Chapter 443 |
I woke up to the sound of rain.
Ellie was lying in bed, gazing blankly at the rain falling outside the window. I watched her.
A moment later, as if sensing my presence, Ellie turned her head and asked.
"Are you awake?"
"Why do you like the rain so much?"
"Just because. I feel like my mind becomes calm when I listen to the sound of rain."
Ellie looked at me and asked.
"By the way, are we really getting married next year?"
"You don't believe it?"
"Really?"
Seeing her expression, she seemed to like it for some reason.
"How many children should we have?"
"Uh, um."
Wait a minute. I haven't thought that far yet.
...It wouldn't be right to say that, would it?
"One?"
At my words, Ellie pouted slightly. Was that the wrong answer?
"What are you talking about? We should have at least three."
"What?"
Wouldn't it be hard to raise three?
"Jin-hoo, do you like sons or daughters?"
I thought for a moment before answering.
"I think I'd like a daughter."
A daughter who looks like Ellie. Just thinking about it seems so cute.
"Why? I think a son who looks like Jin-hoo would be nice too."
"That's because you don't know how much trouble I caused when I was young."
"Pfft, I'll have to hear about it from your mother later."
Ellie reached out and caressed my face.
"Jin-hoo, you'll be a good father."
***
A luncheon for business leaders was held at the Blue House regarding the Saemangeum investment.
About 20 chairmen gathered at the Blue House. They were all smiling, but inwardly they were extremely tense. Even the elderly chaebol chairmen held their breath.
The reason was because of two people in this room.
If you were to pick two major recent events in the business world, they would be the arrest of Chairman Im Jin-yong and the resignation of Chairman Han Chan-young as CEO of Eunsung Motors.
The former was related to President Heo Chang-min, and the latter was related to CEO Kang Jin-hoo.
Among the chaebol chairmen, how many would be clean if you shook them out? But they had let things slide, and in the past, they had gotten away with suspended sentences in consideration of their contributions to the economy. But who would have thought that the head of the Seosung Group would be arrested?
Kang Jin-hoo's acquisition of Eunsung Motors was no less of a shock.
Among the chaebols, there was an unspoken rule not to attack the management rights of another group, unless it was a fight between brothers. Looking at past cases of management rights attacks, they were all carried out by foreign capital.
But Kang Jin-hoo brazenly snatched away Eunsung Motors, the core of the Eunsung Motor Group. The reason Han Chan-young stepped down without even putting up a fight in a proxy battle was because the shareholders had effectively supported Kang Jin-hoo.
If OTK Company decided to buy up shares and attack management rights, which conglomerate would be safe?
The Seosung Group, with its large market capitalization, would probably be fine, but for other groups, it would be nothing for OTK Company to swallow up one or two affiliates if it set its mind to it.
Either way, it wouldn't be good to get on their bad side, so the chairmen couldn't possibly be comfortable in their seats.
Anyway, this kind of gathering was just for eating and exchanging pleasantries. The media captured the amicable atmosphere on camera.
I was planning to just eat quietly and leave, but the atmosphere changed when Kang Jin-hoo took the microphone.
***
After lunch, a full-fledged conversation ensued.
I stood up from my seat and said.
"Saemangeum is a high-tech city where everything is automated. Considering the expected power consumption, it will be difficult to meet the demand with the current reserve power. I requested the construction of a TWR, but the only response I've received is that it's under review, and there has been no concrete discussion yet. To prevent future power supply problems, we must hurry and start construction now."
The TWR to be built in Saemangeum will be constructed by Rosatom and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power in partnership. Through this process, we can naturally acquire TWR technology and operational know-how.
It's killing two birds with one stone, as we can recycle spent fuel rods from existing nuclear power plants.
Everyone agrees on the necessity, but as the current government is promoting a nuclear phase-out policy, officials have expressed reluctance to build additional nuclear power plants.
President Heo Chang-min forced a smile and said.
"As I understand it, the TWR has not yet been verified for operational problems or safety."
That's a given. Because they are just now building a commercial reactor.
"The TWR is not a completely new technology, but an advanced version of existing reactors. Its stability has already been sufficiently verified through experiments, and it is currently under construction in Kaliningrad. If there were safety issues, neighboring countries would have already come out in opposition."
President Heo Chang-min slowly nodded his head.
"We will review that part along with renewable energy and decide whether to proceed."
I was determined and continued to speak.
"Regulations related to unmanned trucks also need to be reviewed. Currently, construction is often delayed because materials are not transported on time due to a shortage of drivers. In addition, two to three accidents occur daily due to drowsy driving and inexperienced driving. Unmanned trucks are already being used in the California recovery project and have not caused any problems so far."
"We are carefully reviewing that part, taking into account the disruption to the labor market."
"The same goes for modular housing and 3D printers for construction. Many new construction methods have emerged, but they are not being used properly due to regulations. I hope that some regulations will be eased, at least for Saemangeum."
President Heo Chang-min's expression grew increasingly stiff, and the Blue House officials were at a loss.
"Are you saying that regulations should be eased for the convenience of businesses?"
I shook my head.
"No. I'm saying that regulations should not be applied for the convenience of the government. There are too many technologies that are being used perfectly well in foreign countries but are not allowed in Korea. If you say you can't implement them because you've never done it before and therefore don't know the safety and side effects, and you can't know the safety and side effects because you haven't implemented them, then what's the use of developing new technology?"
***
After the meeting, I met with President Heo Chang-min separately.
Compared to the last time I saw him, his complexion was not very good, and his wrinkles seemed to have deepened. They say politics ages you, and it seems to be true.
Well, a lot has happened in the meantime.
Even though we were face to face, just the two of us, I didn't feel any particular tension. In fact, I felt comfortable.
He started talking while drinking tea.
"I heard you are getting married."
"Yes."
"Haha, it's a good thing to have a family. I sincerely congratulate you."
"Thank you."
Of course, he wouldn't have arranged this meeting just to say nice things like this.
What does he want from me?
Probably the power to control capital power. That's why he arrested Chairman Im Jin-yong and pressured businessmen by investigating offshore tax evasion.
"What do you think of the Korean economy right now?"
"Well. I guess you could say it's in a crisis."
I added another word.
"To be precise, there has never been a moment when it wasn't a crisis."
Just as Korea has a turbulent modern and contemporary history, its economy has also gone through all sorts of hardships and adversity. Still, it has overcome those crises well and has now barely reached the threshold of a developed country.
There are only seven countries in the world with a population of over 50 million and a per capita income of over $30,000.
While the other countries were originally developed countries, being either Allied or Axis powers, Korea started from a state of ruin from the war and has come this far.
A once-poorest country that depended on aid from various countries has grown into an economic powerhouse that stands shoulder to shoulder with the great powers.
It can truly be called a miracle.
But it is still too early to be complacent. There are a host of problems, such as industrial change, slowing economic growth, and an aging population.
If we don't respond properly, there's no law that says we won't fall from here again.
"And then there's the North Korea problem, isn't there? They launched another missile a few days ago."
Unlike other countries, Korea has an enemy state armed with nuclear weapons right next to it.
From Korea's perspective, it's a problem if North Korea collapses, and it's a problem if it doesn't. The most ideal scenario is for it to maintain its regime and gradually reform and open up to develop its economy, but...
President Heo Chang-min said as if making a declaration.
"North Korea will embark on a path of change."
"An economist once said that the biggest mistake in predicting the future is to reflect hope."
At my words, the president's expression was not very good.
It is President Heo Chang-min's hope that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons and pursue economic development. To make that hope a reality, he pursued a policy of appeasement, unlike the previous administration, and even held two inter-Korean summits.
The sight of him shaking hands with the North Korean leader, who until just a short time ago was spouting rhetoric about turning everything into a sea of fire, gave off an atmosphere as if economic cooperation would be achieved at any moment.
But in reality, no significant changes have been made. North Korea still has nuclear weapons and is still launching missiles into the East Sea whenever it feels like it.
"Then, what do you think will happen to North Korea, CEO Kang?"
That's a difficult question. I'm no North Korea expert.
During the previous administration, experts talked as if North Korea would collapse at any moment. This too was probably a wish rather than a prediction.
"It will be one of two things. It will either get worse than it is now, or it will get better. Either way, we need to be prepared."
"How so?"
"Money doesn't solve all problems, but it solves many."
If North Korea gets worse than it is now, the regime could collapse. To get better than it is now, it must pursue economic development.
Both the former and the latter require a huge amount of money. Turning a crisis into an opportunity is also possible only with money.
"Why did you refuse to voluntarily report your offshore assets?"
I answered calmly.
"Because it's literally a voluntary report. If it's a voluntary report, it's okay not to do it, isn't it?"
Even if the CEO is Korean, the Korean government has no authority to say anything about a foreign corporation. Considering the investment agreement with the United States and other factors, it is legally impossible to enforce this.
"I believe that the position of CEO comes with great responsibility and duty."
"Isn't that the same for the position of president?"
Suddenly, the air in the room became heavy.
In Korea, the president's authority and power are so absolute that there is a term called the 'imperial presidency.' Before he became president, it might have been different, but since then, no one would have been able to speak to him like this in front of him.
"My term is fixed, but your term is not."
"So?"
President Heo Chang-min put down his teacup and looked at me.
"As time passes, people are bound to change. That's why a system of checks and balances is needed."
That was probably the knowledge and belief he had gained from his past life.
He fought against the military regime as a human rights lawyer. More than one or two of his colleagues from that time turned their backs on him. Some became conservatives and praised the economic growth of the military regime era, and some became Juche followers and advocated for the withdrawal of US troops from Korea.
He himself went from being a lawyer to a member of the National Assembly, and from a member of the National Assembly to the president, so you could say he has changed.
"It's a good thing to have conviction."
I added another word.
"As long as you don't force it on others."
At my words, his expression hardened.
I recalled Grace Rothschild's proposal. If I had accepted her proposal, I wouldn't have had to be here doing this.
"I will take care of my own affairs."
I looked President Heo Chang-min straight in the eye and continued.
"Our positions may be different, but I'm sure you'll agree that the Korean economy must continue to move forward."
People don't change easily anyway. That would be the same for both him and me.
After a long while, President Heo Chang-min opened his mouth.
"I understand your thoughts well, CEO Kang."
With that, the conversation ended.
"I enjoyed the tea."
As I was getting up from my seat, he asked one last question.
"Can I consider OTK Company a Korean company?"
I answered without much thought.
"It's meaningless to determine the nationality of capital. If any company invests in Korea, isn't that enough?"