"I had suspected as much. Mr. Chon, the informer he murdered, suggested it. Frankly, Mr. Hill, I approve of little if anything the NSP is involved in. They are ruthless, high-handed and utterly lacking in sensitivity to the rights of our citizens."
Burke raised a wary eyebrow. "I understand that kind of talk could land you in jail in the past."
"Not our kind of jail," he said. "One with special facilities for interrogation. Our constitution officially forbids such things now, but I wouldn't advise anyone to make statements like that in public."
As soon as he returned to the Namdaemun Station, Yun sat down at a computer terminal and requested the criminal record of Suh Tae-hung. A window appeared in the center of the screen with the green-lettered advisory: "Please wait. Your request is being processed." After a few moments, a stark message flashed in front of the Captain's eyes: "No such record exists. To choose a new name, press Return."
Yun stared in disbelief. The message ended with a blinking cursor, a small, solid rectangle that seemed to wink at him mockingly. No record? No wonder there was no arrest warrant in existence. According to the computer, the Korean National Police had never heard of Suh Tae-hung. Just as there was no record of Hwang Sang-sol. But he was definitely not the figment of someone's imagination. Figments didn't commit multiple murders.
Yun hurried back to his desk and called Captain Han, the officer in charge of the National Police computer system.
"This is Captain Yun Yu-sop, Detective Division, Namdaemun Police Station. I believe we met last year when we were both testifying in the Hyun trial."
"Yes, I remember you, Captain. What can I do for you?" Han asked.
"If someone wanted to erase an individual's police record from the computer, how difficult a task would it be?"
Han grunted. "You mean break into the system? It's foolproof. It wouldn't just be difficult, it would be impossible."
"Come now, Captain Han," Yun said. "I've been doing police work for twenty-one years. I have seen un-pickable locks picked, un-crackable safes cracked, theft-proof vehicles stolen. Just name any kind of security device known to man, and I'll guarantee you some other man has figured out a way to break it."
Han become defensive. "What do you want me to do, get fired? If I were to tell you how—"
"No, no," said Captain Yun, "I don't want to know how it would be done. I only want to know who might do it, what sort of person, what he'd have to know about computers."
"Well, he would need to be a skilled programmer, for one thing. Knowledgeable about our operating system, familiar with our codes."
"So you're saying it's possible to erase somebody's police record?"
"Sure. A person's file can be erased. We do it ourselves. Not very often. To expunge a person's record requires approval at the ministry level."
"By whom?"
"It requires the personal approval of the Minister of Home Affairs or the Minister of Justice. Until about five years ago, the Director of the NSP could also authorize it. That's no longer true."
Now we're getting somewhere, Yun thought. He glanced down at the information sheet Burke Hill had given him. Suh had been arrested in 1981. More than ten years ago.
"Is any record kept of the names of those deleted?" Yun asked.
"Yes. The ministers keep a list of whose files they authorize to be killed out."
"And the NSP Director?"
"I'm sure he would have those he authorized. What name are you concerned about, Captain Yun?"
"Sorry, this is a highly sensitive case. I'm afraid I'll have to be as reluctant to give that out as you were about compromising your security system. Tell you what, when everything's cleared up, I'll be happy to get with you and go over my concerns. Meanwhile, you have helped more than you know, Captain. Thank you very much."
He had a very good idea of who might have erased Hwang's or Suh's police record. It would be interesting indeed to see what Prosecutor Park came up with from the NSP.
Chapter 32
Burke, Jerry and Brittany Pickerel took advantage of the beautiful late fall day on Sunday to visit Kyongbok Palace, which lay just beyond the end of Sejongro north of the Embassy. They wandered first through Kwanghwa-mun, the Gate of Transformation by Light. It was another of those magnificent wooden structures with two-tiered tile roofs built atop huge stone archways. The massive gate opened onto the grounds of the National Museum of Korea. After a brief look around, they headed for Kyongbok's East Gate and strolled onto the palace grounds.
As they started up the steps to the Throne Hall, a smiling young man in his Sunday best came walking toward them, a newspaper folded beneath his arm. Another language student, thought Burke. He was becoming accustomed to the frequent approach of Koreans, usually students, bent on practicing their English.
The man gave a slight head bow and said, "Good morning. My name is Kim. I work with Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Television News. Aren't you two the men I saw at the American Embassy party Monday evening?"
"We sure are," Jerry said. "I'm Jerry Chan, this is Miss Brittany Pickerel, and this is Mr. Burke Hill."
"Are you with the new American public relations company?"
Burke nodded, smiling. "That's us."
Mr. Kim took the newspaper from beneath his arm and opened it. "I doubt that you read hangul, but I was wondering about your reaction to the editorial in today's Koryo Ilbo?"
"Miss Pickerel and I read and speak Korean," Jerry said quickly. "But we haven't seen a newspaper today. What's the editorial about?"
He folded the newspaper to highlight a particular article and handed it to Jerry. "Maybe you had better read it for yourself."
As Burke watched the frown deepen on Jerry's face, he knew the news wasn't good. Finally, Jerry muttered a subdued, "Damn," and looked up.
"What is it?" Burke asked.
"It must have been that editor we talked to, Kang Han-kyo. It's about the incident between Mansfield and the Korean. He says it could only accelerate the U.S.'s declining prestige in South Korea. That it tends to confirm what a lot of Koreans believe Americans really think of them. He mentions us. Says there's an American PR firm in town attempting to shore up the U.S. image. He thinks we'll be fighting a losing battle."
Burke started to give a quick and dirty one-word summary of what he thought of the editorial but caught the Korean TV man's eye and thought better of it. "My reaction," he said, sermonizing, "is one of disappointment. I think the incident was misinterpreted and seriously overblown in the press. As for the job Worldwide Communications Consultants will be doing, I think we have an excellent opportunity to better inform Koreans about the true feelings of Americans. We're friendly, open people who wish you nothing but the best."
Mr. Kim kept his smile. "I think maybe the younger people don't accept this. The older generations remember your help during the war. The government, I think, likes your tourist dollars but doesn't like your advice."
"That's an interesting comment, Mr. Kim," Brittany said. "I will be working on a survey to quantify the views of different segments of your population. And you think the younger generation will be our toughest group?"
"Oh, yes. They don't like outside advice, either."
Brittany tilted her head to one side. "Is that the general perception? That we're too bossy?"
"Bossy? Oh, yes, I think so. You tell us how to run our military. You tell us who should be our friends. You tell us we should buy more of your products and sell you less of ours."
Jerry shook his head. "I think our intent was to offer advice, not to say you have to do this or that."
Burke didn't feel this was the time or place for a full-fledged debate on Korean-American relations. And he was anxious to get back to the hotel and have Jerry or Brittany provide him a full translation of that editorial.
"We really appreciate hearing your views, Mr. Kim," he said with a soft smile, making an obvious glance at his watch. "I'm afraid we're on a tight schedule, but thanks for calling this to our att
ention. If we can be of help to you in any way, please give us a call."
"Here's my card," Jerry said, handing over one of his new business cards with the Seoul address and phone number.
They left Mr. Kim standing there, still smiling, and walked quickly across the terrace toward the street.
Burke lay back on the bed, his head propped on two pillows. He was reading the Koryo Ilbo editorial for about the tenth time when his phone rang. It was Captain Yun.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Hill. I hope you are having a pleasant weekend."
"Fine, thanks, Captain," he said absently. He didn't really mean it, of course. He was still considerably agitated over the newspaper item, which he considered unfairly provocative.
"You have been most helpful to me," said Yun earnestly. "I apologize for not mentioning this to you earlier, but did not think about it affecting you."
Burke frowned. "I'm sorry, Captain. I don't think I understand."
"Have you been informed about the editorial in today's Koryo Ilbo?"
Burke sat up abruptly. "As a matter of fact, I have a translation in front of me. It certainly won't make our job any easier."
"Yes, I can see that. I knew it was referring to your company. Are you familiar with the details of what happened at the American Embassy party?"
"I sure am. I was there."
"You saw it?"
"Well, let's say I was looking in that direction. I wasn't close enough to really see exactly what happened. But I talked to Damon Mansfield afterward, and also the Ambassador. I don't believe it happened like they said in the newspapers."
"I think you are right," said Yun.
Burke was puzzled. "Do you know something I don't?"
"Yes. The Korean, a man named Ko Pong-hak, has been a member of our national Taekwondo team. He participated in the Asian Games and in the 1988 Olympics."
"You mean he's an expert?" Burke asked.
"Exactly. Quite expert. And you can be certain that a Taekwondo expert could not have been knocked down by a drunken opponent. Probably not a sober one, either."
"Damon said he was set up, that the fall was a fake. I think the Ambassador was inclined to doubt him. Damon told me he never said a word about President Kwak. He said the incident started when this Ko character called him a 'black bastard.'"
"Previous to this," Yun said, "I have never seen Ko identified as anything but a construction worker."
"Construction worker? Not an information officer?"
"Not to my knowledge."
"Captain, you have made my day," said Burke.
The following morning, the Worldwide staff gathered in Jerry's office to get their marching orders. Travis Tolliver was told to start making media contacts among the city's newspapers. Since he did not speak the language, he would have to locate English-speaking newsmen to work through. He was also advised to be on the lookout for a Korean journalist they might hire to work with him. Jerry considered it absolutely essential that they have a local news pro to avoid any gaffes with the language or local customs. He told Travis there was no need for him to wait around while the others got their instructions.
With Tolliver out of the office, they were free to discuss the situation from the standpoint of both the PR task and what lay ahead for the Amber Group. Burke briefed them on Captain Yun's revelation regarding the Embassy fracas.
"You mean this Ko was really a plant?" asked Duane Elliston.
"That's certainly what it looks like," Burke said. "We need to find a way to check out his real status with the Ministry of Culture and Information."
"Hell, let's take the direct approach," Duane said. "I could go over there and have a talk with the gentleman. I can dream up an endless number of plausible reasons. Give me ten or fifteen minutes with him, and I'll tell you anything you want to know about his real background."
Burke gave him a pained look. What he proposed was a risk they didn't need to take. Just because Captain Yun had no knowledge of Ko being anything but a construction worker did not mean he couldn't have in some way qualified for a ministry job. It might wind up involving Worldwide Communications Consultants in an obvious effort to discredit the Korean government. He had promised Nate he would make every effort to get along with Duane on this operation, however, so he kept his objections low key. "Before we get too bold, let's see what we can come up with indirectly. Jerry, let's you and I pay a call on Editor Kang at Koryo Ilbo, see if we can convince him of the error of his ways."
"Maybe we could prompt his newspaper to look into the Ministry," Jerry said.
Brittany nodded. "Good idea."
Duane shook his head. "I doubt it. Newspaper people don't like to admit they goofed. You may rub him the wrong way."
"We'll take our chances," Burke said.
Jerry removed a note from a file and handed it to Brittany. "Here are the names of a couple of market research firms. I want you and Duane to check them out, pick one to work with on our survey. You have your questions already prepared, don't you?"
"Certainly do. We refined everything as best we could back in Washington. We may need to make a few minor changes, something based on the local people's knowledge of the market. But, basically, we're ready to go."
"Try to nail something down today, okay? Tell them we need it yesterday."
Duane glanced at his three colleagues. "Does that take care of the ACBK account?"
Burke nodded.
"Then let's talk about where we start on this amber operation."
Burke and Jerry had discussed it at length and had formulated a plan. Duane and Brittany would work to ferret out any signs that South Korea was working toward a nuclear capability. They were told to look for the possibility that help with sophisticated technology may have been sought from Israel. Burke explained about Korea Electric Power's Dr. Nam and suggested they call on him about making photos at the Taesong nuclear facility. The excuse would be to illustrate a brochure for Bartell Engineering. While there, they would attempt to determine if Dr. Nam had been involved in dealings with the Israelis.
"I'll contact Bartell's manager at the Taesong Plant," Duane said before they broke up. "He needs to be advised about the brochure."
"Yeah," Jerry said. "It wouldn't look too good for him to deny anything like that was in the works."
"I can call Dr. Nam's office for an appointment," Brittany said, closing her note pad.
Jerry smiled. "No offense, Brittany, but I'd better make the call for the appointment. This is Korea. It's still mostly a man's world. Particularly at the upper echelons. I think he would react better to a man's call than a woman's."
"You're the boss," she said.
Jerry called the Koryo Ilbo office and got an appointment with Editor Kang for eleven. It was a pleasant walk from their building, despite the swarm of determined Koreans who jostled and bumped and veered around them. Burke noted that Jerry had a good eye for the girls with the shorter skirts. Maybe he would find someone over here to put him in the marrying mood. It made him think of Lori and prompt a wish that he was back in Falls Church, or she over here. Phone calls were fine, but they were no substitute for a gentle kiss at the end of a hard day or the pleasure of waking to the smell of freshly shampooed hair lying on the pillow beside you.
At the newspaper building, they were met at the reception area by the editor's secretary, a matronly woman with a heavily-lined forehead and eyes that appeared almost closed. She escorted them back to his office. It was located at one end of a large newsroom, a sea of desks and computer terminals where reporters were busily chronicling the day's events. Listening to the noisy chatter of voices, the staccato ring of telephones and the drone of line printers, Burke felt fortunate he didn't have to work in such a hectic environment. When the door closed behind them in the editor's office, however, calmness prevailed.
Kang, short and bespectacled, stood behind a large desk covered with printouts of stories, page proofs, issues of other Seoul dailies. It was the organized clutter of a harried e
xecutive. He welcomed them with a tolerant smile.
"Good morning, gentlemen. Would you like tea or coffee?'
"Coffee would be fine," Burke said. Jerry agreed.
Kang held up two fingers and his secretary left. "Please sit down. Now that you have been here for a week, what do you think of Seoul?"
"I'm impressed," Burke said, striking an upbeat note. "It's quite a bit larger than I had realized. I'm a little intimidated by all the people."
Kang nodded. "We have no shortage of people. But, after all, it's the people who form the character of a city. Or a country. Have you had an opportunity to get much reaction from them?"
"Only the few we've come in direct contact with," Jerry said. "Everyone has been very nice to us."
The secretary came back in with cups of coffee, allowing the newsroom noise to pour through like a torrent from an open spillway. When she left and closed the door, the dam held.
"I'm happy you have been well received," said Kang, though his noncommital look made Burke wonder. "Am I to assume that this visit concerns my editorial of yesterday?"
Burke smiled. "I think that's a safe assumption." He pulled the translation of the editorial from his pocket and unfolded it. "I don't guess you'll be surprised to know that we strongly disagree with your assessment of the situation."
Kang's expression remained neutral. "You should note I took care to point out that the incident was unfortunate. But it did happen. As you will remember, I was there. We can't ignore it and the effects it is having."
"I agree," Burke said. "But the really unfortunate part of it is that the incident was not what it seemed. It was a fake. It was staged. For what reason, I can only guess."
"Staged? As with a play?"
"Right. A theatrical production. That's exactly what it was. Did you know that Mr. Ko, the so-called information officer from the Ministry of Culture and Information, was a Taekwondo expert? That his previous employment was as a construction worker?"
Kang frowned. With an elbow on the chair arm, he leaned his chin into the "V" formed by his thumb and forefinger. Dark eyes stared out above his glasses. "What are you implying, Mr. Hill?"
The Poksu Conspiracy (Post Cold War Political Thriller Book 2) Page 21