Chapter 148: Can You Save My Face?

Their conversation was a back-and-forth dance along parallel lines, each side speaking only of their own position.

"Well said. So, Chairman Kim, when do you plan to hand it over?"

"With those kinds of accusations, do you think pressuring me will help? You need to understand our internal circumstances too," he countered.

"The situation at Hyunhwa is of no concern to me. Accusations? The value of a company is determined not by you, but by me. Isn't the value of a listed company dictated by the market price of its stocks?"

"But…"

"You even offered to swap it for Hyunhwa's stocks. Do I have any reason to yield further?"

"Still, it feels undervalued. There's internal dissatisfaction brewing."

"That's your problem to handle. You need to make a decision on selling the company as soon as possible. If you already control the board, what complaints could possibly arise within? Is it a matter of capability?"

He let out a heavy sigh. "I understand for now, at least."

Kim Seong-hyeok finally stepped back with a long exhale, conceding.

"It's fine, I'd rather take Il-sung stocks from Chairmaan Kim, anyway."

"Didn't you say it wasn't relevant to you?"

"That was your interpretation. I supported you because of Chairman Kim's promise, not just because of you."

Their conversation ended as Wen Jiabao approached me.

"Ah, it's Chairman Seo Yong-geon from Il-seong Group and Chairman Kim Seeong-hyeok from Hyunhwa Group, right?"

It seemed the secretary beside him was giving hints.

"Good day, Deputy Prime Minister."

Chairman Seo Yong-geon was the first to respond with a smile.

"I hope you'll consider making many investments in China."

"I plan to build a factory in China, too."

"That's delightful news."

"I intend to send a team to China soon, so I hope to receive plenty of support from the government."

"Of course. We're always welcoming to Il-sung. Thank you, Chairmaan Seo."

Wen Jiabao's expression brightened at the thought of the factory plans.

Kim Seong-hyeok from Hyunhwa Group was left standing like a dummy, offering nothing more than a smile.

Wen Jiabao smiled and pointed at me.

"I'll borrow Chairman Kim for a moment. We have a few things to discuss. Is that alright?"

"Sure, of course."

I stepped into a side room of the banquet hall with Wen Jiabao.

As soon as he sat down, he asked his question.

"Time is short. This wasn't a planned meeting."

"I understand. If I do my best with investments in China, does that mean I'll become your brother? That's what I came to ask about."

"Brother?"

"I may not know much about Chinese culture, but I've heard that guanxi is very important."

Wen Jiabao nodded.

"It's a vital part of Chinese culture."

"As you know, one of my people grew up in Hong Kong. They said this was a great opportunity to build connections."

"Hmm…"

Wen Jiabao was pondering.

"It means I'm not just trusting China as a nation, but that I'm placing my faith in you, Deputy Prime Minister."

China is massive and composed of various ethnicities. Because of the diverse population, trust is often sparse.

That may be why guanxi has developed—creating a reliable personal network takes precedence over laws and regulations.

"Can I trust you, Chairman Kim?"

"Did you not hear? I never betray those I accept. Otherwise, I wouldn't have acted so recklessly in Hong Kong."

"Trust isn't built in an instant."

"I know it can't be done overnight. But if you need me, time shouldn't be an obstacle. Isn't that right?"

Wen Jiabao nodded.

"Can you help save my face?"

"Just tell me what you want."

"Please send James Han to China."

"What about Han Gyeong-yeong?"

"He should show off our friendship, make friendly remarks about China, and engage in direct investments."

"Understood. I'll make it happen."

"Thank you. I aim to be someone who can aid you, too."

For now, I decided to be satisfied with this agreement.

If I help him with plenty of time to spare, he would have no choice but to oblige me.

Although assisting Wen Jiabao will cost me a lot, I was confident I could make more money in China.

"Then I'll take my leave. I look forward to seeing you in China next time."

"Sure, Chairman Kim."

I shook hands with Wen Jiabao casually, a smile on my face.

If he intended to use me, I could use him right back.

I headed straight for Han Gyeong-yeong's office.

"Huh? Mu-hyeok? What are you doing here without notice?"

"Haven't you left work?"

"Hey, you have me working and then ask if I've left? Who are you trying to annoy?"

"Oh…"

I'd forgotten to ask about the investment status on Wall Street.

"But what's going on? I expect you to come in and get a grasp of things, then send me an email."

"Hyung, we're heading to China."

"Huh? China?"

When I explained Wen Jiabao's request, Han Gyeong-yeong sighed heavily.

"Ah, back to being a figurehead, huh?"

It looked just like the scene when I first came to Korea.

"What can we do?"

"Fine. When do we go in?"

"First, meet with Kim Byung-woo. Jungwoo Group needs to expand into China. Coordinate the time and place for our meeting this weekend and let me know."

"Okay."

"Chinese people think of Americans and Koreans as a different breed. Never trust anyone. The friendlier they act, the more they could be a scam artist."

"Right. Right."

"Thanks as always. You've had a rough time because of me."

"Forget it. I'm living pretty well because of you."

Thinking of the time Han Gyeong-yeong was chased by loan sharks made me chuckle. Seeing him now, it's hard to imagine how things were then.

Han Gyeong-yeong smiled, as though recalling the same thoughts.

"This is crazy. Seriously."

"Right there with you."

After a while of laughter, I said to Han Gyeong-yeong.

"You take care. When that email comes in, sort it out for me, and you should head in now. Send it tomorrow morning."

"Think so? Another drink tonight?"

"No, I'll pass. I'll drink properly on the day I meet Vice President Kim Byung-woo."

"Did you make a promise?"

This guy really loves his liquor.

I shook my head and turned away.

* * *

Wen Jiabao left Korea after receiving satisfactory answers from the conglomerates and headed to Japan.

I arrived at the bar that Han Gyeong-yeong had mentioned, intending to meet Kim Byung-woo, who would take responsibility for Jungwoo Group.

"Hello."

As I entered and greeted, Han Gyeong-yeong and Kim Byung-woo, who had arrived first, turned to look.

"Oh, you made it?"

"Nice to meet you for the first time."

As I smoothly took my seat at the main position, Kim Byung-woo looked surprised.

"This is Vice President Kim Byung-woo."

"Hello."

"Make sure to greet properly."

"Huh?"

Han Gyeong-yeong casually pointed me out.

"This is Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok, the owner of Jungwo. More precisely, he's the true owner of Dream High Investment."

Realizing my status, Kim Byung-woo turned to me with wide eyes, surprised.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm Kim Byung-woo."

He stumbled to his feet, bowing his head.

"Please take a seat."

"Thank you."

"This is our first meet. Chairman Han has praised you to the point I thought my ears would bleed."

"How much has he said?"

Han Gyeong-yeong grumbled under his breath, but I ignored him.

"Were you caught off guard? Suddenly meeting someone who claims to be the owner of Jungwoo when you were in the loan shark business in Myeong-dong."

"Not at all."

Kim Byung-woo, despite being from the family of executives, had risen through the ranks as a salaryman.

He probably doesn't know much about me.

"I've done a fair bit of research on Vice President Kim Byung-woo. Whether I can trust you with Jungwoo Group is what I've been wondering."

He gently lifted the liquor bottle in front of him to pour more.

"Honestly, you aren't totally free from the responsibility of the Jungwoo crisis. I understand, since you're just doing what your employer tells you. It's the fate of a salaryman. I also know you did what you could to salvage the crumbling Jungwoo. That's why I'm considering giving you a chance. Can I trust you?"

Kim Byung-woo leapt to his feet, bowing deeply again.

"I will do my best."

"I'll handle the framework. How you steer the ship is for you to decide. Granting you that authority also comes with responsibilities. That responsibility won't end with merely stepping down from your position. Can you handle that?"

"What do you mean…?"

I added slowly, watching Kim Byung-woo's confusion.

"If the day comes when you need to take responsibility, it won't merely mean resigning from your position."

"…"

"What kind of responsibility? I'll leave that to your imagination."

With a baffled expression, Kim Byung-woo turned to Han Gyeong-yeong.

Yet Han Gyeong-yeong just shrugged, nonchalantly sipping his drink.

"Feeling unsure?"

Finally, Kim Byung-woo faced me again and replied.

"No, I'm confident."

"Then there should be no problems. If there are no responsibilities, there won't be any issues."

"…"

"Vice President?"

"Yes."

"Don't worry. If you do well, there will be great rewards in store for you."

He swallowed hard and nodded.

"Understood. I will do my best."

"Glad to hear it. In truth, once you're here, you've really got no other options."

Kim Byung-woo drank from his glass, his face tight with tension.

He smiled brightly.

"I look forward to working with you."

At that moment, I raised my glass.

"Hyung, I'll make you Chairman right away. Step back from Jungwoo now."

"Now that's music to my ears."

"It'll be all smiles for you. But it's clear you'll have to work even harder than before."

"Do you have to say that?"

"It just means I trust you."

Leaving Han Gyeong-yeong mumbling behind, I turned to Kim Byung-woo.

"Up until now, Jungwoo Group hasn't truly been managing global affairs. You've thrown money into Eastern Europe without gaining any substantial benefit, right? You've managed to gather some infrastructure and personnel, but turning that into profits will take a long time."

"If you allow a bit more time, we can definitely land success."

"You've already handed over the automotive factory in Eastern Europe to Il-sung, and you've retreatted from the home appliance sector, so let go of any lingering attachments to Eastern Europe."

"But…"

"I know how much effort and care you've put into Eastern Europe while working at Jungwoo. But that ship has already sailed. Forget it."

Seeing Kim Byung-woo take that to heart, he nodded without pressing his point further.

"Il-sung is number one in seemiconductors globally, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Although we took on the semiconductor business from Daehyeon and Geumsung, we're still significantly behind in terms of technology."

"From now on, think of it as a must to catch up to Il-sung within three years.."

His eyes opened wide in astonishment.

He looked as though he couldn't believe that such a feat was possible.

"It's feasible. Spend as much money as you need. If you need funds, you can talk to Han Gyeong-yeong anytime."

"Catching up in semiconductor technology isn't an easy task."

"Bring in talent aggressively. If necessary, recruit from Il-sung as well as NEC, Hittachi, Micron—anywhere."

"But…"

"And Jungwoo Electronics will focus solely on DDR DRAM. Forget about the Rambus RAM that came over from Geumsung."

"Huh? Isn't Rambus RAM superior?"

The competition between DDR and Rambus RAM defied all expectations, resulting in a victory for DDR.

Only Il-sung and Daehyeon remainned with DDR, while the rest of the semiconductor companies poured all their resources into Rambus.

Ultimately, this would lead to Il-sung Electronics dominatting the DRAM market.

"No, it's DDR. Catch up to Il-sung's technology withinn three years, no exceptions."