Summary

Hoe Yunmo, a journalist, is sitting in his office thinking about the red brick Party municipal building in town. He is writing an article about bean paste production returning to normal after a period of scarcity, as requested by the Party. The article is not entirely true, but an exaggeration. Yunmo is visited by his friend, Dr. Song. Song asks if Yunmo can do anything to help his uncle, who has just been arrested for dereliction of duty.

The story flashes back to three years ago, when Yunmo first met Song's uncle, Ko Inshik. Inshik was fired from his job as an engineer because his brother-in-law defected to South Korea, and he was tainted by association. Inshik's wife died, and he vowed to improve the family situation for his children. The government...