BXBX NOVEL Chapter 44
Chapter 44
August 3rd, 2018 16:00
Seoul Kangnam-ku COEX banquet hall.
Korea executed the second stage of its economic recovery plan after it had hold of the lead of steel manufacturing and turned its eyes towards Information Technology and Nano Technology.
The first stages would target the IT and NT fields. In May, Samho electronics and TK Hynix announced they jointly developed a manufacturing method that reached a pico level and surpassed nano levels. A month after their announcement, they released items such as 100 pico level D-RAMs, various types of PC, Mobile and NAND flash memory products that could shake up the world semiconductor market and created an IT industrial revolution that far surpassed the industrial revolution of the 18th century.
Also, to prevent large corporations from forming an oligopoly, the Ministry of Next-Generation Technology selected three middle-sized companies to provide the pico-level manufacturing technology so they could provide a stage that a Korean corporation could rapidly progress towards the global market.
Intel, the corporation that was at the forefront of the world semiconductor market, had to helplessly give up their position and second place to TK Hynix, and with a market share difference that was more than double to barely maintain third place. Other world-famous corporations had declared emergency management in response to all the Korean corporations rising through the ranks. The interesting part about the release of the high-powered semiconductor memories was it created a revolution in many other related industries and became a foundation for developing products that broke the mold. Samho electronics and HG electronics had released a line of domestic appliances and other products never seen before and had flipped their deficit of three years to a surplus in an instant and seemed to have reached a second prime.
“Congratulations, C.E.O Lee.”
After their announcement for the release of 80 pico-level D RAM , C.E.O Lee Gyum-ho left the conference room and entered the banquet hall and responded to the Ministry of Next-Generation Technology Manager Oh Dae-sik’s greeting.
“Thank you, Manager Oh. Let’s have a glass of wine and chat.”
C.E.O Lee Gyum-ho was so friendly, it was as if he was inviting a nobleman to drinks. He pointed to an open refreshment table and lead the way.
“It seems news agencies from half the world came to the press conference. Hahaha.”
“This would not have been possible without you, Manager Oh, don’t you think so?”
C.E.O Oh Young-il slightly leaned forward and spoke half-jokingly and handed a glass of wine to Manager Oh Dae-sik.
“Now Let’s have a drink.”
C.E.O Lee Gyum-ho and Manager Oh Dae-sik clinked their wine glasses, savored the scent, drank the wine to quench their thirst, and then began speaking about the topics related to security.
Three months ago, Manager Oh Dae-sik from the Ministry of Next-Generation Technology’s technical support team 2 was stationed to be in charge of Samho electronics and provided the pico-level manufacturing technology three months after meeting him and was able to successfully finish the project, but the true mission was only starting for Manager Oh Dae-sik.
It was maintaining security regarding the pico-level manufacturing technology within Samho electronics. Recently, a different team had shared the technology to a corporation and a vice executive was caught trying to sell the technology to China and was sent to a level-1 security prison.
“C.E.O Lee, from now on you must pay more attention to having your employees keep the pico-level manufacturing technology confidential. Honestly, our department will keep watch also, but the company’s internal security is also necessary.”
“No need to worry. We received special orders from our boss and we are operating a security system that could rival the NIS. We also doubled security personnel so no need to be concerned.”
“Since you put it like that, I do feel a bit more relieved. Hahaha.”
“Our vice president is coming. Why don’t you say hello?”
* * *
August 10th, 2018 22:00
Choongbook Chungju-si Seowon-ku Bongmu mountain Olympus Base.
The 20-story underground building in Bongmu mountain was finally completed after a year and a half of construction and was named Olympus Base. When construction was finished, a simple completion ceremony was held. From the Blue House National Security, Director Oh Jang-soo, other security secretaries, and other governmental bureaucrats came down to attend the completion ceremony and check on the security status.
Also, a freight train filled with manufacturing equipment came into Olympus Base through the underground railway connected to the Kyungbu line, and the workers were sweating from the hard work installing the manufacturing equipment before construction was complete.
“We will now begin the briefing for the complete construction of the Olympus Base.”
Brigadier General Oh Young-il, commander of the second engineering regiment, had not left the site for a year and five months since the first shovel hit the dirt so he could direct the construction to prevent accidents and began to address the 50 or so government officials and executives of the defense industry.
“I would first like to take this opportunity to thank all the governmental officials, corporation employees who worked day and night, and our proud troops who made it possible to finish the construction a month early; for, without them, it would not have been possible.”
Brigadier General Oh Young-il finished his opening statement and stepped next to the podium to bow and then began reporting the completion of the Olympus Base.
“Olympus Base is a 20-story underground building that has an area 330,000 meters squared that matches the side of Yeo-ii island. Since it is an underground base, it was designed to withstand a magnitude eight earthquake, and the internal and external frames were made with the high power steel from Postech. I will now begin explaining the facilities on each level. Please take a look at the screen next to you.”
Brigadier General Oh Young-il’s explanations displayed over a large screen in the middle of the room that showed the blueprint for the internals of the Olympus Base with brief descriptions.
Floor 1: Security center and lodging for sentry regiment consisting of three battalions
Floor 1.5: 2 meter-high powered blackout curtain system.
Floor 2: Internal security regiment consisting of one battalion/supplies warehouse one/supplies freight train station
Floor 3: Internal park and other amenities, cafeteria, defense industry workers lodgings.
Floor 5: War supplies and materials warehouse.
Floor 6~16: Defense Industry manufacturing line
Floor 17: Central command center and surveillance center/supplies warehouse 2
Floor 18: Internal park and various amenities, cafeteria, lodgings.
Floor 19: The National Defense and Science Agency manufacturing line 1
Floor 20: The National Defense and Science Agency manufacturing line 2
Floor 21: Olympus (Base electricity, water, and air filtration system)
Brigadier General Oh Young-il finished his presentation on the facilities after 10 minutes and seemed to have a dry throat and took a sip of water after putting his lips to the microphone again.
“Olympus base will finish installing all the manufacturing equipment for military supplies by the end of this month, and all the people related will finish moving in and it will officially begin manufacturing on September 1st. This concludes the presentation, and I will now take questions if you have any.”
“How many people will move into the facility?” Secretary Lee Gil-soo, who came with National Security Director Oh Jang-soo, asked.
“We will have a total of 12,900 individuals move in. Among them, 1,500 will be soldiers from the 1st security regiment for inside the facility, 8,000 defense industry workers, 400 National Defense and Science Agency personnel, and 3,000 for operating the Olympus Base.”
“There are not that many people moving in compared to the facility’s size, correct?”
“Yes. The reason being the manufacturing equipment coming into Olympus Base changed to automated ones, and the number of workers needed was reduced to a third of what we predicted last year.”
“I would like to ask one more question if I may. If that is the case, who will be responsible for workers’ time off and maintaining their confidentiality?”
“I will answer questions regarding security.”
A man sitting on the left side of the podium stood up and began to answer as he stepped forward.
“I am Kang Mu-jin the head of the Olympus central security department. Everyone who moves into Olympus, including me, has to have a high-powered GPS chip implanted in their bodies. Therefore, our central security department can monitor all personnel that leaves the facility for any reason and can track their location in real-time, and if a defense industry employee requires it one of our security agents can escort them.”
“If that is the case how do you maintain secrecy if personnel try to smuggle photo and information when they leave the facility?”
“I will answer that question with the presentation I have prepared.”
“When department head Kang Mu-jin gave a signal to the employee working the screen, the slides related to security measures showed up.”
“There are three entrances to Olympus Base from the outside. The main entrance on the first floor, the freight train stop entrance on the second floor, and the emergency exit only to be used in an emergency. The process to enter the facility is the same excluding the emergency exit.”
When department head Kang Mu-jin gave another signal to the employee, the screen changed.
“Every person who enters cannot bring items in or take items out of the facility. They can only enter or leave with their person, glasses, watches, rings, and other items on their person will be precision scanned and then be able to brought in or taken out. This process applies to everyone, including the President. The PM-1 radio that security agents use to communicate with each other will be the only exception for security agents. That is all.”
“All right. Thank you for your presentation.”
When department head Kang Mu-jin stepped back Brigadier General Oh Young-il continued speaking.
“I will take the next question.”
“I would like to ask one.”
National Security Director Oh Jang-soo, who was sitting in the middle of the table, raised his hand and spoke.
“Yes, National Security Director Oh Jang-soo sir. Please ask away.”
“In case of an emergency, for example, a war broke out what will Olympus Base do in response?”
“In case of emergency, Olympus Base will comply with emergency orders number 12 and will seal off all entrances and exits, and will utilize its systems consisting of air filtration, groundwater purifier, power generators, and emergency rations to operate and supply itself independently for two years.”
“The preparations are well made. I see.”
“Are there any more questions?” If not we will finish the briefing and then start showing the facilities on each floor. You can follow the security agents here. Thank you.”
Brigadier general Oh Young-il finished the briefing with a short closing statement and nodded to the security agents standing by, the agents then raised their hands to lead the party of government officials and those who attended it all followed the security agents.
In the future, Olympus Base, named for the home of the Greek gods, would become the home factory for amazing weaponry and became a Mecca for Korea’s armaments factories.