A few days after Jinhyuk Park started working, DS Telecom held an inauguration ceremony for the new CEO. People expected the ceremony to be grand. However, contrary to expectations, Jinhyuk Park’s inauguration was held simply.
There had been significant interest because the next generation of the owner’s family was taking office as the president of a subsidiary for the first time. The number of political and business figures who expressed their desire to attend the ceremony was so large it was difficult to count.
However, Jinhyuk Park refused all of them. Expressing his desire to hold it quietly, he ordered that only a few headquarters employees attend and requested that work not be interrupted. Jinhyuk Park’s behavior caused confusion not only for DS Telecom but also for those closest to him.
“President. Even so, canceling the welcome reception is…”
Junwoo Kim, who followed Jinhyuk into the president’s office after the ceremony, spoke with a face full of regret. The company had planned to hold a welcoming event for dignitaries after the inauguration ceremony. They thought it would be best to provide a place to officially celebrate Jinhyuk’s inauguration.
However, Jinhyuk Park had all such events canceled. He didn’t invite anyone he would call a dignitary, as he didn’t want to waste energy on useless formalities. While Jinhyuk himself was unfazed by this choice, those around him felt sorry on his behalf.
Junwoo Kim and Hisoo Hyun were the ones who had hoped to see Jinhyuk Park appear in a more grand setting. Hisoo Hyun had canceled all his schedules to wait for Jinhyuk’s inauguration ceremony. The people from DS Pharmaceutical, including Dayong Kyung, were the same.
However, due to the decision to disallow outsiders, Hisoo Hyun had to turn back at the main gate of DS Telecom. Junwoo Kim, who had met Hisoo Hyun and the executives of DS Pharmaceutical in the lobby of DS Telecom, could not soothe his disappointment even after the ceremony was over.
“Why are you more disappointed about this than I am?”
“It’s just that you’re officially rising to the position of a subsidiary president, and I’m sad I couldn’t introduce your debut to people in a more stylish way.”
“To people? Are there still people who don’t know me?”
Jinhyuk sat in his chair with a smile. He knew full well that Junwoo Kim was disappointed and that Hisoo Hyun and Dayong Kyung had visited only to be turned away. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered the position of those who had supported him from behind until now.
He understood that from their perspective, they wanted to experience the moment Jinhyuk Park, the one they were backing, stepped to the forefront. However, Jinhyuk Park had a better plan than an inauguration ceremony.
‘My debut isn’t at the inauguration ceremony.’
“Yes? Are you saying the inauguration ceremony isn’t where you announce your appearance?”
“That’s right.”
Jinhyuk had a specific situation in mind. To make that situation more dramatic, he had simplified or canceled the ceremony and events, even if it was disappointing. It was a decision made to highlight the upcoming situation even more significantly.
Jinhyuk sat in his chair and spoke to Junwoo Kim.
“When did Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-hoon say he would arrive with the gift?”
“Yes? Ah! You mean Chief Prosecutor Kim Jae-hoon? He said he could wrap it up within this week.”
“Is that so? Good. The work will be finished sooner than expected.”
“Yes. We need to finish it quickly, otherwise the union will keep trying to escalate things. Even today, the union executive board tried to enter the headquarters.”
“Enter the headquarters?”
“Well… it was with the intention of disrupting your inauguration…”
Junwoo Kim couldn’t finish his sentence out of embarrassment. He was bothered by the fact that he was leaving the union executive board alone while they continued to act in a way that hindered Jinhyuk Park.
However, Jinhyuk Park, the person involved, didn’t react to Junwoo Kim’s words. Instead, he asked about something else, acting as if it were a story unrelated to him.
“Are the other members of the executive board included in what Prosecutor Kim Jae-hoon is working on?”
“Yes. I heard they are reviewing the entire group.”
“Good. That’s perfect then. Try to make the scene a little more chaotic.”
“Chaotic?”
Jinhyuk stood up from his chair and looked down. The tent covering one side of the plaza in front of the main gate had grown by one more since the last time. As some people joined to help with the hunger strike that had lasted for four days, the space had expanded.
Junwoo Kim also looked down following Jinhyuk’s gaze. In any other company, they would have filed a protest application for the plaza first to prevent others from taking the spot, but Jinhyuk Park had gone beyond giving up the spot to providing them with conveniences.
He was even protecting the union executive board from others by having security guards stationed around them, along with water and electricity. The union members were actually puzzled by how comfortably the protest was proceeding.
Looking at the scene, Jinhyuk turned to Junwoo Kim beside him and spoke.
“Cut off all the conveniences we were providing and start some physical scuffles. Don’t make it too severe, though. Just enough to cause a stir without them actually getting hurt and lying down for real.”
“If we do that, eyes will be drawn to us. It’s already a place where many people pass by, so we haven’t been able to avoid people’s gaze anyway.”
“Since we can’t avoid their gaze, I’m telling you to cause a stir. That way, it will be on a scale suitable for my inauguration event.”
“Pardon? An inauguration event?”
“Yes. The inauguration event I planned will take place right there.”
Jinhyuk smiled contentedly as he looked down at the protest site where people were increasing day by day.
***
Park Ho-yeon’s hunger strike did not last more than five days. As union leaders and those involved in the labor federation worried about his health and dissuaded him, the hunger strike that had continued since Jinhyuk Park’s appointment as CEO came to an end.
However, the end of the hunger strike did not mean the end of the condemnation of Jinhyuk Park. With the labor federation joining in, the force now seemed even larger than before.
“Don’t block this. Our protest is officially recognized by the city.”
“A protest is a protest, but the company cannot allow you to pull electricity and water from here.”
“Is this only your company? It’s our company too.”
“It’s a company when you’re working. What’s the point of calling it a company when you’re not working?”
“It’s because we moved like this that DS Telecom’s lackeys like you found your rights. But instead of supporting us now, you’re hindering us? Do you really want to live as Jinhyuk Park’s lackey?”
A scuffle was in full swing between DS Telecom’s security guards and union members who were trying to cut the electric lines taken from inside the DS Telecom headquarters building.
Following the move to block them from getting water from the restroom, they now said they would stop them from using electricity and, in the future, from using large speakers after sunset or during morning commute hours. They also conveyed their intention to file a complaint immediately if the sound exceeded a certain level in the presence of the police.
When the company, which had been staying quiet no matter what they did in front of it until recently, suddenly started obstructing the protest, the union members began to panic. Some leaders even became enraged by the company’s inexplicable attitude.
“Tell Jinhyuk Park to come out. Tell him to come and speak for himself.”
“That’s right. Have Jinhyuk Park come out and explain himself. Why are you guys making a fuss while the person involved is hiding? Tell him not to hide and to show himself proudly.”
“What on earth is this behavior of blocking a protest in a country with freedom of assembly?”
Voices of dissatisfaction toward Jinhyuk Park grew here and there. Even the people who came to support from the labor federation were appealing against the unfairness of Jinhyuk Park’s actions.
As this behavior continued for over a week at DS Telecom, located in the middle of Eulji-ro, even employees from nearby companies began to gather around DS Telecom to watch. The street where office workers in suits used to walk quietly was now no different from a noisy marketplace.
“Come out. Come out and explain yourself. Why is our legitimate — “
One of the union leaders who was talking loudly into the microphone suddenly stopped shouting when he saw the main gate of the company open and Jinhyuk Park, along with his followers, pour out from the door. He was surprised that Jinhyuk Park, who hadn’t responded to any actions until now, had revealed himself.
Other union members, who seemed to have much to say if he were in front of them, also stopped in their tracks at the sight of Jinhyuk Park.
“You’re all working hard in this cold weather.”
Jinhyuk Park was actually encouraging those protesting in front of the company by saying they were working hard. Jinhyuk Park’s sudden appearance was a surprising sight even for the onlookers.
It was the first time they had seen a protest in front of a major company’s headquarters, but the situation where the CEO himself, who was the target of the protest, revealed himself was unheard of.
Due to the scuffles that had continued for some time, the area around the protest site was packed with people. Just as watching a fight is the most interesting thing to see, they were watching the touch-and-go situation between the union members and security guards with great interest.
However, Jinhyuk Park’s sudden appearance made that interest even higher. As the security guards did not actively block them, more people began to swarm around. Some were taking photos and videos, but no one stopped them. They only seemed to block people from getting too close to Jinhyuk Park.
“It’s been a while, President Park.”
Park Ho-yeon, who had a shaggy beard, acted as if he knew Jinhyuk Park as he approached. Jinhyuk Park looked over Park Ho-yeon, who looked quite different from before, and spoke.
“I heard you even went on a hunger strike. Is your health alright?”
“Would this body be a problem if it’s for the sake of the company?”
“Ah. For the sake of the company…”
Jinhyuk Park nodded with a silent smile at Park Ho-yeon’s words. At that moment, a person wearing a yellow vest approached Jinhyuk Park holding a picket and shouted.
“Jinhyuk Park, who rose to the position of president illegally, step down!”
“The deep-seated evil that eats away at the company must be punished!”
“Return the company to its owners!”
Jinhyuk Park looked at the person shouting in his face. A man wearing a vest that said “XX Labor Federation” on the chest and the people chanting in unison with his slogans were glaring at Jinhyuk Park as if he were an enemy.
Seeing them look as if they would pounce at any moment, Junwoo Kim ordered the attendants to try to prevent them from approaching. However, Jinhyuk Park pushed the shoulders of the attendants to step forward and spoke to the man.
“Do you know who I am?”
“Who else but the company’s deep-seated evil?”
“Deep-seated evil?”
“Yes. You’re deep-seated evil because you’re in the same boat as Chairman Suman Park’s illegal and corrupt management. How do you intend to explain taking the position of CEO again without even a public apology for the illegalities and corruption? And the issue of reinstating illegally fired workers…”
“No, why does the reinstatement of fired workers come up there? That’s strange logic.”
“The issue of reinstating fired workers at DS Telecom is — “
“Is there someone who was illegally fired from our company?”
Jinhyuk Park threw a question to Junwoo Kim without listening to the other person’s full words. The other person watched Jinhyuk Park check on the fired workers right there and waited for Junwoo Kim’s answer.
“Other than those who terminated their contracts by mutual agreement with the company this year, there were a total of five people who were unilaterally notified of dismissal by the company. Two of them are currently undergoing legal proceedings for causing serious damage to the company. And the remaining three were notified of dismissal for causing sexual issues, including sexual harassment within the company.”
“Is that so? How much damage did the people who harmed the company cause?”
Jinhyuk Park directed the question toward Junwoo Kim, but his gaze did not leave the labor federation person. It was as if he were telling him to listen carefully to Junwoo Kim’s answer.
Knowing Jinhyuk’s intent, Junwoo Kim spoke in a loud voice so that everyone around could understand.
“They embezzled materials and supplies from the company’s projects for five years. The material costs currently identified as embezzled are estimated to be over 1,000,000,000 won.”
“Really?”
“Yes. And the crimes of those who habitually harassed their colleagues were revealed through reports from female employees.”
“Since the crimes were revealed, they must have harassed them for quite a long time.”
“There were cases where they used their status as superiors to molest, stalk, and even confine female colleagues.”
“Isn’t that a crime?”
“Yes. So we notified them of their dismissal, and the case has been handed over to the police and is currently proceeding separately.”
“I see.”
Jinhyuk Park nodded after hearing Junwoo Kim’s story. Then, he looked at the person representing the labor federation again and spoke.
“But why are you asking to reinstate people who committed such crimes?”
“All five of them were employees belonging to the union executive board.”
“Is that so? They weren’t just general union members, but the union executive board?”
Jinhyuk Park looked at Junwoo Kim with wide eyes as if he were surprised. Junwoo Kim answered with a regretful face as if he were the one at fault.
“The union executive board threatened the union members to conceal the crimes, so they were discovered very late, and the damage grew. Especially in the case of sexual harassment against female employees, they even slandered the female victims, leading one female employee to self-harm.”
“I see.”
After hearing Junwoo Kim’s words, Jinhyuk Park slowly turned his head and glared at the representative of the XX Labor Federation. Judging by his expression, it seemed he wasn’t unaware of these facts. It was clearly shown on his face that he had insisted on reinstating the fired workers despite knowing the truth.
Jinhyuk Park shook his head from side to side and spoke.
“So, is the XX Labor Federation currently demanding the reinstatement of criminals?”
“That’s… it’s a fact that hasn’t been clearly revealed yet…”
“We have a perpetrator and a victim, and yet you say it hasn’t been clearly revealed? Is it because these cases happened before I arrived that I’m misunderstanding them? Team Leader Jang. You’re the HR Team Leader, right? What happened? Was I misunderstanding something?”
Team Leader Jang, the HR Team Leader who had been suddenly dragged out while working, broke into a cold sweat when the past stories were suddenly brought up. This was because memories of receiving what was practically a reprimand regarding this matter were resurfacing.
He realized that he had been called out here not to hide things, but rather to escalate them. He grasped Jinhyuk Park’s intention at once and spoke loudly.
“No, sir. Rather, the facts that were revealed externally were downplayed. They didn’t just embezzle company materials; they also assaulted their colleagues. And in the case of sexual harassment… after molesting the female employee, they treated her like a temptress. They even spread false rumors that the female employee had seduced them first.”
At Team Leader Jang’s words, a commotion broke out among the people watching the scene.