Chapter 587: I Didn’t Ask for Help

On the way to the Baekje Hotel for the Hanjong meeting, I read the materials Manager Ma had given me.

These documents were related to Han Ji-ho, the party leader, whom I had begun marking a while ago.

I shook the papers and asked,

"Is all of this true?"

Manager Ma turned to answer.

"Yes. Chairman Yeo Seung-jin of Geumsung Group and Chairman Seo Jae-sang of JC Group have been meeting with Representative Han Ji-ho frequently. They've even provided separate funding for his election campaign this time."

It wasn't unusual for chaebols to donate election funds to politicians, but the amount was quite significant.

"We need to conduct a comprehensive check. Compile reports on the overall atmosphere in both the business and political circles, and their movements."

I tossed the stack of documents aside and gazed out the window for a moment.

Focusing solely on the outside world, it seemed the inside was gradually festering away.

"Every time I let my guard down, it turns out like this…"

A moment later, the vehicle I was in stopped in front of the Baekje Hotel.

After getting out of the car, I proceeded directly to the meeting venue.

Manager Ma opened the door to the banquet hall, and I entered with a smile.

"It's been a while, everyone. All the esteemed chairmen are here!"

The twenty chairmen gathered there reacted in different ways.

Some smiled warmly as if they were welcoming me.

Others furrowed their brows, visibly uncomfortable.

And some maintained a blank expression, unreadable as ever.

One by one, I observed their faces, slowly moving forward.

At that moment, one person stood up and approached me.

"Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok! How have you been?"

It was Chairman Guk Dae-ho of Pungsan Group.

"Chairman Guk Dae-ho. It's been a long time. I've heard the Pungsan Group is thriving recently; you've climbed to 16th in the industry rankings. Or was it 17th? Either way, I heard you've entered the top 20!"

"That's right. We recently surpassed the Dongsung Group to reach 15th. Hahaha."

I could see the subtle crumpling of Kang Ho-seok's face at that remark.

After stealing a glance at him, I returned my focus to Guk Dae-ho, chuckling.

"Really? The speed of Pungsan Group's growth is remarkable. It hasn't been long since you entered the top 30, and now you're eyeing the top 10. That's all thanks to your abilities, right, Chairman Guk?"

As if to let everyone hear, I said, prompting Guk Dae-ho to wave his hands dismissively, jokingly.

He too seemed to catch on to my intention, his voice much louder than normal.

"This is all thanks to Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok! Without your help, it would have been tough for us."

Guk Dae-ho had taken over the construction division of Il-sung Materials, which rivaled Jungwoo and Daehyeon in terms of construction capability.

It was only natural that Pungsan Construction, which was stuck around 30th in rankings, grew under those circumstances.

It was like a small fish swallowing a larger one.

There were no competitors, so he wouldn't face the winner's curse, but the acquisition sum was a big deal, equal to the entire Pungsan Group.

Initially, raising the acquisition funds would have been a struggle, but Taesan Financial stepped in to lend the money.

Since then, Guk Dae-ho's aggressive tendency had become prominent.

He feared failure no more; he embraced challenges.

The results were now evident. Yet, this man knew his own limits.

Unlike other chaebols, he didn't try to expand into every corner; instead, he focused on what he excelled at.

I smiled at Guk Dae-ho.

"Let's save our catching up for next time over drinks. Can you excuse me for now?"

"Oh, I was blocking your way, wasn't I? Please call on me anytime!"

Guk Dae-ho stepped aside. I walked past him and continued on.

Manager Ma pulled out a chair from the empty high seat, and I sat down comfortably.

My casual demeanor left the other chairmen speechless.

"Chairman Kang Ho-seok, please take a seat too."

Kang Ho-seok, who had been staring at me blankly, went to his seat.

I smiled as I locked eyes with each of the attendees in the banquet hall.

"I realize my unexpected visit might have startled you. However, I couldn't resist coming here, knowing it would be hard to gather all of you later."

I flashed a wider smile at several chairmen who couldn't hide their discomfort.

"Since you're all busy, let's get straight to the point. I'm here today to seek your cooperation on a matter."

Kang Ho-seok, receiving the gazes of other chairmen, asked on their behalf.

"Cooperation? What are you asking us to cooperate on? Is there something so significant that everyone here should involve themselves?"

"As you all know, a North-South summit will be held soon. The U.S. Secretary of State is also scheduled to visit Korea, and various matters including North Korea's nuclear disarmament and economic opening will be discussed there. We won't know the precise outcomes until then, but North Korea will undoubtedly push forward with its reform and opening policies, regardless of the summit's results."

Aside from the two people who already knew about this, everyone's eyes widened in shock.

While they might have expected some economic cooperation between the North and South after the summit, I doubt they could have imagined that the closed-off North would actually open up its economy.

That's why I could feel them focusing intently on my words.

"The starting points will be the Kaesong Industrial Complex project and the Mt. Kumgang tourism project, led by Daehyeon Group. Keep in mind that these are relatively small projects in the realm of Northern projects."

Several chairmen swallowed audibly. Kang Ho-seok asked again.

"If there's going to be an opening, what scale are we expecting?"

"They will pursue reform and opening policies beyond those of China. Since they are late, they will be seeking radical changes."

"Can we trust the North Korean government? They could easily shift their policies again like last time, couldn't they?"

I nodded at Kang Ho-seok's remarks; his concerns were valid.

However, since Kim Jong-il had been removed from power for being troublesome, the chances were low.

"That's possible. But the new power holder, Jang Seong-taek, is a different person than Kim Jong-il. He prioritizes a practical approach more than anyone else. Though there may be differences in pace, he won't completely abandon this policy."

An uneasy silence fell.

Some people seemed to think hard, even closing their eyes. The one to break the prolonged silence was Chairman Yeo Seung-jin.

"Chairman Kim."

I turned my gaze towards Chairman Yeo Seung-jin, who was calling me.

"Did you come here after receiving instructions from the Blue House?"

"The Blue House?"

"Yes. Isn't the timing a bit suspicious? The Blue House instructed us all to join Chairman Jang Seong-taek's welcome banquet. And then you suddenly arrive here, asking for our cooperation."

"Ah, I understand what you're saying now."

Yoon Chang-ho was also sincere about this meeting.

Given how much stress he'd faced during tensions with North Korea, his gray hair had noticeably increased in just a few months.

So, it seemed he wanted to introduce all the chairmen at the welcome banquet to Jang Seong-taek.

"That's irrelevant to me. The Blue House and I operate separately."

"So, can I assume that means you won't attend that welcome banquet?"

Wow, look at this guy. I raised an eyebrow without realizing it.

He's asking if it's okay to decline a direct order from the Blue House? What is he even relying on to say that?

Even if democracy has taken root and the Blue House's power has waned, it's still a living political power.

While they couldn't completely ruin me like the International Group, they could certainly impede me for the entirety of their regime.

In South Korea, under the influence of Prosecutors' Office, National Tax Service, and Fair Trade Commission, no chaebol present here can be free from the heavy grip of the system.

I purposely asked him in a bewildered tone.

"Chairman Yeo Seung-jin, why do you bring that up with me? That's your choice to make. I came here to discuss Northern projects with everyone present. The choices associated with your attendance will reflect the consequences you receive, so you'll have to bear them. Please don't use me as an excuse to make a quick getaway."

What was this old fox thinking?

He was trying to take the lead during the Il-sung Group dissolution process.

I set aside my thoughts for now and continued speaking.

"It doesn't concern me whether the chairmen here attend the welcome banquet or not. Please decide between yourselves…"

I trailed off as I surveyed the surroundings. Everyone was fixated on my words.

"What I seek from all of you isn't much. I need you to fill the medium-sized enterprises that will move into the Kaesong Industrial Complex. Most of your cooperation partners among the large corporations here are small and medium-sized enterprises, aren't they? How about it? Can you cooperate with me?"

All the chairmen had puzzled expressions. Kang Ho-seok spoke up.

"Did you ask us to find companies to move into the Kaesong Industrial Complex? Why would you, Chairman Kim, take on such a task instead of Chairman Song?"

Everyone's gaze shifted to Song Chan-woo. Receiving their attention, he opened his mouth.

"While Daehyeon Group is building the Kaesong Industrial Complex, it's quite a task to find all the companies moving in. The help from all chairmen will likely be necessary for that to happen."

"No, no. Chairman Song. Are you not getting my point? Why would it be Chairman Kim and not you taking charge of this?"

"Chairman Kim is taking the lead in the Northern projects. Our contract seems to be on the verge of being voided."

"What? Is that true? Chairman Wang has put in so much effort for the North Korea business… Are you saying it's all going to waste?"

Chairman Yeo Seung-jin's tone grew sharp.

The atmosphere turned tense among the other chairmen as well. I really need to get rid of this old man soon.

Yeo Seung-jin turned his gaze toward me with a voice laced with anger.

"Chairman Kim. What the hell is going on? Please explain clearly. What has happened here?"

I clasped my hands and rested my elbows on the table.

Leaning slightly forward, I fixed my gaze on Yeo Seung-jin.

"Chairman Yeo Seung-jin, is that really what's important right now?"

"Then what is important? Daehyeon Group signed a contract with the North Korean government. Yet, how can we cooperate with someone who can just overturn it given a change in power? And then expects us to help?"

I simply smirked.

"I didn't ask for help."

"Did you not request for our subcontractors to move into the Kaesong Industrial Complex? Isn't that asking for help in itself?"

"I clearly stated I was seeking cooperation. My purpose for being here is to negotiate with the groups present. Those who cooperate with me will earn the right to participate in forthcoming Northern projects."

"What did you say?"

Yeo Seung-jin narrowed his eyes at the mention of the right to participate in Northern projects.

"Does that mean Chairman Kim has gained the exclusive rights to all Northern projects?"

"If not, why would I be addressing the chairmen here and discussing such matters? Every Northern project will need to go through me in the future."

"…"

Yeo Seung-jin fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.

Things weren't going as he expected, were they? I smiled softly at his sulky face.

"Chairman Yeo Seung-jin, do you have any more questions? If you wish to withdraw from this, you're welcome to stand up. Just know that this operation won't stop because of your absence."

"Cough."

Despite my gentle tone, Yeo Seung-jin coughed nervously.

As he scanned the room, he locked eyes with Chairman Seo Jae-sang. Seo spoke up.

"Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok, what do you mean by 'the right'?"

I straightened my posture and leaned back in the chair.

With one leg crossed, I began to lightly bounce my foot while keeping my mouth shut.

Just as Seo Jae-sang seemed eager to say something, I opened my mouth again.

"It means exactly what it sounds like. I will arrange for factories to be built in North Korea for you. I expect many of you present here are either constructing or planning to build factories in China. There are various reasons, but the most significant is that labor costs are significantly lower than in Korea."

"That is indeed the case."

"The newly appointed Vice Chairman Jang Seong-taek aims to implement the Chinese model in North Korea. He'll designate various cities as special economic zones and attract foreign capital. I have already leased the development and operational rights for Nampo City, the location closest to Pyongyang and with a port nearby. I will grant you the opportunity to establish a factory there."

Of course, no one would be oblivious to the value of gaining access to the Nampo Industrial Complex.