En route from Cheong Wa Dae, aboard a private jet bound for Zamboanga.
Once the plane reached cruising altitude,
Scott leaned over from his seat.
“Boss, you need to take a look at this.”
Scott held out a tablet.
On the screen, Simon’s face was displayed prominently.
[Damaya Rebels. Declaration of War on the Philippine Government]
– Demands for expanded autonomy and guaranteed independence for Mindanao.
I tapped on another article.
Immediately, a video began playing.
In the studio, an anchor was reporting the situation in a tense voice.
“Simon, the leader of the armed organization known as the Damaya Rebels operating in the southern Philippines, today issued a public statement to the Philippine government.”
On the screen, footage filmed in the middle of a jungle appeared.
Simon standing among armed soldiers.
A scene of Simon speaking while looking at the camera was playing.
His expression was infinitely serious.
Seeing that expression on Simon made me want to laugh.
The anchor’s explanation continued.
“Through the statement, Simon announced ten demands, including guarantees of full autonomy for the Mindanao region and political independence.”
“The main demands are reported to include the following.”
Recognition of extensive autonomy for the Mindanao region.
Gradual withdrawal of central government military forces.
Priority rights for the local government regarding regional resource development.
Release of political prisoners and resumption of peace negotiations.
The anchor continued.
“Simon warned that if these demands are not accepted, he will escalate military actions.”
The screen changed again.
A rocket was launched.
A flash of light burst over the night sea.
“The Damaya Rebels conducted a show of force by firing dozens of rockets in Philippine waters near Zamboanga.”
“The Philippine Navy is currently blockading the area and assessing the situation.”
“In addition, the rebel side claimed to have kidnapped approximately twenty Korean workers today.”
The screen showed a road with a checkpoint set up and armed Philippine soldiers.
“The abducted individuals are reported to be employees of Daeyeon Development who were carrying out a road construction project near Zamboanga.”
“Their exact whereabouts have not been confirmed.”
“The Philippine government has designated this incident as a grave threat to national security.”
“The Philippine military announced that it has immediately reinforced troops in the Mindanao region and is entering an operation to track down the rebels.”
“It was also officially announced that they are in close consultation with Daeyeon Development and the government of the Republic of Korea to resolve the issue of the kidnapped Korean hostages.”
The video ended.
I returned the tablet to Scott.
“Fast.”
Scott snickered.
“Simon is incredibly good at this sort of thing, isn’t he?”
“He is.”
We looked in the direction of Zamboanga through the small window.
The board was just now being laid out.
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.
.
A few hours before the news report.
Visitors quietly arrived at the homes of Daeyeon Development employees.
The doorbell rang, and when the door opened,
men in black suits were seen.
“Hello.”
One of them quietly took out his ID and showed it.
“I’m from the National Intelligence Service.”
The woman’s expression stiffened for a moment.
The National Intelligence Service.
People she never thought she would encounter in her entire life
were now standing at her front door.
The agent lowered his voice.
“This is something that may shock you, so may we speak inside?”
The woman nodded absently.
The agents who entered the living room habitually surveyed the surroundings once,
then calmly began to speak.
“Shortly, the news will report the kidnapping of Daeyeon Development employees.”
The woman’s face turned pale in an instant.
“Excuse me?? What do you mean···”
The woman’s voice trembled.
The woman barely held back tears as she asked.
“My husband... are you saying my husband has been kidnapped?”
The agent shook his head.
“There is no need to worry. This is part of an operation being conducted jointly by the Korean and Philippine governments. Your husband’s safety is being perfectly guaranteed.”
At the agent’s words, the woman regained some composure.
But her expression was still anxious.
“Still... kidnapped.”
“That’s right. You must be anxious. That is why we intend to take you to where your husband is. This is a state-conducted operation, and the government will directly protect you while it is underway. Your family as well.”
The woman was at a loss for words for a moment.
She seemed to not know what to do.
The agent told her what needed to be done.
“We plan to depart right away.”
“Right now? Immediately?”
“Yes. However, due to security procedures, you must leave behind all electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. You must absolutely not disclose what you have heard here to the outside. Not to the press, not to acquaintances. If you do, it could cause problems for the operation.”
“I understand that.”
“Shall we depart, then?”
“But I should inform the company. If I can’t go to work···”
“The government will take care of the company. It will be processed as your participation in an emergency contingency program due to the kidnapping. It is a program for families only.”
“···. I understand.”
The agent gave a slight bow.
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
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.
.
The woman left her house wearing exactly what she had on, unable to pack anything.
She couldn’t even pack a single change of underwear.
A black van was parked in front of her house.
Inside the van, several families in similar situations were already seated.
They all had tense faces.
The van departed quietly.
They moved to the airport, then traveled to the Philippines via a private jet.
A few hours later.
The moment she got out of the car and followed them,
the woman stopped walking for a moment.
What lay before her eyes was a luxury resort overlooking the sea.
Palm trees swayed,
and the swimming pool sparkled in the sunlight.
“Honey!”
A familiar voice was heard from somewhere.
She turned her head,
and saw a man wearing shorts and holding a beer.
He waved brightly.
It was her husband.
Tears welled up in the woman’s eyes in an instant.
During the several hours heading to the Philippines, all sorts of thoughts had crossed her mind.
Kidnapping. Guns, jungle, death.
The worst imaginable scenes had churned through her head.
She had been told they were safe,
but she couldn’t eliminate the unease taking root in a corner of her heart.
Yet the husband before her eyes was drinking beer with a bright expression.
It was vexing, yet a relief.
The woman ran and hugged her husband tightly.
Only then did her tension release.
From that day, the resort became a completely different space.
Three meals a day were provided, of course, as well as snacks, beverages, and alcohol,
and they could freely use all the resort’s services.
The children dove into the swimming pool,
and the adults ate meals while looking at the sea, sharing stories.
They exercised and enjoyed marine sports.
At night, they grilled barbecue and listened to music.
Just as they had been prohibited from bringing anything,
all items including swimsuits were provided.
They were of much better quality than what they normally used.
It was like a long vacation.
Like a paradise where they could do anything.
Only one thing was not permitted at this resort.
The internet.
Powerful signal jamming equipment was installed throughout the resort.
Even if someone had secretly brought a mobile phone, it would not catch a signal.
All communications connecting to the outside were blocked.
While the world was saying they had been kidnapped,
they were enjoying a vacation.
This resort was filled only with the laughter of children and the clinking of glasses.
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.
.
The Republic of Korea, Cheong Wa Dae
An emergency security meeting was being held at Cheong Wa Dae, presided over by the President.
A map of the Philippines was displayed largely on the meeting room wall.
Red markers were densely packed in the Mindanao and Zamboanga areas.
The air in the meeting room was heavy.
The Director of the National Security Office spoke first.
“The situation is critical. Twenty Korean nationals have been kidnapped by Philippine rebels.”
President Kim Minsu asked briefly.
“What is the response plan?”
“UDT and the 707th Special Mission Group are on immediate standby. They can be deployed right away upon your order.”
A Joint Chiefs of Staff official immediately answered.
“If deployed, can they be rescued?”
President Kim Minsu asked in a sharp voice.
The meeting room grew quiet.
No one could answer.
After a moment, a general opened his mouth.
“Zamboanga is an area where rebel forces are among the strongest in the Philippines.”
He continued, pointing at the screen and the map.
“During former President Melchor’s administration, government troops attempted an operation to seize Zamboanga. The result was a defeat bordering on annihilation.”
At the general’s words, the already quiet meeting room grew even quieter.
“Furthermore, the number of hostages is large. Even if a rescue operation succeeds, moving all hostages to safety will not be easy.”
President Kim Minsu was silently writing something down.
“Are you saying that even deploying special forces makes rescue difficult?”
“···That is correct. Moreover, the exact location of the hostages has not yet been determined.”
Bang.
President Kim Minsu slammed the table.
“What on earth are you all doing? Our citizens have been kidnapped. Twenty of them, at that. Yet you say you can’t even grasp the situation. Is this acceptable?”
President Kim Minsu’s voice sharply split the meeting room.
The officials were all hanging their heads.
But President Kim Minsu knew.
He had already received photos of the hostages from Gong Inbae.
The hostages playing on a white sandy beach.
Them lying on sunbeds, drinking beer.
It was such a beautiful place that for a moment he had thought he wanted to become a hostage himself.
But here, he had to do what needed to be done here.
“Why is no one answering? Let’s talk about what needs to be done.”
At President Kim Minsu’s roar, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official cautiously opened his mouth.
“At present, rather than conducting a unilateral operation, it seems far more effective to collaborate with the Philippines and support them.”
“Continue.”
“As it happens, a weapons purchase request has come in from the Philippine government. We can supply weapons to the Philippines and package it as an emergency military supply cooperation program.”
“Is it possible?”
“Yes. It is possible. If we proceed this way, we can sell weapons, strengthen our alliance, and intervene in the hostage rescue operation as well.”
“Are there any other methods?”
“At the moment, the emergency military supply cooperation program is the most realistic method.”
After thinking for a moment, President Kim Minsu nodded.
He had made a decision.
“Very well. Proceed immediately.”
“Understood.”
“This is a matter of life and death for our citizens. Keep the procedures as simple as possible. Time is of the essence.”
“Understood.”
“Send the equipment from the warehouses first. Include all reserve equipment, stockpiled equipment, and everything we aren’t using immediately. We’ll bill them later. Let’s take this opportunity to clear out the inventory too. The Philippines even asked for the stockpiled items.”
“Understood.”
An official from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration answered with a slight smile.
“And get the production lines running immediately. Our country is already called the Ministry of Artillery, so don’t let anyone say we’re short on cannons. Produce them round the clock.”
“Yes. Understood.”
As soon as the President’s orders fell, the meeting room became bustling.
People got up and began making phone calls.
Documents were exchanged, and transport plans were drawn up.
The government of the Republic of Korea began moving at a speed rivaling wartime.
.
.
.
That evening.
The runway of a Republic of Korea Air Force base was brightly lit.
Massive transport planes were moving onto the runway one by one.
Armed troops moved busily, checking the loaded weapons.
Shortly after.
A C-130 transport plane began racing down the runway first.
With a roar, the aircraft took off.
Inside the transport plane, various military supplies and weapons were packed tightly.
From anti-tank missiles to ammunition, armored vehicle parts, and communications equipment.
It was filled to the brim with military equipment hastily gathered.
That was not the end.
The transport planes did not stop.
After arriving in the Philippines and unloading the equipment, they returned to the Republic of Korea.
They loaded weapons again.
The transport planes began shuttling back and forth between the Republic of Korea and the Philippines.
At the Philippines’ request, they delivered weapons to an air force base located in northern Mindanao.
And the next day, a maritime transport operation began.
At Busan Port, a massive container ship began slowly moving.
Inside the containers were even more military supplies and weapons.
Artillery shells and missiles, vehicle parts and various equipment.
As soon as the container ship left the port,
warships immediately pulled alongside.
They were destroyers and frigates of the Republic of Korea Navy.
Under the protection of the Navy,
the container ship began heading toward the Philippines.
A large container ship loaded with weapons departed for the Philippines.
Alongside it, Navy destroyers and frigates were escorting.
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Cheong Wa Dae meeting room.
Situation reports were continuing in the meeting room.
“The first air transport is complete.”
“The container ship being transported by sea is also scheduled to arrive tomorrow.”
President Kim Minsu nodded.
After looking around the meeting room briefly, he slowly opened his mouth.
And spoke quietly.
“Very well. You have responded exceedingly well to this crisis. I believe you have shown how the government must move in a crisis situation, and how it must think of its citizens.”
President Kim Minsu bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you for your hard work, and I ask for your continued efforts in the future.”
The people inside the meeting room also quietly bowed their heads.
But no one inside the meeting room eased their tension.
Because even at this very moment, the Republic of Korea’s transport planes were flying through the sky,
and the container ship was cutting through the sea toward the Philippines.