Hyun Yi-soo unfolded the group’s organizational chart and began to explain.
“Currently, DS Group can be divided into seven major sectors: telecommunications, heavy industry, chemicals, finance, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and services. Each subsidiary has its own sub-subsidiaries, forming a vertical integration structure. If DS Construction succeeds in its business expansion, it seems that the Chairman’s grand vision was to establish the group with eight pillars, including construction.”
With seven major subsidiaries and numerous affiliates under them, DS Group boasted about forty companies, making it one of the country’s leading conglomerates.
If the Basmaiya Project hadn’t turned out this way, it was certain that within a few years, construction would have become a new pillar of DS Group, growing with several affiliates under its wing.
“But if we proceed with a capital increase now, Construction won’t be a direct subsidiary of the DS headquarters but will likely become a subsidiary under one of the other seven sectors. Most likely, here—the telecommunications division.”
“Telecommunications? Doesn’t the finance division usually have more money?”
“That’s correct. The finance division has the best cash reserves. But due to the Financial Industry Structure Act, it’s difficult for a financial company to own shares in non-financial firms. It’s also not viewed favorably by outsiders. That’s why finance is out, leaving telecommunications as the likely choice.”
“I see. So DS Construction would become a subsidiary of Telecommunications…”
Even though DS Construction was going through hard times now, it was still a company with an annual revenue approaching two trillion won.
It seemed odd for such a company to be placed not directly under the group headquarters, but under another subsidiary.
Park Jin-hyuk studied the chart for a moment, then spotted a familiar name.
[DS Telecom Vice Chairman Park Soo-man]
Only then did Park Jin-hyuk recall that his second uncle was the head of DS Group’s telecommunications division.
“Now I get it.”
“Yes?”
Park Jin-hyuk looked up and said to Hyun Yi-soo,
“To put it simply, if we proceed with a third-party capital increase, DS Construction will become a subsidiary of DS Telecom, right?”
“Yes. That’s why I’m asking if this is what the Chairman wants. I started to think—maybe all this blockage of cash flow is to achieve exactly that.”
“So, you’re suspecting we’re tightening our own noose on purpose.”
“That’s right. The current situation is too strange to understand otherwise. Unless we ourselves refuse to accept incoming money, there’s no reason for the cash flow to be blocked. That’s the conclusion my team and I came to after reviewing DS Construction’s books.”
Park Jin-hyuk shook his head as he met Hyun Yi-soo’s suspicious gaze.
“No. This isn’t what the Chairman wants.”
“The Chairman doesn’t want this?”
“He may not want it, but now I know who does.”
The words “Park Soo-man of DS Telecom wants this” rose to his throat but he didn’t say them aloud.
He couldn’t go around making accusations when nothing was certain.
However, based on what Secretary Hwang said before he entered DS Construction, Park Jun-man, the Chairman, surely hadn’t intended for things to turn out this way.
Hyun Yi-soo looked at Park Jin-hyuk.
He thought Jin-hyuk knew something but wasn’t saying it because he wasn’t certain yet.
Following Jin-hyuk’s gaze, he glanced at the name written on the paper.
‘As I thought.’
Hyun Yi-soo also had his suspicions but kept them to himself.
He’d considered who would benefit from DS Construction’s difficulties, and it always led back to the same person.
Park Jin-hyuk looked up at Hyun Yi-soo and the other three team leaders and spoke.
“We’ll exclude the capital increase from our main proposal.”
“Director, then what method do you plan to pursue?”
“If there’s a blockage, we need to break through it. Let’s look into breaking through. I assume you’ve brought ideas for that?”
Hyun Yi-soo smiled at Park Jin-hyuk’s response.
Every day since deciding to follow him had been full of surprises.
Despite outward appearances, it was as if Jin-hyuk had ten serpents coiled inside.
Hyun Yi-soo pulled out another file and laid it before Jin-hyuk.
“As I mentioned earlier, these are the government officials in Iraq’s current interim administration.”
The file Hyun Yi-soo handed over contained the names, faces, and detailed profiles of various Iraqi government officials.
With records of their past actions, it was clear this information had been gathered over several days, not just one or two.
“I’ve heard that the government requested state banks to block loans. I’m not sure why, but the best way to solve this is to win over these officials’ hearts.”
“To win over the government officials, hmm…”
“If someone made a request—whether by influence or plea—and pressured these officials, then, by applying even more pressure, the problem could be resolved easily. In that sense…”
Hyun Yi-soo trailed off, casting a subtle glance at Park Jin-hyuk.
“The reason I asked about the Chairman’s intentions was precisely this. If we could ask the Chairman to intervene…”
“No. I won’t go that route either.”
“What? Director, if you go through the Chairman, it’ll be solved easily.”
“You felt it too, didn’t you? Where the blockage is coming from. The Chairman surely knows. And yet he isn’t acting—there must be a reason. For me to go and ask in that situation? That would only make things worse.”
Hyun Yi-soo nodded at Jin-hyuk’s words.
It was the best method, but just like with the capital increase, it wasn’t a solution.
“I understand. Then I’ll look for another way.”
Park Jin-hyuk trusted Hyun Yi-soo.
His worth gave Jin-hyuk confidence in him.
Jin-hyuk nodded at his words, then stood and gestured to Hyun Yi-soo and the team leaders with an imaginary cup, smiling.
“Well, since the meeting ended well… how about a drink?”
Hyun Yi-soo and the team leaders hurriedly avoided Park Jin-hyuk’s gaze.
The last time he suggested a get-together to celebrate becoming allies, they’d almost crossed the line between life and death.
Being a chaebol heir, they’d expected to be taken to a nice place for wine or aged whiskey and had followed along.
Instead, Park Jin-hyuk dragged them to a samgyeopsal restaurant.
Then there was a second round, and a third…
In the end, they regained consciousness at Jin-hyuk’s house, where Mrs. Onsan scolded them all soundly before they had to clutch their stomachs and drag themselves to work.
“Why? Are you busy today?”
“There’s a lot to do. Let’s have that get-together another time.”
“Well, in that case… pop!”
Park Jin-hyuk made a bottle-opening sound with his mouth and grinned.
Hyun Yi-soo thought it was absurd that even at his age and position, he had to dodge his boss’s social gatherings and quickly changed the subject.
“Director, in a few days, there’s the monthly executive meeting.”
“The monthly executive meeting?”
Thinking about how to coax them into joining him for a drink, Park Jin-hyuk’s expression stiffened at the mention of the meeting.
“Do I have to go? Deputy Chief Hyun, why don’t you go instead?”
“It’s a gathering of the major affiliates’ CEOs, presided over by the Chairman. You need to represent DS Construction. I’ll prepare the presentation materials, so let’s spend the rest of the time practicing together.”
“The major affiliates… so it’s just the CEOs of headquarters’ subsidiaries?”
“Yes. And since the Chairman might ask detailed questions about restructuring, you need to be thoroughly prepared. Don’t show any openings to the other CEOs.”
“Ah, if I’d known, maybe I shouldn’t have let President Park Dong-hyuk go.”
Excited at the thought of a drink, Jin-hyuk now slumped at the mention of the executive meeting.
Hyun Yi-soo tried to encourage him.
“Director, this is only the beginning. I plan to go with you all the way to the top. Please take care of me.”
At Hyun Yi-soo’s resolute words, the other team leaders also put on determined expressions.
Jin-hyuk nodded, walked over, put a hand on Hyun Yi-soo’s shoulder, and leaned in close.
“Alright. In that case, how about a drink?”
Hyun Yi-soo quickly stood up and shouted at the other team leaders.
“What are you doing? If we need to prepare for the monthly meeting, there’s not enough time. Let’s pack up and go. Hurry!”
Realizing what Hyun Yi-soo was afraid of, the team leaders hurriedly gathered their files, bowed to Park Jin-hyuk, and left the president’s office.
Jin-hyuk watched them leave, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
“Ah. Doesn’t DS Construction have any clients? Times like this are perfect for calling someone from a client company out for a drink… Being at the top isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s lonely.”
Picking up his coat, Jin-hyuk left the office, wondering how to spend the long evening ahead.
*****
Park Jin-hyuk entered the DS Group headquarters building, accompanied by his new secretary and Deputy Chief Hyun.
The headquarters, which oversaw the affairs of a group with an annual turnover of 80 trillion won, was located in Jongno.
With 5,000 executives and employees including Park Jun-man working there, the DS Group headquarters was a 35-story building—one of the largest in Jongno, where many major corporate headquarters are located.
As Jin-hyuk entered, passing employees bowed to him.
Even if he hadn’t always been diligent as executive director, it seemed every headquarters staff member recognized him.
He nodded in return and turned to his new secretary.
“Secretary Kim, do you like to drink?”
“Director, I’m not good with alcohol.”
“Not good with drinking? Then what about singing and dancing? If you can’t drink, you should at least enjoy those.”
“I can’t sing or dance. I’ve never tried.”
“You’re missing out on half of life. Why live like that? Drinking, singing, and, if you go a bit further, women… Aren’t those life’s pleasures?”
Though Jin-hyuk joked, Secretary Kim’s expression didn’t change as he followed him inside.
“I picked him myself, but I ended up choosing someone just like Secretary Hwang. Who can I blame but myself?”
Jin-hyuk smiled at Deputy Chief Hyun.
A few days ago, Secretary Hwang had brought several people over to DS Construction.
He said that Jin-hyuk would need a secretary and had prepared candidates.
These were people the DS Foundation had supported—those who’d kept up their studies despite hardships—carefully selected by Secretary Hwang.
After giving them a well-rounded education at top schools at home and abroad, Secretary Hwang had personally trained them for several months to work in the various affiliates’ secretarial offices.
He introduced them to Jin-hyuk.
Five women and two men.
All outstanding individuals, Secretary Hwang asked Jin-hyuk if anyone caught his eye.
With a row of impressive women, it was natural to expect Jin-hyuk to choose one of them, but he picked someone unexpected.
Kim Jun-woo.
Among the seven secretary candidates, he alone had the remarkable figure of “8 billion” floating over his head.
Jin-hyuk didn’t care about their backgrounds, how they’d made it there, or their school grades.
He only trusted the number above their heads.
That was enough.
And so, Kim Jun-woo became the secretary assisting Park Jin-hyuk.
“Hyung.”
Park Sang-hyuk waved as he hurried toward Jin-hyuk in the lobby.
“Hyung, I heard you were coming today. Why don’t you come to headquarters more often? Are you busy?”
“What are you doing here?”
“Didn’t you know? I report to headquarters now. I don’t really want to, but Mom keeps pushing me to get work experience.”
“Really? So you come to headquarters?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a desk in PR… but like you, I only show up when I feel like it. There’s nothing to do, and it’s not fun. But if I stay home, Mom gets mad, so I come in every other day. I came out today because I heard you were coming.”
‘You really are a hopeless case. Your mother must be tearing her hair out trying to get you to the top.’
Jin-hyuk folded his arms and went inside with the chatty Sang-hyuk.
“Hyung, come to Pyeongchang-dong more often. I get bored.”
“What’s with you? People might think you’re my girlfriend.”
“Girlfriend? Ha. Don’t even mention it. Mom’s been pestering me about that too—it’s killing me.”
“What now?”
“Maybe it’s because things didn’t work out marrying you off, but now she keeps nagging me. I’m twenty-five, and she keeps pushing for marriage or an engagement. Even if it’s just an engagement with marriage later, what’s the difference?”
“If I can’t be filial, you should be. Listen to your mother.”
“No way. I’m only twenty-five. Why would I get married?”
Jin-hyuk looked at the grumbling Sang-hyuk and thought,
‘She wants to secure her side by marrying off Park Sang-hyuk. I can’t afford to move too slowly.’
He could see Oh Seo-young’s schemes all too clearly.
Jin-hyuk resolved to pick up his pace.
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