#171 Do you need my help? While the general National Assembly election was getting underway in Korea, Putin’s presidential inauguration was being held in Russia. President Yeltsin’s early resignation had moved up the presidential election scheduled for June.
Having imprinted a strong, resolute image on the people during the Second Chechen War, Putin won the presidency outright with more than half the vote, without the need for a runoff. On the surface, it looked as though Putin had achieved an easy victory, but beneath the surface, a fierce struggle had been raging among the oligarchs.
Berezovsky’s candidate Putin and Gusinsky’s choice Zyuganov had clashed in the election, and the outcome was Zyuganov’s defeat. Yet Gusinsky paid no heed and continued to broadcast criticism of Putin through his own television station.
“It’s been a long time, Boss Kim.”
When I arrived at Moscow airport to attend Putin’s inauguration, Medvedev came to greet me.
“Professor, it’s been a while. You came out personally?”
“Haha, it’s been ages since I stopped being a professor.”
Looking a little embarrassed, Medvedev laughed and waved his hands in denial.
“Ah, I did hear that you resigned your professorship to become chairman of the election strategy committee.”
“That’s in the past. Now that Putin has been elected, I should return to life as a private citizen.”