The Dutiful Sons, Part 3

”…This is a truly appalling situation. The recent art smuggling incident has revealed that even consulate staff were involved in a systematic operation. This clearly shows how lax the discipline is within this administration.

Our opposition party demands the immediate dismissal of the Foreign Minister and a formal apology from the President, who appointed him.

Furthermore, we will propose a special investigation to thoroughly examine this case…”

Although the spokesperson hadn’t yet mentioned Sunyang or the grandmother by name, he clenched his fist and spoke with a booming voice, as if to demonstrate his resolve.

The evening news also led with the art smuggling scandal, aiding the opposition in their attack on the Blue House.

“By now, the uncles must be shaking in their boots.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright? Perhaps it would be better for you and Mother to go abroad for a while.”

“Why should I run? I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Father laughed it off, seemingly unfazed.

“But… aren’t you going to miss Grandfather’s house?”

“The uncles probably see that house as some kind of symbol. They likely viewed Grandfather more as the chairman of the group than as a parent. To them, that house was like the headquarters of Sunyang Group. But to me, it’s just a place. What mattered was Grandfather, not the location.”

“You’re not just calculating its value, are you? Haha.”

“If they moved Grandfather’s grave to the Sunyang Museum and gave me the museum, then I’d really have to think about it.”

Father suddenly cleared his throat.

An unexpected turn of events. A grave far away.

Since Sunyang Museum is where Grandfather’s legacy began, he might have thought it was a fitting place.

“A grandson is better than a son. This is suddenly making me feel embarrassed…”

“There’s no need for that. As I said, places are subjective. Doesn’t the world agree that Gunsan is the most suitable location?”

“If you see it that way, I feel less embarrassed. But… what are you planning to do now? With the opposition making such a fuss and a confession from a Foreign Ministry employee, it seems hard to avoid a special investigation.”

“Handling that is the uncles’ job. Whether Grandmother is a key witness or a suspect in this case doesn’t matter to me. As long as she can’t return for a few years, that’s enough.”

“I’ll say it again, but Grandmother…”

“Yes. That won’t happen. Don’t worry.”

I reassured my concerned father.

Even without my involvement, this situation will escalate.

There’s an easy way to calm things down, but as always, using shortcuts only makes the chaos worse.

Isn’t it typical for the wealthy to use a sledgehammer to protect their own, when a simple hoe would suffice?

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“Form the special investigation team with the people on this list. And make sure the name Sunyang Foundation doesn’t come up.”

“Especially, my mother’s name must not appear under any circumstances.”

The two floor leaders from the ruling and opposition parties accepted the list handed to them by the two sons of Sunyang Group.

“How much cooperation has Sunyang Group provided to both parties over the years? This time, we need both parties to come together and help our group.”

Vice Chairman Jin Dong-ki’s blatant reminder left the opposition floor leader looking uncomfortable, while the ruling party floor leader seemed pleased.

“Let me state our position first.”

The ruling party floor leader spoke up, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Dismiss the Foreign Minister, dismiss the New York Consulate General, and prosecute the involved staff. A direct apology from the President is not possible. This means the opposition should stop attacking the Blue House. And… a responsible apology statement from the Sunyang Art Foundation. That’s our stance.”

Anyone with sense knows that the place most afraid of this fallout is Sunyang Group. The ruling party calculated that they could conduct favorable negotiations by targeting Sunyang.

“Are you kidding…? The Foreign Ministry’s resources were used for art smuggling. Are we some backward African country? Or a Colombian drug cartel? After committing such a huge crime, the Blue House just steps back? That’s nonsense!”

“Watch your words. The current Foreign Minister was recommended by your party. Didn’t you threaten to boycott the ministerial hearings unless three of your recommended people were included in the cabinet?”

“What’s the point of bringing up the past now? Managing the ministers is clearly the President’s job…”

Though they seemed to be fighting, like scared dogs barking without biting, they were waiting for their master to intervene.

Jin Young-ki and Jin Dong-ki watched the two politicians argue for a while. In the grand scheme, the ruling and opposition parties are in cahoots.

The two floor leaders know that this fight will end with some scratches and a lot of spoils.

“Let’s cut the nonsense and reach an agreement quickly. We don’t care about the President or the Minister. And a responsible apology from the Sunyang Foundation? Don’t even dream about it. We’ll wrap this up by imprisoning a few thieving employees. Got it?”

When Jin Young-ki slammed the table and shouted, the two floor leaders fell silent.

“This has already happened, so let’s end it here. If the opposition plans to escalate this, we won’t sit idly by. We have plenty of distractions and issues that could turn the political landscape upside down. You know which side the media will take, don’t you?”

Jin Dong-ki added slyly.

The youngest in the family, Jin Yoon-ki, holds a treasure trove of distractions. If a major entertainment scandal breaks out for just a week, Yeouido will be out of the news, and Sunyang holds the reins on both ruling and opposition lawmakers.

“And the Blue House shouldn’t just sit back. This issue could grow bigger in the U.S., couldn’t it? As long as our media doesn’t pick up on what their media is saying, the domestic audience won’t know, so it’s fine…”

Jin Dong-ki glared at the ruling party floor leader, a silent demand to convey this message accurately to the Blue House.

“Though the political burden is significant, please ensure that Washington doesn’t bring up this issue further. Focus on the individual criminals, not the diplomatic issue. If you need our help, just say the word. We’ll actively assist.”

But as the two lawmakers hesitated, Jin Young-ki, who had been holding back, exploded.

“Four years left, is that it?”

“Excuse me? What do you mean by that…?”

“There’s still four years until the general election, so you’re not worried about losing your seats, is that it?”

“Vice Chairman, that’s a misunderstanding. We’re also trying to resolve this issue smoothly…”

The opposition floor leader tried to placate him, but there was no stopping Jin Young-ki once he had erupted.

“Fine. Do as you please. Call out the Blue House, call out the Foreign Ministry. Call out the Sunyang Foundation, and if you want, even reveal my mother’s name. But be prepared to roll in the mud together.”

Jin Young-ki stood up abruptly.

“Instead of waiting four years, start preparing the list of those who will lose their seats and get ready for next year’s by-elections. I’m not just saying this, so remember it.”

Even without prior coordination, their roles were clearly defined. As the bad cop Jin Young-ki stormed out, the good cop Jin Dong-ki spoke calmly.

“I’m sorry about that. You know my brother’s temper. He doesn’t hold grudges. He’ll calm down soon.”

But his demeanor wasn’t much different from his brother’s.

“From what I’ve heard, many lawmakers committed illegal acts in the last election. Especially a significant number of opposition lawmakers. The prosecution is just waiting for the opportunity. Let’s not provoke them and end this quietly.”

It was a clear threat to mobilize prosecutors connected to Sunyang.

“This fall, Sunyang Group will double its recruitment. And we’ll build factories in your constituencies. Go ahead and boast to your constituents. They’ll be thrilled to hear about the investment from Sunyang Group.”

The two floor leaders exchanged glances. They played their final card.

“To block the path leading to Sunyang Group, extraordinary measures are necessary.”

“Extraordinary?”

“Yes. Dissolve the Sunyang Art Foundation.”

“What?”

“We’ve received reports through the Board of Audit and Inspection. The foundation’s revealed assets aren’t much. It’s mostly art and real estate, isn’t it? Let Sunyang Group buy the real estate at a low price and return the money to society, and donate the art to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.”

“Hey!”

Jin Dong-ki shouted, but the ruling party floor leader didn’t flinch.

“It’s an open secret in the industry that the genuine pieces have already been sold. We’re telling you to clean it up. If the Board of Audit and Inspection investigates each artwork, Mrs. Lee Pil-ok, the foundation’s chairwoman, can’t be protected. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

This isn’t about the current incident but about covering up past crimes. The government doesn’t want this issue to escalate further.

Jin Dong-ki realized he had no choice.

The government was offering to erase his mother’s crimes, so there was no need to cling to a few hundred billion won in real estate.

“Alright. We’ll consider it positively at the group level. But you’ll need to give us enough time to sort things out.”

He was asking for time to possibly siphon off any valuable assets.

The ruling party floor leader nodded.

“Of course. Just make sure there’s no more noise.”

“But you must ensure that the name Sunyang…”

“The announcement of the foundation’s dissolution will be the end of it. I promise.”

Jin Dong-ki received the assurance and stood up.

“I’ve left a small gift in the trunk of your cars. Think of it as a special party contribution and use it freely.”

By emphasizing the word “party contribution,” he was implying not to keep it all to themselves. It also meant there was enough to share.

The two floor leaders smiled.

But as Jin Dong-ki left, he felt a deep sense of despair.

Isn’t this exactly what Jin Do-jun wanted? That brat has erased every trace of his grandmother from Korea.

The opposition party, which had been making such a racket, fell silent as soon as the special investigation began.

The media, too, left a final comment expressing hope for a fair investigation and avoided using words like “art” or “painting.”

Instead, the relocation of the administrative capital became the hottest topic among politicians and the press, while the Sunyang Art Foundation smuggling case seemed to quietly fade away.

The announcement of the foundation’s dissolution and its assets being returned to society briefly appeared in the news before disappearing.

Of course, that’s only how it seemed from the outside.

Inside the group, chaos had reigned for some time.

“We expected a drop in our credit rating, but this is too much, isn’t it?”

The big three credit rating agencies—Moody’s, Fitch, and S&P—had all downgraded the ratings of Sunyang Group’s subsidiaries.

Sunyang Electronics, the only domestic company with an A+ rating, was downgraded to an A, and the rest of the subsidiaries were all rated BBB, not even A-.

The international insurance industry treated the entire Sunyang Group as below BBB-, raising all insurance premiums.

“What on earth is the reason? Why are they suddenly out to get us?”

“Well…”

“Spit it out already!”

“News of the $1.8 billion payout related to the art incident has spread in the industry. The amount was so large that several global insurance companies decided to spread the risk. They raised our secondary insurance rates, and there’s nothing we can do about it…”

Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki buried his head in his hands.

Marine insurance for exports was just a drop in the bucket. The real burden came from the mandatory insurance for all overseas operations.

There were countless essential insurances tailored to the circumstances of each country. Not just for him, but for Jin Dong-ki, it was even worse.

When bidding for overseas construction projects, they had to cut costs by even a dollar, but with insurance premiums skyrocketing, they lost that competitive edge.

Jin Young-ki gritted his teeth.

He had even postponed the legal procedures to reclaim his mother’s shares.

The current administration seemed impossible to approach. Perhaps due to its image as the “people’s president,” it refrained from showing any overt favoritism.

All matters requiring government assistance were put on hold, waiting for the right moment.

“Do-jun, that bastard…”

Thinking about the money lost because of him made Jin Young-ki feel like even grinding him to dust wouldn’t ease his anger.