The evening news, which had been short on gossip for a while, became lively again with stories about the DS Telecom union.
Every day, the media broadcasted briefings from the Seoul District Prosecutors’ Office without fail, placing related news at the very top of their segments to capture public attention. People gradually began to take notice.
Reports of overcharged material costs and tyranny against subcontractors that had persisted for several years incited public fury. Furthermore, when it was revealed that union officials had sexually harassed their own members, it became a major social issue, leading to special television features beyond the standard news cycle.
Footage was even released showing union executives punching their time cards at the office only to head straight to the union hall to play cards or host drinking parties. People were unable to hide their shock that such things were happening at a cutting-edge company like DS Telecom.
“We plan to file a provisional injunction with the court regarding the composition of the union.”
This was the first executive meeting Jinhyuk Park had attended.
The executive giving the presentation was focusing on the union controversy currently dominating the headlines rather than other business matters.
“We cannot simply stand by and let this public resentment simmer. I believe we must take the measures the citizens are demanding.”
“So, are you saying we should abolish the union?”
Jinhyuk Park, who was sitting in the most senior seat at the head of the table, directed the question at the man giving the report.
The executive had brought up the topic thinking Jinhyuk would be pleased, but he was flustered by Jinhyuk’s indifferent reaction.
Jinhyuk looked around at the thirty or so executives sitting in the room and spoke.
“What era do you think we’re living in that you’re talking about abolishing a union? Just leave it alone. The union is the union, and the company is the company. For the company to interfere in union affairs is an act that crosses the line.”
At Jinhyuk’s words, the executives only looked at one another, unable to offer a response.
The very person who had crushed the union was now claiming that the union and the company occupied different positions.
Technically, the union was barely breathing; almost all the executives had been hauled away by the authorities, and it was hardly functioning. There was no room to elect new leadership, and because the previous leadership had been covered in filth, no one was stepping forward to take the mantle.
It was Jinhyuk who had created this situation, and yet, seeing him try to wash his hands of it now, one of the executives misjudged Jinhyuk’s intentions.
“Representative, then how about we take this opportunity to form a union leadership with our own people?”
The man assumed that Jinhyuk’s instruction to “leave it alone” actually meant he wanted a union structured to suit the company’s interests.
Jinhyuk stared intently at the man who had spoken.
‘It’s him.’
Jinhyuk didn’t believe Suman Park would have thought to turn the union into a puppet on his own. He was certain someone had been maneuvering in the shadows. And if his hunch was correct, he wanted to find that person as quickly as possible. That was the only way to prevent them from pulling similar strings in the future.
With that goal in mind, Jinhyuk had intended to set a trap or create a situation to identify the executive responsible. He was almost grateful that the man had jumped out on his own.
“Form a leadership with our own people? Is that even possible?”
Jinhyuk feigned ignorance to probe further.
Seeing Jinhyuk show interest after his previously negative stance, the executive who made the proposal began to answer with an excited voice.
“It is possible. Even during Vice Chairman Park’s time, the current leadership was—”
“Ahem. Director Kang. I… I think you should think before you speak.”
“Why? Isn’t this something everyone here already knows? And do you really think the Representative is unaware? You can figure this much out just by watching the news.”
Perhaps because Jinhyuk seemed interested, Director Kang was actually scolding the other executive who was trying to stop him. He appeared to think the other man was trying to block his chance to make a good impression on Jinhyuk.
Jinhyuk silently watched the war of nerves between them. He felt no emotion toward Director Kang, who appeared completely useless despite the value of 850,000 hovering over his head. He merely watched the situation, waiting to see how far the man would go.
Director Kang glanced at his silenced colleague and then smiled at Jinhyuk. He tried his best to appeal to him.
“If we seat our people in the union leadership, it will be advantageous during future wage negotiations. Also, depending on the situation, we can move the union however the company desires. It will make your work much easier, Representative.”
“I suppose the former Representative worked that way.”
Seemingly encouraged by Jinhyuk’s smile, Director Kang nodded. Not stopping at his suggestion, he went one step further.
“If you leave it to me so you don’t feel burdened, I will see it through.”
“You’ll do it, Director Kang? Then by any chance, was it also you who organized the previous one for the former Representative?”
“Well, it’s difficult for me to say it with my own mouth, but… I was the one who prepared and executed the previous matter as well.”
“Is that so? Then you must have all the related materials.”
“Yes. So, if you leave it to me, you’ll be able to proceed without any trouble. After all, wouldn’t someone who’s done it once do it best?”
Director Kang even joked with Jinhyuk, striving to earn his favor.
Jinhyuk nodded at his words and then called for Kim Junwoo.
“Chief Kim. Contact the Inspection Office immediately and tell them to seal Director Kang’s office. Also, contact Deputy Director Kim Jae-hoon and tell him we’ve found the ringleader behind the establishment of the puppet union.”
“R-Representative?”
Director Kang looked at Jinhyuk with a shocked face. He had expected praise, but the unexpected turn of events left him bewildered.
Jinhyuk looked at Director Kang and spoke.
“Director Kang. What kind of grudge do you have against me to do this? I’ve only just taken office; were you planning to tie me up in union scandals and get me sent away?”
“N-No, that’s not it… Representative.”
“Stop calling me. I told you, I’ll let the union handle its own business. The moment the company involves itself, it violates the law and faces punishment. I am someone who fears the law. Do you understand? I don’t want to be like some people who ignore the law, do whatever they want, and end up wearing a prison uniform and silver bracelets.”
As soon as Jinhyuk finished speaking, Director Kang was dragged out by Kim Junwoo.
Jinhyuk watched the man being led away and addressed the room.
“You probably know that the chairman of a certain conglomerate’s board was legally detained for union busting. It’s a place closely connected to us. And yet, you want us to not just bust a union, but establish an illegal one? Is this the kind of talk I have to hear at my first executive meeting?”
Jinhyuk stood up from his seat, grabbed a water bottle from the table, and hurled it onto the floor.
The bottle burst upon impact, spraying water in every direction.
None of the executives could lift their heads, nor did they dare wipe the water from their faces. They were well aware of the case where a board chairman had been arrested. It was a story everyone had heard—how the board chairman had taken the fall to prevent the arrest of the corporate head.
Jinhyuk’s anger was understandable.
“At the next meeting, I will be checking the status of each department, so come prepared. I hope today was the last time I have to listen to such useless nonsense.”
Jinhyuk finished speaking and stormed out of the room. His entire body radiated his displeasure. It felt as if a cold wind blew wherever he passed.
The remaining executives could only watch Jinhyuk’s retreating back in distress. The meeting, which was essentially their formal introduction, had ended before they could even make their names known.
As Jinhyuk left the conference room, Kim Junwoo quickly caught up to him to report.
“Representative. I have finalized all the instructions you gave.”
“How easy must it have been to work at this company for someone to make a suggestion like that at an executive meeting? It’s not even like he came to find me privately.”
“It seems he wanted to leave an impression on you and show off to the other executives.”
“Well, thanks to him, the job became easy.”
Jinhyuk was satisfied with handling two matters at once during the executive meeting. He had intended to show his anger during his first meeting with the executives anyway. He just hadn’t decided whether to do it over poor performance or their lack of will to improve.
However, Director Kang had stepped up and set the stage for him. Jinhyuk could immediately tell what the man’s intentions were. So, he had simply exploited it.
“How should we handle the reorganization of the executive team?”
“Let’s do it the same way as last time. Set up a schedule for executive interviews.”
“To what extent do you plan to see them?”
DS Telecom had over thirty executives stationed at the headquarters alone. Furthermore, if one counted the executive-level staff dispatched to various branches, the company possessed well over fifty such individuals. If he planned to meet every executive like he did at DS Construction, it could take more than a day or two.
“Let’s just see the heads of each part for now. There isn’t enough time to see every level below them individually.”
“Yes, I understand. I will organize the schedule accordingly.”
Jinhyuk nodded.
Things were a bit different now than when he had entered DS Construction to conduct a restructuring. He had dealt with Director Kang, but he felt burdened by the prospect of firing the rest just because their value was low. For now, he planned to observe them only at a high level. He aimed to clear them out if and when mistakes were discovered.
“Also, Representative, Team Leader Kwak—no, I should call him Representative Kwak now—says he has completed the investment payment to Syle Hub. Additionally, the third installment for Dongjeong Industries has been paid, and he is currently in talks with them regarding the final balance.”
“He’s doing well.”
“And he asked whether you have any intention of raising more investment capital to increase the size of the fund.”
“Recruiting investors?”
“Yes. Representative Kwak seems to think it would be better to grow the capital a bit larger rather than just managing your assets.”
“Hmm…”
Jinhyuk stopped in his tracks on the way to his office. He had established a new private equity fund by injecting one trillion won. With that money, he had invested in Dongjeong Industries and Syle Hub. The remaining balance was confirmed to be between sixty and seventy billion won.
While seventy billion won was not a small amount, from the perspective of Representative Kwak, who was running the PEF, it seemed he wanted to attract more funds to scale up.
After pondering for a moment, Jinhyuk shook his head.
“No. There’s no need for that right now. Just tell him to manage it however he wants with what he has. The fund’s top priority is securing DS shares through Dongjeong Industries, so tell him not to forget that. And tell him to make managing Syle Hub the second priority. Tell him I’ll support him with as much money as he needs. I’ll fill the fund’s committed capital myself, so tell him to avoid pulling money from other sources.”
“You’re going to fill it yourself, Representative?”
Kim Junwoo was surprised to hear that Jinhyuk would add more money when most of his assets were already committed.
“I have the money I earned while working. Even that has already surpassed ten billion won. Start by organizing that and putting it in.”
“You’re going to put all of it in?”
“What’s the point of it being in my pocket? I don’t even use it. Putting it into the PEF seems like a more productive choice.”
Kim Junwoo found himself at a loss for words. Other children of chaebol families were problems because they spent money like water, but the man he served was such a workaholic that he had no time to spend money even if he wanted to.
Perhaps that was why he was settling into his position so quickly, but on the other hand, it almost felt pitiful. It was becoming impossible to imagine the Jinhyuk Park of the past, who had lived a life of debauchery surrounded by alcohol and women.
“Ah, Representative.”
While thinking of Jinhyuk’s past, Kim Junwoo remembered something and called out.
“What is it?”
As they talked in the corridor leading to the Representative’s office, the sight of the paintings combined with his thoughts on Jinhyuk’s past triggered a memory.
“Representative, I’ve checked the inventory of artwork owned by DS Telecom. I plan to go to the art gallery soon to compare the documents with the actual pieces. Would you like to go?”
He said this knowing that the former Jinhyuk Park was very interested in art.
However, the Jinhyuk Park interested in art was not the one standing before him now. The person currently using the name Jinhyuk Park didn’t know the first thing about art.
“No. You handle it, Chief Kim.”
Jinhyuk tried to leave everything to Kim Junwoo. He figured he wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between pieces even if he saw them.
He finished speaking and entered the open Representative’s office. Just as he was about to sit down, something occurred to him. He paused and looked at Kim Junwoo.
“Did you say the artwork is being kept in our group’s art museum?”
“Yes. Since they are expensive pieces, they are being stored in a special warehouse where humidity and temperature are maintained.”
“Is that so? Then by any chance, is there a list of which artworks are in the collection? One with the purchase prices written on it.”
“I will prepare it and bring it to you right away.”
The value of the artwork Jinhyuk could see was substantial. And he knew that most art was traded at prices much higher than their visible value. For example, a painting that showed a value of several hundred million won in his eyes might be traded in the billions on the market.
Seeing as the pieces hanging in the hallway all displayed significant value, it stood to reason that the ones in storage would possess similar or even greater value. He felt a sudden curiosity about just how much of that was being kept in the museum.