Chapter 385 |
Kang Jin-hoo's achievements in Europe were staggering.
He had turned a trade dispute with Japan into an opportunity, pursuing economic cooperation with the EU. Thanks to this, Korean companies were able to easily expand their market reach in Europe.
Economic cooperation also led to cultural exchange. Coinciding with the Hallyu (Korean Wave) craze in Europe, there was a sharp increase in students learning Korean or studying about Korea.
The stock prices of listed companies soared daily, and overseas rating agencies scrambled to raise their forecasts for Korea's economic growth rate.
No one dislikes a booming economy. However, the ruling and opposition political factions watched these developments with sour faces.
A mere businessman had accomplished what presidential tours of Europe and various government-level cooperation initiatives had failed to achieve.
The government quickly announced simplified customs procedures and financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises, but it was nothing more than trying to ride on Kang Jin-hoo's coat-tails.
Famous CEOs and investors could make stock prices rise and fall with a single word. Kang Jin-hoo's influence was, if anything, greater than theirs, not less.
However, compared to his assets and fame, he hadn't exerted much power in Korea, which was why politicians had been acting so recklessly. It was so bad that there was even a saying: "The only people in the world who underestimate Kang Jin-hoo are Korean politicians."
The shock wasn't limited to politicians; the bureaucratic world was also deeply impacted.
Learning from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family's blunder, everyone was careful not to needlessly provoke Kang Jin-hoo, who was minding his own business, and stir up trouble.
During the previous Park Si-hyeong administration, the Ministry of National Defense (MND), along with the National Intelligence Service (NIS), operated a cyber psychological warfare unit.
The Cyber Command was tasked with important missions such as protecting the nation and its people in cyberspace, defending against enemy attacks, preventing the spread of communism, and instilling a sense of national security in the public.
That mission, it turned out, was primarily posting comments on the internet.
They would upvote and post praiseworthy, agreeable comments on articles supporting the administration and conservative viewpoints, while unleashing a torrent of malicious comments on articles critical of the government or with progressive slants. They didn't shy away from making disparaging remarks and insults targeting specific regions.
The Cyber Command's targets included progressive politicians, civic activists, figures from the arts and culture scene, and Kang Jin-hoo.
This wasn't because Kang Jin-hoo was a pro-North Korean leftist threatening South Korea's national security... but because the order had come down from the Blue House.
Back then, no one could have imagined Kang Jin-hoo's influence would grow to this extent. If they had known, they wouldn't have done it, even with a knife to their throats.
But regimes changed, and the Cyber Command became the subject of an investigation. They hastily deleted relevant data and concealed evidence, but they couldn't escape responsibility for what was uncovered.
The public was shocked to learn that the military, having cast aside its duties of political neutrality and national defense, had been diligently posting comments.
With former President Park Si-hyeong, who could be said to have masterminded the operation, being arrested, the issue was somewhat laid to rest. The problem, however, was that the comments posted back then were still preserved and circulating on the internet. Even now, a search for "Cyber Command comments" would yield a stream of related materials.
These included not only slander and curses against Kang Jin-hoo but also personal attacks on his deceased father and widowed mother.
Furthermore, Kang Jin-hoo himself had nearly died in a mortar explosion incident during his military service.
If Kang Jin-hoo were to bring up these issues again, it would spell serious trouble. Consequently, the MND felt the need to come up with a countermeasure.
***
Minister of National Defense Bae Yeon-bong arranged a golf outing with his juniors from the military academy, who were now generals. During the game, he casually brought up the topic.
"The previous minister’s unnecessary actions have put us in a difficult spot. If negative talk about the MND resurfaces over these past issues, wouldn't it lower troop morale and potentially weaken our military strength?"
His words prompted a chorus of concerns.
"Exactly. The public is easily swayed by public opinion, after all."
"Under the guise of 'freedom of the press' or what have you, leftist journalists tend to blow minor incidents within the military out of proportion."
"Kang Jin-hoo is a global celebrity. If he starts bringing up these issues again, it could very well become an international incident."
Minister Bae Yeon-bong let out a sigh.
"Anyway, given our past history, isn't there some way to improve our relationship with him?"
"Wouldn't cooperation related to national defense be the best approach?"
"But doesn't OTK Company not deal in the defense industry?"
OTK Company's mainstays were autonomous driving and batteries. However, CarOS didn't produce military vehicles. They couldn't very well ask him to make autonomous tanks or electric armored vehicles.
Their next major focus was FaceIt, but... that was out of the question from the start.
Among them, Brigadier General Bang Moon-soo, the youngest of the group, came up with an idea.
"How about a game?"
"A game? You mean like kids' entertainment?"
"Yes, sir. Young people these days are crazy about... I mean, they really enjoy games, don't they? As soon as personal maintenance time starts, everyone from privates to sergeants flocks to the PC rooms to play games. I recently read a research report stating that promoting the military through games could be very helpful."
"Ah! I read that report too. It said that nowadays, promoting through SNS or games is much more effective than TV or newspaper ads."
"Doesn't Kang Jin-hoo own a game company? So, how about commissioning them to create a game for national defense promotion?"
Minister Bae Yeon-bong slapped his knee.
"That's it!"
He, too, had read that research report. Why hadn't he thought of this sooner?
"How much would it cost?"
"According to the research report, around 5 billion won would be needed."
"What? 5 billion?"
Then came a dissenting opinion.
"5 billion is too much for just one game."
"I think 2 billion would be more than enough."
Minister Bae Yeon-bong paused, lost in thought.
'5 billion won is enough to pay the salaries of 10,000 soldiers with money left over... Ah, well, it's better to be generous. Going big with that amount would be good, right?'
Having made up his mind, he spoke.
"Since we're making it for promotional purposes, we need to make it as good as possible so young people will like it, right? If they have fun playing the game, they'll want to enlist in the army, train with their comrades, and maybe even want to fire a gun."
"Yes, sir. The report said so as well."
"Haha! There was such an easy solution."
As the Minister of Defense burst into laughter first, the atmosphere suddenly became convivial.
The junior generals quickly chimed in with flattering remarks.
"At this rate, college students playing games at school will run straight to the Military Manpower Administration to enlist."
"I'm worried there'll be lines at the Military Manpower Administration with people trying to enlist first."
"If not only soldiers but also NCOs and officers increase, competition for long-term service will become fierce."
Minister Bae Yeon-bong said cheerfully.
"Alright! Give Kang Jin-hoo 5 billion won and tell him to make something proper."
With a solution found, he felt as if a troublesome tooth had finally been pulled.
He hit a refreshing swing with his driver.
***
I received a call from President Im Soo-mi and headed to the Ceylon Hotel.
It was to attend the general meeting of M Pizza Korea. President Im Soo-mi had invited all franchise owners and employees to the event, where future management strategies and vision would be announced.
Though she had the backing of the Seosung Group, it was President Im Soo-mi's management skills that had nurtured the hotel and duty-free shop businesses to this extent.
Perhaps thanks to that, M Pizza was also growing rapidly. Its market share was still lower compared to Dice Pizza or Pizza Hot, but its revenue and net profit per store were more than double.
In fact, people were lining up to open franchises. However, due to the high initial setup costs, including robots and store installations, they were being cautious about expanding branches. For this reason, they focused on opening directly-managed stores rather than franchises.
It's a characteristic of the Korean food service industry: when an item becomes popular, franchise stores flood every nook and cranny of the country; then another franchise company emerges, copies it exactly, and opens more stores; then, when the trend passes, they all collapse in an instant.
They say you should row when the tide comes in, but it's like boats crammed together on a narrow river, all trying to row at once and sinking together.
Fortunately, M Pizza was free from such concerns. One could reasonably copy the menu, but copying the pizza robots, oven trucks, and oven motorcycles was impossible.
When I arrived at the Ceylon Hotel, President Im Soo-mi came out to greet me personally.
"You must be tired from your trip to Europe."
"Not at all. I'm having dinner with my mother afterwards, are you free?"
"Of course. I heard from her."
The hall was already crowded with people.
The moment I stepped in, the room fell silent, and all eyes focused on me. Everyone looked surprised.
It felt like a classroom of students chattering away when the dean of students suddenly walks in.
Fortunately, I saw a familiar face, and I approached to greet him warmly.
"When did you get here?"
He stood up from his seat and grasped my hand.
"I just arrived too."
It was Kim Jae-hak, my superior during my military service and the owner of the first franchise store. Seeing his playful smile, he seemed to have regained his former bright personality.
"How's business these days?"
"It's dropped a bit compared to the initial opening, but it's consistently doing well. The local commercial area has also revitalized significantly."
"That's good to hear."
The profit he was making now was more than that of a typical executive at a large corporation. Thanks to the good business, he had long since repaid the money he borrowed.
Kim Jae-hak introduced the people sitting with him.
"These are my employees."
Two men, who looked to be in their 20s, stood up and greeted me.
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
One had distinct burn scars on his face, and the other couldn't move his right arm at all. It was probably due to an accident in the military.
When I brought M Pizza to Korea, I had requested that wounded veterans be prioritized for hiring, and President Im Soo-mi had kept her promise.
Excluding female employees, more than half of the male employees were wounded veterans. So, it was easy to spot people with disabilities in the hall.
Kim Jae-hak asked cautiously.
"Can I take a picture with you?"
"Why?"
"Well, my girlfriend doesn't believe I'm with Kang Jin-hoo right now. She asked me to send proof."
I was surprised.
"Oh! You have a girlfriend? Who is she?"
Kim Jae-hak said shyly.
"She's a nurse working at a nearby hospital. She often came to the store for pizza, and we just started dating."
"That's great."
He showed me pictures they had taken together. She was quite beautiful.
"She's prettier than the girlfriend who visited you during basic training."
"Who?"
"You know, the one who dumped you when you were a corporal."
"Ah! Her? I heard she got married recently."
After I took a picture with Kim Jae-hak, others started asking one by one. I gladly took pictures with them.
Several people expressed their gratitude, saying they were receiving support for rehabilitation and treatment through the foundation jointly established by OTK Company, Seosung Group, and Hwaan Group.
The employees working at Kim Jae-hak's store also hesitantly asked for photos.
One employee had suffered burns all over his body due to a self-propelled howitzer explosion, and another employee's right arm was paralyzed due to a medication error while receiving treatment at a military hospital.
Having experienced an accident myself, it didn't feel like someone else's story.
Anyone who has been in the military has at least one experience of nearly getting seriously injured. This is partly because they handle dangerous weapons, but also because they do things they're not used to.
Straining their back while lifting heavy objects, or breaking limbs from falling from a high place.
Countless soldiers not only suffer injuries or disabilities but also lose their lives. In a way, just being discharged with all limbs intact might be considered lucky.
"Fortunately, both of them were registered as men of national merit. Considering most are rejected and go through difficult lawsuits, you could say they were lucky."
"They're 'children of the state' when they're conscripted, but 'someone else's children' when they get injured."
There are even cases where they are forcibly discharged to avoid paying medical expenses.
Kim Jae-hak said with a somewhat detached expression.
"Well, it's not like the Ministry of Defense has been like this for just a day or two. They always say there's no budget, so what can you do?"
I recalled what Taek-gyu had said.
"It's not that the country has no budget. It's that there are too many thieves."
***
While I was working, a middle-aged man visited OTK Company.
He was none other than the Public Relations Officer for Policy from the Ministry of National Defense. I considered not meeting him, but I was curious why the MND was seeking me out, so I decided to see him.
"They're not asking you to re-enlist, are they?"
To Taek-gyu's question, I answered firmly.
"Then I'd have to leave this country."
For such a reason, everyone would understand, even if I changed my citizenship.
In the meeting room, he revealed the purpose of his visit.
"As you know, Korea is a divided nation and is in a standoff with North Korea. It is not an end to war, but a truce, and it would not be strange if war broke out again at any time. Therefore, there is no need to even mention the importance of national defense. However, the reality is that there is a widespread phenomenon in society where young men, who are our military resources, are reluctant and avoid military enlistment. Through research conducted by an external agency, we have determined that the cause is a vague fear of military life stemming from a lack of information about the military. Therefore, we plan to alleviate the fear of military service, promote the importance of national defense, and encourage enlistment by allowing them to enjoyably experience the military indirectly through game technology. Thus, our Ministry of National Defense plans to produce and distribute a national defense FPS through civil-military cooperation, and we would like to commission OTK Games for this."
"......"
What kind of bullshit was this?
I was so dumbfounded that for a moment I thought I had misheard. Looking at Taek-gyu, he had an expression that screamed, 'Ah, fuck, I'm speechless.'