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Chapter 79: Riot at Gwanghwamun
Chapter 79: Riot at Gwanghwamun
Chapter 79: Riot at Gwanghwamun
…
The press conference was over and the whole world, including South Korea, was shocked.
They claimed to suppress neutrons and prevent nuclear reactions.
The effective range was 500 meters.
That meant that if an antitron exploded within 500 meters, all nuclear weapons and reactors would become scrap metal.
This announcement was too shocking to cause any immediate reactions.
The leaders of each country had canceled all their schedules and entered into meetings.
Among the foreign media, CNN was the representative who got an exclusive interview with the acting authority.
“So… you’re saying that if this bomb goes off, it will suppress all nuclear reactions nearby?”
“That’s right.”
“I’m really curious about the principle, but I have a feeling that my brain won’t understand it even if I hear it. Was it this substance that stopped North Korea’s nuclear missiles?”
“We successfully intercepted all 40 nuclear warheads and turned them into scrap metal.”
“What about Japan’s nuclear test?”
“Well, I think there’s a misunderstanding, so let me tell you. We have nothing to do with Japan’s nuclear test.”
“Didn’t you just introduce a substance that suppresses nuclear reactions?”
“Do you think we fired a missile? There was a Japanese Self-Defense Force fleet nearby.”
“Oh, I see.”
The reporter didn’t seem to know that Kim Gu-ham’s test drive had taken place then and quickly moved on.
In the interview with CNN, Yu Ji-ha declared that he would not provide antitrons to other countries.
“I’m well aware that the international security is supported by the balance of nuclear powers. I have no intention of shaking this balance. At the same time, I won’t tolerate any enemy countries threatening South Korea. All nuclear threats against South Korea are invalid as of today.”
It would be a relief if he really didn’t provide antitrons to anyone else.
But not many people believed Yu Ji-ha’s words.
President McKinley of the United States, who had told him to go through official diplomatic channels, was the first to pick up the phone.
“You’re ignoring my words, huh? Can you handle this?”
“I think I told you, I don’t want to be an enemy of America. You’re the one who’s getting angry right now.”
“How can I trust someone who announces something without consulting anyone?”
“Did I really not consult anyone? I trusted America more than anyone else and shared the railgun and even the existence of antitrons. But America doesn’t trust me.”
It was clear that Russia didn’t know either by looking at their reaction.
President McKinley pressed his temples with his fingers and asked.
“…What are you going to do?”
“Nothing will change.”
“From now on, if a reactor stops operating, South Korea will be suspected.”
“There’s no idiot who would fire a missile without knowing anything. It’s just that South Korea has a different kind of nuclear weapon.”
“So you’re saying that you’re not a nuclear power, but you can’t be attacked recklessly, so you’re effectively a nuclear power?”
“I was thinking of withdrawing from the NPT, but I’m glad I didn’t.”
He almost blurted out FUCK.
But when he thought about it, nothing really changed.
As long as antitrons didn’t leak out, America’s nuclear superiority wouldn’t change.
As long as he cooperated with Yu Ji-ha, he could still maintain his position as a superpower.
But if he imposed sanctions, America would suffer a great damage.
There was nothing more terrible than rogue states like Russia having antitrons.
President McKinley smiled bitterly.
‘I didn’t expect him to announce this…’
He thought the dictator who liked to use brinkmanship tactics was gone, but a worse one appeared.
The pressure that would be applied in the future, both tangible and intangible, would be no joke.
He could even try to assassinate him openly.
“How are you going to deal with the backlash from other countries?”
“That’s my problem to solve.”
He finally decided.
“So I just have to turn a blind eye?”
“That’s wise of you. The rest will happen naturally, even without me. You know very well that the west is not in good shape.”
The troops guarding the Xinjiang Uyghur detention camps had been greatly reduced due to the riots in China.
“I don’t know how far your information network reaches. Anyway, I’ll pretend I didn’t know. You take care of it yourself, Representative Yu.”
“Do you want me to send you some antitron samples?”
He wanted to get angry and say who he was kidding, but he couldn’t refuse.
There were enough scientists who wanted to study how it suppressed nuclear reactions to fill the Grand Canyon.
“I’d appreciate it if you could send me enough to do some experiments.”
“Sure.”
On the other hand, the opinions in South Korea were completely divided.
Most of them praised Yu Ji-ha, but some, that is, the members of the National Assembly, were extremely wary of him.
—Did he hide this all this time?
—The former president probably knew about this too. Maybe the war itself was planned.
—He’s acting more tyrannically than the president while being the acting authority. He should resign immediately.
—Lift the martial law and hand over the power to the people!
About 100 members of the National Assembly and their aides joined me in the protest.
The public opinion was very negative towards them.
—We don’t have to worry about nuclear threats anymore, how is that bad?
—They didn’t do anything and now they’re talking nonsense to Yu Ji-ha.
—Just get lost. We don’t need you guys, Yu Ji-ha can handle everything.
Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in front of Gwanghwamun and confronted the National Assembly protesters.
The members of the National Assembly tried to persuade them, but they only gave a bad impression by sticking to their arrogant attitude and saying that they didn’t know anything.
The people were convinced.
If they left them alone, South Korea would go back to the way it was before.
The angry voice of the people turned into curses and shouts, threatening the National Assembly protesters.
-We can’t take it anymore! Get out of here, you bastards!
-Catch the tax thieves and kill them!
The desperation that they couldn’t just sit still moved the people.
The police or the military police only surrounded them, but didn’t take any action.
A situation that could explode at any moment.
And among the protesters, there were some androids disguised as humans.
As the people wished
“Who are you to ask for antitron data? Where are you going to sell it this time?”
“You hid during the war and now that it seems safe, you ask for transport planes? Fuck, are you going on a cruise to Pyongyang as a group?”
“These bastards should all be thrown into the East Sea and killed!”
Loud shouts erupted and cheers followed like waves.
It was all a misunderstanding.
They asked for antitron data as members of the defense committee, which was natural.
It was unacceptable by law that only the acting authority, not the president, knew about such a new weapon.
And it was unfair to say that they hid during the war.
Didn’t a lot of people die when North Korea’s rockets hit the National Assembly building in the beginning?
Considering that nearly 200 members died then, it was a right decision for them to hide during the war.
And going to Pyongyang was also to see if it was really dangerous as the real government said.
If security was properly secured, they planned to lift martial law and hold elections.
That’s right, isn’t it?
Korea is a democratic republic and can exercise sovereignty through elections.
It was natural for them to gather data to lift martial law, which the acting authority maintained with all kinds of excuses.
But these ignorant writers didn’t even know that…
They were spitting out all kinds of swear words at them.
The members of the National Assembly began to get angry after being insulted for a while.
“These people don’t know anything and talk nonsense.”
“What do you mean sell it abroad? You should have seen the defense committee data at least once.”
“Do these people want Yu Ji-ha to become a dictator? This is clearly a democratic republic.”
Yu Ji-ha’s popularity was tremendous compared to them.
He didn’t even show up, but his name was shouted everywhere.
“Yu Ji-ha! Yu Ji-ha!”
This couldn’t be happening.
They were legitimately elected representatives of the people, and Yu Ji-ha was just an acting authority.
The word elected official has more power and meaning than one might think in politics.
It’s not for nothing that members of the National Assembly have immunity from arrest and can audit the government.
Of course, they didn’t mean to belittle Yu Ji-ha either.
He was an outstanding developer and entrepreneur who had never existed before, and he would surely brighten Korea’s future.
But even such a talent had to stay within the boundaries of law and principle, that was what the members thought.
If he acted arrogantly just because he was good at something, how was he different from a dictator?
But the citizens didn’t seem to think about that.
Or maybe they couldn’t.
After all, their actions were nothing but violent agitation without serious consideration for the future power.
So they had to teach them a lesson, that was the atmosphere among the members.
“I guess it would be better if a veteran member persuaded the citizens…”
“It would be better if someone in charge here…”
The mood was so bad that no one wanted to step forward.
Even a five-term member who did speak up got backlash from the citizens and backed off.
“Who are you to teach us?”
“These bastards don’t know how to read the mood. If you don’t want to die, just shut up!”
“Want to fight? Huh?”
As the mood got worse, even the member who stepped forward hesitated.
“Who do these people think they are, talking so recklessly? Do they want to harm the members of parliament?”
“What the hell, can’t we do anything? They’re just a bunch of nuisances anyway.”
“Let’s just rush in and kill them all! Then they’ll never open their mouths again!”
The crowd was so noisy that no one noticed someone shouting loudly in different parts of the protest.
They only chanted violent slogans.
“Kill them! Kill them!”
“Get rid of all the traitors!”
The members of parliament were not too worried until then.
They trusted the police and military forces that surrounded them.
They also thought that the citizens would have some restraint.
After all, it was risky to resort to violence under martial law…
That’s what everyone thought.
But one remark from a member of parliament sparked the riot.
“These uneducated bastards don’t know anything. If they like Yu so much, why don’t they let him be a dictator?”
He had lowered his voice enough.
Only his aides could hear him, and he quickly shut his mouth.
It was a slip of the tongue, born out of frustration.
But there was a man who caught it amazingly well.
He flashed his eyes and approached the member of parliament.
“What? Uneducated bastards?”
His voice was so loud that everyone around him heard it.
“What did you just say? Uneducated?”
“You son of a bitch, are you kidding me…”
“This is not acceptable!”
The panicked aides quickly shielded the members of parliament, but that only provoked the citizens more.
“How dare you insult us! You’re getting paid with our taxes!”
“Do you think you’re above us because you have gold badges and call them honorable members?”
Something was wrong.
Hundreds of protesters were pushing against the wall of aides.
The members of parliament tried to explain that it wasn’t them, but it was too loud to hear anything.
And then, a stone thrown by someone hit the head of the member of parliament who had called them uneducated bastards.
His forehead cracked and he fell to the ground without a sound.
“Sir!”
“Who did it!”
The aides were furious, but the citizens were excited and started throwing stones.
It felt good.
To see the members of parliament who had looked down on them fall down.
They couldn’t stand it.
They were the ones who received their votes and their taxes, who had offices and staffs, and they insulted the people?
It was unacceptable.
So many people started throwing stones indiscriminately.
Dozens of members of parliament’s heads were broken and they groaned in pain.
The protesters broke through the aides’ wall and beat them up.
“Get out of the way!”
“Die! Please die!”
“South Korea will live if you die!”
Bang!
Some crazy guy set off fireworks and Gwanghwamun was filled with smoke.
The obscured vision gave courage to the protesters.
They became more violent, and even dragged out some members of parliament and lynched them.
Beep beep beep!
The police and military realized the seriousness of the situation and intervened, but they couldn’t stop the riot caused by tens of thousands of people.
Violence broke out everywhere and blood stained the ground.
Dozens of ambulances arrived and carried away the fallen people.
The riot lasted until midnight.
When dawn came, a huge shockwave hit South Korean society.