“Splitting it evenly? 5
“My approach might seem like a bad move, but sometimes a bold move is the best way to counter a trick. Let’s stop worrying about the money. Are we all set?”
“Yes. We’re preparing a press conference following the official announcement from the Sunyang Construction creditors. How does two days from now sound?”
“Let’s do it. Once I light the fire while they’re scrambling to cover the story, they’ll have no way out.”
Vice President Jang Do-hyung looked incredulous.
“It’s not just lighting a fire. Your name will be all over the year-end and New Year TV broadcasts. Has there ever been a businessperson in corporate history who confessed to underpaying taxes and paid an astronomical sum voluntarily?”
“Most people pay their taxes diligently without evasion. It’s abnormal for the news to make a fuss about things returning to normal.”
Jang Do-hyung slapped his knee.
“That’s good!”
“Excuse me?”
“Make sure to say that at the press conference. Haha.”
Oh, I almost forgot.
Telecom companies have started selling iPhones, and the era of smartphones is truly beginning.
Smartphones are the driving force behind the explosive growth of social media.
Some say social media is a waste of life, but it’s another platform for creating stars. And a star with a positive image can sway public opinion.
Shall we start this time?
I called my father.
“Dad, could you introduce me to a PI expert?”
PI stands for President Identity, originally a political term. It involves highlighting a president’s distinctive traits to positively influence public perception.
PI, initially for national leaders, has expanded to include CEOs, public figures, and celebrities. Sharing and communicating one’s identity is essential for opinion leaders.
Now, PI has broadened to Personal Identity, focusing on individual identity activities.
Wouldn’t it be convenient for a respected star executive in our country’s business world to sway public opinion?
I chuckled at my father’s surprise.
“Yes. Why? Is it not allowed? Hehe.”
“Not a celebrity, but I do want to be a star. Do you know anyone good?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure they’re compensated accordingly.”
“Thank you, Dad.”
I need to build enough influence to turn someone into a hero or a villain with just a word.
But first, let’s start by turning some relatives into villains…
The two experts my father introduced blinked in surprise after hearing my explanation.
“What’s wrong? Do you think this won’t help build my image?”
“No, it’s just unexpected.”
“Yes, indeed. It’s been years since that incident… And spending 600 billion won…”
“Spending 600 billion means I need to make a grand and elegant entrance, right? So that no one can hold back their praise. Are you not confident?”
“Of course not.”
They both jumped in unison.
“The quality of the product… Oh, sorry, it’s industry jargon…”
“Feel free to use industry terms.”
“Ah, yes. Anyway, Mr. Jin, your quality is incomparable to ordinary people, and the sheer impact of 600 billion. Plus, the morality of paying taxes you didn’t have to. With these elements, you hardly need someone like me.”
“Indeed. The media will have no choice but to make a big deal out of it. Just listing the facts is like a drama. There’s hardly anything to add.”
I didn’t call them just to hear compliments.
“I’m not meeting you just for this one event. I aim to build an image over a long period.”
“What kind of image are you looking for?”
“It’s simple. Even if I evade taxes or embezzle over a trillion won, the public should have unwavering and unconditional trust that I would never do such a thing. That’s my goal.”
The experts looked puzzled at the sudden shift in conversation.
It’s understandable, given that I’m talking about tax evasion and embezzlement while paying taxes I didn’t have to.
“You said you’re the best in the industry. Is it difficult?”
Turning someone into a villain while dressing them as an angel isn’t easy to answer.
“I’ve heard that even celebrities with bad habits and complicated relationships can appear as perfect sons because of your skills…”
One of them spoke cautiously.
“For long-term image building, there’s something essential.”
“Go ahead, don’t hold back.”
“Unconditional trust is necessary.”
“Trust…”
“Yes. Even if it seems unnecessary or pointless, following the expert’s direction precisely is crucial, and it’s quite challenging.”
“Especially for successful people. They’ve succeeded in their own way, so they’re not keen on outside advice.”
I understand their concerns. They might see me as an arrogant third-generation chaebol, worse than a star celebrity.
“Let’s make a contract.”
“Excuse me?”
“I’ll contract with both of you. Draft the contract together and send it over. You can include a clause that I must follow your instructions unconditionally. However, the contract term is one year. If I find it lacking by my standards, it ends in a year.”
I handed them my business card as they blinked again.
“Once the contract is signed, prepare a plan for the press conference.”
2010 began with an amplified crisis suggesting that two of Korea’s major corporations might collapse.
Jin Dong-ki and Joo Min-sik, the parties involved, played a very clever media game.
The bankruptcy of the two construction companies was exaggerated as if a second IMF crisis was imminent. The media’s bias towards the construction companies was evident.
Articles always ended with the notion that government bailout funds were desperately needed.
Perhaps due to the negative press, the stock market began to waver.
“Even a rotten fish is still a fish… They’re strong. Not easy to deal with.”
Chairman Lee Hak-jae couldn’t hide his unease.
“What is this? After all the years I’ve spent with you, you’re showing such weakness?”
“It’s because of the time spent with the chairman that I’m uneasy. If they’ve managed to sway public opinion this far, even the government and banks will be shaken.”
“You’re saying they’re making the construction companies’ bankruptcy seem like the government’s fault?”
“Exactly. They’re the face of Korea’s construction industry. The government can’t escape responsibility.”
“I’m going to deliver a counterpunch. Just wait and see.”
“A counterpunch?”
“Yes. I mentioned before that you’ll be summoned as a witness to the prosecutor’s office.”
“Hey!”
I waved my hand with a smile at his outburst.
“Just walk in confidently and say a few words into the microphones the reporters thrust at you.”
”…?”
“You’ll see the uncomfortable truth everyone knows but pretends not to… Something like that? And then have a coffee with the chief prosecutor.”
“Are you really going to reveal everything?”
“Of course not. Just enough to make our uncles look like thieves to the public.”
“It might be shocking, but it doesn’t seem like a knockout punch.”
“I have follow-up punches. Those are secrets that will only be shared with the prosecution.”
“The vice presidents’ corruption won’t be of much use. They won’t dig through the trash again.”
“It’ll be different if it’s their sons.”
“What? Sons? Whose sons?”
“Jin Tae-jun, Vice President Jin Dong-ki’s eldest son. The director of finance at Sunyang Construction. The 60 billion won he mishandled. That should make Vice President Jin Dong-ki surrender.”
“Tae-jun?”
Chairman Lee Hak-jae’s mouth fell open at the unexpected name.
“Just as you’re surprised, our second uncle will be shocked too. Especially since the prosecution’s sword is pointed at them, leaving no time to cover it up.”
“That 60 billion, was it a trap you set?”
“No, he was blinded by money. Even knowing that speculation, not investment, is gambling. Hehe.”
“Do I really need to wear makeup?”
“Didn’t you say you’d follow instructions? Bear with it.”
The suit looked simple at first glance, but the silhouette was so well-tailored it was impressive. After an hour of hairstyling and makeup, I understood what camera-ready meant.
“With such a good base, the effort is worth it. The press conference footage will appear not only on the news but also on entertainment programs. Those get much higher ratings than the news.”
“The content needs to stand out. Enough to make even housewives angry.”
“We’ve coordinated with the company’s PR team. The world will be buzzing with this news for a while.”
Assistant Kim Yoon-seok knocked on the waiting room door with a tense expression.
“Sir, it’s time to go.”
The conference room was packed with reporters. The bait we had set made the media expect today’s conference to be a huge scoop, and they were relentless with their camera shutters.
After a brief greeting, I began reading the prepared statement.
”…I’m ashamed for having ignored this for so long, but I can’t hide my shame forever. After a very strict and precise evaluation, I concluded that about 600 billion won in gift taxes is appropriate.”
I looked up to gauge the reporters’ reactions, and it was just as I had hoped.
“However, it’s contradictory for the person involved in the gift to decide the tax amount. To determine the exact amount, I’ve already handed over all the data to the National Tax Service, and to verify any illegalities in the gifting process, I’ve provided the same data to the Prosecutor’s Financial Investigation Department. Also, I plan to appear as a witness at the prosecutor’s office right after this conference.”
It’s time to wrap up.
“Of course, I can assure you there was no illegality in the gifting process. However, there were legal loopholes exploited, which might not sit well with public sentiment. For that, I sincerely apologize.”
As I bowed deeply, the reporters’ questions erupted.
The interview was filled with predictable questions and equally predictable answers. The question I’d been waiting for finally came up near the end.
“Both vice chairmen of Sunyang Group inherited their positions around the same time as you, Mr. Jin Do-jun. Do you believe there were any irregularities in that process?”
“All I’ll say is that they received more than three times the shares I did. I think the vice chairmen should be the ones answering that question.”
Having said what needed to be said, the press conference was over.
Ignoring the barrage of follow-up questions from the reporters, I left the room and headed straight for the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
Reporters were already camped outside the prosecutor’s office, waiting. Since I’d already spoken my piece, I ignored the microphones thrust in my face and continued inside without breaking stride.
I was sitting in the interrogation room, sipping a glass of water, when the door opened and a young prosecutor walked in.
He tossed a file onto the desk and said, “Long time no see. First time since graduation, right?”
“Having an old-looking face has its perks. You haven’t changed a bit, Prosecutor Kim Ji-hoon. Haha.”
“Hey! Didn’t I tell you that calling me ‘old-looking’ is off-limits? You know it’s not wise to annoy a prosecutor, right?”
Kim Ji-hoon, my old classmate, was biting his lip to keep from laughing.