by Van Torrey
Both Iran and the DPRK were kindred spirits. The countries were unlikely brothers in terms of ethnicity or culture, but bound in spirit by each one’s unrelenting quest for respect and power in their respective geographical regions. That respect would be most powerfully fulfilled by their possession of nuclear weapons capability. Colonel Kim, tipped off by contacts at the highest level of secular power in Iran, became aware of a developing conspiracy between Iran and Pakistan to divert certain nuclear assets from Pakistan to Iran in exchange for substantial sums of gold Iran had in reserve in a Swiss banking institution. After carefully investigating the backgrounds and activities of the people involved in the ruse within Pakistan, he chose his moment carefully and abruptly crashed into the evolving dynamic, taking firm control of it in a fateful violent moment.
Were it not for the elegant diplomacy of a well-connected Swiss banker who thought many steps ahead of a specific situational moment, upon successful completion of the intricate plot, Colonel Kim would have escaped into thin air with untraceable wealth of vast proportions, living as a king anywhere he wished.
Instead, Colonel Kim was mysteriously drawn up short by forces invisible to him and, suddenly faced with a list of demands and options from such forces that left him no way out. Ironically he was allowed to keep his old job as a Korean military liaison officer to Pakistan without prejudice, a job that was now vitally important to a new employer, the United States Central Intelligence Agency. To his new masters in the CIA, Colonel Kim Dong-sun was now simply known by his operative name of “Gamma”.
*
Colonel Kim presented himself at the office of General Rhee three days after he had been summoned at the direction of General Fhang.
“Greetings, Sir,” remarked Colonel Kim informally to General Fhang’s second in command.
“Good morning, Colonel. I see you’ve taken your time getting here. General Fhang is anxious to see you,” advised General Rhee.
“No disrespect, General. The nature of my work in Pakistan does not allow me to leave things on a moment’s notice. I’m sure you know there are matters of great secrecy that require rigid protocols to be respected.”
“Yes, yes, I am aware of the importance of your work there, Colonel. Before you go in to see the General, you must know that there is a substantial new dynamic here in the DPRK, a change, a change in leadership both in substance and style, a much needed change, I might add.”
“As I recall, General, you were quite comfortable with the regime that was previously in place,” retorted Colonel Kim, softly and with a lilt in his voice inflection. “Has your attitude changed?”
“I’ll let that insubordinate remark pass, Colonel. Be advised that you, and many others in military and bureaucratic positions are on thin ice at the moment. The situation is still very fluid,” Rhee said coldly.
“Yes I heard there was an attack. By counter-revolutionaries, perhaps?” Kim remarked idly.
“Enough of this school-girl gossip, Colonel. General Fhang is an extremely busy man, and quite on edge because of recent events. I would advise you to be a good listener and, above all, respectful of his temperament, which can be quite volatile at times,” admonished Rhee, as he lifted an eyebrow for subtle emphasis.
“Speaking of listening, do you have any idea of what he wishes to speak with me about? If I would have known more ahead of time, I could have prepared a professional briefing.”
“The General will let you know what is on his mind, Colonel. Come; let us not keep General Fhang waiting.”
*
Colonel Kim stood at stiff attention and saluted General Fhang, saying, “Colonel Kim Dong-sun reporting as ordered, sir!”
The General remained with his back turned toward Colonel Kim looking at a large, detailed map of the Korean peninsula and did not respond for some thirty seconds. Slowly he turned around, made eye contact with Colonel Kim, gave him an informal, off-hand salute and bade him to sit. “Good morning, Colonel, thank you for being here. Your reputation precedes you. I understand you have been of great service to our country and have been exceptionally loyal in the process,” he said cryptically.
Colonel Kim was quick to pick up on the nuanced remark from General Fhang and replied, “Thank you, sir. My loyalty has always been to the vision of our leadership of a better life for our people and elevating the status of the DPRK in the eyes of our neighboring countries.”
Fhang pursed his lips through a thin smile and looked directly at Colonel Kim before responding. “So, Colonel, my interpretation of that is that you are loyal to the ideals of our country, but not necessarily to whomever is leading it.”
“I would hope that the two would not be mutually exclusive, sir,” replied Kim simply.
“Only a seasoned diplomat or a career soldier with a great deal of experience dealing with delicate subjects would have that clever an answer, Colonel. To a great degree, you appear to be both.”
Colonel Kim did not respond, but merely nodded slightly in acquiescence to General Fhang’s assessment. There was no need to gild the lily, he thought.
“Colonel, if you were not able to continue in your present position as Commander of our Nuclear Advisory Group with Pakistan, who would you recommend succeeding you?” asked the General directly.
For a moment a cold chill went up Kim’s back as he tried to think about the question. Had they found out about his connection with the Iranian attempt to gain access to Pakistan’s nukes? Worse, had they found out about his subsequent spying activities for the American CIA? If so, could this be an attempt to judge his loyalty to a key subordinate, smoking him out, and then tarring that person with the same brush in case Kim’s spying was being abetted by his immediate subordinate? Was it possible that the CIA, without his knowledge, had also turned his deputy, comparing the information received from them both for authenticity? Colonel Kim’s mind raced for milliseconds with the possibilities and he struggled to answer quickly and candidly so not to appear to be caught off guard by the question.
“Even though he has been with this unit for only the past two years, I would enthusiastically endorse my deputy, Major Wan,” replied Colonel Kim. “He knows the job and gets along well with the Pakistanis. He would be a worthy successor, sir.”
“I notice you didn’t use the expression “replacement”, Colonel. Why is that?”
“There is a subtle difference, sir. May I be candid?”
“Yes, of course. I am interested in this difference,” replied Fhang earnestly.
“Well, sir, you used the term “succeed”, so I answered in context. I think I am the best person for this job for many reasons, not the least of which is my personal relationship with the various Pakistani officers who command their Nuclear Defense Force. As a result, after several years of careful nurturing of these relationships, my men have been given a great deal of leeway in the scope and execution of their activities because of the trust the Pakistanis have in me. This is a significant advantage to us, sir, in the pursuit of our nuclear goals. I can explain in detail if you wish.”
It had been days since the General had been given much to smile about, but he did so now. “Colonel, this is precisely the kind of answer I am looking for from my key subordinates, precise, honest, factual, and not driven by fear. I appreciate your candor and your self-confidence. They will be needed in the new position that I have in store for you under the Brilliant New Light.”
“New position, sir?” as Colonel Kim’s heart momentarily sank.
“Yes, Colonel Kim, effectively immediately you will become my new Military Aide-de-Camp, reporting directly to me. In addition, you will now be the interface and official conduit for information and communication between me and General Rhee. Rhee will no longer have direct access to me except in an emergency. I anticipate that your future duties may expand, but that will be a work in progress.”
Colonel Kim’s disciplined mind fought off all other distractions of the moment as he rose to attention, saluted, and managed to
say, “Thank you, sir. It will be an honor to serve you and the Brilliant New Light of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea!”
General Fhang summoned a secretary and while he was dictating the orders documenting Kim’s new status Colonel Kim’s mind raced with the implications of his new duties. Would moving back to Pyongyang actually be a demotion in status, as his independence that he had enjoyed in Pakistan would now be seriously curtailed? Would his daily work now be more demanding, under more scrutiny, and less rewarding of the physical pleasures he enjoyed with his old job? Finally, how would this change of scenery affect his financially rewarding job as an informer for the American CIA? They seemed so grateful for even the snippets of information I am able to give them. Many other minor questions burned in his mind as General Fhang wrapped up his dictation to the secretary.
“One more thing, Colonel, with this new position comes a well-deserved promotion. Effective immediately you will now be Chunjiang, Lieutenant General, Kim Dong-sun in the People’s Army. Congratulations!”
Even the normally glib and nimble Kim Dong-sun was momentarily at a loss for words as he assimilated all this startling information that was sure to substantially change his life for years to come. “I am humbled and honored, sir,” was all that Kim could find words for.
Fhang quickly got back to routine business by announcing to Kim, “Chungjiang, you will immediately return to Pakistan for no more than two weeks to close out your affairs there, elevate Major Wan to Sangjwa, Colonel, and turn your command over to him. To the degree possible you must introduce Colonel Wan to your most important contacts within the Pakistani military and assure them of our strong wishes to continue this important military relationship with as few changes as possible. Wan must be made aware that our expectations of continued high performance, modeled by your tenure there, are substantial. He will continue to report to you, even as you are now in Pyongyang. You will travel there frequently to supervise him.”
Kim was immediately relieved that he would be permitted to briefly return to Pakistan, with the possibility that he could make some critical adjustments to his relationship with his CIA handler and make some financial transactions that could safeguard the funds he had managed to clandestinely accumulate over his years as an expatriate.
“There is one more thing, General,” as Fhang returned to his desk. “As you know, your sister, So-song, has been my faithful companion for many years now. She is a very fine woman and has been of great support to me in my many demanding moments while in the People’s Army. She prefers to wait in the background, allowing me to be the public face of the revolution and the Brilliant New Light. I respect that. How long has it been since you have seen her?”
“It has been nearly five years now, sir,” answered General Kim.
“Well then, General Kim, perhaps you will take the afternoon to have your uniform adjusted to reflect your new rank insignia and then join the two of us for dinner in my new official residence. We will make this a surprise for So-song.”
“Sir that would be a distinct and wonderful pleasure. I accept your gracious invitation with thanks.”
“Fine, General. You will have the use of a car and driver for the rest of your stay here. Please make your travel arrangements with the secretary who was here moments ago. We will see you promptly at six. Please leave by the other door. I will see General Rhee immediately and inform him of the new arrangements,” said Fhang with an air of authority and finality.
*
A simple typewritten note on a CIA letterhead was placed on Director Marilyn Mitchell’s desk:
HUMINT ASSET GAMMA GEOTAGGED TODAY IN PYONGYANG. END.
Ordinarily the whereabouts of any specific intelligence asset would not come to the attention of the DCI, but information about the nuclear-armed DPRK was so sparse and inconsistent that any significant movement of such an asset was potentially important and worthy of the Director’s attention.
Director Mitchell asked her Deputy Director-Operations (DDO) to come to her office.
“Mel, I assume you got the blurb about Gamma’s movement. Please cable his handler in Islamabad to see what he can tell us. This could be big...or not!”
*
Promptly at six the newly minted General Kim Dong-sun arrived at the private residence of General Fhang and was escorted to the opulent living room. At ten minutes after six General Fhang, accompanied by Kim So-song entered and General Kim immediately stood to greet them. General Fhang stopped and uncharacteristically allowed his companion to step ahead. As she did so, she looked at her brother, did a double-take of disbelief, and burst into tears of joy as she raced to embrace him. No words were spoken between them for nearly a full minute, until Dong-sun asked gently, “And what of our mother?”
“Oh brother, it is so wonderful to see you! You are looking well and fit. My tears are those of joy in seeing you! Our mother is well, but frail. She lives in a beautiful apartment and has excellent care. I will take you to see her tomorrow if your schedule permits.”
Dong-sun looked over the shoulder of his diminutive sister at General Fhang, who nodded slightly in acquiescence.
After cocktails consisting of the finest of Russian Vodka, rare single-malt Scotch whisky, and - strangely enough - American fine Tennessee Bourbon, the three sat down to a gourmet dinner served on meticulously hand painted Chinese dinnerware accompanied by French wine. Given the apparent self-imposed isolation of the North Korean nation, the food and drink were surprisingly eclectic with an international flavor.
During dinner, General Fhang, fortified by prodigious consumption of alcohol, became increasing garrulous by pontificating on his grandiose plans for the reunification of the Korean peninsula under his leadership. “Soon all our Asian brothers will have new and profound respect for a unified Korea, and will look to us for leadership in our continuing economic and cultural battles with the Western imperialists,” he rambled. “The Brilliant New Light will be the guiding beacon for a reawakening of Asian domination.” Fhang hunched over his plate, squinted his dark eyes and looked at his guests conspiratorially before saying, “General Kim...and So-song, you both will rejoice that you were here at the creation,” he slurred as he took another long drink of the exceptional French Bordeaux.
General Fhang, now obviously drunk, rose from the table and announced that he was tired after a long day and was going to bed. “You two may discuss personal and family matters as long as you wish.” Then, giving them both a menacing look, and waving his hand at nothing in particular, he boomed threateningly, “I demand and expect unswerving loyalty from both of you, regardless of the difficulties that lie ahead!” That said, Fhang staggered from the room leaving Dong-sun and So-song alone.
The Kim family had come a long way from near starvation in the rice paddies of rural North Korea to the halls of power and prestige in Pyongyang. The hard part would be staying in the favor of this dangerous and unpredictable tyrant who held their lives in his hand.
CHAPTER 19
NEW CODEBOOK
“Send out for yourself men so they may spy out the land...”
Holy Bible: (The Book of Numbers)
*
There was little sleep for General Kim for the days following his surprise promotion and reassignment to General Fhang’s closest staff. Although, theoretically, his life would now change for the better considering his higher rank and pay in the People’s Army, as well as the added prestige of being in General Fhang’s inner circle, he would be losing the substantial independence of movement and personal association to which he had grown accustomed as the leader of the DPRK nuclear liaison team in Pakistan. He had essentially been “Ambassador Without Portfolio” living outside North Korea, and this would now change dramatically.
The issue giving General Kim the most angst, however, was if and how he was to continue his lucrative position as an agent for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. He was being handsomely paid by direct deposits into a Swiss banking institution partially owne
d by and managed by Hugo Delagarde and his son Rene. Because of the elder Delagarde’s close personal and professional relationship with former intelligence chief and now President of the United States, the existence of the secret account for Colonel, now General, Kim had been put in place by the CIA with Delagarde’s cooperation. As such it was in no danger of being compromised to others who could potentially out General Kim as an American spy, risking his life in the process. Since Kim did not know executives of the bank had ties to the highest levels of the American Intelligence community, the bank served as a convenient cut-out for the exchange of some of the most sensitive back-channel intelligence data between the U.S. intelligence establishment and stateless individuals or countries with whom the United States did not have normal or friendly relations. Regardless of the terms of a relationship or the source, information was always valuable and had to be gracefully exchanged. In this respect, Delagarde’s Swiss bank was one of the many international tentacles of the American octopus-like CIA.
Just hours after General Kim’s China Airlines flight arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, from Pyongyang, General Kim made a purchase at the illicit tobacco and illegal alcohol shop in the bowels of the crowded central bazaar in Islamabad. He paid with a Pakistani Rupee with one of the corners torn off that had a specific serial number. This was a signal for the shopkeeper to let Kim’s long-time American CIA handler at the American Embassy know that Kim needed to see him urgently.
Doug Chambers, the CIA Station Chief in Islamabad, had been notified by encrypted cable that Colonel (there was no knowledge of his recent promotion at this point) Kim had been geotagged by an American CIA drone asset in Pyongyang. Chambers’ response was one of “LOST CONTACT”, meaning this HUMINT asset had suddenly gone to ground with no prior warning. At least Langley knew where he was at a specific moment in time with a 98.5 percent certainty.