Guerilla Warfare. Part 3
I was curious about who my father was dealing with and what kind of deal it was, but his next words made me put my curiosity aside for the moment.
“Don’t underestimate the small stuff. Gather everything you can. The big branches and the small twigs are all important. Got it?”
I nodded, but I still couldn’t fathom what kind of deal he was talking about.
“You don’t seem entirely at ease, Father. I take it this big deal isn’t as simple as it sounds?”
“Right. If it were easy, would I be this on edge?”
Just as I was about to probe further, Vice Chairman Jin Young-ki deftly changed the subject to something more sensitive.
“But you don’t seem to be upset.”
“Sorry?”
“The foundation. The one I set up for you…”
I had a lot to say, but I held back. My father had handed me a hollow foundation, but I didn’t get angry.
If he broke his promise to pass down many things, it would justify my betrayal of family for the sake of aligning with my cousin.
“It’s fine, Father. What’s important now isn’t me. It’s about preserving what our family has. You can take your time with my share. Don’t worry too much.”
I saw a glimmer of pride in my father’s eyes as he looked at me.
It took me until my mid-thirties to realize that the way to open a parent’s wallet isn’t by demanding, but by showing independence and taking care of my own share. That’s when unexpected things happen.
The tightly shut wallet opens on its own.
“Right. Just be patient and wait a little longer. I’ve thought it all through and I’m preparing. You’ll never feel let down by your old man. Haha.”
Despite feeling a pang of guilt as my father patted my back, I brushed it off, thinking of what I would eventually receive.
“Seems like Jin Young-jun found himself a good wife, don’t you think?”
“Isn’t that why they allied with a media company? To use it when needed? But who came up with this plan? The editor-in-chief? Or the chief editorial writer?”
“Both. They’re a perfect team. I used to hang out with them often when I was serving the chairman…”
The Hansung Daily opened fire with a summary of Rachel’s press conference and followed up with an editorial targeting the readers.
They framed the acquisition of a domestic company by a foreign investment firm not as a loss of national wealth but as exploitation.
Miracle was suddenly likened to the Oriental Development Company, and Rachel was portrayed as its founder, Ito Hirobumi.
Korea’s Miracle in Yeouido was turned into a traitor, an agent of national exploitation.
“That’s the power that’s endured for nearly a hundred years through tough times. Just watch. By tomorrow, foreign capital will be labeled as exploitative, and the media will be in an uproar.”
“In a world where even the president is advertising to attract foreign capital, they set their own standards.”
“Hansung Daily was also shouting about the need for foreign capital just a few days ago. That shamelessness is their survival strategy and strength.”
“I should pay my respects to those shameless folks. Chairman, could you arrange a meeting?”
Chairman Lee Hak-jae couldn’t suppress a chuckle.
“Don’t bother. You can’t sway them. Even if you shower them with money, they won’t budge.”
If money could solve everything, I’d already be the chairman of Sunyang Group.
Money is just a symbol of desire, not everything. What’s important is the desire itself.
“And even if you manage to sway those two, it won’t change much. Hansung Daily has plenty of writers. They’ll quickly find replacements.”
“Are those two the pillars of Hansung Daily right now?”
“They are.”
“Then it’s worth a try. If we remove the pillars, the next ones won’t take root at Hansung Daily. They’ll follow the precedent.”
“What do you mean?”
“We just need to create a crack in the united front of Hansung Daily. Once the job is done, you’ll see. Just set up the meeting.”
Chairman Lee Hak-jae sighed deeply and picked up the phone.
Before meeting the two pillars, he busied himself with some preliminary preparations. Meanwhile, Hansung Daily’s relentless attacks continued, and other media outlets also touched on the issue of foreign capital infiltration.
By the time the issue raised by Hansung Daily was being discussed on TV debate programs, the meeting took place.
“I apologize for any inconvenience, but I trust you’ll understand.”
The two were surprised to see me instead of Chairman Lee Hak-jae, but they soon wore the confident smiles of victors.
“No need to apologize. Seeing you in person confirms the rumors.”
“Oh, those rumors? You mean the one about me being the owner of Miracle?”
“Would we be dining together if it weren’t true? We’re the only ones launching a full-scale attack on Miracle right now.”
Their smug attitude.
They think I’m here to lower myself and negotiate.
“The truth of the rumors will come out in due time… Anyway, I’ve seen the power of Hansung Daily’s hegemony. The pen is indeed mightier than money. The advertising fees HW, Sunyang Finance, and Sunyang Heavy Industries have paid over the years must rival those of Sunyang Electronics.”
For a moment, discomfort flickered across their faces, but they quickly regained their smiles.
“Why are you saying this? Surely you don’t think you can silence us with advertising?”
“Isn’t there no other paper like Hansung Daily for print ads? You’ve surely seen the advertising effect.”
Their confidence remained unshaken.
They’re not wrong. Even a single apartment ad in Hansung Daily can flood the phones with inquiries.
Most of the wealthy in this country are subscribers to Hansung Daily. It’s not easy to threaten the power of Hansung Daily, which holds the most affluent readership, with advertising.
“Ah, I was just trying to make a point. Ads and articles are separate matters. I’m not that petty. Haha.”
With that, the editor-in-chief’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
“Judging by how you speak as if you have HW, Sunyang Finance, and Construction’s advertising in your pocket… you don’t seem to be hiding it anymore.”
“How many reporters has my sister-in-law assigned to me? It’s hard to hide when they just confirm who I meet.”
The two exchanged glances and cleared their throats.
“Oh, you haven’t been briefed? I must have spoken out of turn…”
“We have no reason to be briefed. It’s a private family matter.”
“Aren’t you the ones who jumped in with Hansung Daily as a club to help my sister-in-law in that private family feud? Editor-in-chief and chief editorial writer?”
A chill settled over the well-prepared Korean meal table.
“It’s uncomfortable to eat like this…”
The chief editorial writer slammed his spoon down on the table with a loud clatter.
“I had high expectations for a young man praised by the world… This is disappointing. Is all you can do is sulk because you don’t like the articles? I’m not broad-minded enough to listen to such sulking over a meal, so I’ll take my leave.”
The editor-in-chief also stood up, taking his cue from the chief editorial writer.
“I was about to move on from company talk to personal matters… You might want to hear it. It won’t be a loss.”
I filled my empty glass with liquor, avoiding their eyes. It’s hard to bend one’s pride when looking directly at someone. A staring contest is a battle of pride, after all.
I could sense it without looking. The editor-in-chief would signal to the chief editorial writer, pulling at his sleeve.
The two sat back down and downed their filled glasses.
I spoke first, sparing them the awkwardness of starting.
“I’m not asking you to write favorable articles for me or to praise the foreign capital targeting Sunyang Electronics in your editorials.”
“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point. What’s this personal matter?”
The editor-in-chief snapped.
“Given your personal circumstances, perhaps it’s time for you both to put down your pens? Surely your hands gripping the pen and your eyes staring at the manuscript must be weary by now.”
“What? Do you think words are just words?”
This time, the editor-in-chief was indignant, but the chief editorial writer remained calm.
“Let’s hear him out.”
There was even a faint smile on the chief editorial writer’s face.
The old man… he’s quick on the uptake. That’s how he’s survived this long.
“Once you’ve finished your studies and built up your credentials, shouldn’t you find a job? How long do you plan to keep studying?”
The editor-in-chief didn’t hide his disdain.
“Is the best you can come up with an executive position dangled as bait? You still don’t understand that doesn’t work on everyone, do you, kid?”
I wondered how his tone would change when his expression did.
“Someone fresh out of school hoping for a high salary and an executive position is quite naive. I’m thinking of offering a non-regular position.”
Even someone with no sense would know my offer isn’t ordinary. There’s only one non-regular position suitable for the editor-in-chief and chief editorial writer of a major newspaper.
The two swallowed hard and just looked at each other. Now, I just had to smile and wait for them to speak.
The editor-in-chief spoke first.
“We can take that non-regular position whenever we want. You seem to be under the illusion that it’s something grand.”
“Those who landed jobs in Yeouido backed by media companies… aren’t they just errand boys for the media? They follow the script the company gives them, act as rubber stamps, and line up as instructed… That’s why it’s rare to see a senior lawmaker from a media background.”
“You should do more research. There are plenty of senior lawmakers.”
The chief editorial writer said with a gentle smile.
“Those senior politicians are people who made it on their own. They were stars even before they pinned on their parliamentary badges, getting love calls from all over Yeouido. If you two were at that level, you’d already be working in Yeouido, not Gwanghwamun.”
The two quickly downed their drinks, trying to hide their flushed faces.
“A truly independent lawmaker, one who doesn’t bow to anyone and stands by their convictions—that’s what you’d expect from someone with a background in journalism, right?”
“Using a parliamentary badge as bait to get favorable articles? Are you suggesting buying articles with positions instead of ads?”
“You misunderstood me. I never asked for articles. I asked you to put down your pens.”
The two furrowed their brows, still not grasping the full meaning of my words.
“I’m saying you should prepare to resign and head to Yeouido. I’ll make sure you get a badge in the next general election. Not as some trivial proportional representative, but as a proud district lawmaker.”
Securing a nomination for parliament is a reward for years of loyalty, and even then, it’s not guaranteed for everyone.
You have to survive fierce battles in the newsroom and align with the election cycle every four years. Plus, you need the luck of an open seat. But here I am, offering a direct path to Yeouido next year, just for quitting your job…
The editor-in-chief looked incredulous, while the chief editor burst into laughter.
“Ah, the old British bourgeois tactic of promoting competent tax officials to better positions to get rid of them. Clever indeed. Ha ha ha.”
“You know your history. None of those tax officials refused the promotion. They were clever too.”
That laughter wasn’t the kind that comes with a refusal.
A shrewd old man, indeed.