We’re Family, Aren’t We? 3
“Do we know what was discussed yet?”
“Is it really necessary to ask each person individually when we can already guess? It might just make them more cautious, and then the Vice Chairman will be even more secretive, making it harder to keep an eye on him.”
“Let’s hear your guess.”
“He probably asked them to support him with the shares that subsidiary holds in the group. Promised them they’d be rewarded as key contributors if he becomes Chairman. Something along those lines.”
Chairman Jin frowned, clearly displeased with his eldest son’s scheming.
“Anything else? Is that all he’s up to?”
“He had his son, Executive Director Jin Young-jun, meet with Do-jun. And President Jin Dong-gi met with him personally.”
“Dong-gi did?”
“Yes. He went to Yoon-gi’s house for a drink.”
Even the usually calm second son is getting involved!
The ripples are significant.
“Everyone’s scrambling to get Do-jun on their side.”
“They probably sense that Do-jun might hold the casting vote.”
“Fools. If they just did their jobs well, there wouldn’t be any issues, but they don’t see that…”
Lee Hak-jae watched Chairman Jin click his tongue and cautiously asked, “How serious do you think it is? Do you really think Do-jun could hold the casting vote?”
“What do you think?”
“We should avoid the risk of the group splitting, shouldn’t we?”
“Sounds like you’re suggesting giving everything to one person… Are you saying Do-jun isn’t included in that?”
“We can’t ignore physical age.”
Chairman Jin nodded in agreement.
The war isn’t just within the family. There are enemies everywhere outside too.
“Hak-jae, if the one holding the casting vote shakes things up, the other two will be on edge, right?”
“Yes, they would.”
“Then who do you think is the strongest? The one shaking things up or the ones watching?”
Lee Hak-jae was taken aback by Chairman Jin’s casual tone about such a serious matter.
How much inheritance does he plan to leave to wield such power over management?
“Are you serious?”
“About what?”
“Are you really thinking of putting Do-jun in the middle of the seesaw to balance the power?”
Chairman Jin avoided answering Lee Hak-jae’s direct question. His heart and mind weren’t aligned yet. The decision could wait, but the preparations needed to start soon.
At his age, who knows how much time he has left?
“First, come up with a plan to inflate the controlling shares. And find a way to transfer my shares.”
Lee Hak-jae was both surprised and had much to say, but he only nodded.
“Yes, I’ll prepare.”
Finding a method is one thing; executing it is another. He’d share his opinion when the Chairman decided to act.
“And are you still investigating the accident?”
“Yes. We’ve got someone tailing the truck driver 24/7. If there’s a mastermind, it’ll come to light.”
Thinking about unpleasant matters soured his expression.
Lee Hak-jae decided not to bring up one more thing he had to report.
It was about the Chairman’s driver.
According to Chairman Jin, the driver was the only one who knew about the schedule in Gunsan that day.
Since he lived in a corner annex of the Chairman’s vast estate, there was no need for surveillance, but they were digging into his background.
A prosecutor from the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, who was a Sunyang scholar, had already checked his accounts.
Finding nothing unusual, they were expanding the investigation to the driver’s family and relatives, and had even installed a bug in the annex for monitoring.
It seemed better to report once something concrete came up. After all, the Chairman was a patient, wasn’t he?
“Did you find out anything?”
“Yes. There aren’t many private properties worth dealing with in Sangam-dong, Mapo.”
“Not many? What do you mean? I told you to find out precisely!”
The two department heads kept bowing their heads in front of the irate Jin Young-jun.
“We’re sorry. There are none at all.”
“None at all? Are you saying no one lives in Sangam-dong?”
“Someone’s already swept them all up. We checked the registry. Transactions took place around April and May.”
Jin Young-jun could guess who that someone was.
Oh Se-hyun, his aunt, and those involved in politics were the obvious culprits.
Seeing Jin Young-jun’s deep frown, the reporting department head quickly spoke up.
“Even though they swept it up, there wasn’t much volume.”
“What about Susaek-dong? Did they sweep that up too?”
“No. There were hardly any transactions there. We can secure as much as you want, Executive Director.”
Jin Young-jun took the thick stack of documents the department head handed him.
“This is the current status of Susaek-dong. We can start the acquisition process as soon as you give the order.”
“Alright. You can go.”
Once alone, Jin Young-jun made several calls to gather people. Since becoming the Executive Director of Sunyang Construction, he had never been this busy.
When his secretary informed him that everyone was gathered in the conference room, he rushed over.
“Did you check with the bank?”
“Yes. Your unsecured credit loan is available up to 2 billion won.”
“Only?”
The amount was less than he expected, and Jin Young-jun frowned.
“There’s a limit per branch.”
The finance manager handed over a few prepared documents.
“Your two material supply companies can each get 20 billion and 16 billion won. But there’s a condition…”
“What is it?”
“Formally, they require your personal assets as collateral.”
Jin Young-jun felt a surge of anger but managed to suppress it. There was no time to lose his temper.
“Do it. And advance some funds from Sunyang Construction to my supply company. About 10 billion.”
Everyone in the meeting looked uneasy.
“E-Executive Director, to move that amount of funds, we’d need the CEO’s approval…”
“After the IMF crisis last year, there are many unsold apartments and commercial properties. The company’s financial situation isn’t great, and if we pull out 10 billion…”
As concerns were voiced from all sides, Jin Young-jun finally exploded.
“I said I’ll handle it! I’ll get permission from President Hong Song-chul, so just do it. Act first, report later! Don’t you know? I’ll use that money to buy land and then take out a big loan using the land as collateral. If there’s a problem, I’ll return the advance. Got it?”
He banged on the table, silencing everyone.
It seemed plausible, but no one believed it.
Borrowing money from Sunyang Construction to buy land and then using that land as collateral for a loan meant he wouldn’t return it but would pour it back into the land.
What could they do? Even if he was like this, he was still the grandson of the owner. They had to stay sharp and align themselves properly.
“Stop making excuses and prepare the documents thoroughly. When I give the order, make sure everything is processed within a day. Understood?”
“Yes!”
As everyone bowed their heads, Jin Young-jun felt a bit better.
But it wasn’t over. He needed to gather more from other subsidiaries. He needed at least a trillion won to feel like he was handling real money.
‘Damn. I’m marrying the bank president’s daughter. Wouldn’t it be great if I could get a big loan now?’
Regret suddenly washed over him.
Still, he’d subtly mention it to his wife. There were rumors that her family had a lot of money stashed away.
He needed to prepare ample ammunition and wait for Jin Do-jun’s call.
“The Blue House and the National Assembly are all coordinated. It’s seen as a way to boost Seoul’s construction industry and as part of a cultural policy, so it’s getting a good response.”
“That’s a relief, Mayor. So, you’ll announce it at the inauguration on July 1st?”
“No, I plan to issue a notice without an official announcement. That way, it’ll be easier to proceed with a private contract with Dae-ah Construction. Of course, I’ll issue a bid notice for a small portion.”
Oh Se-hyun and his uncle-in-law were starting to coordinate.
“But, Mr. Oh, I haven’t met with my father-in-law yet. If Sunyang Construction gets involved, there’s nothing I can do. You understand, right?”
His uncle-in-law brought up an old topic.
He didn’t know yet that I was a candidate for successor and that my grandfather wouldn’t take away my plate.
I was surprised but pretended not to know. It was clear my aunt hadn’t shared any information with him.
Seeing my wavering eyes, Oh Se-hyun jumped in.
“Yes. If Chairman Jin gets upset, he could derail the entire project. That’s why we need Do-jun. Haha.”
The two of them looked at me with eyes full of expectation.
“I don’t think that’ll happen. My grandfather is in the hospital right now, so he won’t be greedy about this. Anyway… I’ll talk to him.”
“Alright. Let’s rely on Do-jun’s strength.”
My uncle-in-law smiled and gently held my hand.
“Do-jun, I have something to discuss with Mr. Oh. Could you give us a moment?”
“Mayor Choi, there’s nothing in this matter that Do-jun shouldn’t hear. He’s the starting point, after all. And I’ll tell him everything anyway. Just go ahead.”
Oh Se-hyun stopped me from getting up.
“Oh, I see. I feel bad for Do-jun now.”
I gave my uncle-in-law a reassuring look, and he cautiously laid out his plan.
“My term ends in June 2002. As you know, there’s a presidential election at the end of that year.”
The presidential election! As expected!
Whether it was my uncle-in-law’s ambition or not, it was clear my aunt had filled him with ideas.
“Are you considering running for president?”
Oh Se-hyun was clearly taken aback but tried not to show it.
“The era of the two Kims is ending. Isn’t it time for Korea to get younger? And having served as a prosecutor, a member of the National Assembly, and the Mayor of Seoul, I don’t think anyone would say I’m unqualified to run for president.”
“Oh, of course. You’re more than qualified. But…”
“But what?”
My uncle-in-law started watching Oh Se-hyun’s mouth intently.
“Being the Mayor of Seoul is fine, but being the son-in-law of a chaebol… Can the public accept a president and a conglomerate being family?”
Faced with this negative view, my uncle-in-law began to foam at the mouth.
“We still have four years ahead of us. In that time, all we need is one monumental achievement. Since I’m not a son but a son-in-law, I can dilute the image of being part of a conglomerate.”
“Alright. Let’s set that aside for now. What is it you really want to say to me? I doubt you called just to discuss your presidential campaign plans…”
Oh Se-hyun was a sly one.
He knew exactly what his uncle-in-law was getting at, yet he forced him to spell it out. Was he recording this conversation, perhaps?
“If you want to shake off the image of being tied to a conglomerate, you absolutely cannot accept any money from Sunyang Group for the election. Campaign funds aren’t exactly pocket change…”
“Are you asking Miracle to cover those funds?”
“Oh, I’m not asking you to cover everything. Ironically, the biggest obstacle on my path to the presidency is the conglomerates in our country. If I make it to the Blue House, won’t they think Sunyang Group will soar? So, I’m planning to accept funds from other conglomerates, excluding Sunyang. I need to show them I’m not their enemy.”
It was clear that everything his uncle-in-law was saying had come from his aunt’s mind.
To aim a sword at Sunyang, they needed to ensure there were no weaknesses for the grandfather to exploit.
If she could use the power of the presidency to eliminate her brothers, Sunyang Group would naturally fall into her hands.
Listening quietly, he realized this was a golden opportunity. Of course, the presidency was a matter for later. Right now, there was something he needed to accomplish as the mayor of Seoul.
Once he shared his plan, both his uncle-in-law and aunt would be pleased.
“Uncle-in-law, would you like me to completely rid you of the conglomerate image?”
His uncle-in-law was taken aback by the unexpected question.