“I am Oh Gap-su of Office 39.
Do you really think I can live the kind of ordinary life you’re thinking of, Hyung-nim?”
“Then what are you saying you’ll do?”
“If it really doesn’t work out, is there any other way but to defect back to the North, even if I die trying?”
“Oh, man, brother.
My kids are in high school now.
I can’t get fired until those guys graduate from college.”
At Son Gil-seop’s fuss, Oh Gap-su snorted and said.
“Aren’t you exaggerating a bit too much for someone living in a luxury apartment worth hundreds of millions?”
“Don’t speak of what you don’t know.
I wasn’t going to say anything because it’s embarrassing, but the truth is, I’m house poor.”
“House poor?
What’s that?”
“It’s a new term that means a beggar with a house.”
Emptying a glass of soju, Son Gil-seop grumbled.
“After I get my salary and pay for the kids’ private education and the interest, there’s nothing left, but when this year ends, I even have to start repaying the principal on the apartment.”
“…”
“I get a ten-thousand-won allowance from my wife every day, but I’m at the point where I have to cut back on even that.”
“Stop talking about that kind of stuff.
It’s ruining the taste of the alcohol.
Let’s have a drink.”
Oh Gap-su clinked his glass, cutting off Son Gil-seop’s lamentation.
“Money is like a woman; the more you cry and cling to it, the further away it gets.
The less you have, the more confidently you have to act to make money.”
“…”
“Just wait a little bit.
I’ll make a lot of money and give you a hefty allowance too, Hyung-nim.”
“I appreciate the thought, at least.”
“Why are you saying such disappointing things?
I am Oh Gap-su of Office 39.
I’m a guy who does what he says he’ll do.”
“Alright, alright.
Please make a lot of money, brother, so this Hyung can benefit a bit too.”
As soon as Son Gil-seop finished speaking, Oh Gap-su tacked on a condition.
“Speaking of which, I need a little help from you to make that money, Hyung-nim.”
“If you’re going to give me an allowance, I should help with whatever I can.
Tell me.”
“South Korean agencies use facial recognition programs too, right?”
“Of course they do.
But why do you ask?”
A facial recognition program was used to identify a person by comparing a facial image from a photo or video with stored database records, mainly utilized for apprehending criminals.
“There are some people I want to find, so please help me out, Hyung-nim.”
“That’s against the regul…”
“Cheol-jung!
Look into a route to defect back to the North!”