“Aren’t you all making too much fuss?”
The engineers’ explanation had gone on for nearly two hours, but Nam Sanggi’s reaction remained lukewarm.
This was the problem with scientists. A breed that went out of its way to worry.
Thirty years ago, they had said Korea was a water-scarce country, and twenty years ago they had said oil would soon run out. But had even one of their predictions been right? Looking back, it had always turned out to be nothing much, and at times they had exaggerated or distorted the future for the sake of their research budgets.
“It’s not as if this is some highly enriched uranium technology... and you’re saying it could change the concept of tactics?”
To Nam Sanggi, this issue felt like more of the same.
No matter how he looked at it, it was just a toy. Even if it were abused, all it looked capable of doing was secretly filming someone else’s house. How was this supposed to change the tactical landscape?
“Vice Chairman...”
“Well, if you put a camera on this, I suppose you could use it as a reconnaissance asset. But then we could just make better telescopes. Why do we need to develop these little gnats?”
“The production cost is...”
“That’s the problem too. You’re saying this drone that costs only tens or hundreds of thousands could become a game changer? Chief Researcher Park, you’re truly remarkable. My goodness, I nearly made a terrible mistake. We could make tens of thousands of drones for the cost of one tank, so why did we invest trillions in the K-9?”
“...”
“Chief Kim, instead of sitting here, go to the factory tomorrow and halt K-9 production immediately! Production orders from India, Turkey, and Poland? Cancel them at once! Go tell them not to buy tanks and to make drones instead!”
All the researchers lowered their heads. Nam Sanggi’s eyes had rolled back in fury to the point that he had lost all reason.
After overturning the desk for a while, Nam Sanggi finally spoke, breathing hard.
“Chief Researcher Park. Do you think my goodwill has become your right?”
“...”
“Because I haven’t interfered with R&D and just kept handing over money, do I look like a sucker to you now?”
“Vice Chairman. I fully understand why you’re angry. When I first encountered this technology, I reacted the same way.”
“Wh-what?”
“But before I’m an engineer, I’m a scholar. A major weakness in our strategic assets has been exposed. I can’t pretend not to see it.”
At Chief Researcher Park’s unyielding response, Nam Sanggi faltered for a moment.
Chief Researcher Park, who had devoted thirty years to defense science, was Korea’s foremost researcher on self-propelled artillery. He had lived breathing in the smell of gunpowder more than the smell of rice.
And such an engineer was speaking of the danger of this drone technology even at the cost of denying his thirty years as a researcher. Was this truly real?
“To be honest, Vice Chairman, to you the K-9 may be one of the many strategic assets held by KD Group, but to me it is my entire life. To think that our self-propelled artillery could be rendered powerless by a drone worth only a few million won... I couldn’t calm my anger either.”
“Chief Researcher Park.”
“But when I thought about it rationally, the fact that it was cheap was actually the problem. This technology is easy and cheap enough for North Korea to develop on its own. That made me wonder. If North Korea were to carry out provocations against the South with drones from now on, could we truly stop them?”
The vice chairman could not refute him.
In fact, North Korea’s recent provocations against the South had been shifting from manned warfare to unmanned warfare.
They had been constantly sending drone reconnaissance aircraft into the border areas of Gangwon and Paju, and at times even infiltrating Seoul, threatening Korea’s air defense network.
And whenever that happened, the media had pointed out the security threat... but not once had they shown any satisfying countermeasure. Cutting a mosquito with a knife was just that difficult.
“Is it really that serious?”
As Nam Sanggi’s voice softened considerably, Chief Researcher Park spoke with emphasis.
“Yes. To be frank, it’s somewhat shocking. The drone specifications we received from the dealer overwhelm our domestic models in every aspect. No, even comparing the specifications is meaningless. Seventy percent of the parts in the military drones we currently use are Chinese-made.”
“...”
“But according to that dealer, even this is technology from five years ago. Then just how advanced is the drone technology developed recently, and among that, how advanced is the technology being used for military purposes... I began to doubt everything.”
Chief Researcher Park spoke in a trembling voice.
In the event of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula, it was obvious that Chinese-made drones would enter through North Korea. During the civil war that broke out in Myanmar four years ago, China had supported both the rebels and the government forces at the same time, fostering whichever regime would be even slightly more friendly to them.
With U.S.-China tensions recently reaching their peak, if the Korean government’s actions were not to their liking, they might use North Korea as leverage.
When all those calculations were complete, what Chief Researcher Park saw was Korea’s air defense network being trampled by Chinese drones.
But no matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing. No anti-system to catch the drones.
“According to that dealer, the technology they’re handing over now is only at the level where we can barely maintain a production network even if China controls the parts. And to me, those words did not sound exaggerated at all.”
The vice chairman sighed.
“So, Chief Researcher Park, what exactly do you think we should do?”
“I believe we should make sweeping revisions to our air power project. Right now, drones must take priority in our air defense network.”
“Chief Researcher Park. I still don’t understand. We’re already struggling to catch up to the Apache and stealth aircraft. Do we really have to prioritize this toy airplane technology?”
“Vice Chairman. For an economy at North Korea’s level, which would be easier: fighter jets or drones?”
“...”
“The fact that they periodically shake our air defense network may be for the purpose of provocation, but it may also be for experimentation. For our security system, that is the more urgent task.”
His unwavering face said everything. He had already made up his mind.
“And according to the pension fund official who introduced us to the dealer, we’re to share the technology we received with five defense companies, including KAII, Korea Aerospace Industries, and Rotem.”
“What? They want to make us compete?”
“Yes. It’s clear that person was very serious about this technology. It seems helping with our split-off was not merely about supporting management rights... There were various calculations behind it.”
Nam Sanggi rubbed the space between his brows and said,
“To be honest, no matter how much I hear, I still can’t tell if this is real or not. Still, if that’s how you feel, put together a project and bring it up. I’ll review it positively.”
“Yes. I’ll submit it as soon as possible.”
After everyone withdrew, the vice chairman muttered with his face twisted into a deep scowl.
“What the hell... is that little punk?”
*
KAII, Korea Aerospace Industries, located in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province.
After the failure of the Naro rocket launch, this place had nearly been privatized. Recently, work had dwindled, and it had barely been scraping by on aircraft maintenance, but for the past two months, it had been plunged into hectic days.
They had received a strange technology from KD Techwin, and because of that, fierce meetings had been taking place internally.
“Hello, Dr. Kim.”
“Welcome, Senior Manager.”
Seeing the technical staff who had come all the way to the airport to greet me, I felt almost embarrassed. Though the headquarters was right next to Sacheon Airport, it somehow felt like I was receiving excessive protocol.
“I wondered why KD Techwin had suddenly shared technology with us, and it turns out it was all under your instruction? As expected of the pension fund.”
“Haha... Did they share the technology properly?”
“Of course. Who ordered them to? They even attached their own analysis materials along with the technology. Thanks to that, it was much easier for us.”
“So, what were your impressions, Doctor?”
“To be honest, after receiving that data, we had an extremely heated debate inside KAII as well. Is this right? Is this excessive concern...? But now, most opinions have nearly converged.”
I swallowed dryly and waited for his next words.
“We have narrowed it down to the conclusion that it is a serious security threat.”
Heaven had not abandoned Korea. As expected, there were people who recognized the value of that technology.
“In that case...?”
“Yes. We recognize it as a serious threat and are forming a task force to respond to it.”
“What kind of task force?”
“A task force to determine the potential of this drone. To be honest, we still don’t really have a clear sense of it. If you attach a shell to it, it becomes a guided projectile; if you attach a camera, it becomes a reconnaissance aircraft... We’ve only outlined that much so far. But if you attach AI to it, what happens then...? We intend to investigate without omission just how far applicable and integrable technologies can go.”
By the time his introduction was over, I had arrived at his laboratory.
Nearly two months seemed to have provided them with great motivation as well. There appeared to be more drones than aircraft parts in the lab, and it seemed they had begun mass production using the technology they had received.
“First, let me introduce you to this. It feels a bit odd to say, but this is probably Korea’s first domestically produced drone. One that doesn’t use a single external component.”
“That isn’t wrong. It’s our technology now.”
“However... there are many concerns about the specifications. According to KD Techwin, this technology already appeared in China five years ago. In Korea, where mountainous terrain makes up the majority of the land, much more development will probably be necessary.”
“Of course. That’s how it should be.”
When the technology demonstration ended, Dr. Kim gave a look, and the researchers left the room.
Once only the two of us remained, he spoke with a troubled expression.
“But, Senior Manager Lee. The truth is, this R&D will cost an enormous amount of money. It isn’t something we, who are barely surviving on aircraft maintenance, can handle...”
“I came here today to discuss that very matter. How much research funding do you think you’ll need?”
“Well. To start with, it will likely begin in the trillions.”
He spoke while watching my reaction.
“As you know, over the past ten years, China has driven drone companies out of business through massive dumping worth trillions of won. Ninety-five percent of global supply—no, if you include parts dependency, nearly one hundred percent is Chinese technology.”
“Yes.”
“In other words, it will cost several trillion won just to restore the domestic drone ecosystem. But what you want isn’t merely that, is it?”
I nodded cautiously.
“No. The first is mass production, and the second is countermeasures. Whatever form it takes, in the end, an air defense system capable of stopping these drones must be created.”
“Then... To be honest, I can’t really calculate it. We’ve also considered basic countermeasure systems such as radio jamming devices, but there are various ways around them, such as wired drones. The fact that they are cheap and can be mass-produced is also a problem. In that case, it becomes difficult to create a suitable interception system.”
“I see.”
“To be frank, the system you are envisioning seems like it will require an astronomical amount of money.”
“What if I said I would invest all of that astronomical amount?”
“...Pardon?”
“Whether it’s a paid-in capital increase, issuing bonds, or anything else, it’s all fine. If you need development funds, request them. Whatever the amount, I will support it all.”
He quietly studied me.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“...Why?”
He looked as though he could not understand.
“To be honest, I’m truly curious... In fact, KAII has recently been considering restructuring due to management difficulties. As everyone knows, the prospects for the defense industry are bleak. Yet why are you supporting us to this extent, and why did you ask us not to tell others...? May I ask?”
I smiled bitterly.
“Doctor, do you think the day will come when U.S. Forces Korea withdraws?”
“...Pardon?”
“Even if they don’t withdraw, do you think the day will come when they use it as a pretext to demand enormous tariffs or investments in the United States?”
“...What do you mean?”
I gazed at the distant sky and swallowed the words I wanted to say.
Even if I told him, he would not believe it. It was a world even I could hardly believe.
“Please just understand it this way. I think we need our own independent technology in order to protect our industry.”
“Hmm... It seems this is in the realm of investors. Understood. Then—”
“If there are development funds you need, please tell me. I’ll help as much as I can within my capacity. And today’s meeting, as well as the process of acquiring the technology, must remain strictly confidential.”
“After you’ve promised us this much support, of course. Even if I’m dragged off to Namsan, I won’t say a word.”
After finishing that pleasant meeting and turning to leave, I received a call from Chief Oh.
“Yes, Chief, I—”
—Senior Manager Lee, I’m with Team Leader Choi right now. Natural gas prices hit a record high this morning, but our Team Leader Choi sold off all of Lukoil? You have a lot to explain to me, don’t you? Get back to the company immediately!