1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 16



Only Krnovel

Episode 16

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Minjeongpal, Chairman of Sejun Financial.

He was known as the so-called big hand of Myeongdong and was known to have the best cash mobilization ability in Korea.

But yesterday, the president’s emergency measures resulted in more than half of the cash he had been holding being frozen.

It was money that he had been saving up for seventy years. However, nearly half of that money was in danger of disappearing in an instant.

And now the president has called himself and come to the Blue House for the first time since he was born.

If we only look at the ranking of personal assets, Min Jeong-pal was clearly one of the top three richest people in Korea, but he was ostracized by the so-called traditional conglomerates because of the perception that he was involved in secondary finance.

The same goes for the president and the political circles. Although they met him when they urgently needed money, it was mostly at the Blue House or official settings, and unofficial settings like bars.

He came to the Blue House at the invitation of the President, wearing a suit, something he doesn’t usually wear.

‘I’m nervous···.’

Even though I am over 70 years old, I am quite nervous because it is my first time at the Blue House. Sweat is beading on my forehead and my hands are also sweaty.

At that moment, the chief secretary comes out of the office and guides us.

“Chairman Min, please come inside.”

“Ah.. yes..!”

In Myeongdong, he reigned like an emperor, but at the Blue House, he looked like a newly enlisted recruit.

As Chairman Min enters the office, President Kim Jung-guk stands up to welcome him.

“Hello, Chairman Min. I’m sorry to call you like this when you must be busy with work.”

“No, Your Majesty. Of course I should have come.”

“Haha. Thank you. Please have a seat.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. But why have you called me today?”

Jungkook takes a cigarette and lights it. He then hands the cigarette to Chairman Min.

“Oh, that’s okay. I don’t smoke, Your Majesty.”

“Is that so? Then should I pull it too?”

“No, I don’t mind and you can smoke.”

“Haha. Sorry.”

Cigarette smoke permeates the office.

When the cigarette is almost out, he looks at Chairman Min and says.

“Chairman Min. Aren’t you having a hard time because of the real-name financial transaction system?”

Chairman Min looks a little surprised when the topic of real-name financial transactions comes up.

“Yes.. Actually, I didn’t think that the real-name financial transaction system would be implemented so suddenly. If you had given me even a little bit of notice, I would have prepared for it..”

“I’m sorry. But if the real-name financial system is something that is announced in advance so that people can prepare for it, then isn’t there no point in implementing the real-name financial system?”

“.. .. .. .. .. .. ..”

For a while, both of them were silent. Then, it was Chairman Min who broke the silence and spoke first.

“Your Majesty. Is it true that you called me today to discuss the real-name financial transaction system?”

“As expected, it’s Chairman Min. Yes, that’s right. I called you today to talk about the secret funds Chairman Min has.”

“How much… would you like me to give you?”

Chairman Min is coming out with a straight pitch. It was expected from the beginning. It would be a reasonable judgment to take something rather than lose everything anyway.

“I’m not some thug, and I didn’t call you here to rip off Chairman Min.”

“Yes..? Then what on earth is going on..”

“I will return all the slush funds in Chairman Min’s name. Of course, you will have to pay a small amount of tax, but I will do my best to keep that to a minimum.”

‘What are you planning…’

It’s such a good story. If everything had been taken away as it was, there would have been nothing to say, but if they just paid a little bit of tax and got it all back, it was obvious there had to be another plan.

“What are the conditions···.”

“As expected, you are quick-witted.”

I put another cigarette in my mouth, light it, and talk.

“Whew.. Please defer the interest for one year for those who owe money to the large companies and mutual savings banks (now savings banks) owned by Sejun Financial and Chairman Min.”

The number of people who borrowed money from Chairman Min’s large corporations and mutual savings banks is approximately 300,000. Most of them were common people who had difficulty obtaining loans from the so-called first-tier financial sector.

For those people, the interest burden will be even more severe this year, especially since the economy is not doing well. A one-year interest deferral will definitely be a relief for them.

Chairman Min is thinking deeply. He is probably thinking in his head about what would be beneficial.

‘The slush funds that are currently tied up… the interest for one year…’

And after a while, Chairman Min, who had finished calculating, opened his mouth.

“.. .. I understand, Your Majesty. I will do so.”

“You have thought well, Chairman Min. Thanks to Chairman Min, the people will be able to endure these difficult times!”

“Haha.. Yes. I think it’s fortunate that I can contribute even a little to the country.”

There have been countless instances in the past where politicians have taken money from us. But they have all been using their own political slush funds. This is the first time in my life that I have been asked to do something for the people.

‘What are you thinking…’

Chairman Min greets Jeong-guk with suspicion and comes out of the office.

As Chairman Min came out of the office, Jeong Man-ho, the chairman of Danjung, the 6th largest construction company in South Korea, was waiting in the waiting room.

Danjeong was a company that started out as a gangster company, and although Jeong Man-ho was not born a gangster, his father was a famous gangster during the Japanese colonial period.

“Oh my, who is this? Isn’t this our Chairman Min?”

Jeong Man-ho greets Chairman Min happily. The two have met several times, as Jeong Man-ho has sometimes asked Chairman Min for help when he needs large amounts of cash.

“It’s been a while, Chairman Jeong. Did His Majesty call you as well?”

“Yes. Is Chairman Min on his way out after meeting you?”

“yes.”

“I see… Ha… But I really don’t know what Your Majesty is thinking. I’m sure he wasn’t such an extreme person when he was the head of the Central Intelligence Agency···.”

Jeong Man-ho sighs deeply. It seems that he too has had quite a bit of slush funds tied up due to the real-name financial transaction system.

“Chairman Min… how long have you been tied up…?”

Chairman Jeong asks cautiously in a small voice.

“That’s… I…”

At that moment, the chief secretary came out of the office and called Chairman Jeong.

“Chairman Jeong, you may come in.”

Chairman Jeong greets Chairman Min and hurries inside.

“Oh my… I guess I’ll have to talk about this later. I’ll see you again soon, Chairman Min.”

Chairman Jeong adjusts his clothes and hurries into his office.

“Chairman Jeong! It’s been a while!”

And inside the office, Jeongguk’s voice, as welcoming as before, was heard.

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After meeting with all 50 of the top business leaders over two days, I couldn’t sleep properly.

My mouth started to crack from fatigue, and dark circles appeared around my eyes.

“.. .. Well, still.. Is this enough emergency treatment..”

Starting with Chairman Min’s deferral of interest payments, each chairman promised to release a certain amount of money over the course of one year. The amount was roughly 50% of the slush funds they had.

This amount of money would be quite helpful for the vulnerable to survive for about a year.

“Should we take a break for a moment…?”

I closed my eyes to take a short break, but the newly appointed director of the National Intelligence Service (formerly the Central Intelligence Agency) came in, unable to bear it any longer.

“Your Majesty, I will go in.”

I was so tired that I wanted to send him away, but my mind knew that I shouldn’t do that, so I told him to come in.

“Yes, please come in.”

Director Kim Moon-sik, who is in charge of the National Intelligence Service, a paramilitary organization that has recently expanded its size to 10,000 people. When a man with a body taller than 190cm enters, he feels quite intimidating.

Director Kim, a large man, hands over the file he was holding in his hand.

“Your Majesty, this is the result of the investigation as Your Majesty instructed.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Please give it to me.”

I take the file he brought and open it.

[Democratic Republican Party Next Direct Election Presidential Primary Candidate Opinion Poll]

[No. 1 Kim Jung-guk / 35%, No. 2 Kim Jung-pil / 57%, No. 3 Lee Chang-ho 8%]

‘Hmm… It’s more different than I thought…’

The content was a public opinion poll that I had requested a few days ago. It was a public opinion poll conducted immediately after the real-name financial transaction system was implemented.

Although his public support has increased considerably, his approval rating is still more than 20% behind JP’s.

‘Even though he is the current president… do people still think of him as an interim president?’

“Your Majesty, then I will go out.”

“Okay. Go out and try.”

The director of the National Intelligence Service bows his head, greets, and turns around.

‘wait for a sec···.’

“Just a moment, Director.”

Director Kim Moon-sik, who was about to leave, turns around and approaches me, standing in front of me.

“Yes. Did you call? Your Majesty.”

“I told you not to call me Your Majesty..”

“I’m sorry. It’s because of my habit.”

“Anyway. It’s not something else.. Aside from opinion polls, how many of the current ruling party members do not support Representative Kim Joong-pil?”

“Um… Roughly speaking, there are about 20 people from the Democratic Republican Party… and about 30 people from the Yushin Political Friendship Association.”

“Hmm.. So, does that mean that the remaining 90 or so people are on President Kim Jung-pil’s side?”

“That’s not it. There are about 40 people who can definitely be said to be on President Kim Jung-pil’s side.”

‘Then, you’re saying that I can easily make the remaining 100 people my people…’

While securing national support was important, securing the support of the 100 or so ruling party members was also necessary.

“Director Kim. Please make a list of the remaining ruling party members, excluding the 40 people on President Kim Jung-pil’s side.”

“Yes, I understand. Your Majesty… no, Mr. President!”

As expected of a 190cm tall man, his voice resonated throughout the office.