Material Engineer Chulwoo Lee (1)
After Cheol-woo’s announcement, the biggest emergency was at the Blue House.
“……. They say Chulwoo Lee rejected our offer?”
The Prime Minister asked the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy.
“Yes, it is…….”
“If we can’t secure that technology, is China’s export ban policy still in effect?”
“Yes…… Yes. There is still some time left, but if we don’t find a way, Ohsung Electronics will suffer a big blow.”
“By the way, there is one more problem. They say Cheolwoo Lee showed off his humanoid arc today?”
“Yes. That’s also a nuisance. Suddenly, if you show up with something like that…”
A cloud of war hung over the meeting room.
They planned to show favor to China by buying the MI technology owned by Lee Cheol-woo no matter what.
Of course, it was something they didn’t like, but there was no special way.
It was an issue that would shake the foundation of Korea if Ohsung Electronics collapsed.
“……This, what will happen if we put pressure on LF?”
Although they tried to transfer the MI technology even by pressuring LF. With the humanoid arc announced today, that method could also be difficult.
“Anyway, the humanoid arc announced today will not be usable. At the same time, Lee Chul-woo may immigrate to another country.”
“Yes. There are a lot of countries that want Lee Chul-woo. The United States, France, China, Germany, and other Western powers have already sent love calls to Lee. And they are offering Lee Cheol-woo tremendous conditions.”
“What are the conditions?”
“First, we promised to provide full support, including tax benefits.”
“If we put pressure on Lee Cheol-woo right now, can we say that he will almost definitely leave Korea?”
“Yes. That’s right. The problem is, even if that’s the case, we can’t throw away Ohsung Electronics.”
From the government’s point of view, there was no way out.
If it stayed like this, it was obvious that Ohsung Electronics would not be able to make semiconductors. However, it was difficult to pressure Lee Cheol-woo to transfer the technology.
Even if he coaxed Lee Chul-woo and transferred the technology, it was not a good idea to take care of it.
Lee Chul-woo could go into exile abroad, or he could not use the humanoid technology that was introduced today.
A dilemma.
“Then what the hell is there to do?”
“There is a choice. Oh Sung Electronics or Lee Cheol-woo.”
“……Do you really have to make that choice?”
Oh Sung Electronics and Lee Cheol-woo were in a situation where they had to weigh the two.
“Yes. There is no way right now. Or… to go to war with China. Isn’t that impossible?”
“Yes.”
“Ha, okay. I will report to the President.”
They continued their meetings with no answers.
* * *
Our party arrived safely in Korea and called an emergency meeting.
“……The reaction isn’t a joke, is it?”
In the heavy atmosphere, Minseok was the first to speak.
“It’s probably like that. Now that people don’t have to work, it’s supposed to be delivered to the factory in Hyeonseong… I realized that this is the real reality.”
“So. There’s a bigger aftermath than I thought.”
“How?”
Obviously, I thought that the humanoid arc I created would bring a great storm to the world, whether I like it or not.
How is the storm raging?
“First, our country. Yesterday, intelligence came in that an emergency meeting was called in the President’s Office.”
“What kind of meeting is this?”
“Our government must make a choice. Us or Ohsung Electronics?”
“… because of China?”
“Yes. If exports of rare earths are banned, Ohsung Electronics will suffer a great blow.”
“So what are the results?”
“I don’t think the results have come out yet. Even the government can’t make a hasty choice, so if you choose Ohsung Electronics, you’ll lose the present. If you choose us, you’ll lose the future.”
If Ohsung Electronics is the present of our country, we are the future of our country.
“……. What if I choose Ohsung Electronics?”
What was worrisome was that Korea would choose Ohsung Electronics. So what do we do?
“If Ohsung Electronics is selected, we will transfer MI’s technology… No, will it not work with MI now? China has seen our tremendous technology, and there is no way they will be satisfied with that.”
“Dog scumbags.”
“It may be necessary to transfer humanoid technology. Of course, our country won’t stand still, but… we can’t expect it.”
“Nonsense. Is that the only way?”
“Of course not, if that happens, there is a way for us to leave Korea. We are receiving a lot of love calls from the US, so how to transfer our LF to the US.”
“Are you going to exile?”
“Yes, I think that method is probably the most powerful.”
“Ha, anyway, I’m a Korean, but I don’t want to leave my country. My friends and my family are all here… I don’t want to leave them behind.”
No matter how good the conditions are offered in the United States.
Korea is where I grew up and where I was born.
I had no intention of leaving because of someone’s coercion.
“First, we have to see how the government comes out.”
“Huh… It’s a bigger case than I thought.”
“The world’s attention is on it. The labor revolution is coveted by all countries. America has Googol, and Googol is working with us, so to a lesser extent. Not China. In particular, humanoid technology is spreading across the world. If it spreads, the biggest blow will inevitably be in China.”
“Maybe because of the labor force?”
“That’s right. Why is there a saying that it is made in China? Not only in Korea, but all industrial products made in China are sold all over the world. The reason that made it possible is cheap labor. However, if humanoids are commercialized, China will lose its competitiveness. it will be.”
“Um… then, is there a way? Isn’t China going crazy all of a sudden and starting a war?”
“Is war easy? And there is no target for that war. You can’t fight a war with humanoid technology.”
Well, what Minseok said is right.
China needed a target to wage war, but that target could not be me. Even if it is a technology that has already been created and removes me, that technology would have already been opened.
That said, you won’t be able to go to war with the countries of the world to remove that technology from all over the world.
War was not an option.
“Well, then can we just go our own way?”
“Well, it’s not a matter of what we do now. Depending on what choice the country makes, we can act.”
“…… I don’t like it a little to have to act passively by someone.”
“It can’t be helped.”
“By the way, what kind of choice will the real country make…”
Tiri-ring- Tiri-ring-
While talking about this and that, Minseok’s cell phone rang.
“Wait a minute, I’ll answer the phone.”
“huh.”
“Yes. I received the call. ……Yes? ……Yes. I understand. I will attend right away.”
Minseok did a simple business and hung up the phone.
“What phone is it?”
“… I guess we should go to the Blue House together.”
“Blue House? Why is it there?”
“The government must have felt a lot of pressure to make the choice alone. They invited the chairman of Ohsung Electronics and us.”
“……. okay?”
“Let’s go. They tell us to come right away, I think the president of Ohsung Electronics has also left.”
From noble mtl dot com
“Ha, the real situation seems to be moving urgently.”
The fact that the Blue House calls Chairman Oh Sung Electronics and us without a schedule seems to be proof that the situation is moving urgently.
* * *
The Blue House guesthouse.
We were invited to guesthouses used for receiving foreign heads of state or equivalent state guests.
Upon entering, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister of Economy, and even the Minister of Science and Technology welcomed us.
“You’ve worked hard to come a long way. Eat it this way.”
The Prime Minister guided us personally.
“Oh, the Prime Minister himself…”
“No. Mr. Lee Cheol-woo deserves to be treated well.”
Do you follow where the Prime Minister guides you? Refreshments and tea were prepared.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Lee Cheol-woo.”
There was Kang Ki-baek, the chairman of Ohsung Electronics, whom he only saw on TV.
He inherited the group at a young age, but he was quite good at business and was the one who made Ohsung Electronics what it is today.
He is now in his early 50’s.
He was never an easy opponent to look at.
“Hello. I should have visited you sometime.”
“No. I don’t have anything in particular, so it’s funny to see your face. Sit down.”
When Minseok and I sat down, the conversation began.
“It looks like you’ve said hello, so let’s get right to the point. Everyone knows the current situation, right?”
Let the Prime Minister speak first.
“Yes. China’s ban on rare earth exports. Regarding that, the government is weighing whether we are Ohsung Electronics or LF. Aren’t they weighing it?”
Kang Ki-baek, chairman of Ohsung Electronics, pointed out the problems of the current situation.
“hahahaha, the president is also true.”
“So what did you want to hear, so you called us?”
“I didn’t call because I wanted to hear something. It was for discussion. My government held a meeting all night the night before, but no answer came. may come.”
The robbers were obvious, and if they showed weakness now, there was a high possibility that they would continue to ask for something.
I had to react well at first.
“… they’re robbers.”
“Chairman Kang. If the export of rare earth elements is banned this time, what will happen to Ohsung Electronics?”
“We will lose our competitiveness in the future. Of course, we will import from other places, but there will be limitations. Not only us, but all companies in other high-tech industries.”
rare earth.
It was an indispensable existence in modern industry. It is also used in automobile engines, especially ITE-X engines, and was also used in batteries.
And that wasn’t all. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, it is said that conventional silicon is used up to the 20-nano manufacturing process, but rare earth elements are essential for the 18-nano and 16-nano processes that go beyond that.
It wasn’t just Ohsung Electronics’ problem.
It was simply an indispensable presence in all high-tech industries.
“That’s right. Without rare earths, mass production of humanoid arcs will also be disrupted.”
Of course, compared to semiconductors, the amount of input is very small, so it won’t be such a big hit… … . Still, I couldn’t help but get in trouble.
“…”
The Prime Minister was speechless.
“Then let’s ask. Is there any way to get rare earths other than from China?”
This time I asked. Seriously, are rare earth elements only available in China?
“Currently, China supplies more than 98% of the world’s rare earths. It is said that there are also rare earth reserves in the United States and Chile, but it will take a lot of time to develop them. Compared to China, the reserves are absurdly small.”
The Deputy Prime Minister for Economy replied instead.
China did not develop rare earth deposits to sell rare earths.
I don’t know exactly, but should I say I got caught trying to mine another vein?
In any case, rare earths were not important until recently, but with the recent rise of batteries and semiconductors, they have become important as well.
In the meantime, China was caught.
I guess I was lucky
“Huh, that’s all that is said. So what’s the real reason you brought us here? Isn’t it the government’s choice? What difference does hearing our story make?”
In the midst of this, Chairman Kang sighed and said, perhaps feeling frustrated.
“We have an obligation to get a little more accurate.”
“So, we could be victims, so it’s right to call us and ask.”
Well, LF and Ohsung Electronics. I have to choose between the two… … . Calling those parties, I wonder what they are doing now.
“I’m sorry about that. Think of it for the sake of the people.”
“Ha, true. What difference does this make? You have to take care of it. What are you doing, calling someone who is busy for no reason?”
“Well, I think a little differently.”
“What’s the difference?”
When they were arguing, he intervened.
I thought about it for a while, but the result is that there are no rare earths.
then… … .
“Maybe we can make something to replace the rare earth.”
If there were no rare earths, all you had to do was create something to replace them.