1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 125



Only Krnovel

Episode 125

As expected, what the CEO of Danjeong asked of Nam Gi-cheol was a request regarding Chairman Jeong Man-ho’s upcoming trial.

What he asked was that this trial be concluded somehow with a fine.

And what Director Choi Young-gil gave to Nam Ki-cheol in return for this favor was a huge sum of cash, 1 billion won.

I probably wouldn’t have accepted it normally.

This wasn’t because Nam Ki-cheol was a prosecutor who didn’t accept bribes.

A billion was certainly a lot of money, but considering the money he would make if he went out and became the Prosecutor General, it wasn’t that much.

There was no need to risk one’s life for 1 billion.

But now things were different.

Instead of accepting the request, Nam Ki-cheol added one more condition.

“Let’s do something together.”

* * *

Winters in Korean prisons are cold.

It wasn’t as bad as the Black Whale Prison in Russia where people would die, but it wasn’t as good of an environment as outside either.

And this was also the case at the prison in Gyeonggi Province where Chairman Jeong Man-ho of Danjeong was located.

Still, this prison felt warm to Chairman Jeong Man-ho.

Because he was in Sinuiju Prison just a few days ago.

Although they were the same prison, there were big differences between the prisons in Sinuiju and Seoul.

There wasn’t much difference in the facilities, but since Shinuiju was much colder, the perceived temperature was noticeably colder in Shinuiju.

Recently, Chairman Jeong Man-ho confronted the government and asked for his pardon, and was even banished to Sinuiju Prison.

After being transferred to Sinuiju Prison, Jeong Man-ho barely managed to return to the prison in Gyeonggi Province after begging desperately and promising to resume all his business.

‘But it’s a little less cold so I guess I can survive… … .’

Now, I’m used to making my bed in the morning and waiting for roll call.

But then, suddenly, a prison guard calls him for a visitation early in the morning.

“2345 Jeong Man-ho, this is an interview.”

“An interview? Who is it? There’s no one here… … .”

Today was not a day to meet with a lawyer, and no one in the family had said they would come.

“Just go for now.”

Due to the prison guard’s oppressive attitude, Chairman Jeong Man-ho had no choice but to head to the visiting room.

When I went into the interview room, the person sitting there was a man in his 50s wearing a suit and with sharp eyes.

“Are you Chairman Jeong Man-ho?”

He looked twenty years younger than he was, but his attitude was quite arrogant.

“Yes, but who are you? I don’t think you’re anyone I know… … .”

He was definitely not someone Chairman Jeong Man-ho remembered.

Neither a lawyer nor a family member.

But he wasn’t a member of the Danjeong group either.

“I am Nam Ki-cheol, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.”

“Uh, the Supreme Prosecutor’s Office… …?”

He had never knelt before anyone, and until he was defeated by President Kim Jong-guk, he wasn’t even afraid of the president. The only person he was afraid of was the prosecutors.

For the conglomerates, what they fear more than politicians is the prosecution.

However, he was not an ordinary prosecutor, but rather a deputy chief prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, so to speak, the second-highest ranking official in the prosecution.

I couldn’t help but be afraid.

Chairman Jeong Man-ho asks in a trembling voice.

“By the way, Chief Prosecutor, what brings you here?”

No matter how much I thought about it, there was no relationship between me and this guy named Nam Ki-cheol.

“I already spoke to your lawyer Choi Young-gil. Didn’t you hear?”

“Oh, I had too many lawyer visits in the beginning, so now I’m limited to seeing a lawyer once a week… … .”

Nam Ki-cheol looks at me with a pitiful expression.

“Really, you do all sorts of things.”

Chairman Jeong Man-ho is unable to respond to Nam Ki-cheol’s rude remarks and remains as quiet as a mouse.

After a while, Nam Ki-cheol asks him informally.

“Chairman Jeong, you have one more trial left.”

“Oh, yes… It’s in two weeks.”

I take out the papers that Nam Gi-cheol brought and read them one by one.

“Okay, let’s see. Bribery, instigation of assault, embezzlement, it’s just so diverse. How dare they do this in a bakery. Even if they can’t do this, they’ll probably get six years in prison.”

The lawyer’s story was different.

The lawyer was clearly confident that this time he would do well and somehow get the case acquitted or fined.

If that man were to be sentenced to prison again as he said, it would be too difficult for him, who still had over six years left in prison.

“What, what does that mean? I still have six years left, and if you add more, I’m going to rot away in prison for the rest of my life?”

Nam Ki-cheol says with a smile.

“That’s why I’m here. I asked your lawyer to do me a favor. But the sincerity your lawyer sent isn’t enough. There’s one more thing I need to prepare.”

It is clear that the money he gave to Director Choi Young-gil for this trial was 1 billion won.

It wasn’t a small amount of money, but if he was found not guilty, he would have given more money.

“I’ll give you as much money as you want! So please, sir… … .”

“No, the money is good, but don’t you want to testify? If your testimony turns out well, I’ll move you to a better place, not to mention a better trial, or I’ll help you get out of prison because of what you’re doing.”

Suddenly, Chairman Jeong is flustered when he hears the word testimony and doesn’t understand what is being said.

“Z, testimony? I have no idea what you are talking about, sir.”

“Have you ever met Presidential Chief of Staff Oh Young-ho?”

In fact, it didn’t matter to Nam Ki-cheol whether Jeong Man-ho met Oh Young-ho or not.

Because he intended to have him testify that he had met Oh Young-ho even if he had not.

The conglomerates, bribes, and politicians came to him because it was the perfect scenario.

But Jeong Man-ho’s answer was unexpected.

“Oh, I met that chief secretary, that guy, a few months ago.”

“Oh, is that true? Then it’s even better.”

This makes scenario writing much easier.

Nam Ki-cheol’s face brightens.

“Chairman Jeong Man-ho, I’ll ask you straight out. Have you ever bribed Chief Secretary Oh Young-ho?”

“Yes… … ? That’s not why I met Director Oh… … .”

Nam Ki-cheol glares at Chairman Jeong Man-ho and says.

“You think carefully from now on and speak. Think carefully about how to testify. Depending on what comes out of your mouth, it will determine how long you have to rot inside. As for the money I received, just give it back and that’s it.”

Jeong Man-ho didn’t know why Nam Ki-cheol was acting like that.

But I instinctively knew how to respond.

“Yes… I did. I gave a bribe to Chief Secretary Oh Young-ho.”

Nam Ki-cheol claps his hands and stands up from his seat.

“Okay. I’ll call you to the prosecutor’s office tomorrow, and you’ll testify the same way then. Okay? If you testify properly, I’ll keep my promise.”

“Yes, of course.”

Nam Ki-cheol smiled as if he had already won.

The nameplate of the Chief of the Prosecutor’s Office was already gleaming before his eyes.

* * *

“Are you crazy! This is the Blue House!”

A security guard in front of the Blue House blocks Nam Ki-cheol as he tries to enter the Blue House.

“This is a legitimate exercise of official duty. Get out of the way! If you do this, you are also obstructing official duty!”

“What are you talking about! This is the Blue House, the Blue House! How could you possibly enter the Blue House without prior consultation like this!”

The chief of the Blue House security service who received the call runs over and asks.

“What’s going on! What’s going on that makes such a fuss!”

One of the employees who had been blocking Nam Gi-cheol a moment ago reports to the chief of security.

“They say they came from the prosecution, but it’s completely unreasonable. They say they came to execute some kind of arrest warrant… … .”

“What? An arrest warrant?”

Chief of Security Ko Young-jin approaches Nam Ki-cheol and shouts.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you know where you are? If there is an arrest warrant issued for one of the Blue House staff, you should execute the arrest warrant at home. Why did you come all the way to the Blue House to do this?”

“I’m on official duty. Please step aside.”

But despite the chief of security’s reprimand, Nam Ki-cheol continued to repeat the same thing.

They even brought along not only prosecutors and police officers, but also reporters that Nam Ki-cheol knew.

“Oh, well! I said no, go back! Or at least tell me who the arrest warrant is for!”

The spat between the Secret Service and the prosecution continues.

At that moment, Nam Ki-cheol takes out a piece of paper from his bosom, turns around, looks at the reporters, and shouts.

“Reporters, look here. Here is a pre-trial detention warrant for Oh Young-ho, Chief of Staff to the President.”

As soon as Nam Ki-cheol shows the arrest warrant, the reporters start filming with their camera flashes as if they had been waiting for it.

“Prosecutor Nam, what are the charges against Chief Secretary Oh Young-ho?”

And then, as if he were ready, he asks Nam Ki-cheol.

Nam Ki-cheol answers skillfully, as if it were a promise.

“This is an allegation of bribery within the Danjeong Group.”

“If it’s the Danjeong Group, isn’t it the group that has Chairman Jeong Man-ho?”

“Yes, that’s right. Chief Secretary Oh Young-ho is accused of threatening and coaxing Chairman Jeong Man-ho into accepting 1 billion won in bribes. And this arrest warrant has already been reviewed by the court.”

The 1 billion won bribe he received was instantly transformed into a bribe that went to Oh Young-ho.

At best, they thought one of the administrators had taken a bribe, but when the name of the chief of staff suddenly came up, the security service staff were all flustered.

“Uh, what should I do, Chief of Security?”

The chief of security also had a moment where his mind went blank and he didn’t know what to do.

But then someone comes down from far away.

* * *

“Chief Security. What are these people?”

The one who came down was none other than President Kim Jong-guk.

The chief of security answers, looking embarrassed.

“I’m sorry… …! Mr. President. I’ll sort this out right away.”

“No. Let’s hear what they have to say. What is this? The prosecution is causing such a ruckus by bringing reporters and coming all the way to the Blue House without any consultation.”

The reporters’ camera flashes become more and more intense.

And then one of the reporters asks, almost interrogatively.

“President Kim Jung-guk, were you aware that Chief of Staff Oh Young-ho is suspected of receiving bribes from the Danjung Group?”

I ignored the reporter’s question, approached the prosecutor, looked at the civil servant ID he was wearing, and spoke.

“Prosecutor Nam Ki-cheol? I think I saw you once last time when I went to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office, but anyway, what on earth were you thinking when you came to the Blue House to execute an arrest warrant?”

Although Nam Ki-cheol thought he had come prepared, his body began to tremble when he was about to speak in front of the president.

But soon he calmed down and answered calmly.

“Hello, Mr. President. I am Nam Ki-chul, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. I am here today to execute a pre-arrest warrant for Chief Secretary Oh Young-ho. I apologize, but may I come inside?”

I asked him calmly.

“What are the charges against the Chief Secretary?”

“It is alleged that he received a bribe from Chairman Jeong Man-ho of the Danjeong Group. There is already circumstantial evidence and evidence that the two met.”

‘Even if it’s this much, it’s a bumper crop.’

The reason Chairman Jeong of Danjeong Group met with the chief secretary was because he had been begging and pleading for a transfer of prisons in order to resume his business, so I had asked the chief secretary to meet him.

Perhaps it seemed like he was trying to make up a crime out of nothing, using the fact that we met back then as an excuse.

“The meeting between the Danjeong Group and Director Oh was something I instructed to do last time. It’s ridiculous to say that it was a bribe. There was some kind of mistake. Go back.”

As I acted in a gentlemanly manner, the inspector seemed to gain confidence and raised his voice.

“Mr. President! I am being presumptuous, but this is an arrest warrant that has been duly authorized by the court! Even if you are the President… … .”

I cut him off, sighed, and spoke to him again.

“Whew, anyway, you should go back. This is the Blue House. There can’t be an arrest warrant at the Blue House.”

The inspector continued to raise his voice even though I told him not to.

He seemed quite confident.

“I know! But, as I said earlier, this is due process… … .”

‘I wonder if that confidence will last forever… … .’

I approached him and spoke in a low voice so the reporters couldn’t hear.

“Vice Chief Prosecutor Nam Ki-chul, the 1 billion won in cash you received from Director Choi Young-gil of the Danjeong Group. Where is that 1 billion won? Isn’t it in the storage room at your hometown? How about we investigate it?”

Nam Ki-cheol’s face, which had been confident until just a moment ago, becomes gloomy.