Chapter 209: You Are Fully Qualified

Chairman Seo Yong-geon leaned back against the sofa, eyes closed, lost in deep thought.

The only sound in the quiet Il-seong Group's conference room was the soft sound of Seo Yong-geon's troubled breathing.

After a long moment, he opened his eyes and pressed the call button beside him. Lee Seok-min entered the room.

"Did you call, Chairman?"

"Get in touch with the Blue House and set up a meeting with Kim Hak-gwon. We can't just sit around waiting anymore."

"Understood."

The proposal for a ceasefire negotiation suggested at Cheon Tae-san had fallen through.

But they couldn't just sit back and wait for Kim Mu-hyeok to make the first mve either.

"By the way, have we tracked down Cheon Su-man's whereabouts?"

"It seems even the National Intelligence Service has no leads. We haven't had any luck either."

Seo Yong-geon, staring at Lee Seok-min with a displeased expression, shook his head.

"Is Kim Mu-hyeok's ability surpassin the National Intelligence Service, or is the Intelligence Service simply underperforming?"

"...…"

"Forget it. By now, he has probably died a hundred times over. Recalling what Kim Mu-hyeok said at the funeral it seems Cheon Su-man has a hard time surviving. Let's stop looking for him."

Seemingly unnerved, Seo Yong-geon waved his hand as if to signal Lee Seok-min to sit.

Once Lee Seok-min settled in, Seo Yong-geon spoke again.

"What about Ji-soo and Ji-won's movements?"

"Young Master Ji-won…"

Lee Seok-min trailed off, glancing nervously around.

"Tch. My father might be dead or alive, and yet he's still indulging in pleasures? Is that how a person should behave?"

Seo Yong-geon clicked his tongue, noticing Lee Seok-min's hesitant reaction.

He couldn't help but feel frustrated at the lack of capable individuals around him.

"And Ji-soo?"

"Miss Ji-soo has been focused solely on the hotel business since the funeral. She doesn't show any significant movements."

Seo Yong-geon let out a quiet admiring sound, stroking his chin.

"It's a pity about Ji-soo. Even if she has ambition, she doesn't know her place, yet she has potential… Ah, such misguided dreams she harbors."

Seo Yong-geon always felt a twinge of regret about Cheon Ji-soo's abilities.

If she had been a Seo instead of a Cheon, or if she had been male instead of female, she would have been his successor instead of Seo Jae-hoon.

You could see that just in the fact that she turned a hotel business, which was little more than a liability for the group, into a profitable venture within a year.

Shaking off thoughts of Cheon Ji-soo, Seo Yong-geon spoke again.

"Jae-hoon is conducting negotiations in Japan, right? What's your take on it?"

"No matter how close you are with Japanese companies, Chairman, if the Japanese government opposes it, there's not much we can do. They're also wary of dealing with Korean firms."

Seo Yong-geon rubbed his forehead and shook his head.

Having foreseen the future with their semiconductor business, Japanese companies were a must-have for him.

"Sigh… So there's been no response from the Japanese cabinet?"

"No."

"And you mentioned Taiwan was actively engaging with the Japanese cabinet?"

Taiwan viewed the semiconductor industry as a vital part of its future and was committed to supporting it at the governmental level.

Thanks to this, Taiwan's semiconductor industry rapidly grew and was now catching up to Il-seong's level.

If Taiwan were to acquire Japanese semiconductor companies and combine their technology, Il-seong Electronics could no longer guarantee its advantage.

"Yes, that's what I understand. A senior official from the Taiwan administration has already traveled to Japan to assist with negotiations."

"Has Jae-hoon reported anything?"

"I received word that negotiations with Nihon Denki are progressing smoothly. It seems your long friendship with the chairman of Nihon Denki played a part in this."

Seo Yong-geon nodded silently, deep in thought.

Lee Seok-min cautiously continued.

"If we can persuade the Japanese cabinet, we should have an edge over Taiwan."

"Jae-hoon has to show what he's capable of. Ensure the Future Strategy Department provides all the support necessary."

"Yes, Chairman."

Not a single piece of news from the report pleased Seo Yong-geon. He spoke in a voice tinged with irritation.

"What is our government even doing? I need to meet with Kim Hak-gwon and ask for help on this matter as well. Go out now. Contact the Blue House and set up an appointment, then get back to me. We've spent a lot of money, it's time we got some receipts for it."

After standing up, Lee Seok-min deeply bowed his head.

"Understood. I will arrange the meeting quickly."

Once Lee Seok-min left, Seo Yong-geon was left alone in the conference room, recalling the humiliation he suffered at the funeral.

— Il-seong? We don't need that. We will bring down everything, uproot it all, and erase the name Il-seong from the Republic of Korea.

Every time he remembered that incident, anger boiled up within him. Seo Yong-geon gritted his teeth hard enough to make a sound.

"How dare they disrespect Il-seong, and me, Seo Yong-geon?"

His cold murmurs echoed in the empty conference room.

* * *

"Then I trust Chairman Kim."

"Yes, Boss."

As I received Kim Byung-woo's greeting, I got into the car. The car carrying me began to move slowly.

I muttered as I caught sight of Kim Byung-woo bowing his head outside the window.

"Chairman Kim is fine, but he coddles his staff too much. Guess it's because he himself rose from the ranks."

As we exited the restaurant parking lot and entered the main road, Ha Myung-hoon turned his head back and asked.

"You don't seem to like Chairman Kim?"

I was gazing out the window and turned to look at him as I replied.

It's hard to make use of good people. It's easier to take advantage of those with ambition and greed.

"It's not that I dislike him. Just looking at how he managed to stabilize Jungwoo Group after the chaos during the financial crisis and the company sale, he clearly has ability."

"Chairman Kim is certainly capable. He climbed from a regular employee to vice president on his own. That's why Chairman Park kept him close."

Han Gyeong-yeong had said the same to Ha Myung-hoon. That's why he entrusted Jungwoo Group to Kim Byung-woo.

In reality, Kim Byung-woo was putting all his effort into running the company without any major issues.

It almost felt like Ha Myung-hoon was defending Kim Byung-woo.

"Well, let's see how it goes. If I don't like it, I can just think about it then."

When Ha Myung-hoon heard my response, he smiled faintly.

"That's the way to go."

We soon arrived at the Myeong-dong office.

Before entering the office, I called out to Ha Myung-hoon, who was waiting by the door.

"Manager, come inside."

I dismissed the others and entered the office with him, closing the door behind us.

"Manager, you have a good relationship with the domestic banks, right?"

"Yes. Ever since I started assisting you, we have often dealt with large sums of cash, so I generally have good relations with most banks."

"Then, after you take on the chairmanship at Taesan Financial next week, meet with the bank presidents."

Though I didn't give a detailed explanation, Ha Myung-hoon seemed to understand, as he smiled and responded.

"If you're thinking of tightening the funding for Il-seong, I'll definitely make it happen."

The chaebols, including Il-seong, had relied on public funds from banks and the government due to the financial crisis.

"Sounds good. Looking at the recently disclosed financial statements, Il-seong is maintaining a significantly high debt ratio. Tell them to refuse any requests for loan extensions."

"Yes, understood."

There was no need for detailed instructions with Ha Myung-hoon. It was much better to let him handle things on his own.

However, I could help facilitate the process.

I went to the safe and pulled out two bankbooks. Handling the one with Ha Myung-hoon's name written in my grandfather's handwriting, I returned to my seat.

I first handed one of the bankbooks to him.

"This is what my grandfather left for you."

Ha Myung-hoon's eyes widened at the mention of my grandfather.

"Open it and take a look."

Ha Myung-hoon picked up the bankbook but didn't open it. He held it tightly and chewed on his lip.

"Boss, could you explain this to me?"

"It was a request from my grandfather."

"...…"

"He mentioned that the password is the day he met Manager Ha for the first time. He stated that it should remain in your possession until after he passes away."

With a gentle smile on my face, I gestured for him to open it.

Only then did Ha Myung-hoon check the contents of the bankbook, his face transitioning into a hard expression.

"You can think of it as a severance pay, or you can see it as an inheritance left by my grandfather."

The bankbook from my grandfather showed an amount of ten billion won.

"This is far too much. I can't accept this."

Seeing the amount, Ha Myung-hoon quickly returned the bankbook to me.

"Surely it's alright for you to be a little greedy. My grandfather must have anticipated you'd refuse."

I shook my head, meeting his gaze.

"This is an inheritance left by my grandfather. You worked for him for decades. You are fully qualified to accept it."

"...…"

"So go ahead and keep it."

Unable to refuse any longer under my resolute gaze, Ha Myung-hoon tucked the bankbook away.

"And this is for when you deal with the bank presidents. Give it to them on the condition they block loans. They are people who prioritize their own interests over the bank's profits. They're just employees after all, right?"

As I handed him the other bankbook, I added.

"Understood."

"I'll handle the foreign banks. Just take care of the domestic banks, please. We can't do anything about Il-seong's current debts, but we must stop any additional loans from going through."

Just then, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Manager Ma.

— Boss, this is Ma Seok-dae.

"Manager Ma. What's the situation with China?"

— Old man Jang Dae-ho has reunited with his family.

It seemed Jang Dae-ho had successfully met his family. If there were delays, he would surely have been upset.

"That's a relief. What about Jang Seong-taek?"

— I just met him. He asked if the boss wouldn't be coming because you had something important in Seoul. He also asked to relay that he has something to tell you, requesting a phone connection.

What could Jang Seong-taek possibly want to say to me? I had no time to ponder this.

"Just connect me now."

— I'll put you through now.

I heard the sound of a door opening on the other end, and soon Jang Seong-taek's voice came through.

— This is Jang Seong-taek. Is this Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok?

"Yes, Deputy Chief Jang Seong-taek."

— I thought I'd see you in China. But actually, the chairman wanted me to let you know that if you wish to contact him, you should visit the Republic Embassy.

"The Chairman? Understood."

Kim Jong-il had certainly given me the direct satellite phone number by now.

But suddenly directing me to communicate with the embassy?

A question surged to the forefront of my mind, but I kept my calm and responded.

— I had to tell you this directly to Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok, so I got Deputy Chef Ma Seok-dae to relay it.

"Well done. Deputy Chief, how long do you plan to stay in China?"

— I'll be returning tomorrow. I'll probably visit Seoul this autumn. I heard they will arrange a detailed schedule while discussing matters with the South side.

Jang Seong-taek's visit to Seoul seemed to be happening sooner than I expected.

"Understood. We can meet then in Seoul. Since you had good wine in Pyongyang, I'll treat you to good wine in Seoul. Now, could you hand the phone to Manager Ma?"

— Ha ha, I'll look forward to it.

I could hear a door opening, suggesting Manager Ma had taken the phone.

— Boss, here you go.

"There's nobody around, right? Where's Jang Seong-taek?"

— He's at the hotel where he's staying.

I wondered if my conversations were being monitored. Manager Ma seemed to be wary, as he offered no further reports.

"Once you part ways with Jang Seong-taek, reconnect with me."

— Understood, Boss.

After I finished my call with Manager Ma, I set my phone down, staring at the darkened screen, lost in thought.

'I can't figure out this person named Jang Seong-taek.'

Ha Myung-hoon, who was sitting across from me, spoke up. Since Manager Ma had not yet called, a hint of worry crept into his expression.

"Was it Manager Ma?"

"Yes, he said he would contact me later."

"Understood. I'll go wait outside then."

I called out to Ha Myung-hoon as he stood to leave. As I had no one to consult, I wanted to obtain clues by speaking with him like this.

"...Manager. If I may, let's say, if your grandfather had given you any instructions. But then, a few days later, Manager Ma came to you to relay something completely different from those instructions. What would you do?"

Ha Myung-hoon, who had risen to his feet, sat back down. After a moment's thought, he slowly shook his head.

"If it were the chairman, he wouldn't give contradictory instructions. But if Manager Ma did relay something like that, I would suspect him."

"Understood. Please, go ahead."

Once Ha Myung-hoon left, I was left alone in the office to sort through my thoughts.

'Is he trying to figure out what kind of deal I struck with Kim Jong-il? What does he want?'

The sound of my fingers tapping on the desk echoed through the silent office.

Time passed, and soon the sun began to set outside the office window.

The next day, Yoo Sung-jin arrived at the Myeong-dong office.

"I wrapped up the tasks you assigned perfectly."

Yoo Sung-jin placed a small ice box on the table.