76. Huh, ghosts.
“Moving? To Bundang?”
“Dad, it’s not Bundang, it’s Pangyo. People in Pangyo get offended when they hear that?”
“No, it’s Bundang or Pangyo, right? Anyway, why all of a sudden?”
“Ai, brother, I’m moving away from school?”
“Really? Isn’t our school too far away?”
“That’s right, we’re moving to Magog, and our foundation is also going there?”
“…”
As expected, I had pushed too hard.
When I told them that I had signed a contract for a house in Pangyo, they shuddered and didn’t like it.
“Look, I’m sorry that I decided to move without consulting you, but I had my reasons, so I hope you can understand.”
“No, but—.”
“First of all, how many cars do we have? Seven, seven, seven! Isn’t this an inconvenience? The new house hasn’t even been built yet, and there’s nowhere to park it if you’re late at night?”
“…”
I’m making this up as an excuse, but it’s true.
At the same time, since we have seven cars in our house, the management office is forced to register them, but they say it’s quite difficult and ask us to refrain from adding a seventh car.
“Besides, the number of attendants and bodyguards is increasing, and they are also uncomfortable.”
“…”
As my stay in Korea grew longer and my dad and mom took on higher positions at the foundation, the number of attendants and bodyguards increased accordingly.
We even bought an additional apartment in the same building to be used by the entourage and bodyguards, but it’s a bit inconvenient.
The residents of the apartment also looked at me like I was living in an apartment on the outskirts of Seoul.
“You see where I’m going with this,” I said, “whether we want to admit it or not, we’re already past the point of living in an apartment like this.”
“If you admit that, then why are you going so far out of your way?”
“I’ve been looking in the neighborhood, but there’s no place for us to live. We’ll have to go to Cheonsang alone, and the only one close by is Samsong. Besides, we can’t afford to build a 1,000-pyeong apartment. Everyone else is building around 100 pyeong, so why should we be the only ones?”
“…”
“But we can’t go to the traditional rich neighborhoods like Seongbuk-dong or Pyeongchang, either. I hate those places, they’re all built on hillsides.”
“We don’t like those places either.”
“I mean, in the end, the only way out is Pangyo, and yes, it’s far from Magok, where they’re building the office buildings, or Sinchon, where Somi’s school is, but Magok isn’t that far if you take the Outer Ring Road.”
“What about me?”
Somi blurted out.
It’s true that Somi’s school is scary close and scary far away.
At this point, she could walk from Bukga Jwadong to Sinchon for exercise.
“I bought you a car, and besides, we’re moving next year, so why don’t you just stay for one more year of fourth grade?”
“Ying, I still don’t want to, big brother, can’t I just live in this house by myself?”
“No!”
“You little b*tch!”
“Shut up, no way!”
Absolute no’s erupted from Mom and Dad’s and my mouths simultaneously.
“You talkin’ b*tch, don’t you ever think of living alone until you get married, never, never, never!”
“Hing—.”
Somi whined, but what’s not to be done is not to be done.
She’s too pretty now, and it’s making me anxious.
“Anyway, I’ve made my decision, and I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand.”
“Well, that’s fine, but I hope you’ll at least tell me in advance next time.”
“Yeah, well, in that case, why don’t you take a look around?”
“Where? To Pangyo?”
“Yes. Don’t you think you should see what kind of place it is?”
“Sure.”
The next day, I sailed to Pangyo with my family.
“Wow! Isn’t it huge? Isn’t the neighborhood gorgeous?”
“Wow! What’s so big?”
“Brother, it’s so nice!”
The family’s reaction to their new home was overwhelming.
That’s right.
Rich people don’t live here for nothing.
As I looked at the family with a smile on my face, I suddenly heard my phone ring.
Ti-ri-ri-ring! It rings!
It’s Mr. Nam Garden?
“Hello? President Nam?”
– Oh, Mr. Chairman. It’s me, Nam Jung-won.
“Yes, I know. What’s up?”
– It’s none other than Lee Jung-ryong, the vice chairman of Sasung, calling me.
“Yes? Vice Chairman Lee Jung-ryong of Sasung? What is he doing?”
– He said he wanted to see the chairman.
“Um, you mean me?”
– Yes, he didn’t go through the secretary’s office, he called me directly. What should I do?
“No, why?”
– I don’t know, I ask, and he says he just wanted to see you.
“Hmmm—.”
Lee Jung-ryong, vice chairman of Sasung?
He’s not really a vice chairman, but he’s practically the chairman since his father, Chairman Lee Jung-in, passed away.
He hasn’t really been able to do his job as chairman because he’s been playing around with the inheritance and causing problems, and he’s also been strangely involved with the former government, going to trial, and so on.
Anyway, it’s Sasung.
The Republic of Korea is called the Sasung Republic, the Sasung.
When the vice chairman of Sasung asked to see me, I realized that I had grown up a lot.
Well, face or pussy.
They’re not particularly intertwined.
Besides, Sasung is a company that entered the pharmaceutical industry when Chairman Lee Jung-in was still intact, so if something happens in the future, we should cooperate.
It wasn’t a bad combination.
“Sure.”
– Okay, then we’ll negotiate a time and place and report back to you, when and where would you like?
“Anywhere in Seoul is fine, and tomorrow evening is fine.”
– Okay, we’ll coordinate and report back.
“Yes, please.”
As I hung up the phone, I felt mildly excited.
This is the heir apparent and de facto chairman of Sasung Group.
Did you ever think you’d see someone like that?
“Phew!”
But then I thought about it, and a smile crept onto my face.
I realized that I had nothing to lose.
No, what’s the point?
Although the wealth of the Sasung family cannot be judged by their stock assets, if you add up all their non-stock assets and hidden assets, they can’t even give me a business card.
When I thought about it, my heart felt lighter.
“What, you’re just a commoner compared to me, huh?”
In terms of the influence in Korea that the Sasung family has accumulated over three generations, I’m still not up to par, but as Jeffrey says, the one with the most money is the best.
In other words, I am the king.
“Kahahahahaha!”
I burst out laughing, somehow amused.
Forgetting that my parents and Somi were watching.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“You know what?”
“Is he going crazy, or is it the heat?”
“…”
Two days later, I headed to Sangji-won in Itaewon-dong, the meeting place, with only Team Leader Cho Chul-bong in tow.
“Team Leader Cho, have you ever been to Sangjiwon?”
“Yes, I’ve been there many times for work. It’s a nice place.”
“Really? What do you think, it’s like going to a family home now?”
“hahahaha, not quite, it’s a bit awkward, I thought I’d never go there again when I came out of Sasung.”
“Isn’t there anyone you’re uncomfortable with? If there is, let them off now.”
“No one, and I don’t care if there is, it’s not like I’ve done anything wrong.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and I’m young enough that I wasn’t even in a position to go to the core. Mr. Nam was definitely the core, and to be honest, I was a little surprised when I heard that Sasung’s vice chairman, Lee Jung-ryong, reached out to you directly.”
“Why?”
“Because, as you know, Vice Chairman Lee and Mr. Nam didn’t have a good relationship, to say the least.”
“Ah—.”
For some reason, Mr. Nam’s expression didn’t look very good.
I knew he was uncomfortable, so I didn’t ask him to come with me.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Cheol-sik. Let me take you inside.”
A middle-aged man in his late 50s came out and greeted me.
“Mr. Chairman, I’ll wait for you then.”
“I’m sorry about this.”
“hahahaha! There’s a separate meal and some people I know. I’m going to take care of my own business.”
“Ah, that’s good, then. I’ll see you later.”
“Yes, Mr. Chairman.”
I was then led to where Vice Chairman Lee Jung-ryong was sitting.
“Nice to meet you, Chairman Kang. I’m Lee Jung-ryong of Sasung.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you for inviting me. I’m Cheol-Sik Kang of Karma Investments. In the U.S., I go by Alex Kang.”
“hahahaha! I know, have a seat.”
We exchanged business cards, again, a jintung business card with a direct cell phone number.
This is something I’ve noticed as I’ve moved up the ranks: when you’re at our level, you don’t hand out business cards, and if you do, you don’t put your personal cell phone number on it.
Then, only people who are my peers or really close to me give me a business card with my personal cell phone number on it.
I’m proud of myself.
It’s dinner time, so we’re soon served a nice meal.
The food was really good, so we ate eagerly.
We chatted for a while, enjoying the accompaniment, and then got down to business.
“By the way, why did you ask to see me? No matter how I think about it, the vice chairman and I have no connection.”
“hahahaha! To be honest, I’ve been following you for a few years now, ever since Karma Investments became AMD’s largest shareholder. After all, our company’s main focus is Sasung Electronics.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“And ever since then, the reports have been coming in, and it’s just been phenomenal, it’s almost unbelievable. I mean, what kind of return is that? So I really wanted to meet you, but as you know, I’m guilty of a lot of sins, so I just couldn’t keep up, hahahahaha!”
“…”
This guy is surprising, isn’t he?
He’s outing himself so openly?
“I see.”
“Then there was an interesting report a while ago.”
“What?”
“All of a sudden, he’s investing in Korea, which is a little out of character for him. I mean, let’s say it’s in the apparel business, because that’s where he’s always been, but all of a sudden, he’s in healthcare, which I don’t know if it’s big enough, but he’s buying companies that nobody your size would be interested in.”
“Hmmm—.”
He knows the details.
“Oh, please don’t take this the wrong way. I didn’t find out about Mr. Kang through dirty tricks, it’s all public knowledge, analyzed and reported by our secretary.”
“Yes, I won’t misunderstand.”
“hahahaha, thank you. The reports kept coming in, but they were getting more and more intrusive, like you’re going to take over a mask company, which is a small industry, or you’re going to take over a protective clothing company.”
“Heh…”
“Finally, a week or so ago, our secretary put together a comprehensive report on Chairman Kang’s recent moves, and here’s what it said.”
“What?”
“Chairman Kang’s recent behavior can only point to one thing. He’s made acquisitions in respiratory disease treatment equipment like EKMOs and ventilators, and a vaccine company. In addition, he has been acquiring companies that produce masks and hazmat suits and building a mass production system. Is that so?”
“So?”
“Putting it all together, there’s only one thing that Karma’s iron-fisted chairman is preparing for. That is—.”
“Right away?”
“That is to prepare for a pandemic that far exceeds the MERS outbreak of 2015! That’s right.”
“…”
Huh, ghosts.
Sasung is Sasung.