Empire of the Ring

The biggest problem in Kazakhstan had been the treatment of professionals.

It was common for professionals to have secondary jobs after their primary work in order to make ends meet. Such a payment scale was unfair for many professionals. Doctors, for example, were paid at the level of ordinary civil servants. So, many competent doctors left Kazakhstan. Most of the doctors working in public hospitals in Kazakhstan were no better than nurses in Korea. People would have to risk their lives to get an appendectomy in the country.

For that reason, rich people would rather travel abroad to get medical attention. If there were patients that needed immediate attention at night, it was hard to find doctors since they were working at a different place for their second job.

What good was it to benefit the entire nation free of medical charges, when medical standards and services were poor? If people could not receive proper treatments, it would be better to activate private hospitals and let people pay for their medical bills while the government paid part of their fees.

"Dr. Kim, can we bring in more medical staff from Korea?"

"I've asked my friends in Korea to help me. Even though they'll be paid highly here, they're hesitant about their children's education."

"I'm planning to build international schools in every big city. Would that help them? With a few years of their help, I think Kazakhstan's medical level will improve so much."

"It's true that Kazakhstan has a much better image than before because of the recent changes that you brought here. But it's still not a very appealing place for Korean doctors with their renowned medical abilities. We've got no choice but to let them choose."

"Is there anything that's attractive about Kazakhstan for the Korean doctors?"

"The educational part is the most important for them. And securing an advanced public order should come first. They want their children to learn from such a high-end culture."

"Civic awareness is not going to happen overnight, so that's not possible. Why don't we attract world-class universities all over Kazakhstan then?"

"Those universities will be reluctant to do so, even for their reputation and image. Do you think international scholars will want to come to Kazakhstan?"

"Don't worry. We should bring in a bunch of professors from Oxford, Cambridge or Imperial College of engineering. We can also bring them from Stockholm University in Sweden or Goethe University in Germany."

The reason that Youngho was confidently saying to Doctor Kim Dong-sung that he could bring in the world's leading academics was because he did favors for UK and Sweden. Not only they formed a military alliance but companies from those countries were now making their foray into Kazakhstan. Their governments would send even exchange professors if Youngho asked. Also, Youngho had connections in Goethe University in Germany. If he offered exceptional salaries and benefits to professors, they would be intrigued to come.

"There are good universities in Astana and Almaty. We won't have to build new ones. With proper support, the universities will be developed on their own. I'm talking about the Royal College."

Kim Dong-sung had a better idea that surprised Youngho.

"A Royal College?"

"How about building it in the royal territory?"

"Who's going to come to a new university with no history or tradition?"

"Your Highness, the Arirang Autonomous State became famous because of your unconditional support. If people heard that you're making a royal college, of course, they'd want to come."

"Well, that sounds like a good idea. This time, I'll start educational reform in Kazakhstan."

"You could also make extensive changes to the outdated educational facilities across the country this time. In ten years, you'll see big changes."

Even ten years were short.

It would take a long time to grow talents who could achieve the Nobel Prize.

The Nobel Prize was not an absolute standard for a good education, but it was the result of the efforts of world-class scholars. If Kazakhstan made great investments in education, Kazakhstan would have Nobel Prize winners one day.

***

Jabayev Kim, a Koryoin was appointed as a Korean ambassador and came to the Arirang state to receive the certificate of appointment. It was because external procedures, such as establishing diplomatic ties with foreign countries and dispatching ambassadors, should be approved by the monarch.

Technically, the monarch had the power to appoint ambassadors at the same time as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, but in reality, the monarch's role was to appoint the people whom the Prime Minister, the head of the administration, had recommended, though the monarch could reject the recommendation. Without the monarch's approval, no one could be appointed as ambassadors and sent to other countries. Any practical work of the royal family was done by Youngho instead of the true monarch—Fatima since she did not want to get involved in political matters and business work.

The distance from Astana, the capital, to the Arirang state was about 1,500 kilometers long. Since many officials would have to travel to the state, Youngho offered a 12-seater jet for them. It flew back and forth to the capital twice a week. Since Fatima did not want to stay in Astana, they were suffering to travel such a long distance.

Nazarbayev's palace was now open for public, and a new one was being built in the capital now but it would take years until it would be finished.

"Ambassador. Welcome. I'm sorry that you had to travel this far."

"No. Your Highness, I came with great ease with the royal jet."

"There will be no such inconvenience when the palace is built in Astana."

"I can't believe there's such a beautiful city standing in this barren zone. If the palace wasn't here, who would visit here? This is the first time I've visited the West."

Kazakhstan was a huge country. Having lived on the east side, which was a developed part of the country, Ambassador Kim had never visited the west side of Kazakhstan in his life even though he was nearly 60.

"Have you ever been to Korea?"

"About ten years ago, I visited Korea for a week because the Korean government invited the Koryoin leaders in Central Asia. Korea had a remarkable development. I was very proud that Korea was doing well."

"Didn't you feel sorry that the Korean government has not been active in restoring the nationality of the Koryoin people?"

"I don`t think there will be any more Koryoins who are willing to return to Korea now. Most of them in Kazakhstan are loyal to Kazakhstan and the Kazakh royal family."

It was true that Koryoins' state had changed because of Youngho.

Although racial and ethnic discrimination disappeared with the adoption of constitutional monarchy, Koryoins were treated as a rather special group since Youngho was a Korean.

"When you go to Korea, please promote Kazakhstan to Koreans. Let them know that this is a land of opportunity. We will accept both investment immigration and employment immigration."

"I wonder whether or not Koreans will want to come to Kazakhstan. They live in a far better environment than us."

"Because there are too many people living in a small piece of land, Korea is a place of severe competition. Its unemployment rate among young people is quite high. We should try to persuade them to come here to work."

Young Koreans with high academic background and computer skills would quickly change Kazakhstan's standards.

"I understand, Your Highness. Since you're well-known to Korean people, they'll be interested in Kazakhstan."

"Yes, you can use my name or whatever. Please attract as many young Koreans as possible."

"Would you give Korean companies tax exemption?"

"No, Korean companies will be treated like other foreign companies. However, Korean companies are already at an advantage since they won't have a language barrier because of the Koryoin people here. You know, this is a place where you need to speak Kazakh in order to communicate. English or French won't work."

"I should highlight that. These days, Korean companies in China are struggling all the time, so I'm going to recommend that they move their production facilities to Kazakhstan."

"It will not be easy because labor costs are higher here than in China, but you could still recommend it. Especially, daily necessities factories are more than welcome."

"Do you have any other things to say to the Korean government?"

"Not much. Please tell them that any resources that Korea needs, we'll provide them as a priority."

"The Korean government will thank you for your consideration."

"I believe they're expecting your visit to Korea. When are you planning to visit Korea?"

"I don't know. I have so many domestic schedules now. Just tell him I'll be visiting soon."

While the royal family's visit to Korea would create a great sensation, it was not the time to go on a leisurely. Russia and China were not immediate threats, but southern Central Asia was continuing to get on Youngho's nerves.

***

The Caspian Sea and the Black Sea were not connected from the beginning, but the Soviet Union's opening of the Volga-Don Canal had allowed ships up to 5,000-ton cargo ships to travel the two seas.

While it was a historic event that the isolated sea could be connected to the outside world, the problem was that the canal was controlled by Russia which was always unpredictable.

Since only trusting the canal was not reliable, Youngho was planning a separate logistics system in the Caspian and the Black Sea, assuming that the canal might get closed one day.

So, he was trying hard to buy a beach in Georgia near the Black Sea. Um Sang-taek, who was the manager of the Arirang Hotel in Batumi called Youngho that it was not possible to purchase a beach.

"The treaty that you can't send a warship into the Black Sea unless your country shares the Black Sea's coat is the obstacle. They'd let you have a royal dock, but don't even dream of a sending a warship."

"Hey, if we bought an island and make it a Kazakh territory, that'll solve the problem."

"If that was possible, would the West have stayed still? They would've bought islands a long time ago. There's no way you can bring in warships into the Black Sea unless you buy a Greek island."

"What? Can you buy Greek islands?"

"I need to check if they're suitable to moor warships. I also don't know if the Greek government will agree to it."

"We might not even have to moor warships. We need to escort our freighters that will cross the Mediterranean or the Atlantic anyway. Greek islands have the perfect location for that purpose."

"I'll see if I can buy an island. You should solve the problem of docking warships at the government level."

"I'm sorry for bothering you when you're busy writing your dissertation."

"No, I'm sorry that I can't help you more."

"That's fine. Get that freaking Ph.D. It'd be nice to have a doctor friend."

Um Sang-taek went to university to learn Georgian in the first place. He had been continuing his studies ever since, and now he was working toward his doctoral degree. It would have been difficult to manage his time since he was also the hotel manager.

Anyway, since the Black Sea would not allow warships from foreign countries, Youngho had to give up bringing in warships. It was fortunate that Greece was selling its own islands.

Greece had always been lashing with Turkey over the territorial issue of a small island in the Aegean Sea that was connected to the Mediterranean. Since it was a small sea, there was nothing to do about the territorial waters. It was a pride dispute. It seemed that Kazakhstan could use the dispute between the two countries to get an island.

It was better to say that the royal family was buying an island for a leisurely purpose than to say that the Kazakh government would be buying it.

To do so, he had to find a middleman, and there was a company suitable for the role.

It was the Turkish company, Koç Holding, that was dying to get uranium resource from Kazakhstan.