An aide took post behind the general, a briefcase containing the access codes to North Korea’s nuclear arsenal secured to his wrist.
“Begin,” Pak said sharply. He was a gruff man with a volcanic temper. He was an old-school officer who was a stickler for military protocol; however, he could treat a general as if he were mere private if he failed to please him.
A youthful major stood up and snapped his fingers. The lights dimmed in the room. A screen on the wall came on showing an image of a firing squad eliminating a member of North Korea’s government.
“Comrade General, in accordance with Phase One of Operation Long Sword, we have commenced cleansing the nation of the counterrevolutionary agents operating inside the government, as well as the judiciary, the armed forces, and the national defense commission,” announced the major.
“How many traitors have been eliminated?” said Pak, staring straight ahead.
“Sir, as of this morning just over three thousand traitors have confessed their crimes and have been dealt with,” explained the major, before sitting back down behind the front row of elderly generals seated around the table.
“A good start,” Pak said, running his hand through his thick white hair. He knew that all of the confessions had been coerced. Their deaths, however, meant nothing to him. Most were parasites that had grown fat and rich while the people of North Korea starved and died in the millions every time the harvest failed to produce enough food for the people. He despised the fact that North Korea had become a nation that had to beg for food from China and the hated imperialist nations of the West to keep her people fed.
“Surely word will get out that there has been a coup?” said the recently installed head of the navy, eyeing his equally nervous-looking counterpart from the army across the table. “The Chinese, as our largest benefactor and staunchest ally, won’t be too impressed that we acted without their approval.”
“I don’t give a damn about the bloody Chinese,” said Pak. “They can go to hell for all I care.”
“Sir, we cannot keep the Supreme Leader’s death a secret indefinitely,” said a bald-headed army general sitting at the far end of the table.
“Gentleman, you are all beginning to sound like a bunch of frightened schoolgirls. Do not forget that we control what little access there is to the Internet and any overseas telecommunications. The state has a monopoly on the media. We don’t have CNN poking around in our backyard,” responded Pak. “Besides, in a day or so it will be in our best interests to allow the word to leak out that there has been a regime change.”
“Why is that, sir?” asked the commander of the navy.
“If it hasn’t already happened this morning, by nightfall, the president and Prime Minister of South Korea will have resigned their positions in the government, throwing their country into a constitutional crisis the likes of which it has never faced before. If the president is unable to fulfill his duties, then it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister to replace him. However, if both men are forced to resign the ruling party will be forced to appoint a new president until elections can be held,” explained Pak.
A slender army colonel with salt-and-pepper hair stood and looked over at General Pak. “Sir, with your permission, I believe it is time to fully acquaint the General Staff with all aspects of Operation Long Sword.”
Pak looked over at Colonel Hwan, his Chief of Staff, and nodded.
Hwan walked over to a lectern in the middle of the room. Beside him on a screen, the map of the Korean peninsula emerged. Fixing his gaze on the eyes of the men in the room, Hwan began. “Gentlemen, Operation Long Sword was conceived some time ago by myself under guidance given to me by General Pak. The operation’s ultimate goal is a Korea reunified under our leadership.”
“General, please, we have war-gamed this scenario hundreds of times in the past. Even if we succeed in a surprise attack on the South, we would barely penetrate into South Korean territory before our casualties caused by overwhelming allied airpower would force us back across our side of the ceasefire line,” said General Lee, the commander of the army.
Pak raised his hand. “General Lee, who said anything about invading the South? I certainly have not. I can assure you that the figures you have all used over the years when planning your war games have been a lie. Only the late Supreme Leader and I knew the truth about our ability, or in this case, our inability, to wage war. Gentlemen, we no longer have the ammunition, fuel, or material to wage a short, let alone a protracted war with our enemies.”
A loud murmur filled the room. Several generals looked shocked and dismayed at the unexpected news.
Pak smiled. “I want you all to recall the words of Sun Tzu when he said that the supreme art of war is to subdue an enemy without fighting. Please listen to Colonel Hwan before making your minds up.”
With a nod from Pak, Hwan continued. “Long Sword will be conducted in three phases. Phase One was the elimination of the Supreme Leader along with those loyal to him and the establishment of a military government. Phase Two is the destabilization of the South Korean Government. This phase is currently under away and as General Pak has already indicated their government will soon fall. Phase Three will be the peaceful re-unification of Korea under a united government that will be firmly under our control.”
“Sir, the Americans will never allow South Korea to become part of a Korea dominated by us,” said the commander of the navy.
“Sir, if I may, I can answer this question,” said Hwan looking over at Pak.
Pak smiled and nodded. He was enjoying watching his chief of staff spar with his generals; it kept everyone on their toes.
“Admiral, the man the South Koreans will undoubtedly turn to lead them through this crisis is Shin Seong-il, their Minister of Defense. A former army general, he is widely respected by both the armed forces and by the members of his party. With no stated political ambition to ever be the president, he would make the ideal candidate to oversee the smooth transition from one government to another.”
“So?” snapped the admiral.
“Shin is a sleeper agent sent into South Korea as a boy with his parents. His loyalty to the North is beyond reproach,” said Hwan. “With him in place as the acting-president, we will be able to openly engage in discussions about the reunification of Korea, and for the removal of all US forces from South Korea posthaste.”
“General, just how do you intend to get the Americans to leave?” asked General Lee.
Pak grinned and leaned forward until he could look directly into the eyes of his general staff. “Using some of the money stashed away by the late Supreme Leader in several Swiss bank accounts, I gave the order for a vehicle accident involving a U.S. Army truck and a packed school bus to happen. This tragic event occurred less than an hour ago on the outskirts of Seoul. Unfortunately, before the police could arrive, the U.S. personnel fled the accident site. An enraged onlooker, who also happens to be one of our agents, recorded the whole thing on his cell phone. Within minutes of the accident, the media had his video. Already the U.S. Ambassador is fielding questions from the South Korean media wanting to know what has happened and why his country insists on shielding their personnel from prosecution.”
“What of the men who carried out this attack?” asked General Lee.
“Dead. Their bodies will never be found,” said Hwan bluntly.
“Quite ingenious, Why cripple ourselves fighting when we don’t have to,” said General Lee. “But the Americans will surely see through this. They may have gotten Iraq wrong, but their intelligence services have improved considerably since then.”