Chapter 432 |
[Kang Jin-hoo, exclusive interview with Crown Prince Sulaiman bin Salman]
[What was discussed?]
[Invitation to Kang Jin-hoo to visit Saudi Arabia]
[Crown Prince Sulaiman shows great interest in OTK Company's investment]
[K-Oil to build additional petrochemical facilities in Saemangeum...]
The media published several speculative articles along with photos of Kang Jin-hoo and Crown Prince Sulaiman talking while walking.
Crown Prince Sulaiman told reporters.
“The conversation with CEO Kang Jin-hoo was very beneficial. Saudi Arabia will continue to pursue economic cooperation with Korea.”
As he showed a very favorable attitude towards Kang Jin-hoo, the internet heated up.
- Is he going to make him something like the Saudi Minister of Investment?
-ㅋㅋㅋ It would be funny if Kang Jin-hoo changed his nationality to Saudi Arabia~
- Then what happens to the Korean government?
- There are plenty of princesses there, so isn't he going to marry one of them and become royalty?
- What are you talking about? Kang Jin-hoo has a girlfriend.
- You can have up to four wives there.
- Awesome ㅜㅜ I want to become a naturalized Saudi citizen too.
-ㅋㅋㅋ If you have a brain, think about it. Unless the male-to-female ratio there is 1 to 4, if someone marries four wives, it means that three men will be single for life.
- And you, who are sitting at home playing and commenting on the internet, are one of those three!
- Yeah. You're included too.
- I think Korea is the only country that treats a world-class investor like this.
- It's been a tradition since Park Si-hyeong's time, only Korean politicians look down on Kang Jin-hoo.
***
Oil money was indeed amazing.
During the four days that Crown Prince Sulaiman was in Korea, domestic and foreign media reported on his every move. In the midst of this, some "trash reporters" published articles suggesting that I might become a naturalized citizen of Saudi Arabia or immigrate there.
The Blue House and the ruling party did not comment separately, but their bewilderment was evident. Legislative discussions on the reporting and punishment of offshore assets also suddenly disappeared.
Is there no harm in being friendly with foreign leaders?
As I was thinking that, at some point, a Saudi Arabian travel guide and a book titled "First Steps in Arabic" appeared in Taekgyu's hands.
At this rate, he'll soon be wrapped in a thobe and wearing a keffiyeh on his head.
I yelled at him.
“Stop it, you crazy bastard! What Saudi Arabia?”
“I’m thinking of going on a trip there later.”
“Why are you going there?”
“The Crown Prince invited us to visit. Won't we be treated as state guests if we go?”
“…”
You think I don't know your dirty intentions?
I said to Taekgyu, who was feigning innocence.
“It's super hot there. You hate the heat.”
“It’s okay. I can just turn on the air conditioner.”
That's true.
Since it's an oil country, they blast the air conditioning in public facilities and shopping malls without reservation.
“You can’t access Lost Fantasy there.”
Taekgyu was shocked.
“What? Why the hell not?”
“I guess it violates public morals.”
Lost Fantasy is a fantasy game with a medieval European setting. It has religion, and there's even a paladin class.
Of course, that religion is not Islam.
“Then what about porn?”
Of course, Faceit is also blocked.
“If you get caught watching it, won't you have to get on all fours and get hit with a cue stick?”
In fact, Saudi Arabia still practices flogging.
If you only look at GDP, Saudi Arabia should have joined the ranks of developed countries a long time ago. However, unlike its economy, which grew with oil money, its politics, society, culture, and media are worse than those of underdeveloped countries.
In particular, the ruling system based on absolute monarchy and Islam has produced side effects such as discrimination against women, suppression of the press, and state control.
The reason why developed countries emphasize women's rights, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion is not only because they are universal values, but also because doing so helps economic growth.
In the first place, how can the economy develop in a situation where the female workforce, which accounts for half of the population, is not properly utilized?
There was no problem when they were distributing the money earned from oil exports to the people, but in order to boost domestic demand, develop technology, and foster the manufacturing industry, the entire society needs to be reformed.
The reforms that have been implemented so far are women's political participation, expansion of women's suffrage, allowing women to watch sports, and allowing women to drive... Even for just these things, clerics are foaming at the mouth and opposing them for religious reasons.
Crown Prince Sulaiman must have a headache.
Taekgyu slyly put down the book in his hand.
“I’ll visit Saudi Arabia next time.”
***
I received a call from Professor Kim Ho-min.
Since we met then, he has been cooped up in his lab, doing nothing but research. It would be different if there was no progress at all, but he seems even more frustrated because the results seem to be just within reach.
[It's not easy to find a material that can replace geratinium.]
Just in case, I am buying geratinium on the commodity market. However, since the trading volume is so small, the price fluctuated quickly even though I placed orders in small quantities.
In fact, it should be considered impossible to buy in large quantities.
“Don't overdo it.”
[You saw the battery that BID released this time, right? The Chinese companies are already catching up quickly.]
There is no technology in this world that one can monopolize alone.
The fact that Professor Kim Ho-min created the OTK battery means that anyone else can create it.
The emergence of a new product provides a development direction for latecomers and reduces trial and error. If they can't copy it exactly because of a patent, they find a way to circumvent the patent.
In fact, after the release of the OTK battery, the capacity of existing NCM batteries increased by more than 30 percent.
Chinese and Japanese companies took the opportunity of the fall in cobalt prices to expand their investment even further. BID launched an electric car equipped with a new battery, boasted that it had increased the driving range to 800 kilometers, and declared that it would surpass the OTK battery within a year.
The possibility is not high, but it is not something to be ignored. Chinese companies, with the support of the state, are growing at a frightening pace.
There are also quite a few places that are rushing to develop the next-generation battery of the OTK battery.
If you stand still, you will be caught up someday. We are in the same position of having to prepare for what comes after the OTK battery.
As a result of my investigation, the demand for high-capacity batteries is overflowing throughout the industry. It's only natural that what I thought was good was already being done by others.
When I first thought about an electric airplane powered by batteries and motors, I wondered, "Is this possible?" But major corporations and startups like Airbus, Boeing, Siemens, JetGreen, and Flybuzz have already jumped in and are engaged in a fierce competition.
The biggest obstacle is, of course, the battery. Capacity, price, and charging time are all problems.
Nevertheless, the companies did not slow down their development speed. On the contrary, if battery technology develops, it will be possible to secure greater economic feasibility than existing airplanes.
Like electric cars, electric airplanes are also advantageous in all aspects, such as fuel cost reduction, eco-friendliness, and noise.
Since there are still great technical limitations in applying it to large passenger aircraft, they are first developing small aircraft with 10 or fewer seats and manned drones.
To overcome the current technical limitations, there are also hybrid airplanes that use electric motors and engines together like hybrid cars, and places that have acknowledged the limitations of secondary batteries and have turned to hydrogen fuel cells.
In the past, investment and development progressed gradually and in stages, but recently, it has been showing a trend of proceeding simultaneously.
Instead of investing in airplane development after a high-capacity battery comes out, they believe that battery technology will develop further in the future and are pouring money into manned drone and airplane technology in advance.
Now is the time when the paradigm of the industry is changing.
As you can see from companies like Npple, Gooble, and Facenote, the first companies to succeed enjoy a monopolistic position. On the other hand, once you fall behind, it is difficult to regain the lead.
That's why everyone is jumping in with all their might. This is why Son Masayoshi created the Insight Fund to invest, and why Crown Prince Sulaiman is emptying the pockets of the royal family and securing investment funds through the Aramco IPO.
Just as smartphones entered our daily lives at some point, we may wake up to see drones carrying people flying around the city and electric airplanes flying between countries.
It would be useless to regret it after that time has come.
[Our future may depend on this battery.]
I returned the words that Professor Kim Ho-min had said before.
“Because batteries are the semiconductors of the future.”
[You know that well.]
Everyone knows that, so they are diligently investing and developing technology.
“But you're still coming to the wedding, right?”
[Of course, I have to go. See you then.]
***
Private jets arrived one after another at Jeju Airport.
It is not often that so many financiers and investors gather in one place. Therefore, starting a week before the wedding, meetings were held, seminars were held, and discussions about investment took place.
The runway was so congested with private jets landing and moving to the hangars that there was a traffic jam.
It was the first time since the airport opened that so many private jets had gathered at once. In addition, every single person on board was a big shot whose name you would recognize just by hearing it.
The airport staff were on high alert and made every effort to provide entry services. Due to rumors that Hollywood stars were coming to attend the wedding, fans from not only Seoul and Busan, but also Japan and China flocked to the airport, and Jeju Airport decided to prohibit entry to the airport except for departing passengers.
The Ceylon Hotel, as well as the Jeju Provincial Government, made thorough preparations. All employees returned their vacations and went on emergency duty.
If even a small accident were to occur, it would deal a fatal blow to the image of Jeju Island, so not even the slightest mistake was tolerated.
***
We arrived in Jeju Island.
We took a regular flight to help Jeju Airport, which was struggling with the influx of private jets. President Im Soo-mi, whom I met at the Ceylon Hotel, looked exhausted.
Group affairs, Saemangeum investment, and this wedding. Looking at her schedule so far, it's a wonder she hasn't collapsed.
Taekgyu said.
“You’ve been through a lot because of my sister.”
President Im Soo-mi smiled and shook her head.
“Not at all. I am sincerely grateful for giving our hotel such a wonderful opportunity.”
She has the ambition to grow the Ceylon Hotel into a global hotel chain. Following the Saemangeum development, this was also a good opportunity.
If she can make a good impression on the investors attending the wedding, it will be a great help for future overseas expansion.
I asked Hyun-joo noona.
“How do you feel?”
Noona, who had come first and finished the wedding rehearsal, shook her head and said.
“I didn't know a wedding was this hard. I just want to get it over with and go home.”
Ellie said firmly.
“What are you talking about? We have to stay in Jeju Island and have fun until the weekend since we're here.”
Is this one just thinking about having fun?
And finally, the wedding day dawned.
Luxury cars lined up to enter the hotel, and police forces were even deployed around the area for security. As filming was not allowed, the hotel thoroughly blocked the entry of the media and outsiders. Nevertheless, many domestic and foreign reporters were gathered at the entrance.
Taekgyu was dressed up in a suit for the first time in a long time.
He looks like a different person wearing a well-fitting suit after always wearing baggy sweatpants. If he looked like a simple otaku before, now he looks like a successful otaku?
Taekgyu clicked his tongue.
“I never thought my sister's wedding would be this huge.”
Taekgyu's parents were also very nervous at the scale that was beyond their imagination. The two of them held each other's hands tightly and trembled slightly, as if they were nervous.
They probably never imagined that their daughter would be the star of the wedding of the century.
Henry's parents surprisingly felt ordinary. After all, his father has nothing to do with the management of Golden Gate and is currently working as a normal professor. However, as you can see from Henry, both of them are tall and have excellent looks.
The parents of both families greeted each other and prepared to welcome the guests.
While Ellie was in the bride's waiting room with Hyun-joo noona, Taekgyu and I also greeted the guests at the entrance of the wedding hall.