Hypersonic technology.
A technology considered a game changer in modern warfare, where missile combat has reached speeds of more than five times the speed of sound—Mach 5.
The higher the number, the better. The faster the speed, the harder it is to intercept. Russia, which currently possesses the most advanced technology, has reached Mach 27, while the United States has reached Mach 20; most of the G3 have entered double digits. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the success or failure of modern missile defense systems—MD—depends on how well they can intercept these fast missiles.
The problem was that North Korea possessed this hypersonic technology as well...
Whenever people were about to forget, North Korea would fire ballistic missiles at the fish in the East Sea, and all of them represented technology that had entered Mach 10.
Despite having next to nothing, there was only one reason those bastards kept feeding the fish. To continuously show off that they possessed missiles South Korea’s MD system could not defend against.
To counter this, South Korea had also developed a hardcore missile reaching Mach 6, but unfortunately, ours was a country whose purpose was defense rather than offense. If they achieved Mach 10, it meant we had to develop Mach 11 to intercept their missiles.
Of course, if the ROK Armed Forces fought North Korea prepared to give up an arm, a petty Kim Jong-un would end up a corpse in a week... but North Korea, which only had to protect one man, and South Korea, which had to protect all fifty million of its people, stood on entirely different starting lines.
“...Yes, that’s right. We have to obtain hypersonic technology from Russia.”
In the end, from our perspective, we had to keep such firm control over our air-defense network that not a single missile could set foot on South Korean soil. And to do that, whether for offense or defense, we had no choice but to develop missiles faster than North Korea’s.
“Why does it have to be Russia?”
“Russia currently possesses the highest level of hypersonic technology.”
“Their technological level may be one thing, but isn’t the geopolitical alignment another? They’re blood allies. During the Russo-Ukrainian War, Russia even received troop deployments from North Korea and emerged as its blood ally. Would Russia really hand over hypersonic technology for anyone else’s benefit?”
“That was then. How could a person feel the same going into the bathroom as when coming out?”
“What?”
“In the current situation, with the war over, postwar recovery is a major task for Russia as well. The discord already emerging in Sino-Russian relations is proof of that. Russia is even engaged in a war of nerves over debt with China, its biggest backer. Do you really think North Korea will be in its sights?”
I pressed my momentum.
“And it wasn’t as though the troop deployment came without compensation. Putin will regard the North’s deployment as nothing more than a fleeting business relationship.”
If my memory was correct, North Korea-Russia relations would gradually grow distant as soon as the war ended.
After all, friendship between nations could only be maintained when there was much to mutually depend on, whether trade or military exchange. After the war, Russia would have absolutely nothing to ask of North Korea.
“Fine. Let’s say North Korea was just a side dish that got tossed in for a moment. What about China? If Russia hands hypersonic technology over to us, China will be the most uncomfortable with it. Can Russia really withstand China’s glare?”
“That’s why we have to put debt forgiveness at the forefront. If China doesn’t want hypersonic technology going to us, then they can purchase the thirty billion dollars in bonds we’re holding instead.”
Kim Sang-cheol, understanding what I meant, gave a small laugh.
“You’re saying we should bluff, aren’t you? Since there’s no way China will buy those bonds as things stand?”
“Yes. China has already bought plenty of bad bonds. They don’t have the capacity to purchase any more.”
If my memory was correct, China would be busy minding its own household from here on out.
They would need an enormous budget to prop up their domestic real estate market, which had hit rock bottom, and if they wanted to compete with the United States for supremacy in AI and autonomous driving, they would be in a position where even a single ten-won coin mattered.
In truth, even the tens of billions of dollars in Russian bonds they had already purchased had been swallowed by China against its will. Money that should have gone into economic stimulus had instead bought Russia’s bullets and shells. Thanks to that, China’s economic stagnation lasted longer than expected after Pengda’s bankruptcy, and its potential growth rate ended up trapped at five percent... For Korea, whose rice bowl was being caught up to, it meant buying time once again.
“Mr. President. It can be done. Russia’s Mach 27 technology is technology that would take Korea at least twenty years to reach. It doesn’t have to be Mach 27 technology. Even if they hand over a moderately downgraded version, we’ll be able to suppress North Korean missiles.”
“I’m very fond of strengthening military power myself. As you well know, with my excellent diplomatic skills, I even got the U.S. nuclear submarine restrictions lifted, didn’t I?”
“...”
“But for that, isn’t thirty billion dollars too expensive? Our government’s annual space budget is around one trillion won. Thirty billion dollars is forty-five years of our space budget. It’s far too much of a losing deal.”
“...We’ll recover the principal.”
“What?”
“Who could have known? That the K9 self-propelled howitzer would achieve a fifty-percent global market share. I believe this technological cooperation will be another turning point for Korea’s defense industry. If we absorb the technology transferred from Russia and make it our own, another defense market will be waiting for us.”
In truth, the reason I had bought Russian bonds to the point of pouring in forty years’ worth of Korea’s space budget was not merely because I was worried about Korea’s security.
If my memory was correct, the arms race in the international community would continue even after the war ended.
Not only would the United States, China, and Russia develop weapons, but Europe, having confirmed that America was a country that could change, would also continue investing in defense. Just as self-propelled howitzers were being exported now, an era would come when ICBMs were bought and sold, and an era would come when MD systems were bought and sold as well.
If my memory was correct, that market was incomparably larger than the self-propelled howitzer market, which had recorded thirteen trillion won in sales to date.
“The principal... the principal.”
After the long explanation that had lasted three hours came to an end, Kim Sang-cheol set down his pen as if he had made some decision.
“Understood, Mr. Sejun. It was a good discussion, so I’ll take it to heart.”
“Thank you...”
“You may go now. I’ll decide on the details after consulting with my aides.”
Damn it, what a shame. The reason I’d insisted on meeting the president in person was because I wanted a definite answer...
After Sejun left, Kim Sang-cheol remained lost in thought for a while before picking up the internal phone.
“Yeah, it’s me. Today, gather the ministers of Science and ICT and National Defense... no, gather the entire security line. The reporters might sniff something out, so make it as discreet as possible.”
*
The security line gathered in one place all had grim faces, as though by agreement.
When they heard the circumstances through the prime minister, it was enough to make their heads spin.
Korea, standing at the forefront of the free world, had been funding Russia’s war expenses... And not just with a paltry sum, but thirty billion dollars!
When the long explanation finally ended, Kim Sang-cheol turned his gaze.
“First, I’d like to ask the director of the National Intelligence Service. Director, were you aware that the pension fund was purchasing Russian bonds?”
“I apologize, but... we had not grasped that. To be honest, we never even suspected that the pension fund would attempt such a thing, but to think they would make indirect purchases through an asset manager...”
“Then that’s enough. If even the nation’s top intelligence agency couldn’t grasp it, external agencies must be the same. Of course, I don’t know just how far the CIA’s intelligence capabilities go.”
Kim Sang-cheol spoke with a bitter smile.
“Then from now on, let’s talk about the future. For now, it’s money that hasn’t been discovered. What should we do with this considerable sum?”
While everyone in the security line remained silent, a man from the National Intelligence Service opened his mouth.
“With all due respect, Mr. President... it seems like a white elephant. Too precious to give up, but too burdensome to swallow.”
“What do you mean?”
“In my opinion, giving it up would be better. It may not have been discovered yet, but if we use this to negotiate with Russia, there’s no way we won’t be caught by foreign intelligence agencies. If that happens, how will we handle America’s glare and our uncomfortable relationship with Europe?”
The man raised his voice.
“If it hasn’t leaked outside, this is our only chance to cut our losses. If we simply erase it from our books, it becomes money that never existed. Punish the person responsible for leading this immediately, and make it something that never happened.”
“A good opinion. What about the others?”
“Mr. President. My opinion differs.”
“Go ahead, Minister of Science and ICT.”
The Minister of Science and ICT straightened his neck and said,
“Whatever the circumstances, this is money we invested, so why should we delete it from our books? I don’t know what the person who led this was thinking when he proceeded with it, but using this to receive hypersonic technology from Russia does not seem like a bad idea at all.”
“Then, Minister of Science and ICT, are you in favor?”
“Yes. Since the topic has come up, I’ll say this: Korea’s space budget is infinitely small compared to the scale of our nation. Titles like seventh or tenth in global technological prowess don’t matter at all. Our neighboring countries are North Korea, China, Russia, and Japan. How can we be satisfied with global rankings?”
Geopolitically, Korea was not in a very good position.
Like being fifth in the whole school, but fifth in the classroom too...
“I won’t ask for a ten-trillion-won space budget when our annual budget is only seven hundred trillion won. But please seize the opportunity that has come. Receiving hypersonic technology from Russia, which is currently leading the field, is an opportunity that will not come twice.”
The National Intelligence Service man’s eyes sharpened.
“Minister of Science and ICT. Aren’t you thinking too much only of your ministry’s interests? The moment we receive technology transfer from Russia, we’ll become a CIA target. How do you plan to deal with the aftermath?”
“Coming up with that excuse is the role of our security line. Looking at the flow of funds, the person who pushed this forward laundered it well. We’ll have to explain that we didn’t buy them directly, but that an asset manager bought them secretly.”
“No, is diplomacy a joke? What fool would believe that? The whole world will find out that we funded Russia’s war expenses!”
“Then you go and question Europe too, Vice Minister!”
“W-what?”
“Strictly speaking, were we the only ones who funded the war? Russia’s natural gas through indirect exports! Did the European intelligence line and the CIA really not know about that route? If you look at it that way, it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other, so why should only we watch our step?”
At the debate between the two, voices for and against quickly rose up.
“No, even so, this is going too far!”
“What’s so far about it? To be blunt, everyone went their own way according to their national interests!”
“Europe and Korea are in different positions! We mustn’t forget that America is stricter with us!”
“These days, I’m not so sure about that either. The Donald administration seems to hate Europe more than us.”
“To be honest, I also agree with the Minister of Science and ICT! If we’re talking about Russia’s indirect exports, Europe should have less to say than us, so why should we crawl on our own?”
As the quarrel continued, the president opened his mouth.
“Enough, everyone.”
He looked back and forth between both sides, then continued.
“What a regrettable sight. I had expected we would be discussing whether we could receive hypersonic technology, and if we did, how cutting-edge the technology might be... things like that.”
Kim Sang-cheol, who had silenced the controversy in an instant, spoke.
“Well, there may be various opinions, but I find myself sympathizing a little more with what the Minister of Science and ICT said.”
“M-Mr. President.”
“I know. Our position will become very difficult. But with the end of the war already declared, I don’t think Europe will dig too deeply into the past. They used quite a lot of natural gas themselves, didn’t they?”
Kim Sang-cheol turned his head.
“Minister of National Defense. Among my options, simply giving up the Russian bonds is not one of them. Tell me, if we use this to negotiate with Russia, what level of technology could we have transferred to us?”