Caught in the Act 1
“I’m not just suggesting we buy non-business real estate. I’m proposing a strategy. Let’s make sure HW Group is seen as a company that prioritizes recovery over profit during national disasters. We need to convey this to both the government and the public.”
The construction CEO, who had been listening to my proposal, spoke up cautiously. He wanted a definitive answer from Miracle, the owner of the group.
“Mr. Oh, do you agree with this? Are you really willing to forgo profits?”
“Absolutely.”
Oh Se-hyun nodded.
“But there’s something we must not overlook. We need to elevate HW Group’s status to a level that surpasses the profits we’re giving up. The impact should be equivalent to hundreds of millions, if not billions. That’s the key.”
The construction CEO’s face lit up.
By redirecting profits to social contributions, we could gain a significant advantage in bidding processes. Plus, it would be the CEO himself who would get the credit when the press gathered.
“Come up with every idea you can within the bounds of not incurring a loss. It will bring more than immediate profits.”
Oh Se-hyun gestured to me as he stood up.
“Let me know the results as soon as they’re in.”
As we rose, the other executives, except those from construction, also stood. We needed to rethink our plans from scratch.
I left the meeting room and waited for President Jo Dae-ho of the automotive division.
“President, I have something to discuss.”
“Sure. I could use some of your ideas too. Let’s go to my office. Mr. Oh, do you have a moment?”
When President Jo looked at Oh Se-hyun, he smiled and shook his head.
“Talk to him. I’m just here for the ride.”
Oh Se-hyun hurried off, as if afraid of being roped into something.
“What’s with him?”
“I’ll explain inside.”
I took President Jo by the arm and headed to his office.
Over a cup of tea, we watched the news about the typhoon damage. The media, in their rush to report, were already throwing around figures like three or four trillion won in damages.
“Considering what you said in the meeting, we can’t just sit back, can we?”
“No. We need to show a different side from Daehyun Motors.”
“How?”
“First, call all our customers in the Gyeongnam and Gangwon regions who bought the
“And then?”
“Offer free inspections and repairs, even if they say they’re fine. They’ll appreciate us for taking good care of them.”
“Inspections are fine, but free repairs will cost a lot. Even if it’s within the warranty period, natural disasters aren’t covered.”
President Jo seemed intent on clarifying the cost aspect. He wanted a firm answer from me.
“I’m thinking of going even further.”
“Further?”
“Yes. Collect all the flood-damaged cars that are beyond repair and give them new ones.”
“What!”
I calmed the startled President Jo with a smile.
“It’s not a big deal. The Isquillo isn’t a bestseller, so there aren’t many sold. Plus, it’s the Gyeongnam and Gangwon regions. Most sales happen in the metropolitan area. It won’t be many.”
After a moment of thought, President Jo pressed the intercom.
“Bring me the sales data for the
We stayed silent as his secretary brought the documents. After a thorough check, President Jo sighed in relief.
“Alright, let’s do it. But let’s release a press statement first. This will make headlines.”
“No, we shouldn’t release it to the media ourselves.”
“What? You want to do this in secret?”
“Yes, it has to be discreet.”
“That’s absurd! We’re talking about free replacements. It’ll cost tens of billions. We need at least that much in promotional value. Didn’t Mr. Oh say we’d recoup the costs through the group’s enhanced image?”
“President, the thing is….”
He didn’t give me a chance to explain, thinking about the money that would be spent.
“No, we need to publicize this. Are we saints, doing good deeds in secret?”
“Of course not. Good deeds should be known.”
“Then why not release a press statement?”
“President, good deeds should be discovered, not announced.”
“What?”
He blinked, not fully grasping my point.
“These days, there are no secrets. The internet exposes everything. Even the new president openly credits the internet for his election win. We don’t need to step in; the recipients of the free replacements will spread the word.”
“Oh….”
“We just need to focus on being genuinely kind. Our good deeds will inevitably be discovered. The media will cover it more extensively. Asking them to report on a press release doesn’t work as well as letting the internet buzz do the talking.”
President Jo chuckled, a bit overwhelmed.
“This is… I can’t keep up with the world as I age.”
“With construction, we need to make our intentions known for better bidding results, but with automobiles, being discovered is more genuine and will spread further.”
“Alright. Discovered, not announced. I’ll prepare based on that.”
Satisfied, President Jo suddenly remembered something.
“By the way, what’s up with Mr. Oh? Is something going on?”
“Well, actually….”
I shared the conversation I had with Oh Se-hyun. Hearing about his retirement plans, President Jo couldn’t hide his disbelief.
“What! Isn’t fifty the prime age for a man to work? I’m over sixty and never thought of retiring. Is he out of his mind? Why waste such a brilliant mind?”
“What can we do? It’s something he’s always dreamed of, so trying to stop him won’t work.”
President Jo looked even more troubled than before.
“This is serious. Chairman Song Hyun-chang also announced to the board that he plans to retire at the end of this year. I thought Mr. Oh was the perfect candidate to succeed him. He’s more than qualified, isn’t he?”
“Is that just your opinion, or does the entire board think so?”
“The whole board. We even thought Chairman Song and Mr. Oh had discussed it.”
“Then what should we do?”
“What? About Chairman Song’s successor?”
“Yes. Do you have any interest, President?”
I tested the waters, but he waved his hand before I could finish.
“Not me.”
“You’re more than capable. You’re being too modest.”
“No. Do you trust your grandfather, Chairman Jin’s judgment?”
“Yes.”
Why bring up my grandfather all of a sudden?
“He assessed me. Said I’m someone who can focus on one thing, not manage a whole river. That’s why he left me in charge of the automotive division without much interference. The chairman’s position is beyond my reach. Find someone else.”
The problem is, there’s no one else.
We both fell silent, watching the news about the typhoon damage.
When I rushed to the Sunyang headquarters, everyone was in a somber meeting.
Thinking about the insurance payouts was enough to give anyone a headache.
The Sunyang Fire & Marine Insurance CEO looked particularly grim.
He was responsible for the wind and flood insurance, which covered damages from typhoons, heavy rains, floods, strong winds, and earthquakes.
Seeing me join the meeting late, they grew more tense but didn’t voice any opinions.
They refrained from suggesting we skimp on insurance payouts. Instead, they emphasized doing our best to avoid upsetting the victims, easing the pressure on them before leaving the meeting room.
Vice President Jang Do-hyung caught my eye and quietly followed me to my office.
Facing him, I said, “What I said in the meeting wasn’t just talk. Make sure no one gets the wrong idea. We can’t make excuses to avoid paying insurance claims.”
“Yes, I’ll make that clear.”
“And make a donation under the Sunyang Financial Group’s name.”
“I was planning to. We’re already getting flooded with calls from the three major broadcasters and newspapers.”
This was a competition too.
The disaster relief donations had become a way for media companies to flaunt their influence.
We had to distribute it evenly to avoid backlash. But spreading it out meant the amount was diluted, which wasn’t ideal for the company.
“Are you planning to donate alone? We should also donate under the Sunyang Group’s name, right?”
“Donate under the financial group’s name first. Then everyone else will follow suit. If we donate as a whole group, we’ll be overshadowed. Sunyang Electronics will stand out, and we should avoid that.”
“Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi will be furious….”
“I’ll handle that. Just go ahead.”
“Alright. How should we distribute it among the media?”
“Exclude the media. Let’s donate directly to the disaster relief headquarters. One big donation is more noticeable than several small ones.”
“Understood. How much should we donate?”
“Fifty billion should be enough, right?”
He seemed a bit surprised but nodded lightly. Considering Daehyun Group’s total donation was thirty billion, it was a significant amount for a company of our size.
“It’s more than enough. Got it. Any other instructions?”
“Do you know any trustworthy journalists?”
“Journalists?”
“Yes. Someone who doesn’t write recklessly and has a good way with words.”
“I’ll check with the PR team. But why do you ask?”
“I want to make a personal donation, but I’d like it to be anonymous.”
A knowing smile spread across Vice President Jang’s face.
“You’re planning to create a heartwarming story.”
“Yes.”
“Donate anonymously, and then have that trustworthy journalist reveal it a few days later. Is that right?”
“Exactly. Haha.”
“But sir, for it to be newsworthy, the donation needs to be substantial. How much are you planning to donate?”
“Would five billion be enough to make headlines?”
“F-Five billion?”
His eyes widened in surprise, and I added one more thing.
“Is it not enough? Should we raise it to a trillion won?”
“No, no, it’s not that. It’s just… it’s such a huge amount.”
“That’s exactly the reaction we need. Everyone should be left speechless, just like you are now. If the amount is too modest, people will just criticize us for showing off. When you make a move, you need to add an extra zero to the expected figure to really make an impact.”
“This isn’t just an impact; if this story gets out, it’ll overshadow any typhoon news.”
“That’s precisely what I want. We need to ensure no one says I’m just a young guy playing at being a conglomerate chairman because of my grandfather. We need to transform my image into that of a respected businessman practicing true noblesse oblige.”
What I desire is the invisible support of the public in the fierce succession battle that will inevitably come.
Government agencies and banks are major shareholders in the Sunyang Group.
Eventually, they’ll have to choose sides among the three of us. And when that time comes, they can’t ignore public opinion, can they?
“This won’t just change your image; you’ll be praised everywhere.”
“Even better.”
“And this donation is going to the Disaster Relief Headquarters, right?”
“Exactly. If we favor one media outlet, do you think the others will pick up the story? They might just accuse us of playing a rigged game.”
“Understood. I’ll make sure this becomes a real heartwarming story.”
Vice President Jang Do-hyung couldn’t hide his excitement, as if he had been entrusted with a secret mission.