“I tried letting it go, and now look at these bastards!”
The main conference room of China’s Ministry of Commerce.
When Director Wang relayed the results of the negotiations, Director Chen shot to his feet.
It was an unacceptable proposal. The Chinese authorities were currently piling on every tariff imaginable to protect the domestic market, so the demand that they lower tariffs on automobiles was utterly incomprehensible.
“Minister, there is no room for reconsideration here! How dare a small nation challenge a great power!”
“...”
“If Korea takes issue with the various subsidies we provide BYD, then we should respond with even greater retaliatory tariffs!”
At that signal, all the hard-liners rose to their feet.
“That’s right, Minister! The more I hear, the more absurd it becomes!”
“How is visa-free entry supposed to be for the friendship of our two countries? They’re just trying to revive their own domestic market!”
“We should expand the Korean ban even further! Not just on media—we should issue a travel ban on our tourists as well!”
The officials rose up like a swarm of bees, but the Minister of Commerce’s expression remained lukewarm.
“It doesn’t seem as though only bad things were discussed. Isn’t a ten-trillion investment in our renewable energy sector a gift?”
“That’s only natural. Opening up the automobile market is another matter entirely.”
“Director Chen, then are you saying we should only receive and give nothing in return?”
“We can do that.”
“How?”
“With America having turned its back, does Korea have any options?”
Director Chen was overflowing with confidence.
“The reason they’re making us this offer is because their exports have been blocked by U.S. tariffs, so they’re trying to find a new market, aren’t they? Then there’s no reason for us to make concessions.”
“Hmm... What does everyone else think?”
“Director Chen hasn’t said a single wrong thing! We came back after hearing an utterly outrageous demand in a negotiation where we could have simply taken what was offered.”
“Minister, this can only be called a failure in negotiations. Recently, Korea-U.S. relations have deteriorated so much that they’re fighting over whether American troops will withdraw or not. In that case, there is absolutely no reason for us to be in a hurry, so I don’t understand why we should dance to Korea’s tune.”
And so every gaze in the conference room turned toward the traitor, Director Wang.
As expected, someone deskbound like him should never have gone to this negotiation. Bulldozer-like drive and boundless loyalty to the Party. With those two qualities as his foundation, he should have gone and forced Korea to submit, but perhaps that had been too much to expect from a mere desk bureaucrat.
As expected, someone from the military should have taken that seat.
“What is this, Director Wang?”
Amid those vicious stares, Director Wang quietly took an envelope from inside his jacket.
“My letter of resignation.”
“What is this...”
“I have lost. I can no longer talk with these fools.”
“Fools? Hey, Director Wang!”
Bang!
“Chen, watch your mouth. Even if we’re both directors, I am your senior by far. You became a director in ten years after graduating from the National Defense University, but I started from the judiciary and took twenty years to reach this position. Do you know what that means? It means you’re the figurehead, and I’m the one in charge of actual work.”
“W-what is this...”
“Minister. Why are you listening to every bit of nonsense from these empty husks? We cannot do that. It’s impossible! Even the almighty United States started throwing its hegemony around, and its allies are falling away. Wasn’t the current diplomatic strategy of our Central Committee to exploit that rift and secure friendly forces?”
The Minister of Commerce smiled bitterly.
With America’s sudden change in course, the instructions from China’s Central Party had also changed one hundred and eighty degrees.
Ordinarily, China’s diplomacy was a strategy of putting hard-liners forward to hint at import controls, or subtly looking down on the other country while swaggering about its hegemony. But these days, they had been diligently building goodwill with neighboring nations.
“Please look coldly at the recent moves in diplomatic circles. Not only America, but Europe as well is blocking our steel and automobiles. And it will only get worse from here on.”
“...”
“If you look down on Korea just because it doesn’t have America, you are mistaken. Precisely because our weight class is bigger, we have more enemies. If the global situation truly turns toward protectionism, we have far more to lose than Korea, so how can you say we hold the initiative!”
Unfortunately, that was not the only bad news.
Europe, which loved carbon reduction so much it could sing about it in its sleep, had recently begun restricting renewable energy components.
At present, China-made products held as much as seventy-five percent of the global share in renewable energy, practically gripping the supply chain in its fist, and that had drawn the vigilance of developed nations. Because China’s weaponization of components could lead to a greater disaster than global warming.
All of these moves were being carried out amid outwardly friendly relations with the developed nations.
Externally, high-level talks with Britain had resumed, and relations with Europe were growing closer. But if one looked beneath the surface, they were all sharpening daggers aimed at China.
“That is all I have to say. With even Europe restricting components, Korea’s ten-trillion investment package is a deal we do not lose from. If the other committee members reject Korea’s proposal in the name of blind loyalty, I will remove myself from this table.”
When Director Wang’s determined statement ended, the Minister of Commerce spoke to him.
“Director Wang. You seem too agitated. Go get some air for a moment.”
“I am sincerely...”
“I understand what you mean. But I’ll discuss this matter with you separately.”
Director Wang rose from his seat with a heavy expression.
In his excitement, he had said far too many things he should not have. If one were to speak in terms of factions, the Minister of Commerce himself was the very pinnacle of parachute appointments, so hadn’t he practically insulted him along with the rest?
And when he had left his seat, Director Chen seized the opportunity and added,
“Minister. This cannot be passed over as an ordinary matter. Where does he think he is, spouting such reckless words?”
The Minister of Commerce put a cigarette in his mouth. It meant he had reached a conclusion.
Emboldened by that, Director Chen grew even more heated.
“You should expel Director Wang immediately and make him pay dearly for his arrogance today! We cannot leave him be. This kind of negotiation agreement is close to treason.”
“Understood. I’ll make a decision. Chen, take your hands off all work for the time being. In my view, you are a more suitable candidate for our Belt and Road Initiative.”
“Y-yes?”
“Which region would suit you? Southeast Asia, Central Asia, or West Asia? If you dislike Asia, then Africa?”
Director Chen’s mouth fell open.
Because China’s Belt and Road strategy was now an outdated foreign policy, and this was effectively an order to relegate him to a dead-end post.
“T-that’s absurd, Minister. In such a grave situation as this, how could a person as loyal as I am be sent to such a remote stage?”
“It seems Director Wang won’t return unless I throw you out.”
“M-Minister!”
“Do you not want to go?”
With a sour look, the Minister of Commerce ground his cigarette into the ashtray.
Then he spoke with a terrifying expression.
“Chen, you may not know because you haven’t suffered it yourself, but anti-corruption charges can create crimes even where none exist. I hope you will keep that in mind.”
With those words, not even the sound of breathing could be heard in the conference room.
The Minister of Commerce rose from his seat and said,
“To be honest, I don’t find Korea’s proposal all that welcome either. We have more than a few overlapping rice bowls, so how long can this coexistence last? But if our drawing closer to Korea is something that makes America uncomfortable, then isn’t it quite acceptable as a strategy of using barbarians to control barbarians?”
“...”
“For the time being, our diplomatic line is a strategy of accommodation. It is an order handed down directly by the Central Committee, so all of you should keep that in mind.”
*
[Breaking News — Blue House Announces Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists!]
[Blue House: “The First Step in Korea-China Friendship. We Expect a Major Effect in Stimulating Domestic Demand”]
[Conservative Groups: “The Korean Ban Hasn’t Even Been Lifted, and We’re Opening Our Borders!”]
[Realmeter Survey: “70% of Citizens Oppose”]
[It Is Reported That Even Among Supporters of the Progressive Camp, Opposition Is Stronger!]
One week since I returned to Korea.
With the Blue House’s official announcement, the eventful negotiations with China came to an end.
President Kim emphasized “private-sector cooperation” and announced that he hoped this would also lead to cooperation in trade, but unfortunately, public opinion was cold enough that opposition reached seventy percent.
The public disliked China. In truth, it would be harder to find a reason to like them, but the anti-China sentiment among the people had gone beyond dislike and was closer to hatred.
Among the reasons, the biggest was, as expected, the matter of livelihoods. Using cheap labor costs and subsidies as weapons, China had been coveting one or two of our rice bowls, and now we could no longer help but stay on guard against their waves of offensives.
That public sentiment immediately appeared in the Blue House’s approval ratings.
Kim Sangcheol, who had recently eaten away at all his traditional support base by opening the agricultural market, was struggling in various ways while hovering in the thirty-percent range for approval of his administration.
The one fortunate thing was that the opposition party was still observing a three-year mourning period for the former president, and surveys still showed the Minguk Party ahead in party approval ratings.
“Thank you for riding with us. You have arrived at your destination.”
“If there’s no next passenger, please go around one more time.”
“Yes, customer. Please state your destination.”
“Pass through the Export Bridge in Gasan Digital Complex and go to the food alley at Jongno 3-ga.”
“Yes, customer. However, heavy congestion is currently expected on the Export Bridge. Shall I guide you to the optimal route to your final destination, the food alley?”
“No. Take the most congested route. Make sure to pass over the Export Bridge.”
In the meantime, Korea had also undergone many changes.
I got into an unmanned taxi that had begun trial operations last month.
They said Korea’s autonomous driving technology wasn’t even in the global top ten, and sure enough, there was more than one problem.
When the unmanned taxi entered Seoul’s most dreadful road, the “Export Bridge,” it repeatedly stopped and started. Sitting inside, I broke out in a cold sweat as if I were riding a Gyro Drop.
“Hey, you bastard! Drive properly! What the hell, why is there no one in that thing?”
“That damned Seoul mayor! Does someone have to die before they stop doing crap like this? Ptui, ptui!”
Innovation was difficult.
This single unmanned taxi still had the entire taxi industry lying down in protest, and on congested roads, every driver it encountered showered it with curses as a trial.
“...”
Still, it was a relief.
If my memory was correct, Korea was still unable to even test this technology, and later its autonomous driving technology fell all the way to twentieth place. But with Korea’s unique road culture, it felt like it could develop quickly even now.
“Thank you for riding with us. You have arrived at your destination.”
“If there’s no next passenger, please go to the last destination.”
“Yes, customer. Please state your destination.”
“HBF headquarters on Teheran-ro in Gangnam-gu. This time, guide me by the optimal route.”
I gripped my seat belt tightly.
This guy... would it really be able to endure Gangnam’s congested roads too?