#99 I Will Do My Best to Stop Them The Yamaguchi-gumi was a federation of various organizations. Because of this, the only time a successor inherited his position from his father was just once, with Yamaguchi, the very first leader. Since then, the position has never been passed down to a direct descendant.
Today, it is considered a tradition to hand it over to the leader of another organization upon retirement. Watanabe Saoru was a man destined to be the successor due to his outstanding political skills and charisma. He was also famous for brutally murdering those who dared to defy him.― It would be good to meet.
Wouldn't it be better if we could resolve this through conversation? I had never met him before. I thought about it for a moment, but there was no reason for me to avoid him.
“Very well. Where should we meet?”― Let's meet in Myeon District this evening.
Was it an expression of his confidence? His suggestion to meet in Myeon District, which was practically enemy territory to him, revealed his disposition.
“Then let's meet at the Myeon District Hotel. 6 in the evening.”― Understood.
I look forward to a good meeting. After hanging up the phone, I looked at Section Chief Ma.
“Section Chief Ma, I have a meeting at the Myeon District Hotel this evening. Place some men around the area beforehand and contact Park Dong-soo's forces as well.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Section Chief Ma immediately bowed his head and went outside. Left alone, I pondered the reason why Watanabe had suddenly asked to see me.
‘Why on earth? We never had any contact before. Should I just get rid of him on this occasion?’
I ran through various scenarios in my head, but in the end, I came to no conclusion. That evening, I arrived at the hotel where we were scheduled to meet. Watanabe had audaciously arrived at the hotel first and booked a room.
I went straight up to the room without notice, but he opened the door nonchalantly.
“ Welcome, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok.”
My first impression of Watanabe was that of a ‘businessman’.
“It’s a pleasure, Mr. Watanabe.”
There was one man with a sharp expression who appeared to be a bodyguard, but I saw no one else.
“It is an honor to meet the master of Myeon District like this.”
As soon as I sat down, he praised me with an affable smile.
“I also did not expect to meet the successor to Japan's underworld.”
“Hahaha. Nothing has been decided yet.”
“Hasn't the tide already turned in your favor?”
“You said you didn't know me, but you seem to know everything. Shall we get straight to the point then?”
When I nodded, Watanabe gave a deep smile.
“We are thinking of entering Korea's money lending market. I was planning to meet with Chairman Cheon, the master of Myeon District, but I heard that you, Mr. Kim Mu-hyeok, have already taken over most of it.”
“The Chairman is still hale and hearty.”
Watanabe didn't bother to argue, but continued speaking with an unconcerned expression.
“I hope we can put the past behind us and have a good competition. Is there any reason to fight and shed blood?”
“That sounds like you're asking me to hand over my territory. In that case, can I take it that I'm also allowed to enter the Japanese money lending market?”
“Hmm... there's nothing to gain in Japan. The government has strictly capped interest rates by law, and with something called the Punishment of Violent Acts Act, illegal debt collection isn't easy either. But Korea is different, isn't it?”
I could feel Watanabe’s implicit disdain for the Korean government in his words. It wasn't that I didn't understand, but it wasn't exactly pleasant.
“That's right. But is there any reason I should concede the Korean market to you? It's a market I can have all to myself. If you were me, would you concede?”
“Hahaha!”
Watanabe, who had been laughing loudly, spoke, a cold chill radiating from his face.
“I don't mind a fight, but will you be alright? It seems you're underestimating the power of Japan, my power. I'm the type of person who isn't satisfied until I get my hands on what I'm aiming for. It's the same now as it was 100 years ago.”
I smiled as well.
“100 years ago, I see you still haven't escaped the ghosts of the past. Come on in, by all means. I will do my best to stop you.”
Watanabe’s face grew even more ferocious. He pretended to be a gentleman, but in the end, he was still the successor to Japan's largest violent gang.
“So negotiations have failed.”
“Was this something that could be negotiated?”
“I thought you were a reasonable person, unlike Chairman Cheon, but I was wrong. It was a pleasure meeting you. Though I doubt we'll be able to meet with smiles next time.”
I took the hand that Watanabe Saoru extended.
“Our relationship isn't one where we can smile, is it? Not if you know about the relationship between the Blue Wind Association and me. It was a pleasure for me as well.”
We smiled as we shook hands, but we both squeezed tightly, our eyes locking.
“I'll be sending a gift soon, so look forward to it.”
Watanabe said so before we parted. His words kept echoing in my mind on the way home.
‘A gift.’
I couldn't tell what he was plotting, but I had an uneasy premonition.
“ Section Chief Ma, let's send Black Bear Team 1 down to Busan as soon as they arrive. Once the domestic personnel have been selected, we can have them come back up. I have a bad feeling about this.”
If he were to attack someone around me right now, the easiest target would be Grandma.
“ Won't your grandmother be inconvenienced?”
“I'll call her. It may be inconvenient, but I don't think it can be helped until this matter is resolved.”
“Yes. Understood. I'll tell them to finish selecting the domestic personnel as quickly as possible so your grandmother won't be inconvenienced.”
“Yes.”
I looked out the window, trying to calm my troubled heart. The red light of the traffic signal was bleeding into the darkness.***Public Prosecutor’s Office. Chairman Park Dae-ho, his face noticeably gaunt, sat in a chair talking with his lawyer.
“ How are things looking?”
“Like hyenas, not only domestic conglomerates but also foreign private equity funds have rushed in to divide and devour Jungwoo Group. The government is also seriously considering it.”
“Did you try contacting the Blue House?”
“Yes. I contacted the secretarial office, but there was no proper response.”
Park Dae-ho let out a sigh that seemed to shake the ground.
“ What about the bail application?”
“I've submitted the application, but it's highly likely to be denied. The prosecution's stance is firmer than expected.”
Chairman Park Dae-ho couldn't understand how his situation had come to this. Watching the new administration take office, he had believed without a doubt that his path ahead would remain smooth.
“ I have to get out to stop anything from happening, don't I? You must have met with the judge in charge, right?”
“He is refusing to meet.”
Just then, the door opened and Oh Hyeon-woo walked in.
“ A pleasure to see you, Chairman Park Dae-ho. We will now begin the investigation.”
Oh Hyeon-woo strode in, sat down in front of Chairman Park Dae-ho, and placed a laptop and a pile of documents on the table. The lawyer stared at it with a bewildered expression.
“ I see you've applied for bail, but it will probably be difficult.”
“Look here, Prosecutor Oh.”
“Go ahead, Senior.”
“Couldn't you speak to the Supreme Court Justice and ask for some leniency? If Chairman Park is kept in here like this, Jungwoo Group will be torn to pieces.”
“What power does a retired man have? I know that you, Chairman Park Dae-ho, are the one who built Jungwoo Group. But you are also the one who brought it down. The more we investigate, the more astounding it gets, you know?”
With a calm face, Oh Hyeon-woo pushed the pile of documents toward the lawyer. The lawyer's face turned ashen as he looked through the documents.
“ Not only the prosecution, but the National Tax Service and the Financial Supervisory Service have all been mobilized. Our experts had a hard time finding everything, that's how well you hid it. Even if you sell off all the stocks and real estate the chairman owns, it won't be enough.”
Chairman Park Dae-ho looked at his lawyer's face and his hands began to tremble. Oh Hyeon-woo smiled faintly.
“ Chairman, not even God can save you now. It will be easier if you give up.”
That evening, Oh Hyeon-woo spoke to the crowd of reporters gathered in front of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“ This is Oh Hyeon-woo, a prosecutor from the Central Investigation Department at the Public Prosecutor's Office.”
Reporters raised their hands, scrambling to be first.
“ This is Lee Ha-na from the Hanbit Newspaper. We understand that there are other charges besides accounting fraud and illegal loans.”
“It's still under investigation.”
“What will happen to Jungwoo Group?”
“I am a prosecutor. My job is to investigate if there are criminal charges and ensure that justice is served. The economic aspects are not something I am involved in.”
This time, another reporter raised their hand.
“ There are rumors that the Blue House's influence was behind this investigation into Jungwoo.”
“The prosecution is an independent body. We do not make any political judgments. That will be all.”
“Just a moment! Prosecutor!”
Oh Hyeon-woo disappeared, leaving the reporters' shouts behind him. Following the prosecution's announcement, pressure on the government mounted from all sides, both domestic and foreign. Every newspaper and news outlet published articles with scenarios of what would happen to the Republic of Korea's economy if Jungwoo Group were to collapse, fueling anxiety.
Mirae Investment and large American private equity funds gestured that they would withdraw their acquisition offers and began to watch the situation unfold. All of Jungwoo Group's affiliate stocks, which had risen after Eva announced her public tender offer, were now flooded with sell orders, hitting the daily lower limit day after day and spreading fear.
From the Kim Hak-kwon administration's perspective, they could delay no longer.
“Accept all of Han Gyeong-yeong's demands.”
The chief of staff and other senior secretaries all expressed their concerns, but the president's will did not change.
“If we accept his demands, he said he will carry out restructuring and consolidate affiliates, but won't sell them off in pieces, right? If we wait any longer, the situation will become uncontrollable.”
“What about Mirae Investment?”
At the words of Minister of Finance and Economy Lee Seong-gyu, the president frowned.
“Are you a spokesman for Mirae Investment? Or a minister of the Republic of Korea?”
“I am saying this for your sake, Your Excellency.”
“Hahaha. For my sake? What have any of you done in this whole mess?”
“Your Excellency!”
Kim Hak-kwon shook his head firmly.
“There will be no reversal of my decision. So from now on, work on handing over the entire Jungwoo Group.”
“There will be controversy over preferential treatment, Your Excellency.”
“Preferential treatment? Go and tell that Eva Ju or whatever her name is from Mirae Investment. Ask her if she's willing to acquire it on the same terms as Han Gyeong-yeong. Weren't they the first to back out when the amount of accounting fraud was announced!”
Kim Hak-kwon finally raised his voice and began to get angry. A flustered Lee Seong-gyu bowed his head.
“Understood, Your Excellency.”
“All of you, listen carefully. You are people of the government. Act accordingly. There's a limit to my patience.”
There was anger in President Kim Hak-kwon's eyes as he looked around at his senior secretaries. After dismissing everyone, President Kim Hak-kwon asked his chief of staff a question.
“Have you found out anything about Kim Mu-hyeok?”
“The connection between Kim Mu-hyeok and Han Gyeong-yeong is said to have started when Kim Mu-hyeok paid off his debt while he was in Korea.”
“Debt?”
“Yes. Han Gyeong-yeong briefly came to Korea, borrowed money from the private loan market to invest in stocks, and lost it all. They became close after Mu-hyeok paid it off for him.”
Kim Hak-kwon frowned and tilted his head.
“A man who was hounded by loan sharks in Korea suddenly became someone who moves such large sums of money in America? Am I supposed to believe that?”
“That is the report from the Director of the National Intelligence Service. He said he will come to the Blue House tomorrow to report.”
“...Something keeps bothering me. There's something about Kim Mu-hyeok. Definitely.”
Kim Hak-kwon stared blankly into the air. Like a tiny speck of dust glittering as it settled in the light, a small sense of unease was slowly but surely building in his heart.***“I got a call from the government. They said they'll accept all of my demands.”
“Well done. Accept their demands as well, to make it as convenient for the government as possible.”
Han Gyeong-yeong, who had been staring at me intently, spoke.
“This means the country's situation is so urgent that the government has to plead with an investor like me. In a way, you're a patriot too.”
“Me?”
“You might deny it, but your actions say otherwise, don't they?”
At Han Gyeong-yeong's words, I let out a chuckle.
“One could see it that way. But I didn't choose Jungwoo out of patriotism. Just you wait and see.”
“What about the acquisition funds? You'll bring them from the US corporation, right?”
“If Eva had acquired it, it would be a different story, but we can't use money from a tax haven to acquire it. Bring in 20 billion dollars from the US corporation first.”
“20 billion dollars?”
Han Gyeong-yeong’s eyes widened in surprise.
“It might take more than that. Even after writing off the debt, there's a lot to pay back. Most of it can be covered through restructuring and consolidating affiliates, but the cost to voluntarily delist can't be ignored either.”
“Do we have to delist?”
“It's not like we only do legal things, so there's no reason to operate a listed company, is there? It's not like we're short on money.”
In the end, Han Gyeong-yeong nodded.
“Ah! As soon as this is over, set up a meeting with some people from Wall Street in America.”
“Wall Street?”
His eyes seemed to ask what I was planning now. I shrugged my shoulders.
“There's an opportunity to make money, and I want to see if they're interested in moving together. Dreamhigh Investment will be driving this time, and I want to know if they want to come along for the ride.”
“Is there a reason to share the pie?”
“Because I can't eat it all by myself.”
“Where?”
I gave a cold smile to the curious Han Gyeong-yeong.
“Japan.”
< I will do my best to stop them. > End