Chapter 40: That Time I Rode the K-Wave in South America (3)

TL: Skye

Seoul, Republic of Korea. A large electronic billboard near a newspaper office in Gwanghwamun.

[Taeyang Apparel's San Marcos factory now in full operation... annual production scale of 30 million dollars!]

[Korea Zinc nickel mine producing 4,000 tons per month!]

[Hyunhwa Energy breaks ground on refinery plant and one-stop chemical industry complex. Aiming to become South America's energy hub.]

[Koriana Airlines opens direct route to San Marcos, a new gateway to the skies.]

And that wasn't all. Though not as much as at the beginning, news related to San Marcos was being produced at a steady pace.

Just a few months ago, it had been a tiny island nation in South America that nobody could even find on a map. Now it was beginning to be recognized as Korea's economic partner.

On the stock market, Yu-jin Choi-themed stocks were hitting their daily upper limit day after day, and since bookstores had no San Marcos-related titles, similar books about South America had taken over the bestseller sections.

Naturally, posts started appearing on community travel boards as well.

[Title: Came to San Marcos for a trip lol (long post warning)]

Seems like everyone's curious after seeing the news, so I took one for the team and went.

[Photo 1: Panoramic view of Libertad Beach with its emerald sea]

First off, the scenery is insane. Maldives? Hawaii? This place is the real deal. See the color of that water? You can see straight to the bottom. Not a single piece of trash, completely clean.

[Photo 2: A resort pool situated halfway up a mountain with a clear view of the ocean and city]

I booked the most expensive place, and maybe that's why, but the facilities are unreal. Puts any pool villa to shame. But the price is only around 100,000 won a night. The value is insane.

[Photo 3: Photo taken with kids met on the street]

The most surprising thing is the language. I was worried English wouldn't work, but the kids speak pretty decent Korean. I was just walking by and these little ones were greeting me with "Annyeonghaseyo!" and "Gamsahamnida!" Turns out they teach Korean in schools?

And there's one thing locals always ask about when you meet them. The moment I said I was Korean, they'd give me a thumbs up and try to give me something extra. There was even someone who, when I asked for directions back to my accommodation, said the buses had stopped running and drove me there in his own car. National pride overload to lethal levels.

[Photo 4: Photo of a police officer wearing sunglasses and carrying an automatic rifle]

A lot of people worry about safety, but no need. Police are stationed all over the streets. Their look is a bit intense though. They're not carrying pistols, they've got something like AK rifles. But if you talk to them, they're super friendly. They'll even take photos with you.

Overall verdict: Flights are a bit pricey but the cost of living is cheap, so total expenses are similar to Southeast Asia. Above all, Koreans get treated really well. If you're wondering where to go for summer vacation, highly recommend.

PS. The currency is dollars too, so exchanging money is easy.

This post received thousands of comments.

-Whoa... is that water color for real? No filter?

-Nope, original.

-Koreans are that popular? It really is a country with a Korean as president.

-Police with automatic rifles... somehow reassuring yet scary lol

-Gotta go here for summer vacation. The scenery is insane.

The travel review spread rapidly by word of mouth, and soon the Koriana Airlines booking site saw San Marcos-bound tickets selling out completely.

The San Marcos boom had truly arrived.

***

About a month after the Korean tourists began visiting. I was looking at an unbelievable report in my office at the Presidential Palace.

"Over 5,000 arrivals per week, resort and hotel booking rates at 98%, revenue from restaurants clustered around the beaches is..."

The numbers said it all. The K-Coin I'd boarded was skyrocketing.

Just a few months ago, Libertad International Airport had been practically deserted, but now it was bustling with Korean tourists, and restaurants downtown were running out of ingredients and closing early.

"The money tourists are spending is expected to exceed 5 million dollars per month."

At the report from Resa, senior secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, I couldn't hide my pleased smile.

"Excellent. Tourism is going to be a real cash cow for our economy."

Of course, where there's light, there are shadows. I was concerned that side effects might arise from the sudden flood of tourists.

I hardened my expression and looked at Resa.

"Senior Secretary Resa."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"Do you know what you have to watch out for most in a tourist destination?"

"Please tell me."

"Price gouging. If the tide comes in and people get excited and start fleecing tourists, it's over. On top of that, Koreans spread the word fast. The moment one post goes up saying they got ripped off in San Marcos, tourist numbers will plummet."

At my firm tone, Resa nodded with a cold look in her eyes.

"We have already announced that any establishment caught price gouging will be immediately shut down, and the owner will be permanently banned from conducting business. For taxi drivers, we've told them it means license revocation and vehicle seizure."

"What about crimes like theft or pickpocketing?"

"I'm currently in discussions with the police chief about whether we should cut off the hands of anyone who commits a crime against Korean tourists."

"No."

What did she think this was, some kind of Islamic state?

'She's lost her mind. Seriously.'

Cutting off hands for a little theft.

"...Instead, let's send them to Tortilla Farm for hard labor. One month every time they're caught, and we introduce a three-strikes system where the third offense means three years of labor."

"As expected, Your Excellency is merciful."

"Oh, it's not all that... Are there any other issues?"

"There is one problem that can't be solved immediately."

"What is it?"

"A lack of content."

Resa swiped through her tablet as she reported.

"Tourists enjoy Libertad's downtown, beaches, and resorts, but many say there isn't enough to do for stays longer than three nights and four days. There are no shopping malls and no theme parks."

"Hmm... that's not something we can solve right away."

It wasn't something that could just be conjured up on the spot.

"Still, we can't just sit on our hands. Any good ideas?"

At that, Isabella, who had been standing nearby, lit up as if she'd been waiting for this moment.

"Actually, I've prepared something."

"What is it?"

"A trekking course."

"A trekking course?"

"Yes. It involves creating a trekking course at Horumaldo Forest Park, which I mentioned before. We'd build a trail from the entrance to an observation deck with a panoramic view of the downtown skyline, showing tourists the full scenery of Libertad."

"Perfect for Koreans who love hiking."

"Furthermore, a sculptural installation that will become San Marcos's new landmark is being constructed at the observation deck. Once completed, I expect it to become a must-visit tourist attraction."

"A sculptural installation? Something like a lookout tower?"

"Similar. Something very... grand and magnificent."

Isabella's cheeks flushed slightly, hinting at just how impressive the installation was.

"As expected from Chief of Staff Isabella."

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

"Good. Proceed with the trekking course as planned, and I'd like you both to come up with other smaller attractions. Night markets or food tours would be nice too."

"Yes, sir."

Having wrapped up the meeting on addressing tourist-related issues, I rose from my seat.

It was time to move on to the next item on the schedule.

"Well then, shall we go greet our guest?"

"They are waiting in the reception room."

I straightened my clothes and headed toward the reception room.

The person I was meeting today was the first ambassador to San Marcos dispatched by the Korean government.

'Finally, an official diplomat is here.'

I reached for the door handle of the reception room, looking forward to the productive conversation ahead, and.

"Why the hell is the air conditioning in the Presidential Palace like this? Trying to steam someone to death? This is why these third-rate backwater countries never get anywhere. Son of a bitch."

What I heard next was something completely unexpected.

Yu-jin's hand on the door handle froze for a moment.

'Do I go in or not?'

He wasn't angry. It was just the man talking to himself, and San Marcos was, in fact, a developing country.

However, walking in right away might make things awkward for both of them, so he stood at the door for about ten seconds before entering.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Choi Yu-jin, Acting President of San Marcos."

At Yu-jin's entrance, Ambassador Eom Gyu-seong, who had been sitting on the sofa, rose to his feet.

"I'm Eom Gyu-seong, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea."

"I hope the journey here wasn't too uncomfortable?"

"The roads aren't paved, so the car shook quite a bit, but I took it to mean the place is that much more nature-friendly. I wasn't bored, what with enjoying the scenery."

"...I see."

The wording was a compliment about San Marcos's scenery, but the real intent was a veiled jab at it being a poor country. Yu-jin forced a smile and offered him a seat.

"You seem quite warm. Isabella, could you have them turn down the temperature in the reception room?"

"That won't be necessary. I don't plan on being here that long."

"Is that so?"

The ambassador responsible for diplomacy with this very country had just said he wanted to leave first.

Isabella's eyebrows twitched from where she stood beside them, and at that moment, Yu-jin gave her a subtle gesture.

'Let it go.'

San Marcos was a small, weak nation that had only just taken its first steps.

There was nothing to gain from souring relations with Korea.

"Have you had a chance to check the embassy? I put quite a bit of thought into selecting it."

"The view was quite nice."

"It is a bit remote, but we chose that location for security reasons. In exchange, we plan to operate a shuttle bus and have the roads maintained for you."

"Security... understood."

The conversation continued in this vein. Whenever Yu-jin showed goodwill, the ambassador responded indifferently and subtly mocked San Marcos's situation.

It wasn't quite a diplomatic affront, but the man had a remarkable talent for making whoever he was talking to uncomfortable. Still, Yu-jin never lost his smile.

"I look forward to working with you, Ambassador. Please do your best for the development of both nations."

"I'll try."

Eom Gyu-seong gave a halfhearted handshake and left the reception room without looking back.

The moment the door closed, Isabella let out the breath she'd been holding.

"Your Excellency! How can someone be so rude! We should protest to Korea immediately..."

"That's enough."

Yu-jin waved her off and loosened his tie.

"What matters is that an ambassador is here. His personal temperament is something we can put up with."

"But..."

"It's fine. It's not like we'll have reason to meet unless something special comes up."

Isabella watched Yu-jin as he smiled bitterly.

***

Inside the official car pulling out of the Presidential Palace. Every time the car jolted over a pothole from the poorly maintained road, Eom Gyu-seong cursed in irritation.

"Ugh, goddamn it! This is fucking ridiculous!"

He yanked his tie loose and shouted irritably.

"Ambassador, are you all right?"

"Do I look all right to you? I'm about to be buried in this third-rate garbage dump of a country. Huh?"

Eom Gyu-seong ground his teeth as he watched Libertad's scenery pass by outside the window.

This was never supposed to be his post.

Originally, he had been the Consul General in Chengdu, China, known within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as something of a China expert. He had solid guanxi with Chinese political circles, and more importantly, he had a mistress hidden near his workplace that his wife knew nothing about.

If not for this assignment, he could have been living it up with her, wining and dining in comfort...

Then suddenly, the Blue House declared that San Marcos was currently the most important country and promoted him to ambassador, sending him here.

"Choi Yu-jin... it's all because of that bastard. If he hadn't drawn all this attention, I'd never have had to come here."

To Eom Gyu-seong, Yu-jin was not a hero but practically an enemy.

"Ambassador, we've arrived."

A secretary from the Korean Embassy in San Marcos stopped the car. Eom Gyu-seong looked out the window and was once again appalled.

"Ha... son of a bitch, this just keeps getting worse. What kind of backwater farmhouse is this supposed to be an embassy..."

Deep in the outskirts forest, far from downtown Libertad, a single-story but spacious building stood waiting to greet him.

Originally a villa belonging to the former Portuguese colonial governor, it was only one story but quite large.

Eom Gyu-seong unpacked his things while grumbling.

"Get out. Tell everyone no one is to come in."

The moment he entered the bedroom, he locked the door and pulled a phone from deep inside his jacket pocket, dialing a number.

Ring... ring...

-Wéi? (Hello?)

At the nasally Chinese coming through the receiver, Eom Gyu-seong's face immediately softened.

"Miling. It's me."

-Oh my! Gyu-seong? You said you'd come right back after going to Korea. Why are you only calling now? When are you coming to Beijing?

"I'm sorry, Miling. Things got complicated. I'm stuck in some backwater in South America right now."

-South America? Why are you there?

"I don't know, something went wrong."

Eom Gyu-seong sat on the edge of the bed and launched into a full-blown tirade.

"This place is seriously unfit for human habitation. No air conditioning, the food's terrible... the whole place reeks of corn. I'll pull some strings and get to Beijing as fast as I can, so just wait a little. Okay?"

-Okay. But you have to come quickly, okay? There's a bag I want.

"Sure, sure. Hermès? Chanel? Once I get there, I'll buy you whatever you want. As it happens, since I'm the first ambassador dispatched here, the budget is pretty generous. If I skim a little off the top..."

Since things had turned out this way, Eom Gyu-seong decided to take it easy for a while and use the time to recharge.

But there was something he didn't know.

The fact that Yu-jin had been talking about him to Moon Seong-mun at the National Intelligence Service.

***

"Yes, Deputy Director. The ambassador? Ah, good timing."

[It was such a rushed appointment that the government has a lot of concerns. Is there anything uncomfortable or problematic?]

At Moon Seong-mun's question, Yu-jin briefly recalled Eom Gyu-seong's irritated face and profanity.

'...If I'm being honest, it's a complete disaster.'

But Yu-jin held his tongue.

If by any chance the Korean government concluded, "Oh, San Marcos is too rough for diplomats to want to be posted there," and then decided to withdraw the embassy and downgrade it to a consulate, that would be a catastrophe.

Relations between the two countries were just starting to ripen. He couldn't throw cold water on that.

'What matters is that an ambassador is here.'

Yu-jin replied in a deliberately cheerful voice.

"Oh, what are you saying? He's a wonderful man. Very warm-hearted and down-to-earth. Impeccable manners, too."

[Warm-hearted... and down-to-earth? Can those two even coexist?]

"Yes. I believe he will be a great help in the de-vel-op-ment of re-la-tions be-tween our two coun-tries."

Yu-jin emphasized bilateral relations as much as he could before ending the call.

Then, a brief moment later.

Moon Seong-mun's reaction after hanging up was the exact opposite of what Yu-jin had expected.

"Warm-hearted? Down-to-earth?"

Moon Seong-mun's eyes narrowed.

Choi Yu-jin was no ordinary person.

According to the NIS investigation, he was a ruthless figure who had snapped the neck of his greatest political rival on the very day martial law was declared.

And that wasn't all.

He was an iron-fisted ruler who had sent gangs eating away at society and corrupt officials to collective farms.

And someone like that was going out of his way to give praise that didn't even add up?

If that wasn't a veiled threat saying "if you don't get rid of this guy as soon as possible, who knows what will happen to bilateral relations," then what was it?

Moon Seong-mun pressed the intercom on his desk.

[Yes, Deputy Director.]

"Dig into Eom Gyu-seong, the ambassador posted to San Marcos. Yeah. Tear apart everything from his time as Consul General in China onward. Money trail, women, every distant relative, don't leave a single speck of dust behind."

Moon Seong-mun's gaze gleamed sharply.

The night in San Marcos was peaceful, but Eom Gyu-seong's fate was already being sucked into a storm.

*****

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