After five seconds or so, the chief of staff manipulated the remote, unmuting the sound. “Here. They’re running it again.”
The scene cut to video of Kim Yong-nam standing at a podium on the granite steps of the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang. Behind the Supreme Leader were four men in North Korean military uniforms, each one wearing more medals, ribbons, and badges than a platoon of decorated combat Marines. At the bottom of the screen, the words ‘North Korean Ultimatum’ shared the crawl banner with the MSNBC logo.
Speaking in Korean, Kim’s voice was dialed down to a murmur, to bring the audio of the network’s English translation into greater prominence. The result was not unlike a poorly dubbed martial arts movie, but the interpreter’s tone was ominous enough to forestall any sense of amusement.
On the screen, Kim stood with his hands clasped behind his back, in unconscious (or perhaps conscious) imitation of the long-dead chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Mao Tse-Tung.
“Officers and men of the three services and the strategic rocket forces of the heroic Korean People’s Army. Officers and men of the Korean People’s Internal Security Forces. Members of the Worker-Peasant Red Guards and Young Red Guards. Respected citizens of Pyongyang, Party members, and other working people across the country. Compatriots in South Korea and abroad. Comrades and friends.”
“Today, with a great national pride and dignity, in noblest respect and infinite glory to the great Comrade Kim Il-sung who founded our glorious Party, I have the honor to finally and truly reveal the indomitable strength and might of the Workers’ Party of Korea.”
There was a swell of cheering from an unseen crowd. Kim waited for it to die down.
“We have labored long and patiently to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula, but invasive outsiders and provocateurs have continued to threaten our nation, our people, and our way of life. They have attacked our economy with illegal sanctions, blocking our trade with the nations of the world, and intimidating the many countries who would eagerly step forward to be our allies. They have endangered our security by arming our enemies, and by raising our South Korean comrades in false rebellion against the People’s State and the followers of Juche.”
The secretary of homeland security crossed his arms. “What exactly are we looking for? Sounds like the usual Kim Dynasty bluster to me.”
The chief of staff held up a hand. “Wait for it…”
In the background, Kim Yong-nam’s voice was gaining in volume. His rising agitation played counterpoint to the calm intonations of MSNBC’s interpreter.
“The peaceful people of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have accepted the insults and crimes of our enemies for long enough! As of this moment, the transgressions against us will END!” The last word was a shout.
Kim was ranting now, hands appearing from behind his back to slam the top of the podium.
“We will no longer tolerate the illegal embargos against our people! We will no longer allow imperialist aggressions to threaten our sovereignty and the security of our borders! We will no longer permit our brothers in the south to be separated from the one true Korea!”
The chief of staff nodded toward the screen. “Here it comes…”
“Our nuclear missiles are now aimed at the hearts of our foulest and most pernicious enemy,” the translator said on Kim’s behalf. “If our rightful demands are not met, we will burn the United States into a lifeless radioactive cinder. We will wage a merciless war of justice using the weapons Americans fear above all else!”
Again, the unseen crowd cheered wildly. Again, the Supreme Leader waited for the fervor of his listeners to abate.
“We have already struck the first blows against our insidious adversary. Their capital city lies powerless and dark. We stand poised to spread that same darkness throughout every corner of their lands. Our invincible weapons have wrought destruction on the American Navy. We will continue to demolish American ships until the sailors of the enemy fleet throw off the chains of their criminal masters, and join in our cause of righteousness.”
“These things will not happen in some far off future. They are not things that may happen. They are actions already taken and blood already spilled. We wait no longer for justice. It will be surrendered into our hands without delay, or we will tear it from the dying fingers of those who are foolish and corrupt enough to oppose us.”
“Here comes the clincher,” said the chief of staff.
The MSNBC interpreter continued. “To this end, I demand the permanent withdrawal of all American military forces from Korean soil. All banks and financial institutions holding accounts on behalf of South Korean citizens, organizations, companies, or officials will immediately transfer those assets to the care of the legitimate government of Korea for protection and control. All economic sanctions, embargoes, and other wrongful restrictions imposed against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will be lifted. And the United States will take no actions of any sort to hinder the reunification of the Korean peoples, whether that happy objective is accomplished peacefully, or by the use of necessary and justified force to repatriate our misguided comrades.”
“Well, at least he’s not asking for anything unreasonable,” the national security advisor said.
The president waved him to silence.
On the television, Kim’s hand went to the right side of his head, two fingers pressing the area above his ear — perhaps in a pantomime gesture of profound thought — or perhaps to massage away a transient twinge of discomfort.
The interpreter spoke again. “As Great Russia is reclaiming the peoples and territories of Crimea, we now reclaim our own stolen peoples and territories. These things will all happen, with the willing assistance of our enemies, or over the smoldering ashes of their remains. The Workers’ Party of Korea will continue toward the bright future that is the destiny of our great nation.”
Kim Yong-nam’s words again rose to a shout. “Listen to my words, people of America! You will step aside now, or the world will see you burn!”
The North Korean leader tilted his head in a minimal bow, and the roar of the crowd grew to compete with the last words of the English translation.
The camera cut back to the MSNBC news desk, where handsome Oliver Somebody began his follow-up commentary.
The chief of staff tapped the power button and the television screen went dark. “That’s all we have so far, Kim’s demands and his threat to nuke us into the Stone Age.”
The secretary of homeland defense shook his head. “The Kim family’s been threatening to destroy the United States since the nineteen-fifties. How is this any different?”
“It’s different,” said the president. “They might actually be able to do it this time. Knock out the Eastern U.S. with intermediate-range nukes from Cuba. Eliminate most of our government — present company included — along with the pentagon and about eighty percent of our military command and control structure. Then, light up the West Coast with ICBMs, and America goes down for the count.”
He continued to stare at the television, as though the darkened screen had further secrets to reveal. “Trust me,” he said. “This time is different.”
CHAPTER 25