Soviet Union 1991

In the original timeline, North Korea was once a highly developed socialist country. Juche's idea of ​​​​preventing peaceful evolution was airtight. Even though it escaped the tragedy of drastic changes to Eastern Europe, it did not escape the consequences of the collapse of the socialist camp. of weight-bearing injuries.

Their tragedies all began in 1991.

North Korea's agriculture was originally highly mechanized. Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, North Korea received a large amount of cheap oil from the Soviet Union, and with the assistance of the socialist camp, it formed large-scale mechanized production. Their agricultural system runs entirely on oil. But after the collapse of the Soviet Union, North Korea no longer had the cheap oil imported from the Soviet Union. The agricultural system quickly collapsed, and then directly affected the people's living standards, resulting in the current state of half-death.

However, the fact that the Soviet Union did not disintegrate does not mean that North Korea's life will be easier. As early as 1991, Yanayev has been increasing the price of crude oil year by year. The pressure faced by North Korea is becoming more and more serious year by year. Compared with the direct collapse in history, the North Korean country in this timeline is more like slowly collapsing, but there is no sudden famine. It was not until 1998 that the oil price provided by the Soviet Union to North Korea was not much different from the market price, and General Kim realized that it was impossible for them to leave the Soviet Union.

If it were separated from the Soviet Union as its host, North Korea would simply collapse. Yanayev was wondering whether the Soviet Union's vigorous assistance to North Korea's development was to make it a developed agricultural country and the kind of country that could not survive without itself.

Oil is a nightmare that haunts Chairman Kim.

So when Yanayev proposed exchanging ports for oil, the North Korean leader was not angry, but excited. Now that the whole country is gradually declining, it would not be a wise choice to open the port in exchange for Soviet oil support.

Since the Stalin era, Soviet leaders have always had a great interest in the Korean Peninsula because it was related to the Soviet Union’s strategic interests in the Far East. At that time, there was a reason why Stalin suddenly agreed to Kim Il Sung’s plan to unify North Korea by force. Because of this At that time, China and the Soviet Union signed a new treaty. The Soviet Union was about to lose its outlet and ice-free ports in the Pacific. However, there were three excellent ports in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. If it could control the entire Korean Peninsula, the Soviet Union's strategic interests in the Far East would be guaranteed.

Vladivostok is not a completely ice-free port. Chongjin Port down the road is the target of Yanayev's attention. After experiencing the contraction of the front line in the mid-to-late 1980s and the early 1990s, he once again set his sights on He invested in the Far Eastern countries that he paid close attention to.

Chongjin Port has great geographical advantages both as a way station and a warship port. The Soviet Union can establish a military port stop here. It can also serve as a way point for southbound transportation in the Far East and become a link for exchanges with East Asian countries. If we do not capture this port that occupies the right time and place, we will really be unable to cope with the development of the Red Navy's Pacific Fleet.

Instead of taking over one or two navigable ports, the entire Chongjin Port was placed on the Soviet side.

Yanayev thought very carefully, so he secretly taught the secrets to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yi-chun.

"The Soviet Union can bring North Korea back to life, but it must pay a price. If Chairman Kim Jong Il is willing to come to Moscow for a meeting, I am willing to point out a way for North Korea, a real way to survive. Of course, I will charge you the due 'services' Cost. There is no free lunch in the world, and the Soviet Union has its own plans.”

Yanayev did not appear to be lying at all. In fact, he did not need any conspiracy at all and could blackmail others openly. North Korea is already half-dead and Kim Jong-il will be miserable as long as the stalemate continues. ending. Faced with the Soviet Union and dignity, he quickly chose the former.

Because when you die, there is nothing.

This was the second time Yanayev met Kim Jong Il in the Kremlin, the last time was to resolve tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The other party was also full of suspicion and entered the palace under the leadership of Park Yichun. The biggest feeling that this neat and solemn palace gave him was that he could feel Yanayev's control over the entire country everywhere.

In the luxuriously decorated Baroque-style conference room, Kim Il Sung met General Secretary Yanayev, who had been waiting for him for a long time. The other person looked like a cold ice cube, and his whole body exuded an unapproachable feeling. However, this just omitted Kim Jong Il's pleasantries and went directly to the main topic, the negotiation issue on the Korean Peninsula.

"Now North Korea is facing severe financial difficulties. If the Soviet Union is unwilling to continue to provide oil, it will be difficult for us to continue exporting grains and other food. Everyone knows that North Korea is a highly developed mechanized country. Without oil, it will be equivalent to ours. The agricultural system has come to an end."

Although Yanayev expressed the idea of ​​gloating in his heart, he could not show it. He could only say with a serious face, "I remember that a long time ago, the Soviet Union once leased Luo Xian to North Korea, but then North Korea became a wallflower. Both sides rejected the Soviet Union's garrison plan, which made the Soviet Union very dissatisfied at the time. So now, in addition to preparing to borrow your Chongjin Port, You also plan to borrow the Sinuiju port, so that all previous debts can be considered equal. How about you use Sinuiju and Chongjin ports to pay off the debt? The Soviet Union is a practical country, and we are willing to pay the market price. We sell oil to you at half the price. Although the oil price may be much higher than before, at least your mechanized agriculture can operate on a large scale."

"What? Are we going to rent another Sinuiju?" Chairman Kim shouted out uncontrollably, but when he saw Yanayev's expressionless face, he choked back what he wanted to say.

The general secretary seemed very impatient. He waved his hand and said disdainfully, "Then you don't have to rent, and we won't sell the oil to you at a low price. That's it, think about it yourself."

Chongjin Port has always been Yanayev's goal as a non-freezing port, and Sinuiju is a new commercial port for future trade with China. Yanayev is not simply trying to compete for a military port, but also focuses on To open up commercial and trade relations with Japan and China.

The Soviet Union is only on the defensive in the Far East. It only needs to manage its own one-third of an acre. Any ambitions to go south now seem to be insufficient.

Yanayev can only do this. Who knows that he has a country in his hands that is riddled with holes, and it is already very difficult to mend it.

Chairman Kim is still hesitating. The conditions proposed by the Soviet Union are a bit harsh, because they are not leasing a port alone, but are also opening up a treaty port. This is tantamount to cutting a piece of North Korea's heart and blood at the same time.

"Imagine that after this year, the Soviet Union will completely cut off the low-priced oil provided to North Korea, and your agriculture will be completely in dire straits. Of course, we have not forgotten the heavy debts you are carrying. This is very important to North Korea. It should be considered a fatal blow to maintain the people under such circumstances. A high-priced welfare society? The socialist myth created by the Kim family will be shattered in an instant, and you will only become the laughing stock of others. This is not alarmist, this is a bloody fact that the Kim family may lose power on the Korean Peninsula. Downfall, think about how they treated the Ceausescu couple.”

The Soviet Union does not want the North Korean regime to collapse. It needs to rely on the other party's power to contain the United States' expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. Therefore, intimidation and beating are appropriate, and Yanayev has the right balance.

A bewitching old wizard is slowly brainwashing people dominated by fear. He presented a fallen poverty in front of Chairman Kim and told him that this is your future.

Even the well-informed "Emperor of the Earth" will feel a chill running down his spine after thinking carefully about Yanayev's words.

It's terrible.

"You choose, live or die."

Yanayev looked at him with an indifferent expression.

"Is it worth risking the fate of the entire country of North Korea for two ports? Calling them out can feed millions of people in this country. You are the sun of the North Korean people, Chairman Kim."