The Genius Grandson of the Loan King - Chapter 93 (93/840)
< A Good President... >
#93
A Good President...
Elected candidate Kim Hak-gwon did not answer my question right away.
However, as a politician, I could roughly guess what kind of answer Kim Hak-gwon might be thinking about.
He would want to make a mark in history.
"Overcoming the IMF crisis within your term and improving the lax corporate culture of large companies, wouldn't you be remembered as a good president even after your term?"
"Hehehe. A good president..."
"Korean corporate culture has been heavily influenced by Japan. The demands made during the IMF crisis ultimately seemed to me like a call to move away from the Japanese way and adopt the American style."
American companies often secure funds through bond issuance and the stock market rather than bank loans.
What the IMF wanted was for Korean companies to share their profits with speculative capital, led by the United States.
If South Korea's capital market is fully opened, that path will be open.
"It may be humiliating, but such an opportunity won't come again. There will be significant resistance from large companies, but with the IMF as an excuse, the government will have to consider it. Implement the policies you want, and that will be enough."
Elected candidate Kim Hak-gwon listened to my words until the end.
"Thank you for listening to my presumptuous words until the end."
"Hehe. No, it was helpful. Many of my thoughts align with yours. There are other aspects, of course. My advisors and bureaucrats are busy defending the interests of large companies, but you have hit the nail on the head."
My words might not change the policy much, but I have thrown a small stone.
If they reflect on my words even once when injecting public funds, that would be enough.
The meeting with Kim Hak-gwon continued for quite a while afterward.
* * *
Eva arrived in Hong Kong and began to gather detailed information about Peregrine using her network.
Rumors of bankruptcy were already widespread in Hong Kong's financial sector.
"Eva?"
"It's been a while."
"Hahaha. I thought you had disappeared and gotten married somewhere in Hong Kong, but here you are."
"Thanks to you, I've learned a lot. Daniel."
Eva unexpectedly ran into her former boss, Daniel.
"Did everything go well? Do you still think I abandoned you?"
"Well, you didn't help at all, but I met a good boss, so it's fine now. Have a good time."
Daniel was taken aback by Eva's attitude but did not stop her.
Eva left Daniel behind and looked around for someone.
When she found the person she was looking for, she approached him with a smile.
"Andre?"
The man, who was talking to someone else, turned his head at the sound of his name.
"Do you know me?"
"Isn't it Andre Lee, the director?"
"Yes, but..."
"Then I'm glad I found you. Hello, I'm Eva. Nice to meet you."
Eva introduced herself with a bright smile and extended her hand.
Andre Lee, taken aback, shook her hand.
"Would you like to have a drink with me after you finish your conversation?"
Andre's eyes briefly scanned Eva.
"...Sure. Just wait a moment."
"I'll wait."
Eva left the table and sat in front of the bartender.
"A Snow White, please."
After ordering her favorite cocktail, Eva looked around.
People she had seen when she worked at the bank were engrossed in their own conversations.
'Back then, I worked hard to expand my network here.'
She smiled and took a sip of the cocktail the bartender handed her.
"Did you wait long?"
When Andre Lee approached, the cocktail glass was about half empty.
"No, it's been a while since I've been here, so I didn't notice the time. Please sit down."
Eva pointed to the seat next to her.
Andre sat down, guided by her hand.
"But how do you know me? I've never seen you before."
"How many people in Hong Kong's financial sector don't know Andre Lee, the director of Peregrine?"
"Hahaha. You're flattering me."
Andre Lee.
The bond director of Peregrine.
He was a Korean-Canadian mixed-race person, born to a Canadian father and a Korean mother.
He was also directly responsible for Peregrine's bankruptcy.
"Same as always, one drink."
Andre, who ordered from the bartender, looked at Eva with a lecherous gaze.
"So, what do you want from me, beautiful lady?"
"What's the rush?"
Eva knew Andre's gaze but responded playfully.
The bartender brought the drink Andre ordered.
"Let's have a drink and talk."
Eva raised her glass.
"Sure."
Andre also raised his glass.
After taking a sip of the cocktail, Eva said casually.
"I've heard rumors that Peregrine is in trouble in Hong Kong's financial sector..."
The smile on Andre's face disappeared.
"Shit."
Andre muttered in Korean.
"What do you want?"
He switched back to English. Eva, with a mysterious smile, replied in Korean.
"You're not cursing at me, right?"
"You speak Korean? No, I was talking to myself."
Eva's smiling face contrasted with Andre's stiff expression.
"Whether you curse or not, you should hear my proposal first. How do you know I won't be your golden parachute?"
"Hmm..."
"I know your abilities. You probably didn't imagine the Asian financial crisis, which led to the bankruptcy of Peregrine, a company with a 10-year history."
"Are you here to mock me?"
"Oh, no need to react so strongly. I'm here to make a proposal. I want to acquire Peregrine."
"Acquire?"
Andre's stiff face turned to one of surprise.
"You know that if I want to acquire a bankrupt company, it's because of its reputation. Wouldn't it be better to receive a severance package from me rather than the company disappearing without any severance?"
"Severance..."
Andre frowned, seemingly hurt by his pride. Eva showed a captivating smile.
"Your pride is hurt. Andre, you're the one who brought down Peregrine. Before you assert your pride, you should think about how you will survive."
"..."
Andre couldn't answer.
"It will be difficult to make a comeback. Which company would hire you, the person who caused the downfall of Peregrine, the most famous investment firm in Hong Kong, if not Asia?"
Eva felt a thrill inside.
It felt good to be in a position to look down on Andre Lee, whom she couldn't even look at when she was in Hong Kong.
"I'll give you one million dollars. I need the internal documents."
"Internal documents?"
"Yes. How much debt there is, how many bonds can be recovered over time, how complex the shareholding structure is, and what are the weaknesses of the chairman of TOS. Those kinds of documents."
Andre's face now showed shock.
Eva spoke as if humming a tune.
"The severance package I give you will depend on the quality of the documents. You could receive 100,000 dollars, one million dollars, or even more. Think about it."
With that, Eva got up from her seat.
"And it's not good to stare at me like that when you're recently married. Isn't it unfair to your wife at home? Anyway, I'll wait for your call. Here's my card."
Eva placed her business card in front of Andre's drink and turned away.
Eva went straight to the hotel and called her boss, Kim Mu-hyuk.
- Hello.
Hearing Mu-hyuk's voice on the other end, Eva exclaimed excitedly.
"Mu-hyuk!"
- Eva? How's Hong Kong? It's been a while since you went back.
"It's fantastic."
- How's the progress?
Eva detailed her approach to Andre and the information she had gathered so far to Kim Mu-hyuk.
- You're doing well.
"Hehe. I'll bring Peregrine into the fold for you. Just wait."
- Sure. Good job.
"If there's anything unusual, I'll keep you updated."
Eva, feeling elated, jumped into bed.
She had a smile on her face.
* * *
I smiled slightly at the disconnected phone.
'She sounds very excited. It seems going back to Hong Kong is good for her.'
Seeing my smile, Park Dong-soo asked.
"Wow? What is it? A woman?"
Coming out of my thoughts, I lifted the drink in front of me and said.
"It's a woman, but..."
"Who? Crush! Bring her to me. I can tell a good woman at a glance."
"From what I know... it's not like that at all. Isn't it time to settle down?"
"What? No. I'll live and die as I am. Who will take on my karma?"
Park Dong-soo shuddered and drank the strong liquor in his glass in one go. He didn't want to pass on his uncertain future to the next generation.
"Once this matter is settled, there won't be any major risks. You can think about it then."
"There are no organizations in Korea that can match us now. There are a few minor ones left, but they can't stand up to us. Still, the side effects of the rapid integration are showing."
Park Dong-soo had forced the major organizations across the country to submit to his immense capital power.
There were a few that resisted, but he showed his strength and brought them into the fold.
While it can't be called a single organization yet, it is taking shape.
"In that case, create an external enemy."
"You mean the Yakuza?"
"Yes. They will enter Korea soon."
"Why would those bastards come to Korea? Can we even cut off their heads?"
"Yes, they are different from domestic organizations. You can handle them like a gangster, but be careful in public places with many witnesses."
"That's basic."
"Internal factions supporting them will likely emerge. Keep an eye out, capture the Yakuza coming in, and then enter Japan. Take over the Japanese underworld."
"Hahaha, no. Korea is enough. Japan is nothing."
"Alright. I'll do that. I'll create another force in Japan."
Park Dong-soo and I clinked glasses and continued the drinking session.
"Ah, Yang Soo-hyung will be out soon. You heard, right?"
At my words, Park Dong-soo's face brightened.
"Thank you. It's earlier than I thought."
"It was easy to arrange since it wasn't a major crime. Will you send him to Busan when he gets out?"
"Yes, he's my most trusted brother. Who else can I trust with Busan?"
"Busan is really important. There might be intermittent conflicts in Seoul, but most will be in Busan."
"Alright. Sang-gyun, you're doing well. You're educated, so you're running the company well. There's even a rumor that you're the real boss, not me. Hahaha."
Sang-gyun was indeed a capable person.
He was mediating and balancing the various interests in the organization.
The smooth integration was due to both Park Dong-soo's power and Sang-gyun's silent but effective role.
"Hahaha. Is that okay?"
"Wow? Do you think I'll get angry and start a fight because of that? Ha. I'm only called a boss because of you. I was only capable of controlling a small area in Busan."
"Don't say that. No matter how much I help, controlling the night of South Korea isn't easy."
"Money, money. There's no need for violence now. If you give them something to eat, they'll behave. I don't know if the world has changed or if it was always like this. Now I'm confused."
As Park Dong-soo said, the era of solving everything with violence is over.
It's an era where money controls everything.
Due to drinking a lot the previous night, my head was pounding when I woke up.
After having breakfast with my grandfather and taking a short rest, I left the house.
"Please take me to Myeongdong."
"Yes."
I was meeting Cheon Ji-yeong after a long time.
'Cheon Su-han's release was next month, right?'
Cheon Su-han, who had been in and out of mental hospitals, was about a month away from release.
"Brother!"
When she saw me get out of the car, Cheon Ji-yeong was smiling, but there was a shadow on her face.