World Domination through Planet Development - Chapter 83



Only Noblemtl

Episode 83. The Beginning of the World Hegemony Competition

Jungwoo moved to North Korea.

Since it is illegal under current South Korean law for an android to drive, we had no choice but to bring along an employee.

Now, he has become too big of a deal to drag Vice President Yoon around.

The person driving this time is a new employee who has been with the company for a few months.

“what’s your name?”

Jungwoo asked the driver who was concentrating hard on driving in the driver’s seat.

“Oh, I’m Kim Jeong-jin!”

“It’s Mr. Jeongjin. Your name is similar to our vice president’s.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, you didn’t know our vice president’s name?”

“Ah… no! I knew it, but I just forgot about it for a moment.”

The new employee was embarrassed by Jeong-woo’s joke.

“How old are you?”

“I am now 27 years old.”

“Wow, you’re in your prime. I’m jealous.”

Jungwoo was now in his late 30s. To some, that age was clearly in the prime of his life, but even that age was just as merciless in front of younger people.

“Mr. Jeongjin, you seem to be a pretty good driver, right?”

“Yes! That was the driver.”

“Oh, but isn’t being a driver one of the more useful things in the military?”

“Yes, that’s true. But it’s a little unfair.”

You think it’s unfair?

“What is it?”

“This time, the military draft system will be abolished due to the militarization of androids. I feel a little bit wronged for going there and coming back.”

A topic of conversation that was brought up without much thought. It seemed like he had forgotten that the person next to him was the one who developed Android.

“So you’re saying that you feel wronged because of me? I’m sorry.”

Jeong-jin only realized his slip of the tongue after hearing Jeong-woo’s joking remark.

“Ah… No! That’s not it. That’s not it. That’s just… I meant that if I had gone a little later, I might not have gone, so that’s a shame.”

“Haha, I’m just joking. You were discharged from the military anyway.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It’s just a complaint that it’s unfair, and it doesn’t really affect those who have been discharged. Those who are currently serving in the military must be feeling very unfairly.

Of course, I understand that the discharge period for active-duty soldiers has been shortened with that in mind.

I heard that they only have enough time left to finish handing over the work to Android.

Actually, since the android is controlled by Sarah, there is no need for a handover of duties… But somehow, thinking about it that way makes me feel even more sorry.

“Is this your first time in North Korea, Mr. Jeongjin?”

“Yes, it’s my first time. I’m a little excited.”

“Nothing much. It’s the same as Korea.”

“I heard that Gaeseong City has really developed a lot.”

Hmm… I guess the perception is still stuck in individuality.

North Korea is a country that has been talking about unification and openness all day long, but in reality, it has never been open even once.

Importing underground resource development equipment and dealing with Daehyun Heavy Industries affiliates for supply routes.

And, except for a few small businesses that came in just to make a show of it, the perception of the people of South Korea has not changed much.

However, because quite a lot of materials were brought into Gaeseong, its changed appearance was known.

“You’ll know when you see it.”

Even though the vehicle they were riding in had passed the Gateway to Unification, there were still quite a few vehicles on the road. They were all heading to Kaesong.

After passing through the gateway to unification, a well-maintained eight-lane road appeared. It was a road expanded by PDC.

“Are these all cars heading to Gaeseong?”

Jeongjin asked, looking at the cars still lined up.

“Yes.”

Their destination was Pyongyang, where Kim Chol-ryeong was, but they were supposed to pass through Kaesong City.

Because I had to take the Pyongyang-Gaeseong Expressway.

The Pyongyang-Gaeseong Expressway has now become a 12-lane road after repeated expansion and improvements.

The center of Kaesong City has now been reborn as a fully developed city. Even from Paju, you can clearly see the sophisticated high-rise buildings that are located here and there.

There was no sign of the indiscriminate traffic order that had existed before.

People don’t walk on the road like a sidewalk, and traffic lights are placed everywhere to control the traffic.

The reason these things are so well-established is not only because there are so many cars, but also because androids are driving.

The local government still has less power, but it had to hire Androids to drive. Androids do everything, not just driving.

Upon entering Gaeseong, Jeongjin was even more surprised.

“Wow. Seriously, if you told a foreigner that it was Seoul, would they believe it?”

Jeongjin looked around and spoke.

When Koreans and foreigners think of PDC, they still think of AI and androids.

Even though I think I’ll make a lot of money because I’m doing so well, I have no idea how much it will be.

However, if we are talking about the current PDC, it can be said that it has already gone beyond the corporate level.

By taking over all of North Korea’s industries, it is engaged in almost all industrial fields and its scale is on a par with that of a country.

Additionally, North Korea’s economic level was also undergoing qualitative changes.

Economic growth can be broadly divided into two categories: making the pie bigger and taking away someone else’s piece of the pie.

North Korea’s economic growth has been the former. It’s making the pie bigger.

To put it simply, it is like this.

Originally, 10 farmers produced 10 items of food and shared them among themselves. However, as technology developed, one farmer produced 10 items of food. Now, the remaining 9 people contribute to society through other industries.

Yes, North Korea has made tremendous progress in its basic industries.

The basic infrastructure necessary for a North Korean society of 20 million people, including agriculture, forestry, livestock farming, fisheries, oil refining, fertilizer, cement, light industry, heavy industry, and construction, has been secured.

These are things that can provide the same necessities for living, eating, sleeping, and wearing as those of Korean people.

Obviously, it was a short period of time to accomplish all that. How did I do it?

What’s the biggest reason why things like this take so long? Money?

That’s true, but there’s another important factor: people.

Because it is something that people do, it takes a long time. It is all about learning and mastering.

On the other hand, in North Korea today, Android does everything. I’m not kidding, it really does everything.

The work that the North Koreans are ordered to do is nominally management and supervision, but in reality, they have no authority to control the androids.

So, all the businesses are progressing smoothly by applying the know-how of advanced countries under Sarah’s control.

Then the North Koreans get their salaries. They are, of course, semi-compulsorily forced to use PDC banks and spend all their money through PDC companies.

At first glance, working with Android may not seem that different from working in South Korea. However, one difference makes a huge difference.

All Androids are owned by PDC.

Yes, the difference it makes is obvious.

Communism.

North Korea is still communist. Now it is communist, led by a corporation called PDC, not the Workers’ Party of Korea.

But labor is a society where androids exercise superhuman labor power 24 hours a day.

It was communism with its flaws gone.

Jeongjin arrived safely at the PDC tower while looking around.

As I entered Kaesong City and was right at the end of a large street, I had no trouble finding my way.

“Uh… Uh… What is that?”

A new employee was surprised to see the huge crowd in front of the PDC Tower and asked,

From the parking lot, employees lined up on both sides and stood until they reached the entrance.

I told you not to, but you still do that.

“Mr. Jeongjin, just stand here in front of me.”

“Hey…here?”

“Yes, right in front.”

There were people standing in a row on both sides, so there was no room to go anywhere else.

They stopped their car in front of the manager who was blocking them in the middle.

A staff member who comes quickly and opens the car door.

As Jungwoo got out naturally and walked, Jungjin, who was in the driver’s seat, also quickly got out and followed him.

“Uh… Uh uh.”

Jeong-jin is surprised once again when he sees Jeong-woo’s large portrait inside the PDC Tower.

“Mr. Jeongjin, you should stay here for a while.”

“yes?”

“I have some business to attend to in Pyongyang, so I have to go up and come back. Think of it as a comfortable vacation and rest.”

“all right.”

Since he knew they would be staying for a few days, Jeong-woo helped Jeong-jin prepare for the stay and then got into a vehicle prepared by North Korea and headed to Pyongyang.

Ten escort vehicles followed in front and behind the vehicle that Jeong-woo was riding in.

Pyongyang.

Just like Gaeseong, a tremendous transformation was taking place.

It felt a bit desolate because there were construction sites everywhere.

Jeong-woo’s car arrived at the office building where Kim Cheol-ryeong worked without any disturbance.

“Comrade Cheon, it’s been a while!”

Kim Cheol-ryeong, who had come out to greet Jeong-woo, greeted him warmly.

“It’s been a while, Comrade General Secretary.”

“haha.”

They entered the building in a friendly atmosphere.

Soon, the two who had been talking sat down in a prepared conference room.

The people who attended the meeting were Kim Cheol-ryeong, Jeong Woo, and three others.

There was Jo Yong, who was originally the head of the Organization and Guidance Department, then Ri Yong-ho, who was recently appointed vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, and finally Choi Byeong-cheol, the head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department who was newly promoted due to his blind loyalty.

All three of these people here are thoroughly vetted figures. It was trustworthy enough because Sarah was also involved.

“I’m here because I have a very important matter that I cannot discuss over the phone.”

Jeong-woo naturally led the meeting from the top seat.

Some people were seeing this for the first time, but they were overwhelmed by the atmosphere and just listened in silence.

“Something big is going to happen in China soon.”

What a big deal in China. Everyone was curious, but since Kim Cheol-ryeong didn’t say anything, no one dared open their mouths.

“China is currently preparing for war with Taiwan. The military actions it has shown so far are not threats. This is a matter that has already been decided by the core leadership, including the chairman.”

“… … !”

Is that really the big thing that will happen in the future? Even as everyone’s thoughts continued to wander, Jungwoo’s words did not stop.

“So, the commentator Shi Jin-chang will die. That is something I have decided, and it will never change.”

“… … !”

The mouths of those who were surprised once again widened. How on earth could they kill the Chinese president?

This time, I rolled my eyes here and there to check Kim Cheol-ryeong’s reaction, but he didn’t move at all.

“In this way, the war that China wages will be confined to China, within China.”

Now everyone held their breath and began to listen to Jeong-woo.

“What’s important is the reaction of the United States… The United States will unconditionally participate in the war. Whether China attacks Taiwan or a civil war breaks out, they will unconditionally intervene in the war and unconditionally secure their victory. That name.”

Hmm… .

Jungwoo takes a break while making a sound.

“The United States is capable of suppressing China on its own. So whether it’s a war with Taiwan or a civil war, I’m confident that the side that stands up will win. We’ll stop that.”

Everyone nodded. Even though they had erased it after forming an alliance, their resentment toward the United States still remained.

“But as you know, South Korea is an ally of the United States. That is why everyone here should devote their energies to improving relations with South Korea.”

Jeongwoo picked up the glass of water in front of him and drank it.

“We need to strengthen the military treaty within the alliance and propose full-scale joint military training. If South Korea takes the lead in doing so as soon as possible, President Kang Moo-jin will accept. It is important for all the countries participating in the alliance to participate.”

Currently, there are three more countries participating in the Korean Peninsula Asian Union. It may seem like a remarkable achievement, but they are Laos, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste.

As you know, these are all countries whose economic power is at the bottom.

But the world trend is democracy. That is the same among countries.

On the surface, they are countries with equal say.

Well, actually, that wasn’t the case, but the number was still important.

“When problems arise in China, our alliance will have to act independently and the alliance will remain neutral.”

Those who heard the word neutrality began to question it. Didn’t it mean standing on the opposite side of the United States?

But Jungwoo didn’t explain that part in detail. They don’t need to know that.

“From now on, you must do your best to strengthen the solidarity among the members of the alliance. No matter what happens, you will not leave the alliance. Even in situations like the threat from the United States.”

It was clear that the top priority among them was the Republic of Korea.

“If that happens… our post-war alliance will be able to stand on equal footing with the United States.”

Gulp.

I felt the weight of the statement that the audience was on equal footing with the United States.

It was the beginning of a competition for hegemony among the world’s most powerful countries.