Chapter 133: Foundations of the U.S. Advancement (3) |
After a moment, the elevator door opened, and General Hong, Choi Seo-jun, and President Yu Hyeon-seok entered the restaurant.
The three were in light attire as if they had made a promise.
General Hong, who discovered me first, admired and clicked his tongue.
“No, Representative, you have already finished your meal. When on earth did you wake up?”
I replied calmly without taking my eyes off the tablet.
“Is today's schedule not tight, we must hurry.”
At those words, Choi Seo-jun sat on a chair with a tired face.
Dark circles settled under his eyes.
His movements were also sluggish overall.
General Hong laughed and said a word.
“It seems Director Choi found the raw fish and spicy fish stew very agreeable yesterday.”
“…….”
The gentleman, who would normally have already said something, moved only his spoon silently.
I put down the coffee cup and checked the time.
“Director Choi, if you do not eat quickly, we will be late for the meeting schedule.”
At those words, Choi Seo-jun checked the time and then seemed to have come to his senses late.
He finished the meal in a hurry.
I stood up first and returned to the room with a relaxed step.
I packed my luggage and finished organizing, and as I stepped out of the guest room door, General Hong was already waiting.
“Are you already coming out?”
“Let us depart immediately.”
The two of us came out in front of the hotel main entrance together.
A vehicle was waiting, and after a moment, Choi Seo-jun ran out in a flurry.
He got into the car and roughly fixed his crooked tie.
Since President Yu Hyeon-seok was in a situation where he had to move in a separate vehicle, we only exchanged simple greetings and he departed first.
Soon, the vehicle carrying the three people moved smoothly over the road.
Outside the window, the sea was slowly regaining its light and sparkling.
Today was the day when the full-scale move for the U.S. advancement began.
Only about ten minutes had passed since the car we were in left the hotel, but the scenery outside the window quickly changed into a lively industrial area.
Geoje in the early morning was thinly covered with fog.
A salty wind blowing from the sea seeped through the window.
On the roadside, shipyard workers were gathering in groups of three and five, hurrying on their way to work, and trucks and material transport vehicles were busily coming and going, announcing the start of the day.
Choi Seo-jun glanced at the navigation and said.
“We will arrive soon.”
I turned my head toward the window.
Directly ahead, the panoramic view of the Yeongnam Marine Industry shipyard located on the site bordering the sea slowly came into view.
The scale was small compared to large shipyards, but to that extent, the efficiency without unnecessary things and the organized atmosphere were noticeable.
Small LNG carriers and support ships were under construction everywhere on the widely spread site, and welding sparks were flashing around the docks, cutting through the morning air.
The characteristic site noise where mechanical sounds and metallic sounds harmonized strangely gave vitality to a person.
Before long, as the car stopped in front of the main entrance, several employees were already out at the entrance.
At the very front of them, a middle-aged man dressed in a neat suit was standing.
It was President Lee Seok-bae of Yeongnam Marine Industry.
As I opened the car door and got out, President Lee Seok-bae approached with large strides and a bright face.
“Representative, you suffered a lot to come a long way.”
“To even come out to greet us like this. I do not know what to do with myself. Thank you for readily responding even though it is an early hour.”
“No. This much is natural for welcoming the Representative’s party.”
Lee Seok-bae gave a strong feeling of looking solid even with just the first impression.
After he also shared greetings with General Hong and Choi Seo-jun, he also faced President Yu Hyeon-seok, who had moved in the other vehicle.
President Lee Seok-bae started the guidance while wearing a bright expression.
“I will show you straight to the meeting room.”
My party followed behind President Lee Seok-bae.
Behind them, the employees of Yeongnam Marine Industry moved quickly.
I turned my head for a moment and looked at the panoramic view of the shipyard.
The workshop bordering the sea under the clear sky was busy, but the appearance of the ships being placed on the docks gave a majestic impression.
A smile hung on the corners of my mouth.
It was not bad for a first impression.
They entered the meeting room prepared on the 2nd floor of the Yeongnam Marine Industry main building.
It was not wide, but a long table occupied the center.
On the wall, large photos related to Yeongnam Marine Industry’s major projects and ships were hanging.
Beyond the large window, the shipyard’s pier and the sea could be looked down upon at a glance.
The morning sunlight seeped softly into the meeting room.
President Lee Seok-bae invited me to a seat with a bright voice.
“You may sit here.”
As my party took their seats, the employees brought warm tea.
Perhaps because this atmosphere was a first, it was somewhat formal.
General Hong broke the atmosphere first by throwing a joke with his good sociability.
“I feel good smelling the sea scent from the morning. I like it because it feels like this kind of site is alive.”
President Lee Seok-bae laughed heartily.
“Advisor Hong, you know a thing or two. Our employees also occasionally talk about that. Saying they feel like they have come to work only after smelling this scent.”
It was exactly when a short laugh spread in the meeting room.
The meeting room door opened and two people entered hurriedly.
They were wearing suits, but perhaps because they hurried, they were slightly disheveled.
They were President Kim Byeong-kwon and Manager Han Dae-gyu of Sammyeong Heavy Industries.
President Kim Byeong-kwon wiped the sweat on his forehead and hurriedly bowed his head.
“I am truly sorry. I am late, Representative.”
“It is fine. You suffered a lot to come.”
President Lee Seok-bae personally invited them to seats.
After the three shared short greetings, they sat in each other’s seats.
Now everyone was gathered.
President Lee Seok-bae of Yeongnam Marine Industry, President Kim Byeong-kwon and Manager Han Dae-gyu of Sammyeong Heavy Industries, HJ Partners Lim Hyunjun, Choi Seo-jun, and General Hong.
And even President Yu Hyeon-seok of HJ Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering.
This was the first time the two shipyards and the investment entities gathered in one place.
A short silence flowed for a moment, and I slowly took out the tablet and put it on the table.
My expression had changed to a completely focused appearance.
I leaned my body forward slightly and opened my mouth.
“Good. Now let us begin the meeting in earnest.”
My calm yet powerful voice echoed clearly inside the meeting room.
Everyone’s gaze was naturally focused on me.
“The core of today's meeting is simple.”
I continued speaking while looking at everyone.
“Efficiently combining the technical power of Yeongnam Marine Industry and Sammyeong Heavy Industries to secure clear competitiveness from the beginning of our entry into the U.S. market. And to establish a specific execution plan that can make this possible.”
The formal atmosphere had already disappeared and everyone was focusing on my words.
While looking at the materials prepared and handed over in advance, I continued the explanation calmly.
The materials I prepared rose on the large screen placed in the meeting room.
“First, I will briefly speak about the market we must target in the early stages of U.S. advancement.”
I pointed to the map displayed on the screen.
“The first is the market for small LNG carriers and support ships. The U.S. is currently seeing a rapid increase in coastal LNG transport demand along with the expansion of energy exports. However, there are not as many companies as one might think that can efficiently build small vessels.”
The gazes of the attendees gradually became serious.
I continued speaking while pointing to the screen.
“We plan to preoccupy the market from the early stages by combining Yeongnam Marine Industry’s maneuverability and small vessel construction capacity with Sammyeong Heavy Industries’ precision assembly technology. That way, rapid vessel supply is possible before competitors can follow, and trust can be secured through technical power.”
President Lee Seok-bae nodded and said.
“Certainly, we have confidence in the production speed of small vessels compared to other shipyards. However, the U.S. market has strict certifications and standards, so facility and personnel adjustments to meet those will be necessary.”
I nodded as if I had been waiting.
“That is correct. So today, I first wanted to hear your opinions on to what extent practical cooperation is possible. For instance, to what extent can you handle ship design adjustments, responding to certification procedures, and shortening the schedule.”
Lee Seok-bae thought for a moment and then answered honestly.
“I think it is possible to some extent if we make internal adjustments for certain parts. Some facilities are already upgraded to meet international standards. If we deploy personnel flexibly, the initial volume will be fully manageable. But the certification procedure is a different matter. Communication with the U.S. side partner requires external support.”
I nodded and said.
“You do not have to worry about that part.”
I turned the screen and looked at President Kim Byeong-kwon.
“President Kim, Sammyeong Heavy Industries’ strength lies in precision assembly and special environment response technology. I would like to hear your opinion on to what extent collaboration is possible in the U.S. market advancement case.”
President Kim Byeong-kwon leaned his body forward slightly.
“We have also already reviewed entering the American market several times. If this opportunity becomes a reality, we will be able to adjust some of the assembly processes to match Yeongnam's schedule. In particular, the cryogenic LNG tank technology we possess is also suitable for the U.S. coastal environment. If the schedule is matched well, enough synergy will occur.”
I wore a smile after hearing the answers of the two people.
I said calmly while leaving my gaze on the table for a moment.
“Actually, there is a reason why I prepared this spot today. Rather than meeting you two separately, I hoped you would directly share each other’s strengths and limitations in the same place. I wanted to gauge how much you can supplement each other and how quickly you can synchronize under the common goal of the U.S. market.”
My thoughts reached them completely.
Getting out of the atmosphere of an initial probing battle, realistic discussions continued.
I continued speaking while looking at the screen.
“What we need to establish now is not a grandiose blueprint. It is a roadmap that can be executed. If Yeongnam Marine Industry provides production power and Sammyeong Heavy Industries adds strength in technology and the assembly process, HJ Partners will open the sales channel through investment and a network within the U.S. HJ Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will also join this. If we work together, we will be able to secure a clear presence in the U.S. market in a short period.”
Lee Seok-bae and Kim Byeong-kwon nodded as if making a resolution while looking at each other's faces.
Their expressions were filled with expectation.
I showed certainty more than anyone else in the fact that if all these elements were tightly interlocked, a powerful breakthrough could be made from the beginning of the U.S. market.
I said as if finishing up.
“It is only the beginning. Based on today's talk, we will discuss the detailed schedule. I will complete the first draft of the cooperation plan within next week. After that, we will form a working-level team to carry out certification responses and local investigations in parallel.”
Everyone was sensing that today was not a simple cooperation discussion but an important starting point that would influence the future big board.
Until now, everything seemed to be rolling smoothly.
However, at that very moment, the meeting room door opened, and an employee entered hurriedly.
President Lee Seok-bae stepped out for a moment while looking at the employee who showed a flustered appearance.
His expression as he entered again was frozen.
I asked what the matter was.
President Lee Seok-bae opened his mouth while hesitating.
“It is something I just found out. Actually, one LNG support ship made by our company received a notice of standard violation during the preliminary examination process of the U.S. certification agency.”