＜ Chapter 31. Even if a rich country collapses, 30 years go by (1) ＞
Chapter 31. Even if a wealthy country collapses, 30 years go by (1)
“I already greeted you at the last welcome ceremony, but since this is a private place, I have to say hello again, Chairman Chung, welcome to Pyongyang in the north. You look much younger when you see the real thing after only seeing it in photos. In this book, I hope that you will extend your experience and experience of capitalism for a long time.”
“Heh heh… The general secretary is a lot younger than the rumors. However, seeing the clear image of a nobleman in my gloomy eyes, I think this Jung Moon-young met people really well at the end of the day.”
‘Hmm, it seems to match the assessment I’ve heard in my previous life… but it’s oddly different. It’s natural that I can’t treat myself like an employee of my own company, but…’
Business jokes often came and went at the invitation screen, but Jeong-hwan, who sat around the table, and Jeong Mun-young, chairman of the modern group, had different thoughts.
The first thing that Jung-hwan came to mind was Jung Moon-young’s evaluation of ‘The driving force is a bulldozer, but he has a self-righteous side, and he has a lot of guts and seems to make decisions easily, but he also has a calm calculation from a businessman’s point of view’.
As someone who has been told that he is a myth in the Korean business world and a chaebol among chaebols, Junghwan also heard enough bad reviews and favorable reviews, and there was a time when he thought that he would like to meet him if he had the chance.
Of course, in my previous life, Jung-hwan died when he was in elementary school, so that dream could not come true, but it was also impressive to meet the protagonist of his childhood dream in a place like this.
“How about naengmyeon instead? In the South, Okryugwan is very famous, right?”
“As rumored, it is excellent. I don’t know if it’s because of my mood, but the noodles I ate at other places were also delicious, but it was a pity that I couldn’t preserve the subtle flavor of Pyongyang, but it’s only here that I relieve my hunger. haha.”
‘Surprisingly. At a young age, he purged his older brother, and succeeded in his father’s footsteps as the North’s supreme leader. …’
The surprise of meeting each other in person at the invitation screen was more for Jeong Mun-young than for Jung-hwan.
Perfect Seoul dialect (I heard that he was pushed out of the succession district and lived in exile) I can guess that he learned it from meeting a friend or media from South Korea abroad, but I wonder if the understanding of Korea that we can see at first glance during conversation is actually a North Korean. it was about
In particular, I thought that there would be some aspects of the Crown Prince of the Joseon Dynasty who did not know about capitalism or the world as much as he grew up in a family of white blood. it was
“You have had a hard time visiting Pyongyang, Nampo, and other special reform and opening-up zones for the past week. I hope you will consider this Okryugwan Naengmyeon as my consolation to express my apologies for suffering the elderly Chairman Jeong.”
As Jeonghwan said, the place they chose for lunch today was Okryugwan, which is considered to be the representative restaurant of Pyongyang Naengmyeon, famous in many ways in the South.
After the historic inter-Korean agreement, this place was hastily cleaned and remodeled to welcome Chairman Chung Mun-young, the first precious guest to visit Pyongyang, and it perfectly met both the goals of representing North Korea and showing the sincerity that Jeong Hwan put into hospitality.
“Heh heh heh… The general secretary took care of the dedicated helicopter… No, even the direct flight, so I sat comfortably and watched the drums. Besides, the original entrepreneurs are people who go back to being young when they have a way to earn money and do business in front of them.”
“Indeed, it is said that when you were working on a construction project in Saudi Arabia, you surprised those around you by working with torches on at night to match the air. How was it to see the ‘White House’ people’s apartment project site in person?”
“Just looking at it made my heart race at this age. To be honest, when I first came to North Korea, there were not a lot of objections from our company executives to my sons, until the general secretary made Hyundai E&C monopolize a project of this size and paid half of the price, even in dollars, first. Everyone is happy with it.”
The ‘baekwa apartment project’ was a public rental apartment project of the Workers’ Party of Korea, launched under the brand name of white tile, which means white tile.
During a storm in Russia, an inter-Korean agreement was signed and Chairman Chung Mun-young personally led the modern group’s personnel to cross the armistice line.
The first was the safety diagnosis of almost all buildings in the Republic and replacement and repair of obsolete facilities.
– After returning to Kim Jung-hwan’s body, I was surprised to see rust coming out of the apartment bathroom within a few days.
Buildings in North Korea, starting in Pyongyang, were mostly time bombs that could collapse due to poor materials and speed-focused construction.
In fact, if you forget, the building collapsed and people died, but when the wall was opened, it was found that there were bamboo pillars instead of an iron frame.
In particular, since the old water and sewage pipes are so old, Jeong Hwan has already commissioned British oil companies to buy sewage pipes and replace the essential ones since he took office as general secretary, but the infrastructure is not replaced in such a short time. , so progress was still negligible.
Fortunately, the engineers of Hyundai Engineering & Construction, who came to the north with Jeong Mun-young this time, had considerable know-how in manufacturing steel pipes, starting with making oil pipelines in Saudi Arabia.
– From now on, we will start a large-scale renovation and reconstruction of infrastructure. The Ministry of Industry of the Party and the filing room, in cooperation with the engineers of the modern group, figure out the location where the water pipe was buried, replace the old one, and expand the incomplete one. The goal is to get rid of the wells in Pyongyang within the next two years.
“Compared to other Seouls, our Pyongyang has many shortcomings, so I am honestly ashamed as the general secretary. But for that reason, when you do a new maintenance this time, you will be able to redecorate with better quality and the latest equipment than others. Whether it’s for water and sewage, roads or airports, it’s difficult to lay them down for the first time, but it’s also expensive to remove what’s already been laid and install a new one.”
“It is truly an insight like the general secretary. In fact, this is the case with the apartment business. I can assure you, but apartments that are better and newer than those in Apgujeong or Nonhyeon-dong, Seoul will soon sprout like bamboo shoots in Pyongyang.”
And the second modern start was the construction of public apartments.
The influx of people into the 5 special development zones in search of jobs and money in search of jobs and money as the reform and opening special zone was gradually established was explosive even though the party controlled it. it was
At the same time, the first new town plan, which began in the South at the same time (to realize the pre-elected promise of the current president of ‘supply of 2 million housing units’), was appropriately reduced and revised with a focus on special zones to suit the circumstances of the North, resulting in 250,000 units. It was a plan of a bag and apartment aimed at supply.
It was Hyun Young-sook, director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department, who proposed to change the name without creativity such as the ‘New Future People’s Abate Plan’ used in the proposal column for the project name first submitted to the secretary’s office to Baek Wa Apartment.
– It means baekwa, white tile. Roof tiles have been avoided since it was considered a reactionary element that symbolized the upper classes of the bourgeoisie during the Lee Jo era. However, the name came up to give the impression that our party is also changing little by little and to promote reform and opening up to the people. How about the general secretary?
Even Jeonghwan, who was terrified to see such a name as ‘Kim Jeong-hwan’s feat Abate’, had no reason to oppose Hyun Young-sook’s opinion. .
“Haha, in fact, even within the Workers’ Party of Korea, there were some rumors about how we could trust an entrepreneur from another country and pay such a large sum right away. However, it was a decision made with respect to Chairman Chung, who came to North Korea for the first time, trusting us and the construction capability of Modern Construction…”
Here, Jeonghwan gently blurs his words, put down the chopsticks he used to stir the naengmyeon and looked straight into Jung Moonyoung’s eyes.
Jung Mun-young’s face, which was full of laughter at Jung-hwan’s sincere request, was also slightly serious.
“……Please take good care of the people’s shelter only if it is strong and without problems, as you know, the beginning and foundation of anything is important.”
“….!!! of course. I have my son who accompanied me to the north this time, and the general secretary does not have to worry as I will leave the final person in charge to him and give him full attention. If he doesn’t want to be outside of my eyes, he’ll take care of himself.”
In the past, there were many public apartment complexes centered in Pyongyang in North Korea, but the reality is that accidents or people die from time to time due to poor materials and poor design and construction capabilities, putting aside quality such as design and housing satisfaction.
Of course, even in other people’s new city plans at the same time, the use of defective materials or poor construction was frequent due to excessive target values that did not take reality into account, but it was true that the quality and frequency of accidents were incomparable to those of North Korea, so Jeong Hwan sent all of the supplies to Hyundai Group. made the decision to entrust
When Jeonghwan euphemistically delivered a warning message, ‘Because I trusted you and entrusted you,’ while expressing trust in Jung Moon-young and the modern group, Jung Moon-young had no choice but to nod his head heavily at his grandson, a young man.
And there were other things Junghwan specifically asked Jung Moon-young about regarding Baekwa’s apartment.
– Even in this life, living in a city covered with apartments is a bit depressing, but I can’t help it. Apartments are the only plans to supply housing with guaranteed quality and quantity in a short time… But I should try to avoid turning Pyongyang into a concrete jungle if possible.
“Designers from Switzerland and Germany arrived in Pyongyang today. The interpreter has already been prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so please make it according to your order.”
“Once this is completed, I don’t know if the South Koreans will look at Jeong Mun-young and curse at him for being a patriot. haha. By the way, there is something our group engineers have already designed, and it may take a little longer to turn it over. Of course, we will do our best, but…”
“It doesn’t matter if the air gets a little longer. Appearance, is it called design in English? I don’t know about the first ten years, but I’m looking forward to seeing it for the next 20 or 30 years.
When Jung-hwan, who can be said to be the chief executive, gave permission, Jung Moon-young looked at him with a surprised face once again while tilting his head.
What Junghwan asked Hyundai Group to do when he entrusted the construction of the Baekwa apartment was the harmony with the architectural design and the urban aesthetic that the apartment complex would form in the long term.
– Each complex and each building should have a slightly different design. Be careful not to repeat buildings with the exact same appearance. Designers are invited from the West even if they use foreign currency,
‘No, even if it’s not aimed at nurturing the tourism industry, the South alone is enough to hear the apartment republic, isn’t it?’
Given the time and income level, I wanted to make Pyongyang a city full of old-fashioned single-story houses like Florence, Italy. It was his instruction.
It was a time when the importance of industrial design was not emphasized much in Japan or the United States as well as Korea, but Jeong Hwan knew that the time would come when design would be in the spotlight as much as the original function of the product or even more than the function in the next 10 years or so.
At that time, there was a person who intervened between him and Jung Moon-young, who were having a friendly conversation.
“Comrade General Secretary, it’s time to go.”
“Hey, then, I have another duty today, so I’ll go.”
“Heh heh heh, I was so excited about the business story that I held the general secretary, who was busy with construction, on hold for too long. Next time, if I have time, I hope we can enjoy the honor or glory of having a meal together.”
“Haha, will today be the only day? We will see you next time. It’s not about naengmyeon, but something more luxurious.”
When Jang Seong-taek, who had been standing next to him all the time, informed that the time had come, Jung-hwan got up from his seat, trembling like that.
As soon as he left the Okryu-gwan door, Jang Seong-taek, who had been watching him and Jung Moon-young friendly conversation with a dissatisfied face, opened his mouth.
“Hey… Comrade General Secretary… That’s…”
“Any complaints? Your face is full of expressions that you have something to say, Comrade Jang.”
“If you allow me to say something… I guess the general secretary doesn’t believe Jung Moon-young too much. Considering that he is someone else’s entrepreneur who invested in the republic for the first time, it’s not incomprehensible, but… Wasn’t it necessary to trust my wallet and not make the mistake of thinking that I was playing over the head of the party with the general secretary?”
Jeong Hwan quickly noticed the hidden intentions of Jang Seong-taek, who carefully raised the concern that ‘Could Jung Moon-yeong threaten the party’s position in the republic with the power of capital?’
And why is he especially wary of Jung Moon-young among foreign companies investing in reform and opening-up special zones?
However, Junghwan hid such thoughts and stopped walking and patted Jang Seongtaek on the shoulder as if he was confident.
“Don’t worry about that. For the next 10 years, even if it is humiliating, we will have to treat the companies of the South, the US, and the West like the modern group, but after that, the indigenous companies of our republic will start to grow. The third project I won in modern times is also to nurture talented people who will lead the future of the republic.”
“…Oh, I’ve heard that story too, but… Do you think it’s necessary to spend a lot of dollars to make something like this for the children who can’t even do arithmetic yet? Besides, you want to install it in ordinary middle schools across the Republic of Korea…”
“I need it. It will have a profound impact on the future of our republic. If not now, in 10 or 8 years, you will know my intentions.”
At Jeonghwan’s resolute tone, Jang Seong-taek quickly shut his mouth.
The third project that the party commissioned to the Modern Group under Jeonghwan’s direction was the repair and expansion of elementary and middle schools across the country.
– Let Dell in the United States import as many computers as needed and make computer labs in every school. It should be connected to the intranet of the republic, and it should also be made mandatory to allocate time for learning and dealing with computers in the class time of the student comrades .