickly, while the one on the right shot up exponentially.
“The left is if we prepare now. The right is if we respond after the outbreak. With advance preparation, 5,000 deaths. Without preparation, 150,000. A full 140,000! One hundred and forty thousand lives are at stake.”
Just then, the National Security Director cautiously whispered to the president.
“But if we pour a budget of 200 billion won into something that hasn’t even happened yet, the opposition party and the media won’t sit still. As it is, the opposition has been watching us like hawks these days, looking for something to nitpick.”
At those words, Taeho firmly shook his head.
“I’ll say it again. Expanding negative-pressure rooms will take three months, training personnel will take four months, and securing supplies will take two months. Even if we cut it down as much as possible, we need at least six months. If we begin after the virus spreads, the medical system will collapse before preparations are complete.”
Taeho looked straight at the president.
“Mr. President, in 2020, we were lucky. The public cooperated with the government, and COVID-19’s fatality rate wasn’t that high. But this time is different. Someone deliberately designed the worst possible virus. If we don’t prepare now, six months from now, you will be standing in front of the TV apologizing to the nation.”
The president let out a long breath and looked out the window.
No matter how uncomfortable it was to persuade the opposition party, the lives of 140,000 citizens were at stake.
He had to resolve it somehow......
The president slowly turned his head.
“Commissioner Park, what is the KDCA’s opinion?”
“Director Kang is right. We must prepare now.”
Park Seonyeong, Commissioner of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, agreed.
The president nodded as if he had made up his mind.
“I approve the use of 200 billion won. I will persuade the National Assembly myself. Director Kang. To be honest, I hope your prediction is wrong. But if it’s right, that means we can save 140,000 people?”
“If we prepare and nothing happens, that’s fortunate. But if an infection breaks out when we haven’t prepared, it will be a disaster.”
“Then what, specifically, do we prepare?”
When Taeho operated the tablet, five items appeared.
“First is an early surveillance system. A monitoring system across 200 hospitals nationwide, 50,000 rapid diagnostic kits, and wastewater epidemiological surveillance networks in 50 cities. This can be completed in one to two months.”
Commissioner Park Seonyeong nodded as she took notes.
“Second, isolation facilities. Expand negative-pressure rooms from 850 to 2,000, and secure 100 mobile negative-pressure tents. That will take three to four months. Third, a personnel mobilization system. Train 100 epidemiological investigators, establish an emergency network with 5,000 retired medical professionals, and if military medical units cooperate, it should take about four months.”
The National Security Director cut in.
“How do we mobilize retired medical professionals?”
“We need to add a clause to the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act allowing medical licenses to be reactivated during emergencies. Cooperation from the National Assembly will be necessary.”
“I’ll handle that. Continue.”
“Fourth, stockpiling strategic supplies. Ten million N95 masks, 500,000 protective suits, 500 ventilators, and 50 ECMO machines. The ECMO machines must be ordered immediately. Fifth, an AI early warning system. Real-time analysis of medical data and immediate alerts upon detecting abnormal signs. This must be completed within two months.”
A timeline chart appeared.
“If this proceeds as planned, we can respond immediately upon outbreak. The 200 billion won will be used as follows: 80 billion for the surveillance system, 30 billion for personnel, 70 billion for supplies, and 20 billion for the AI system.”
“Can the KDCA oversee this?”
“No. This requires the formation of an interministerial task force.”
The president turned to the Chief of Staff.
“Form an interministerial task force immediately. Make the KDCA commissioner the head, and appoint Director Kang as technical advisor. Report once a week.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“The Ministry of Economy and Finance will begin budget allocation. Schedule a meeting with the chair of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee tomorrow morning.”
The president looked at Taeho.
“Can you complete preparations within six months?”
“I will do my best.”
“Not your best. You must do it.”
Weight settled into the president’s voice.
“Commissioner Park, I grant the KDCA full authority. I will ensure there are no delays due to administrative procedures.”
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
The president stood and looked around at everyone.
“Everyone, let’s not waste time. Six months from now, I hope we can laugh and say it was needless worry because nothing happened.”
He paused briefly.
“But if it does happen...... we must be able to tell the people that we did everything we could.”
***
The plenary chamber of the National Assembly.
President Min Yeongsu had personally come to the National Assembly. It was such an unusual event that the chamber was packed. Every assembly member, whether from the ruling party or the opposition, was in attendance.
The president stood at the podium.
“Honorable members of the National Assembly, you must have seen the New York incident last month.”
News footage from New York appeared on the large screen.
- Korea’s Genius Doctor Kang Taeho Saves New York
- Accurate Prediction, All 104 Survive
- U.S. Senate Passes Resolution Thanking Korea
“Before the infectious disease incident occurred in New York, Director Kang Taeho, a special advisor to the WHO, predicted it. And he was exactly right. As soon as the infectious disease incident broke out, Director Kang Taeho flew to New York and saved all 104 people.”
The president looked around at the assembly members and appealed to them.
“Director Kang Taeho has warned that the next outbreak site may be Seoul. Right now, the entire world is watching Korea. Our technology, our preparedness, our leadership. Ladies and gentlemen, we must prepare. Right now.”
The opposition floor leader raised his hand.
“But Mr. President, 200 billion won is far too large an amount! We cannot spend the people’s hard-earned tax money on something that hasn’t even happened yet!”
“Is 200 billion won large? New York suffered economic damage of 5 billion dollars in just one week—6.5 trillion won in our currency. If we do not prepare, Seoul will become the same. Ladies and gentlemen, the question is simple. Will we spend 200 billion won, or will we lose 6 trillion? How will the National Assembly answer?”
The president asked calmly.
Clap, clap, clap.
Members of the ruling party stood and applauded.
And, surprisingly, several opposition members stood as well.
The vote began.
237 in favor, 58 against, 5 abstentions.
It was an overwhelming passage.
That evening, the president delivered an address broadcast live across the nation.
“My fellow citizens, right now the whole world is at war with an invisible enemy. But we are prepared.”
The screen showed the team members of Geumsan Research Institute at work.
“Director Kang Taeho and the researchers of Geumsan Research Institute are working day and night. Thanks to them, we will become the most prepared nation in the world. Within the next several months, an outbreak may occur in Seoul as well. But we are not afraid. Because......”
The president looked straight into the camera.
“Because we are preparing. And because we have Kang Taeho.”
***
At that moment, in the first-floor lobby of Geumsan Research Institute.
Researchers crowded in front of the 75-inch TV installed in the lobby. Some were still in lab coats; others held coffee in their hands.
The president appeared on the screen.
- My fellow citizens, right now the whole world is at war with an invisible enemy......
More than thirty researchers stared at the screen, holding their breath.
Then the screen changed.
Geumsan Research Institute appeared.
“Huh? Huh?!”
“Isn’t that us?!”
On the screen, footage appeared in sequence: people in protective suits working inside a BSL-3 laboratory, researchers seated in front of microscopes, and the research building lit up late at night.
“That’s me! I’m on there!”
Park Seojun from the biochemistry team shouted, pointing at his own face.
“Me too! That was filmed yesterday!”
Choi Yuri from the molecular biology team grabbed a colleague’s arm in excitement.
The lobby stirred. Some laughed, some were shocked, and some stared blankly at the screen.
- Right now, Director Kang Taeho and the researchers are working day and night at Geumsan Research Institute.
The president’s voice rang out.
“Wow......”
Someone let out a gasp.
- Thanks to them, we will become the most prepared nation in the world.
Senior Researcher Kim Minjae felt his eyes redden.
For the past several months, they had stayed up all night running experiments and had come to work without weekends.
Each time a synthesis failed, they had to analyze it immediately and start again.
It had been hard. Truly hard.
But now the president was saying it. That it was all thanks to them.
- Within the next several months, an outbreak may occur in Seoul as well.
The atmosphere grew heavy again.
“It’s really coming?”
“Our director predicted it, after all.”
Jeong Hyeonu from the epidemiology team answered quietly.
On the screen, the president looked straight into the camera.
- But we are not afraid. Because......
The researchers held their breath.
- Because we are preparing. And because we have Kang Taeho.
“......”
“Huh?”
“Ah!”
The lobby, which had suddenly gone silent, exploded. It was hard to believe the shrieks came from researchers who usually did nothing but quietly conduct research.
“Woooaaah!”
“This is insane!”
“Director!”
“Whoa! Whoa!”
“This is seriously crazy!”
Cheers and applause burst out. Some shouted, and some embraced their colleagues.
The excitement did not subside. The researchers looked at one another with expressions of disbelief.
Then, from the back, a quiet voice was heard.
“Thank you, everyone.”
They turned to see Taeho standing there. Without anyone noticing when he had arrived, he had been watching the address with them from the corridor at the back of the lobby.
“Director!”
The researchers turned around all at once.
Taeho slowly approached them.
“I did nothing in New York. I merely took the treatment protocol you created with me. I merely explained the data you analyzed while staying up through the night.”
Taeho looked at each of them one by one.
“The president called my name, but that was the name of every one of you.”
Tears ran down Kim Minjae’s face. He quickly wiped them away with his hand, but several others were already crying as well.
“It will become even harder from now on. Six months from now, if an epidemic truly breaks out in Seoul, we will have to fight. We may have to spend even more long nights running experiments, and we may have to come in on weekends. We will fail constantly and try again. It may be far more difficult than it is now.”
The researchers nodded.
“But I am certain. We will win. As long as we are here, the Republic of Korea will not collapse easily, and our people will live safely, protected from infectious disease.”
Taeho smiled as he looked at them.
Clap, clap, clap!
Park Seojun was the first to applaud. Then the other researchers joined in one by one.
Soon, the entire lobby was filled with applause.