Chapter 20 – Meeting with People
When I stepped out of the interrogation room, Chief Prosecutor Song Jun-su was waiting.
“You didn’t use the full ten minutes.”
“It didn’t seem necessary.”
“So, was an amicable agreement reached?”
“Probably.”
“That’s an ambiguous answer.”
It couldn’t be helped. I couldn’t fully trust Executive Director Lee Min-ho’s promise.
Agreements could be broken at any time depending on the situation.
For now, it was enough if Samdo Group believed they would also suffer damage if they acted recklessly.
That was the real purpose.
“Anyway, isn’t it true that you can’t properly arrest Executive Director Lee Min-ho or thoroughly investigate Samdo General Trading?”
Chief Prosecutor Song Jun-su gave an awkward smile as he responded.
“We can investigate properly. But we can’t be sure the results will be favourable.”
“I figured.”
“It looks like Executive Director Lee Min-ho will get away without charges. They claim Executive Director Lee Min-sik of Samdo Construction acted independently, and Executive Director Lee Min-ho was unaware of it.”
It was certain that Samdo General Trading employees would testify, allowing Executive Director Lee Min-ho to escape unscathed.
They would likely concede that Executive Director Lee Min-sik used his position in the royal family to exert pressure.
“The National Tax Service will conclude the case with a fine of about 10 billion won for some tax evasion due to misreporting in the ledgers.”
“It seems like it’s already been arranged.”
“Assuming you’ve reached an amicable agreement.”
“What if I hadn’t?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
From his sly smile, it seemed he would have made things even more difficult for Samdo Group.
“I see. Well then.”
I turned to leave.
Then, I heard something unexpected.
“Thank you.”
I stopped in my tracks.
“For what?”
“For working for the good of the country.”
Chief Prosecutor Song Jun-su also knew about the condition that Russia would stop supplying weapons and technology to North Korea.
“A citizen should sometimes work for their country. But I didn’t do this solely for the country.”
“I know. It was mainly due to Samdo General Trading… But regardless of the reason, the outcome benefits the country. It’s something no one else could have easily achieved.”
Why were his eyes shining like that?
It was unsettling.
“Anyone could have done it if given the chance.”
“I think finding that opportunity itself is not easy in reality.”
“It’s a bit scary how much you’re praising me.”
“Haha, is that so? Well, I hope we meet again.”
What was he saying?
You should never meet a prosecutor again.
“I don’t want to see you again.”
I didn’t want to go through another investigation.
“Life doesn’t always go as we want. Well then, I’ll go finish things up…”
Chief Prosecutor Song Jun-su went back into the interrogation room.
I tilted my head slightly as I left the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.
***
I returned home under the escort of CEO Im Kang-min and the security personnel.
There wasn’t a proper office in Korea yet.
Once home, I called Senior Lee Jeong-seok in Singapore.
“Yes, it’s over. The charges will be dropped. You did great, senior.”
His whole family had moved to Singapore, where he knew no one.
“Did the payment go through? Great.”
While handling the Samdo Group matter in Korea, Senior Lee Jeong-seok had sold 40 million CBM of gas to Ruhrgas in Germany.
At 20 dollars per CBM.
He bought it for 17 dollars and sold it for 20 dollars.
A profit of 3 dollars.
That’s 120 million dollars.
Half of it, 60 million dollars, went to Putin’s Swiss account.
“It was possible because of you, senior. I just set the price.”
Senior Lee Jeong-seok initially suggested selling at the previous price of 19 dollars.
It was still profitable.
But I suggested negotiating for 20 dollars.
Senior Lee Jeong-seok was persistent in the negotiations.
He persuaded Ruhrgas, which had set 19.5 dollars as their final offer, to agree to 20 dollars.
“Think of it as taking a vacation, and plan to rest while working and coming back here.”
Senior said something unexpected.
He said my sister-in-law and mother found it a good place to live and wanted to stay longer.
Well, my sister-in-law was decent at English, so she managed.
There was another reason, too.
“If it’s for Yeong-jun, I agree.”
If his son, Yeong-jun, lived in Singapore, he would naturally learn English and Korean.
Even Malay, one of the official languages, was possible.
Moreover, Singapore was known for its strong education system.
Even if the cost of living was high, it wasn’t a burden anymore.
“Thank you.”
Out of nowhere, Senior Lee Jeong-seok thanked me.
A blessing in disguise, he said.
He had fled to Singapore in haste, but now it seemed beneficial for his son’s education.
“Got it. Whether I go to Singapore or you come to Korea, we’ll meet soon. Bye.”
I hung up.
Senior Lee Jeong-seok seemed to have fewer worries now.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
I thought it might be CEO Im Kang-min.
“Yes?”
Since it was an old villa, there wasn’t an intercom to see outside.
I just opened the front door.
CEO Im Kang-min stood there with an awkward smile.
“Please come down for a moment.”
“Why?”
“Someone is here to see you.”
Did he really come?
I had told Executive Director Lee Min-ho that if Chairman Lee Hwan-geon wanted to see me, he should come in person.
He came all this way—turning him away would be odd.
“I understand.”
There was no need to be overly formal.
So, I didn’t put on a jacket.
And I wore slippers.
“Um… Sir. Are you really going like that?”
“Yes. Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all.”
It seemed like CEO Im Kang-min was nervous about Chairman Lee Hwan-geon of Samdo Group.
I just walked down the stairs wearing slippers.
And then, I realized something was off.
“CEO Im… the person who came is…”
“Yes, it’s the President.”
Good grief!
You should’ve told me clearly who was coming.
What was this?
I realized it when I saw Director Kim Seong-woong of the NIS standing there.
There were quite a few security personnel around.
“Mr. Lee Seon-su, we don’t have much time.”
Director Kim Seong-woong glanced up and down at me and said,
“Why don’t you go back up and change into proper clothes?”
“There’s no time. It can’t be helped.”
Just as he said, there was no choice but to get into the car where the President was waiting.
Director Kim Seong-woong opened the door.
President Lee Sam-yeong, sitting inside, greeted me with a bright smile.
“Come on in.”
“Oh! Yes.”
I awkwardly got into the car.
The door closed.
There was no one in the driver’s seat.
It was just President Lee Sam-yeong and me in the car.
“How did you come all the way here…?”
“When you’re thirsty, you dig the well yourself.”
I should’ve just agreed to meet him from the start if I knew this would happen.
“You look better in person than in photos.”
“Thank you.”
“I truly wanted to meet you face to face.”
“Why did you think that?”
Honestly, I was not comfortable.
No matter how bold I might be, this was my first time meeting the President.
“I find it remarkable how you managed to secure those things from Russia, even if it was to overcome your crisis. And you’re not even a professional diplomat.”
“It’s precisely because I’m not a professional diplomat. I’m a businessman.”
“A businessman?”
“Yes. A businessman’s main job is to find what the other party wants and make a deal. Even if they think they don’t need it, I have to find it.”
President Lee Sam-yeong laughed.
“That’s true. I feel that it was worth coming to meet you, Mr. Lee.”
“Thank you.”
“In the future, we should base our diplomatic approach on finding what the other party wants, just as you suggested.”
“That might be too much…”
“And, of course, guide it in a way that benefits our country, just as you did.”
Why were they all like this?
Could a President, the head of a nation, really be so straightforward?
I doubted it.
“I’ll give a heads-up to Chairman Lee Hwan-geon of Samdo Group personally.”
He was willing to protect me.
If President Lee Sam-yeong backed me, Chairman Lee Hwan-geon wouldn’t easily mess with me.
At least not until President Lee’s power waned.
“But I’d like you to handle the negotiations well.”
There it was.
There’s no such thing as a favour without strings attached.
I wasn’t an acquaintance of President Lee Sam-yeong, nor did we have any ties.
A favour like this comes with a price.
“It can’t be unconditionally favourable for Korea. If it is, Russia might reject it.”
“It doesn’t have to be unconditional, but I hope you make it as favourable for Korea as possible.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Suddenly, President Lee Sam-yeong grabbed my hand.
“I’m counting on you. And as long as what you do isn’t illegal, I’ll help you with anything.”
What was he talking about?
“Mr. President. I don’t think that’s right.”
“What do you mean?”
“If I really wanted to ride on power, I would’ve kept pursuing Samdo Group to the end.”
President Lee Sam-yeong liked Lee Seon-su even more.
Most people would do whatever it took to leverage power once they had a chance.
But Lee Seon-su refused even when offered.
“The ideal company I envision competes fairly. This was also done to promote fair competition. And I created what Korea needed, and the government bought it by paying the price.”
President Lee Sam-yeong smiled.
“That’s good. That’s why the Korean government is willing to pay a high price.”
He seemed a bit excited.
“I wouldn’t mind if it’s at a high price. But I’ll refuse simple favours.”
This, too, would become a debt later.
“Understood. You’re quite the upright person.”
I’m definitely not upright.
Knock knock.
There was a knock on the window from outside.
“It seems time has flown by. It’s a pity.”
I was glad it was over quickly.
“I’d like to invite you to the Blue House later for a longer conversation…”
“If time permits, I’ll do so.”
“Haha. It sounds like you’re telling me to come find you again.”
I really hoped he wouldn’t.
“No, sir.”
The car door opened.
It was time to get out.
“I hope we meet again.”
I couldn’t respond to that.
I just bowed my head slightly and stepped out.
Immediately, the security personnel began to move, and the motorcade started.
Director Kim Seong-woong of the NIS didn’t leave.
“Mr. Lee Seon-su. Let’s set a date for the negotiations now.”
“Understood. Let’s establish the company first.”
I haven’t been approved as a defense contractor yet.
***
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon of Samdo Group was furious when he heard from Executive Director Lee Min-ho that Lee Seon-su had refused to meet him.
However, his anger subsided somewhat when he found out that the issue with Samdo General Trading would be settled with a 10-billion-won fine.
Executive Director Lee Min-sik of the construction arm had been arrested.
Still, the fact that Lee Seon-su dared to reject him was hard to accept.
He contemplated how to prevent Lee Seon-su from conducting business properly in Korea.
Then, he received a message that President Lee Sam-yeong wanted to meet him at the Blue House.
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon went to the Blue House.
***
“It’s been a long time, Chairman Lee.”
“Yes, Mr. President. It’s my first time since the last presidential election.”
“Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.”
A simple tea was served.
“I asked to see you today because of Mr. Lee Seon-su.”
President Lee Sam-yeong didn’t beat around the bush.
“Lee Seon-su?”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon wondered if Lee Seon-su was significant enough for the President to mention him.
He was someone who had worked at Samdo General Construction and had taken the blame for the Gupo Mugunghwa train accident in exchange for money.
Then, he had gone to Russia with Lee Jeong-seok, a former employee of Samdo General Trading, and started a business.
He held the rights to negotiate the loan that Korea provided to Russia.
That was it.
“Whatever Samdo Group thinks of Mr. Lee Seon-su, I hope you leave him be.”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon tilted his head.
“Mr. President… I’m curious as to why you’re doing this. Even if it’s about the Russian loan, it’s only around 1.4 billion dollars. Compared to the scale of the Korean economy, it’s not a significant amount.”
“To be exact, it’s 1.47 billion dollars.”
“That’s not much of a difference.”
“But Mr. Lee Seon-su has secured something that can’t be measured in money.”
“And what is that?”
“It’s that Russia has agreed not to provide weapons and technology to North Korea.”
“……”
This was something Chairman Lee Hwan-geon hadn’t considered.
No, he hadn’t even imagined it.
“That’s one of the secondary conditions. Russia will provide 1.47 billion dollars’ worth of weapons to Korea.”
He thought it wouldn’t be ordinary weapons.
Otherwise, President Lee Sam-yeong wouldn’t have brought it up.
“What kind of weapons…”
“Something akin to an aircraft carrier.”
He didn’t intend to explain the concept of an aircraft cruiser to Chairman Lee Hwan-geon in detail.
“……”
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon was at a loss for words again.
Now he understood in an instant why the Blue House, no, why the President was so attentive to Lee Seon-su.
“Mr. Lee Seon-su is essential for national interests. And I’m willing to take some losses for that.”
This was a warning.
Chairman Lee Hwan-geon understood perfectly.
If Samdo Group interfered with Lee Seon-su, there would be consequences.
But Chairman Lee Hwan-geon found himself more intrigued by something else.
He felt an urgent need to meet Lee Seon-su at any cost.
—
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