I Will Stage A Coup D’état

The situation had completely ended, and the tension that had gripped the Capital finally dissipated.

Third Army Commander Kang Ki-jung tried to make a final move with the 12th and 33rd Infantry Divisions, but his attempt ended in a futile struggle, his efforts crumbling like sand.

"This is the cabinet's will. Cease hostilities between our own forces."

With one order from Prime Minister Roh Jae-Woo, Kang Ki-jung lost his justification to advance on the Capital.

Disobeying and advancing would be treason, a line he wasn't prepared to cross.

Kang Ki-jung wasn't resolute enough to suppress the coup by defying the cabinet's orders, his resolve wavering in the face of such a command.

"All units return to base."

Kang Ki-jung's withdrawal order completely neutralized the threat to the coup forces, sealing their victory.

All that remained was to follow the procedure of convincing the public of the coup's legitimacy, a task that would require careful manipulation of words and media.

As the Capital stretched after a complex night, the coup forces made a radio broadcast, their words crackling through the air.

"Greetings, respected citizens. We apologize for causing anxiety with the great disturbance in the night. The commotion last night was an unavoidable incident that occurred as our National Salvation Military Committee took stern action to eliminate the Empire's 'treacherous subjects'."

People were interested in the night's disturbance and listened carefully to the special broadcast, but were confused by talk of eliminating treacherous subjects, their brows furrowing in bewilderment.

Some citizens who witnessed the scene firsthand had a general idea of the situation, but for most, this was the first they'd heard of it.

Those outside the Capital were even more in the dark, their ignorance a stark contrast to the momentous events that had unfolded.

Especially since the voice on the radio belonged to someone they'd never heard before, unfamiliar and yet commanding.

Of course, those interested in politics have heard the name Lee Sung Joon at least once.

Was this unfamiliar person the one behind the coup?

The Capital's citizens paid closer attention to the voice of the new power that would rule over them, their ears straining to catch every word.

The man called 'Lee Sung Joon' addressed the public in a surprisingly friendly tone, his voice smooth and reassuring.

"Now, some of you may be wondering: What exactly is this National Salvation Military Committee that eliminated the treacherous subjects? Our committee is a group of young officers aiming to rectify the Korean Empire's laws disrupted by traitors, sweep away corrupt practices eating away at the nation, and renew the Empire."

The National Salvation Military Committee is young.

It’s a New organization.

It’s Renewing the Nation.

These were intuitive and easy-to-understand words, carefully chosen to appeal to the masses.

However, this didn't make Lee Sung Joon's National Salvation Military Committee feel lightweight.

Rather, it felt heavy, ominous even.

They say they'll rectify the laws.

They say they'll sweep away the nation's corrupt practices.

What could that mean?

Purges.

Gulp-.

People swallowed hard, a collective shiver running through the populace.

Though the tone might be friendly and gentle, the content was brutal, a velvet glove concealing an iron fist.

"From now on, our 'National Salvation Military Committee' will gradually clean up the Empire's deep-rooted evils, the acts of treacherous subjects, and normalize the country. We will establish order."

The following words weren't much different from what those who stage coups usually proclaim, a familiar refrain in the annals of power.

Even Park Han-jin had said similar things, his promises now ringing hollow.

However, if there was a difference from them,

"While many before us were content in letting our Nation crawl, we will make this country run. We will make it stand shoulder to shoulder with Western powers. Please believe in us. Please watch us. The National Salvation Military Committee will not disappoint you."

Lee Sung Joon made a 'promise', his words carrying a weight of commitment rarely heard before.

Many soldiers and politicians had held power, but in the Korean Empire's history, no one had ever performed the act of promising something to the people.

Lee Sung Joon was the first and might be the last.

People took note of this fact, their interest piqued by this unprecedented approach.

This Lee Sung Joon, while seeming like a terrifying power holder, was somehow different from his predecessors.

At least he's making a show of considering the people's opinions.

That's what people thought, a glimmer of hope kindling in their hearts.

As soon as Sung Joon's proclamation ended, announcers began expounding on the legitimacy of the coup forces, their familiar voices filling the airwaves.

It was little more than a repetition of what Sung Joon had said, but it wasn't meaningless.

People like familiarity.

Even when saying the same things, a familiar voice feels more persuasive, like a comforting blanket in uncertain times.

"Hello, this is Baek Sung-won. Listeners may not know, but you can't imagine how corrupt and immoral Park Han-jin’s regime was. According to the documents provided by the National Salvation Military Committee, the assets under Park Han-jin and his family's names alone amount to 50.000¹ won."

"Oh my, those thieves."

As in Korean coups before, those newly in power swung their swords at the establishment, pinning all sorts of dirty crimes on them, their accusations sharp and cutting.

This was necessary to justify their wielding of the sword, to paint themselves as righteous avengers.

Even Park Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan used the pretext of punishing corrupt profiteers to ensnare the establishment, squeezing out money and gaining legitimacy for their regimes.

It was a simple but effective method, tried and tested in the crucible of power.

Every time corrupt profiteers and their asset details were revealed, citizens trembled with rage, their faces contorting with anger.

While life is so hard, they live in luxury handling money rivaling tycoons?

It was absolutely unforgivable, a slap in the face to every hardworking citizen.

That anger transformed into expectations for the new regime, a desperate hope for change.

"Whatever they do, if they just punish those bastards, I'll believe in this revolution or whatever it is."

The radio broadcast prepared by the coup forces was successful, their message resonating with the public's frustrations.

After the broadcast, people took to the streets, but there were almost no looks of antipathy towards the coup.

There were no gatherings, no demonstrations, just a quiet acceptance of the new reality.

Lee Sung Joon's coup thus succeeded in gaining the implicit consent of the people, a silent nod of approval.

However, there was still work to be done.

The purge of the military leadership loomed on the horizon, a necessary evil in the eyes of the new regime.

The air was thick with anticipation and fear, as the citizens of the Empire braced themselves for the changes to come, wondering what this new era under Lee Sung Joon would bring.

*

"Thank you for your cooperation, Prime Minister."

"Given how things have turned out, let's leave it at that."

Prime Minister Roh Jae-Woo cooperated with the coup forces with a more progressive attitude than expected, his face a mask of pragmatic acceptance.

It seems that guaranteeing his position as Prime Minister greatly helped his stance.

After all, it's the highest-ranking civil servant position in the country, a prize not easily relinquished.

In Joseon Dynasty terms, it's equivalent to the Chief State Councillor - he probably didn't want to give up such a position for nothing.

Or perhaps he didn't want to follow Park Han-jin's fate, the specter of his predecessor's downfall looming large.

Either way, Roh Jae-woo's desires chose to kneel before us, his ambition bowing to the new reality.

Thanks to this, it would be easier to face the Emperor from now on, a crucial piece in the complex game of power.

While we nominally proclaimed to subjugate traitors, shouldn't we have a somewhat plausible reason when staging an outright rebellion?

The Prime Minister's show of support was a great help at that time, lending a veneer of legitimacy to our actions.

When the Emperor made the unprecedented move of picking up the phone to seek the Prime Minister's opinion, citing the urgent situation, Roh Jae-woo said:

"Your Majesty. It's all over already. Cooperating with General Lee Sung Joon is the only way to end this situation as smoothly as possible."

With even the Prime Minister on our side, the Emperor helplessly endorsed the 'revolution', his imperial seal pressed onto our mandate.

Now the dawn of the (military) revolution has broken, the first rays of our new order piercing the darkness.

With the world at my feet, it's time to start rooting out threats, to prune the tree of power.

Unlike Chun Doo-hwan, I didn't sit around enjoying victory parties, the taste of triumph bitter in my mouth.

It was time to start the purge quickly and swiftly, to strike while the iron was hot.

"Colonel Kim Sung Joo."

"Yes, General."

"I'll give you a battalion of military police. Go to the Defense Security Command. Subdue it. Keep those who expressed willingness to cooperate in their positions, throw all others who didn't into the interrogation room."

"Understood."

I entrusted the handling of the Defense Security Command to Colonel Kim Sung-joo, the personnel staff officer of the Correction Unit, his eyes glinting with determination.

"Colonel Gil Tae-hwan."

"Yes, General."

"You take charge of the Capital Defense Command. Give appropriate positions to collaborators, strip all others of their ranks."

"Yes sir."

To the chief of staff of the 16th Reserve Division, I assigned the Capital Defense Command, the core of capital defense, his posture straightening with the weight of responsibility.

"Colonel Lee Jeong-yun."

"Yes, General."

"You take over the Army Ministry. We've caught the generals, but the working-level officials are still detained there. Select the useful ones carefully."

"I hear and obey."

I assigned the Army Ministry to Colonel Lee Jeong-yun, the operations staff officer of the 17th Reserve Division, his face a mask of determination.

And to Colonel Baek Dong-seok, the operations staff officer of the Correction Unit and top contributor to our coup, I gave the most important task, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

"You."

"Yes, General."

"Investigating the generals' backgrounds is your job. Make every single one of them look filthy and strip them of rank. We can't leave anyone who might rebel against us."

"Of course, sir."

Besides the high-ranking generals in our hands, we must recall and behead the generals at the frontlines one by one, their blood a necessary sacrifice for our new order.

We must crush them so thoroughly that even if they dare think of rebellion, they won't have the manpower to resist.

At least, crush them enough so no one in the military dares to raise their head against me, their spirits broken and subservient.

Of course, it's not as easy as it sounds, the logistics of such a purge are daunting.

Realistically, if we cut everyone left and right, too many general positions will be vacant.

The same goes for field-grade officer positions, the military hierarchy threatening to collapse under our ruthless pruning.

To avoid a Stalin-like 'Great Purge', we had to limit the number of those stripped of rank, our actions calculated and precise.

'We'll have to reassign such men to insignificant posts or to the frontlines.'

It's enough to firmly grasp the capital region and build our fortress, our power base secure and unassailable.

Park Han-jin also started like that at first, his rise a blueprint for our own ascension.

While I was at it, I decided to handle one more thing, my mind racing with plans and strategies.

I decided to give a task to Major Park Sang Gun of the Military Police, his posture stiff with anticipation.

"You."

"Yes, General."

"Go to the Third Army Command right now and arrest Kang Ki-jung. Does it make sense to leave the largest field army command near the capital to someone who's been so hostile to us?"

"As you wish, Your Excellency."

After giving tasks to the officers and sending them out, I sat in the Army Minister's chair and spun it around once, the leather creaking under my weight.

The feeling of occupying Park Han-jin's enormous desk gave me an indescribably complex sensation, a heady mix of triumph and trepidation.

It was a victory, but it came with an equally heavy sense of responsibility, the fate of a nation now resting on my shoulders.

There will be much to do from now on, the path ahead fraught with challenges and dangers.

It will also be my duty to ensure we're not swept up in the waves of the World War, our nation's sovereignty hanging in the balance.

I lightly clenched my fist, feeling the weight of power coursing through my veins.

Right now, the power of Korea is in my hands.

***

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