The atmosphere began to shift one week before the extraordinary shareholders’ meeting regarding Jinhyuk Park’s inauguration as the CEO of DS Telecom.
This change was fueled by reports surfacing from various quarters claiming that Jinhyuk Park was different from other members of owner families who merely occupied a seat.
Stories about Jinhyuk Park, which had started on major networks, began to spread subtly, capturing the public’s interest. Then, starting exactly two days ago, blatant discussions began to appear, centered primarily on economic news channels.
— “These are the stock price trends since Executive Vice President Jinhyuk Park took office. DS Construction was a company on the brink of bankruptcy. There were even rampant rumors about a sell-off. However, after successful restructuring and the liquidation of several business divisions, the company solidified its internal stability. It is now showing performance levels that other small and medium-sized construction firms cannot replicate. While it hasn’t yet reached a level where it can expand overseas independently, I believe that is a problem time will solve. Sales performance ultimately comes down to know-how.”
The economic channels were discussing Jinhyuk Park from a different angle than the general networks.
Unlike the major networks, which had to handle stories about individuals cautiously unless they were criminals, the economic channels were openly discussing the relationship between Jinhyuk Park and the DS Group.
— “Look at this. During Executive Vice President Jinhyuk Park’s tenure as the Head of the Restructuring Headquarters, the stock price showed an increase of 150%. During the same period, the KOSPI rose by 30%, and if we narrow the scope to the construction sector, the average industry growth rate didn’t even reach 20%.”
— “The success of the restructuring must have been a major driver for that rise.”
— “That’s correct. When a surgeon steps in to operate on and save a company where chronic deficits were causing insolvency to grow out of control, these are the results you get.”
— “That is incredible.”
The announcer marveled at the stock price graph of DS Construction.
However, the expert gave the announcer a knowing smile and presented another chart containing a different graph. The graph, which looked like a “pump and dump” stock piercing through the ceiling, was the stock price chart for DS Pharma.
— “Executive Vice President Jinhyuk Park’s true value shines most brilliantly right here.”
— “DS Pharma. You’re right. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this year was the year of DS Pharma in the market.”
— “Due to the Paris Flu, markets in Korea and across the globe fell into a recession. As a result, the KOSPI showed a 30% decline compared to the beginning of the year. If we extend the period to last year, it has dropped even further, wiping out all previous gains. The recession hit every industry, regardless of whether they were large-cap or small-cap stocks. However, the pharmaceutical sector alone managed to hold its ground under these special circumstances. And right there is the hero of the stock market: DS Pharma.”
The graph showed a record-breaking increase of 1,300% compared to the beginning of the year.
Furthermore, there was no sign of the typical correction that follows such a high surge. The momentum remained strong, with only the rate of increase slowing down.
— “The stock price surge began with the production of Pitallu, a treatment for the Paris Flu. And just like with DS Construction, he didn’t just normalize DS Biologics—which had been the black sheep of the group—he turned it into a world-class CMO company. Currently, DS Biologics is preparing for an IPO. Moreover, not long ago, they acquired Novo, a research lab with world-class pharmaceutical technology, securing their own capabilities for drug development. Usually, when a stock price rises more than ten times, a bubble is bound to form. But what about DS Pharma? You’ve heard the talk, right?”
— “Yes. I’ve heard it too. People are saying it’s still undervalued.”
— “Exactly. A stock that has risen 13 times since the beginning of the year is being called undervalued. This isn’t just hope manufactured by the public. Every time they announce quarterly results, they continue to break all-time records. Right now, DS Pharma is a stock whose growth potential is limitless. To put it bluntly, it rose 13 times because the KOSPI remained weak; in a bull market, 20 or 30 times wouldn’t have been out of the question.”
— “Hearing the explanation along with the facts makes it sound quite extraordinary.”
— “It is extraordinary. It can’t be anything less. But the point is that all of these results were created by one person. Just one person.”
— “Ah… You’re referring to Executive Vice President Jinhyuk Park, who has been nominated as the new CEO of DS Telecom and is the subject of much discussion right now.”
— “That’s right. Executive Vice President Jinhyuk Park is linked to the stock price increases of both DS Construction and DS Pharma.”
The expert’s voice grew louder as the atmosphere intensified. He placed the chart he had been holding on the table and looked directly into the camera.
— “I am well aware of the noise regarding whether the involvement of the owner family in management is appropriate or not. But everyone, think about it. If the person who raised the value of the stocks you bought is a member of the owner family or a professional manager, what difference does it make? Does that really matter? Personally, I don’t think it matters at all.”
Jinhyuk watched the expert staring into the camera with sharp eyes as if he were about to devour the screen, and a satisfied smile played on his lips.
Junwoo Kim, watching the pleased Jinhyuk, spoke up regarding the preparations for the shareholders’ meeting.
“The preparations for the extraordinary general meeting the day after tomorrow have been finalized.”
“How is the union?”
“They are continuing their protests in front of the company. They say that if you are appointed CEO, they will not hesitate to go on a hunger strike.”
“What about the minority shareholders?”
“They aren’t showing the same unilateral opposition to your appointment as they did in the beginning. Some are even showing an atmosphere of welcoming the CEO appointment. However, the mood hasn’t completely shifted yet.”
“Either way, it means the tide has turned a little. Right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Good. That’s enough. We can change the overall tide on the day of the meeting.”
Seeing Jinhyuk’s confident demeanor, Junwoo Kim decided not to worry any further.
***
When the day of the extraordinary general meeting arrived, a boisterous atmosphere had already formed in front of DS Telecom since early morning.
While the media presence wasn’t as massive as during the previous subsidiary spin-off, several outlets had arrived to broadcast the escalating tension at DS Telecom.
The sight of the union attacking the owner family and the family’s lack of response seemed to provide entertaining content for the press.
“Guarantee corporate autonomy!”
“We reject management interference!”
“Transition to a professional management system to secure corporate autonomy!”
Union members tied headbands and shouted slogans in front of the meeting venue. They handed out flyers to shareholders attempting to attend the meeting, and some began setting up chairs and other equipment as if preparing for a hair-shaving ceremony.
There appeared to be at least 200 union members sitting on the ground, shouting according to their leadership’s instructions.
“Wouldn’t it have been better to block them from holding a rally?”
“It’s fine. If we didn’t provide them with a place like that, they would have caused an even bigger scene. They would have acted like democracy activists refusing to succumb to the oppression of a dictatorship, so it’s better to just give them a spot like that.”
Junwoo Kim and Jinhyuk were watching the union members’ antics from a distance inside their car.
Junwoo could not hide his discomfort at the sight of the union members ruining the occasion—which should have been a celebration of Jinhyuk becoming CEO—and painting him as a villain.
However, the person in question, Jinhyuk, simply watched them with an amused expression. He looked as though he might have joined them in shouting slogans if he didn’t have anything else to do.
After watching them for a long while from the car, Jinhyuk checked his watch and spoke.
“Now… let’s go.”
As soon as Jinhyuk spoke, Junwoo Kim stepped out of the passenger seat and opened the back door. Jinhyuk stepped out through the open door, followed by his bodyguards, who exited their cars in unison and followed behind him.
The slogans of the union members and the footsteps of the shareholders heading toward the DS Telecom headquarters where the meeting was being held stopped simultaneously at Jinhyuk’s appearance.
All eyes naturally converged on Jinhyuk. Despite being the center of attention, he did not show a single sign of being overwhelmed as he began to walk toward DS Telecom.
Upon confirming Jinhyuk’s presence, Union President Park Ho-yeon grabbed a microphone and began screaming at him.
“The Park family must withdraw from DS Telecom!”
“Withdraw! Withdraw!”
“We no longer need an owner who is like a mosquito sucking the company’s blood!”
“We don’t need them! We don’t need them!”
Following Park Ho-yeon’s lead, the union members screamed in unison. The shouts directed at Jinhyuk echoed loudly through the area.
Despite their shouting, Jinhyuk kept his smile and waved at the union members. He acted as if their slogans were a sign of welcome.
Park Ho-yeon shouted even louder at Jinhyuk’s behavior.
“We reject the management participation of the owner family, the hotbed of corruption!”
“Do not appoint a greenhorn who hasn’t even gained proper experience as the CEO!”
“DS Telecom is a company of its employees!”
“Jinhyuk Park is not qualified to sit in the CEO’s chair!”
“Let’s drive out Jinhyuk Park!”
“Jinhyuk Park is—”
The slogans opposing the owner family’s management participation gradually shifted focus toward Jinhyuk himself. The criticism directed at him was becoming increasingly blatant. It was no longer just about owner family participation; it was becoming an opposition to Jinhyuk Park specifically becoming the CEO.
“Yes. That’s it. You have to reveal your true intentions like that.”
Jinhyuk did not stop waving even as he listened to their slogans.
He knew from the start that the target they were aiming for was him. He had actually felt frustrated when they were beating around the bush. Now that he heard them focusing their criticism on him right before the meeting, he felt a sense of relief.
Park Ho-yeon poured out even harsher criticism at Jinhyuk’s mocking behavior, but the insults didn’t last long. Jinhyuk, who had been standing still listening to Park Ho-yeon, turned and moved toward the entrance of DS Telecom.
The barrage of criticism continued as he tried to enter the building, but perhaps because the protagonist was disappearing, the level and intensity had weakened significantly.
“Hello, CEO.”
“I met you once before; do you happen to remember me?”
“CEO.”
“CEO.”
As Jinhyuk attempted to enter the building, the executives of DS Telecom came out to greet him warmly.
Even though he had not yet been appointed as the CEO, the executives were already addressing him by that title. Since they also had ears and eyes, they expected Jinhyuk to be easily appointed as the CEO at today’s extraordinary general meeting, so they were addressing him accordingly.
“Owner family, keep your hands off DS Telecom!”
While Jinhyuk and the executives stood there exchanging greetings, several people shouted slogans at Jinhyuk and threw eggs.
*Thwack!*
Eggs broke against Jinhyuk’s head, shoulder, chest, and back.
“What! Block them!”
Junwoo Kim quickly raised his hand to shield Jinhyuk, and the bodyguards seized those who had thrown the eggs.
“Executive Vice President. Please, leave this spot immediately.”
As Junwoo Kim physically pushed aside the executives standing in front of Jinhyuk, Jinhyuk went inside with his hand over his head. This scene was captured perfectly by the shareholders entering for the meeting and by the broadcast cameras.
Once inside the building, Junwoo Kim hurriedly guided Jinhyuk to the restroom. After instructing the bodyguards to prevent anyone else from entering, he went inside with Jinhyuk.
As soon as he entered, Junwoo began wiping the egg from Jinhyuk’s hair with a handkerchief he had prepared.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think they would hit you in the head. I gave them such strict warnings…”
“No. You did well. It needs to be at this level to have an effect.”
Jinhyuk looked in the mirror and wiped the egg off his head with the handkerchief. Junwoo also hurriedly tried to wipe the egg off Jinhyuk’s suit. However, Jinhyuk stopped Junwoo’s hand.
“The clothes are fine.”
“But the extraordinary general meeting is starting soon.”
“That’s why I have to leave it until then. I need to make people remember that I was hit by eggs.”
Jinhyuk smiled at Junwoo and only wiped off what was on his head.
“Executive Vice President. I prepared it because you told me to, but does this really work?”
Jinhyuk had instructed Junwoo Kim to hire people to throw eggs at him as he entered DS Telecom. Junwoo Kim had been shocked when he first heard Jinhyuk’s order.
He knew that Jinhyuk didn’t mind being the subject of gossip. However, he never thought Jinhyuk would go so far as to personally arrange an egging and volunteer to be humiliated in front of others.
Even an ordinary person would feel ashamed undergoing such an ordeal in front of a crowd. But Jinhyuk was no ordinary person. His every action was an object of interest, and his name and face were widely known. Junwoo could not understand why such a man would personally design a situation to be humiliated in public.
Unlike Junwoo, who couldn’t understand, Jinhyuk finished wiping the egg off his face with a satisfied look and turned around.
“Executive Vice President. There are still eggshells left in your hair.”
“I left them there on purpose. There needs to be at least that much left so people will know I was hit in the head too.”
“Sir, won’t other people whisper about it?”
“I want them to whisper, Secretary Kim.”
Jinhyuk stood for a moment and scanned the restroom before leaving. It was to check if anyone other than Junwoo and himself was there. However, since Junwoo had checked as soon as they entered, there was no one else present.
After confirming they were alone, Jinhyuk spoke to Secretary Kim.
“Do you know why I let the union outside act like that and even staged this scene?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
“Humans are emotional animals. When they see a weakling, they feel pain and pity. The moment they feel like they are stronger than someone, they have an instinct to show mercy. And the more mercy they show, the stronger they feel in their position of power.”
“Executive Vice President, what does that have to do with this?”
At Junwoo’s question, Jinhyuk took a step back and pointed at himself.
“Look. The criticism I endured before coming here and my current state. Right now, I am the ultimate weakling. Especially to the minority shareholders, I look pitiful. Don’t I look that way? In the eyes of people who hold 1,000,000 won worth of stock, a man with hundreds of billions or trillions of won looks pitiful and has become an object they can show mercy to. Do you think they’ll just pass up a situation where they get to show mercy, an opportunity that might only come once in their lives?”
Jinhyuk patted the shoulder of the dazed Junwoo Kim and walked out of the restroom.
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