“You’ve brought us another difficult assignment.”
The Blue House State Council Chamber.
With every minister gathered, Kim Sangcheol gave a bitter smile as he looked at our “Reconstruction TF.”
Minister Kim Jaeseok and the rest of us on the task force had no choice but to lower our heads like criminals. The MOU we had secured this time was something extremely ambiguous—difficult to call either a success or a failure.
“Minister Kim. I did grant you full authority, but I’m sure I also gave you a separate instruction, didn’t I?”
“…Yes. I remember. To avoid the missile issue as much as possible.”
“Then why is such an uncomfortable matter included in this contract?”
“I apologize. But they said that if we didn’t give them a missile contract, they wouldn’t sign the weapons contract either.”
“Aren’t they the ones who need this, in any case? Our defense products should be several times cheaper than European-made ones.”
“National defense doesn’t run purely on economic logic. Germany could save dozens of times more on defense spending if it gave up the Leopard and PzH and used the K9 instead. But there’s no way they would.”
“Hmm…”
“Likewise, once Ukraine begins rearming, there will certainly be pressure to purchase European-made arms. We needed to make Ukraine even a little more of an ally in preparation for that kind of pressure.”
Kim Sangcheol sighed and turned his head.
“Even so, this isn’t a weapon we can hand over lightly… Minister of National Defense.”
“Yes.”
“What are the terms of the technology transfer we received from Russia?”
“To summarize, this would be a breach of contract. No matter how the contractual terms are interpreted, we cannot sell missiles to Ukraine.”
“There’s truly no way?”
“…To be frank, even transferring them to Poland is cutting it close. But Poland is a NATO member anyway, and Europe is capable of developing hypersonic missiles as well, so they probably won’t make a major issue of it. Ukraine, however, will be very different.”
If the K9s we handed over to Indonesia ended up in North Korea, we would not stand idly by either. The missile contract was, without question, a grave matter that could damage Korea’s credibility.
“Then make a way and bring it to me.”
“Yes, sir? What?”
“I’m sorry, but I’m a pragmatist. For the national interest, I can endure friction even with the United States. From where I stand, Ukraine’s weapons order is absolutely not something we can give up.”
“B-but…”
“If international credibility is the issue, don’t worry. The international community will look the other way over a little con played on a thief.”
Having made his decision, Kim Sangcheol lifted his head again.
“That will be all for today’s State Council meeting. If any of the ministers have good ideas, whisper them to the Minister of National Defense. The Reconstruction TF team also worked hard overseas.”
Thank goodness. Like the pragmatist he was, he had sided with our Reconstruction TF.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I was just about to leave with the ministers, relieved, when Prime Minister Lee Chanho stopped me, forcing me into a three-way meeting with the president.
“Team Leader Lee, I’ve already heard the story from Minister Kim Jaeseok. You were the one who told President Zelensky you’d give him an answer before he left office?”
“I apologize… I was afraid the contract might fall through.”
“That’s not why I called you separately. But I don’t think you would have blurted out something like that without an exit strategy. Isn’t that right, Prime Minister?”
“Yes, I’m curious what you were thinking too.”
“…”
“I’ll give you a chance, so tell us. How do we deliver missile technology transferred from Russia to Ukraine?”
I gave the obvious answer.
“It isn’t difficult. We localize a few components and change the name to something like the Arirang Missile, and it becomes our technology as much as we like.”
“…That’s your plan? Do you think Russia won’t see through such an obvious play on words?”
“Even if they do, nothing changes. If Russia truly takes issue with it, we can provide them with a little reconstruction funding too.”
Unable to listen any longer, the prime minister scolded me from the side.
“Give them a few coins and tell them to go away? Team Leader Lee, are you joking? The other party is Russia.”
“Yes, Russia. That’s exactly why there’s nothing we can’t do.”
“Wh-what?”
“Enough, both of you.”
When I tried to continue, President Kim Sangcheol stopped me.
He sank into a long silence, then looked at me and said,
“So your fundamental idea is this, Team Leader Lee. Russia is no longer a country we need to worry much about going forward.”
As expected, he was quick to understand. I nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“But we don’t know how Russia may grow in the future. Isn’t that far too reckless?”
“Mr. President. If we really examine it coldly, Russia has no possibility of revival. From the scale of its debt, which can’t even be properly measured, to the youth mortality rate, it’s a complete disaster in every respect.”
I grew heated.
“The one thing they had believed in was their technological capability—Russia’s space and military power—but this war has made its truth and falsehood clear as well. Even if you have the technology, if you don’t have the capital to produce it, it’s meaningless.”
It ended as the worst display of incompetent warfare in the twenty-first century, but in truth, Russia was not a country whose military power could be laughed at like this.
The Zircon and Kinzhal missiles they deployed in actual combat for the first time could not be intercepted by any European air defense system. Their top-tier Avangard was even ahead of the United States.
But it seemed even technological prowess was helpless before money.
Because they had no money to mass-produce them, they ultimately failed to seize control of Ukraine’s air defense network, which led to massive army losses, and in the end, both sides exchanged attacks with cost-effective drones.
If Russia had shown Ukraine the “shock and awe” that the United States once displayed, would the war ever have taken on the form of a drone war?
In the end, the Russo-Ukrainian War showed in stark terms that no matter how advanced science and technology become, war is fought with “money.”
“Is there any reason to be mindful of a Russia like that? On the contrary, now is the time for us to aggressively seize the newly changed defense-industry trend.”
“The defense-industry trend has changed?”
“Yes. In an era without war, every major power was busy showing off its technological prowess and flaunting its strength. But once war actually broke out, it was revealed that cost advantage matters more than technological superiority. Korea’s defense industry has boundless potential. If we use Ukraine as a foothold to dominate the Eastern European market, the European market will open up to us as well.”
To put it bluntly, Korea’s self-propelled guns, howitzers, and multiple rocket launchers are not overwhelmingly better than those of the major powers in terms of specifications.
Facing North Korea, we developed by choosing quantity over quality. In other words, we devoted more effort to cost innovation than to technology.
But that has meshed with the recently changed defense-industry trend, earning us countless calls from Eastern European countries.
“Mm…”
Kim Sangcheol fell into thought for a while.
“We don’t need to worry about Russia…? We can ignore them…? Well, now.”
He turned his head.
“Prime Minister, the world truly has changed beyond recognition. When we were in college, the Soviet Union still wasn’t this far gone.”
“Yes…”
“Still, I’m a little conservative. Russia has its reputation, after all. Will it really become such a shabby country that we can afford to ignore it?”
Lee Chanho thought for a moment before asking in return,
“Mr. President, can you think of anything besides natural gas? Among Russia’s key industries, I mean.”
“Mm…”
“I don’t agree with everything Team Leader Lee says, but I can’t refute the idea that Russia will have an extremely difficult time recovering.”
“But isn’t the same true of Ukraine? Wheat is an even easier raw material to replace than natural gas.”
“But Ukraine’s reconstruction will be funded by Europe’s grants, while Russia’s reconstruction will be funded by China’s loans.”
“Do you think Ukraine’s reconstruction will be faster than Russia’s, Prime Minister?”
“…Most likely. Ukraine, if only because Europe needs it, seems likely to be developed past a certain point. Russia, no matter how I look at it, doesn’t have a suitable sponsor. I think the answer is already decided.”
When that long meeting finally ended, Kim Sangcheol looked at me.
“Very well, Team Leader Lee. After turning it over in my mind, your opinion seems a little better.”
“Then…”
“President Zelensky asked for an answer before he leaves office, didn’t he? Tell him this. We will promise missile supply as well. However, we have several matters to sort out on our end too, so let’s sign the domestic weapons contract first.”
I bowed my head deeply.
“Thank you, Mr. President!”
After Sejun left, Kim Sangcheol asked Lee Chanho,
“Prime Minister, even so, this is a breach of contract with Russia, so their backlash concerns me a little. Insisting it’s our technology just because we changed a few parts is rather transparent, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“I don’t want to ruin our relationship with Russia either. Is there no good way?”
“…I hate to say this, but Team Leader Lee Sejun’s proposal seems the most realistic. At present, Russia’s financial difficulties are even worse than Ukraine’s.”
Kim Sangcheol glanced at Lee Chanho and said,
“So we give them a bit of money and end it?”
*
[Breaking News — Blue House Announces Reconstruction Aid Plan for Ukraine!]
[Does Korea Have Money to Burn?! $60 Billion in Grants and Loans Announced for Ukraine!]
[Public Opinion Turns Cold… Sudden Aid to a Country on the Other Side of the World?]
[Conservative Protesters Gather in Gwanghwamun… “Does the Kim Sangcheol Administration Intend to Drive the Exchange Rate to 2,000 Won?!”]
One day, after the matter had been settled.
Prime Minister Lee Chanho announced the Ukraine aid plan at the National Assembly.
Providing $60 billion in hard cash to a country on the other side of the world—and one with no connection to our national interest at that—was no ordinary matter. Especially not at a time when the exchange rate was as unstable as it was now.
Because of that, all the Daehan Party lawmakers boycotted their seats and harshly criticized the government’s policy.
[Breaking News — KOSPI Closes Strong Today at 5,123 Points, Up 2%!]
[Defense and Reconstruction Theme Stocks, Including KD Techwin, Lead the Rise!]
However, unlike the noisy political situation, the KOSPI welcomed another spring.
That was because, as though responding to Korea’s aid announcement, the Ukrainian government announced defense contracts. Not stopping there, they also stated that they would provide significant opportunities in Ukraine’s reconstruction projects.
“Construction stocks are finally jumping?”
Thanks to that, our pension fund was able to hold a risk meeting in a warm atmosphere for the first time in a while.
“Closing up 10% for three consecutive trading days… How long has it been since that happened?”
“Since Choe Sangdong was elected mayor.”
“Still, Team Leader, we’re a long way from recovering the previous high. Even including the current gains, we’re still 20% below our average purchase price.”
“In a way, now is exactly when we should be buying more at low prices.”
“…Even so, hasn’t it risen too much? Considering opportunity cost, it seems better to sell now and load up on the AI sector instead.”
Manager Oh nodded and said,
“Good. Then what do you think will happen to reconstruction theme stocks going forward? Speak your minds without holding back.”