Chapter 216

At those words, people’s eyes widened all at once.

Especially in the case of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who had a conversation with me in the morning about nuclear-powered submarines, the situation seemed to be quite crafty.

In fact, he must have been in a strange mood as this incident happened in the middle of a discussion about the nuclear fuel issue just a few hours ago.

“As you know, North Korea has already succeeded in miniaturizing its nuclear weapons, making it possible to mount them on missiles. But beyond that, we have now succeeded in launching an SLBM.”

For a moment, he turned his gaze to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and said.

Eyes still pouring on me.

However, it seems that they do not yet understand what they are trying to emphasize.

“Simply put, they say that they already have all three elements of nuclear force, but in comparison, we are having difficulties even building nuclear submarines. Just because we don’t have nuclear fuel.”

For a moment, everyone’s eyes widened in unison.

It seems that now I understand the meaning of what I am trying to say.

He licked his lips slightly and spoke again.

“But ironically, we already have a reprocessing facility. However, the production of nuclear fuel suitable for use in nuclear-powered submarines is not permitted.”

“·················ogue.”

“I admit, of course, that it is due to the limitations we have set. A provision that says that reprocessing is impossible except for fusion or anti-toxic substances. But isn’t it a bit unfair to say that you can’t do it when you already have the ability and foundation?”

“So, what Chairman Jin is saying right now is whether we tolerate North Korea on its own. Or are you going to allow them to produce their own nuclear fuel or pressure them to make a decision on both ends?”

It was the president who responded.

As he nodded his head, he asked with a worried expression.

“Well, to allow that, you will have to amend the provisions of the IAEA aside from persuasion. The problem is that it opens the way for us to embrace a different mind. Will the US ever allow it? If that’s the case, I’d rather come out with bombing.”

“Of course I wouldn’t allow it. That doesn’t mean the U.S. will agree to bomb North Korea.”

“·················ogue.”

“If that happens, the whole of East Asia will become a mess, and then there will be a way out for China. But will you let China, which the U.S. holds its tail at its best, be so useless?”

“·················ogue.”

The president nodded his head as if it made sense.

Then, I spit out a question that goes one step closer to what I am fundamentally trying to argue.

“In the end, the only option is to lean towards owning our nuclear submarines… but in that case, wouldn’t it be more likely that we would sell our own nuclear fuel rather than allow it to be produced on our own?”

“Yes. And that’s exactly what I was aiming for from the very beginning.”

For a moment, people’s eyes poured on me as if it was a nonsense thing to say.

After all, it must be unfamiliar to suddenly change your attitude after insisting on self-production.

He gently adjusted his clothes and spoke again.

“The important thing is that our purpose is to secure nuclear fuel anyway. So, wouldn’t the purpose be achieved if we only get approval for the sale that the US has been denying so far?”

“Ah! So, from the beginning, we will raise the guidelines and induce them to sell inevitably.”

The president rolled his eyes and looked at me.

I think I understand the meaning now.

I smiled and said it again.

“The reason this is possible is that we have the wartime operational rights anyway. Simply put, once we insist on bombing, we can’t stop it.”

“That’s right…….”

“In the meantime, if we insist on self-production as a reward, we will be in the worst situation for them, and most people’s psychology is to choose the lesser evil than the worst. In other words, rather than allowing our own production, they will offer to provide. So, as a result, our problem is over… Do you understand?”

“Hmm······.”

The president then smiled.

However, it seems that there is some kind of dissatisfaction with the fact that one eye is slightly distorted.

“Ttt, by the way, I don’t quite understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s the American attitude. I wondered what the sign was that they would not sell nuclear fuel until the end while condoning the construction of a nuclear-powered submarine. After all, for one reason, isn’t it that we are squeezing our heads like this?”

The cause of the dissatisfaction was later revealed.

On the contrary, for me, there was a state that I could barely guess.

Alluded to my thoughts.

“It was probably because of Japanese interference.”

“Is it Japan?”

The president and key members of the military immediately looked at me.

He said it again without having to suppress the dazed expression that was built up in the temple. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“It was during the previous administrations, not the current US administration, that we were condoned to possess nuclear-powered submarines. And back then, I wasn’t as stubbornly refusal to sell nuclear fuel as I am now.”

“I think so. I remember the attitude changed completely after the current Obama administration took office. Ha, does this mean that the US pro-Japanese policy will start again?”

The president accepted my words with a bitter laugh.

It seems that I now understand the intention of what I am trying to say.

As he nodded his head, he continued speaking again.

“Twok, it’s ours that has scratched the back of the US so far, but I wonder why they haven’t given up on their resentment towards Japan.”

“It’s not that we can’t let go of our regrets, it’s that we want to maximize our own interests.”

“·················ogue.”

“The United States is a staunch nationalist country. So just because we got close to them, there’s no reason to throw away the straws we’ve already put in Japan. Perhaps the U.S. is trying to please Japan moderately and take profits from them.”

At those words, the president’s expression frowned again.

If I had to interpret the meaning, in that case, I feel like we don’t need to think of the United States as more than just a group that shares interests.

“Then in the end we have no choice but to go out selfishly.”

As expected, words close to the promise were heard afterward.

Well, as president, you probably didn’t know that until now, but you’re trying to re-establish your will.

I didn’t have anything to say, so I tried to keep quiet, but this time I heard something a little strange.

“Damn it, it’s a pity that we don’t have nuclear weapons at a time like this.”

It wasn’t the only complaint he had.

Dissatisfaction with this reality in which we are meddling in securing even one fuel at the most in a country where we are arguing with nuclear weapons.

But you don’t have to be disappointed.

If you go up the stairs step by step, chances are sure to come.

Although we are struggling to secure one nuclear fuel right now, the time will come when we will produce it with our own hands, and after that…

“By the way, isn’t this timing a bit tricky?”

While I was imagining things for a while, the president raised the question again.

When I look at him for something else, he narrows his eyebrows and says:

“Indeed, North Korea conducted an SLBM ejection test just like that just after the conflict with China ended.”

“·················ogue.”

I was a bit skeptical about that too.

Why is it now?

Moreover, it is somewhat dubious that North Korea has such a technological base at this time.

Are you Chinese again?

They secretly provided technology and capital to North Korea…



‘Hmm······.’

It wasn’t very unlikely.

After all, China would not want North Korea to be absorbed by us.

However, considering the speed of our economic development and the increase of armed forces, the possibility of that becoming a reality is growing, so unlike before the return, we have no choice but to choose any means and methods.

“If you want to say that China is suspicious, I agree.”

The president immediately nodded his head as he uttered a hint.

Immediately, he wondered if he was thinking deeply about something, then suddenly twisted his lips and said:

“If that’s true, we should be well prepared before it’s too late. That being said, I think it is time for us to withdraw the Iraqi troops as well.”

“Yeah?”

“President, what is that all of a sudden?”

Surprised by his sudden declaration, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the defense minister looked at the president at once.

But it’s a pretty solid face.

He soon looked at me and continued talking.

“In a situation where you never know when the country will be engulfed in the fire of war, you can’t keep key troops abroad. In particular, when dealing with North Korea, the rear strike is the most important factor, so shouldn’t we have to summon the special forces troops who will be in charge of that?”

“But will America admit it?”

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff immediately objected.

I was about to bring that up too, but the president said it again.

“As the United States is weighing between us and Japan for its own interests, we cannot but suffer losses. And anyway, Iraq is now in a stable state. Thanks to that, the US is also preparing to withdraw its troops gradually. So, I’m not in a position to say anything if we’re missing out.

The president looked at me again after speaking.

It’s like they’re asking for my opinion.

After coughing for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“I understand what you mean, but even then, a complete withdrawal is difficult. As I said, Iraq, which has entered a period of stability, will start rebuilding soon. At the most, it is impossible not to shed blood and give up the fruits.”

What I meant to say was that even when evacuating, we should take care of our contribution to the massive post-war reconstruction process.

The estimated cost of reconstruction alone is in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

Even the United States will not be able to monopolize it if it has a conscience, and in the end, we will have to harvest the fruit as well.

“That was what I had in mind. So, as Chairman Jin said, we plan to maintain the minimum number of troops stationed there.”

Fortunately, the president seemed to be aware of that.

No, you’d be an idiot if you didn’t realize that.

By the way, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to notify the US right away.

There is a high possibility that it will become a variable if it jumps out of the situation where we have to solve the problem of securing nuclear fuel.

In other words, the US could give up nuclear fuel again, subject to its acceptance of withdrawal from Iraq.(Read more @ wuxiax.com)

“I agree. Therefore, I will discuss the withdrawal issue only after securing nuclear fuel using the North Korean SLBM injection test issue as an excuse.”

The president readily agreed to my subsequent questions raised.

So what’s left of the US response?

It seems that there should be a phone call with Liam in the near future.

******

[The United States strongly condemned North Korea’s SLBM launch test today. Then, it was decided to further raise the level of sanctions against North Korea through the United Nations […]

A few days later, the UN again approved additional sanctions against North Korea.

Russia and China, which are permanent members, were the biggest obstacles, but there was no reason to cast a negative vote because Russia is now in a situation that cannot be cut off with us.

Although China endured it for a long time, it eventually succumbed to global pressure.

[After next month, China must cut the amount of oil it has provided to North Korea by half compared to the previous one. However, North Korea, which has a poor oil situation, is expected to experience a more serious energy crisis.][North Korea today declared that it will stand up to the sanctions of the Western world to the end.]

North Korea’s reaction was as expected.

After all, for the Kim dynasty to survive, there is no other way than to hold on to its nuclear weapons till the end.

As a result, North Koreans will starve to death again. No, to be precise, the residents outside of Pyongyang are just pitiful.

‘After all, Pyongyang residents are an elite group, so there is no need to feel pity for them…’

[The U.S. government and the South Korean government agreed this morning to build our nuclear-powered submarines as a measure to substantially respond to the North Korean nuclear threat. However, for fear of backlash from the international community, the concentration of uranium used as fuel has been determined to be less than 20%, and the supply of fuel has been decided to be sold by the US side.]

A few days later, after a tug of war with the government, the United States eventually allowed the sale of nuclear fuel.

Instead, it allows only low-enriched uranium of less than 20%.

With this, we decided to build a full-fledged nuclear-powered submarine, and through a lot of discussion and bidding process, Jaewoo was selected as the operator.

“President, I have a call from President Liam.”

Shortly thereafter, President Liam called me urgently.

Have you ever heard of the withdrawal of troops?

After he clears his mind and picks up the receiver, as expected, he brings up the issue of dispatching troops.

– I heard rumors that South Korean troops will be withdrawn from Iraq soon.

It was a rather calm tone for the importance of the matter.

Apparently, it wasn’t the phone call that asked me to ask the question.

Unsurprisingly, words that prove the predictions are heard soon.

-Ah! I’m saying this in advance in case I misunderstood, I’m not asking for it, I’m just calling to tell you about the White House’s response.

Can you make nuclear weapons too?-217

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