RR 18
[018] The Era of Ordinary People 3.
From 1980, as the government established a plan to expand gas supply to promote the upgrading of household fuels and concretized its LNG import plan, numerous private city gas operators emerged, centered in the Seoul metropolitan area and major cities.
On October 31, 1986, a ship carrying 57,300 tons of LNG first arrived at the Pyeongtaek receiving terminal, officially commencing the city gas business.
Household energy in cities was rapidly shifting from briquettes and petroleum to natural gas.
The Soviet Union was a colossal resource powerhouse, supplying as much as 30% of Europe’s natural gas. It was so influential that its ultimate diplomatic weapon was threatening to close the gas valves, wasn’t it?
This outrageous threat had an enormous effect. If the Soviet Union closed its gas pipeline valves, Europe would fall into cold and darkness.
This Soviet government controlled Gazprom, which was solely responsible for the production, distribution, and sale of its natural gas.
This was because Gazprom was a state-owned enterprise, with more than half of its board members simultaneously holding high-ranking positions, such as ministers and deputy ministers, in the Russian government.
If Sunyang acquired exclusive rights to import Soviet natural gas and supply it to private city gas operators, it would be no different from having the key to the Soviet gas pipeline valve in its hands.
Exclusive rights alone would yield immense profits.
Sunyang had already established its goal to be achieved through the current government’s Northern Policy.
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Assessment of a Scion
“Yes. Handle that matter as you see fit… And more importantly, Hak-jae.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“What do you think?”
The Chairman’s gaze subtly indicated the annex room.
“Are you referring to Do-jun?”
As Chairman Jin nodded, Secretary Lee Hak-jae offered a faint smile.
“The seedling looks good.”
“Only the seedling?”
“I will make a judgment in 10 years. Even an excellent seedling can be uprooted by a single typhoon.”
“Are you talking about Do-jun’s father?”
Chairman Jin recalled the excellent seedling that had been uprooted and blown away.
“Indeed, Yun-gi changed after going to study in England. He was quite useful, though.”
His voice carried a hint of regret. But Secretary Lee Hak-jae, without any wavering, even offered a worse opinion.
This was because he was one of the few close aides who could speak frankly to Chairman Jin without hesitation.
“Do-jun was born to a father with an artistic temperament and an actress mother. He might have the conditions that make him most likely to change drastically.”
“Do-jun’s mother is simply a beauty. One could say she became an actress purely based on her looks. She doesn’t have the temperament of an entertainer.”
I wanted to ask on what basis he judged that, but I stopped. The Chairman had an extraordinary eye for people, so he might be correct.
Secretary Lee Hak-jae redirected the topic back to Do-jun.
“However, the Chairman’s excessive favoritism is understandable at a glance. He is brilliant.”
“It’s a pity. He’s too young. If he had been the eldest grandson, I would have felt truly reassured.”
His voice was tinged with profound regret.
“Isn’t it enough if the Chairman remains healthy for a long time?”
“How many cousins does Do-jun have above him? And three uncles, plus the eldest aunt. It’s too much.”
His light sigh and shaking head conveyed the practical difficulties. No matter how much money one has, it cannot accelerate time.
“If he grows up just as he is now, couldn’t he be entrusted with a few affiliates? If he significantly grows the companies he’s in charge of, wouldn’t that also be a blessing?”
“If I throw him a few? My children won’t stand by quietly. They’ll rush in like wolves, tear it apart, and divide it among themselves.”
Would the wolves just watch the delicious chunk of meat held by the cute puppy? Since the father who should protect the cute puppy has no interest in the meat, the outcome is obvious.
Lee Hak-jae, knowing what kind of people Chairman Jin’s three sons and only daughter were, realized his thoughts were useless.
“What about you?”
“Yes? What do you mean…?”
“If Do-jun remains brilliant 10 years from now, whose side would you take? Young-jun, the eldest grandson? Or Do-jun?”
Secretary Lee Hak-jae clearly understood Chairman Jin’s intention. He wanted to pass on enough company assets to his youngest grandson.
And he had nominated himself as the young youngest grandson’s bodyguard.
“Whoever it is, I must take the side of the Sunyang Group Chairman.”
When Lee Hak-jae said this with a faint smile, Chairman Jin also let out a small laugh.
He liked this attitude.
He moved his thoughts and actions according to his own will. And because that will perfectly aligned with his, the Chairman’s, it simply appeared as loyalty to others.
“Could a Chairman who succeeds me, even if he’s dumber than you, serve me as you do now?”
“Zhuge Liang of Shu Han served a dull-witted emperor with unwavering loyalty.”
“He served him precisely because he was dull-witted. He acted as emperor himself with a scarecrow in front of him.”
“You’re going too far, aren’t you? To disparage Zhuge Liang’s loyalty like that. Haha.”
Lee Hak-jae burst out laughing, but Chairman Jin did not.
This revealed that his words were sincere.
Lee Hak-jae, who had hastily stopped laughing, bowed his head.
“I apologize, Chairman.”
“For what?”
“I didn’t realize you thought of Do-jun to that extent.”
Lee Hak-jae couldn’t lift his head, unable to look directly at Chairman Jin’s cold, unreadable face.
“If Do-jun grows into a capable vessel, please look after him. If I separate and bequeath three or four companies, my children will try to take them. Just stop that.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Only then did Chairman Jin’s stern face soften into a smile.
“So don’t die before me! Cut down on drinking and smoking, and take some vacations.”
“Accompanying the Chairman on overseas business trips is no different from a vacation.”
Lee Hak-jae was still unable to relax.
He couldn’t shake off the anxiety that today’s mistake would haunt him for a long time.
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Children’s Day Out and A Significant Encounter
On May 5, 1988, the day a girl with the rather long name of Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in a single-parent household in Tottenham, North London, Chairman Jin Yang-cheol went on a picnic to Seoul Land, which hadn’t even officially opened yet, surrounded by all his blood relatives and attendants.
I don’t know what methods he used, but Seoul Land’s official opening was still a week away.
It was a busy time with final preparations for the opening, yet numerous staff members were on standby for our family.
We were only about 25 people, but combining the Sunyang Group staff and Seoul Land employees, it was over a hundred.
I confirmed it once more. These people were truly selfish. Even my parents, who were among the more humane members of the family, seemed completely oblivious to their own selfishness.
Most of the numerous group attendants would also have families and children. Judging by their age group, many were clearly heads of households who had been eagerly looking forward to Children’s Day.
Did anyone ever consider what those people might be feeling?
Only I understood their feelings.
Even though they were watching every move of the Chairman’s family, their minds must have been filled with thoughts of their children spending Children’s Day alone with their mothers.
The guilt they felt towards their families and their children’s hurt.
In exchange for that, we were leisurely enjoying ourselves like this.
Witnessing such an absurd situation firsthand, I simply couldn’t pretend to be happy.
“Do-jun doesn’t seem to be having much fun, does he?”
Someone approached me, smiling, and spoke.
Who was it?
He looked familiar, as if I had seen him somewhere.
“I work with your grandfather.”
“Are you a president of an affiliate?”
“What? Haha. Oh, dear… what should I do? Not a president yet. I’m the Chief Secretary. A much lower position.”
Chief Secretary? Could it be that person?
“By any chance, is your name…?”
“Oh, wow! You’re polite. You even know to use the word ‘name.’ That’s right, since I know your name, you should know mine too. I’m Lee Hak-jae, the Chief Secretary of the Group. Do-jun’s father calls me hyung-nim (older brother figure), you know? So you call me Baek-bu-nim (uncle on father’s side). Don’t call me by name. Haha.”
I stopped my slow steps.
This was the man Chairman Jin treated more like his eldest son than his actual eldest son, Jin Young-gi.
His official title was Chief Secretary, but his rank was that of a president, and he was known to be one rank higher than the presidents of Sunyang’s core businesses, Electronics and Automobiles.
He was a person of immense influence; if Lee Hak-jae rejected any matter, Chairman Jin would unconditionally reject it, and even if Chairman Jin had approved something, if Lee Hak-jae met him alone for two or three hours, the Chairman would reportedly withdraw his approval.
I knew little about this man because he himself tendered his resignation and retired around the time the second-generation succession structure ended, meaning when Jin Young-gi took office as Chairman.
Rumors split into two directions.
The first was a heartwarming story that Chairman Jin Young-gi tried to keep him, but he respectfully declined even the position of Group Advisor, stating that it was only natural for a person of the old era to step down when the world changed.
The second version was very different.
It was said that as soon as Jin Young-gi became Chairman, the first thing he did was investigate Lee Hak-jae. When Lee Hak-jae, who was holding an enormous amount of Chairman Jin Yang-cheol’s nominee shares, refused to release them, Jin Young-gi intended to expose his corruption.
But Lee Hak-jae was no pushover either.
There were also rumors that Jin Young-gi raised a white flag when Lee Hak-jae, holding ample evidence of the Jin family’s illegal and illicit activities, boasted that he could set Sunyang Group ablaze.
Whether Lee Hak-jae truly held nominee shares would forever remain unknown, and the official announcement concluded with him retiring with an enormous severance package.
And now, that legendary figure was telling me to call him “Baek-bu.”
“Yes, Baek-bu-nim.”
I pronounced “Baek-bu” carefully, emphasizing each syllable.
Because no matter what happened in the world, I had to make this man my powerful ally.
“But aren’t you riding the rides? Even the adults are enjoying them so much.”
Lee Hak-jae pointed to where not only my cousins my age but also adults were peeking around.
“Baek-bu-nim, don’t you see other adults who aren’t enjoying themselves?”
“Other adults? Who?”
Without a word, I raised my hand in the direction Lee Hak-jae had pointed.
Lee Hak-jae frowned and looked in that direction for a long time before turning his gaze to me.
“Who? There’s no one there.”
As expected…
This person already belonged to a different world.
People who weren’t part of his world didn’t register in his eyes. As a perfect butler, having placed servants and helpers beneath him, he seemed to have elevated himself to the status of a master.
“I mean the adults who are working. Don’t you see them?”
Suddenly, Lee Hak-jae’s eyes widened.
I, too, was feeling anxious.
How would he take my words?
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