1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 98



Only Krnovel

Episode 98

“You’re asking the wrong question, President Clinton. South Korea is not pursuing policies to surpass the United States.”

“What does that mean?”

Clinton puts down his glass for a moment and listens to my story.

“That’s true. Of course, someday Korea may surpass the United States. However, the current policy direction of the Korean government is not focused on whether or not it will surpass the United States. Our government is focused on Korea remaining a powerful and advanced country for a long time.”

I emptied my glass for a moment and continued speaking.

“Of course, as I said earlier, Korea may surpass the United States in the process. However, the Korean government’s plan does not set a goal of surpassing the United States. Of course, that is the same for other countries.”

He meant it.

Surpassing the United States and rising to become the world’s most powerful nation? That was a good story.

But it was difficult to run a country with the goal of surpassing the United States.

It is the same for companies and countries.

Rather than aiming to surpass someone else, a company or country should focus on growth itself.

Growth that focuses only on a certain country, saying that it must be defeated by that country, is ultimately destined to fail.

“Are you saying that America is not even in your sights?”

“Haha. That’s not what I meant. I’m satisfied if our people can live a little happier lives than they do now, and if Korea can always stand proudly in the world. We don’t set our national policy goals to surpass any particular country.”

After listening to my story, Clinton thought for a long time.

Then he bows his head to me and apologizes.

“I’m sorry. I asked a question for no reason. After listening to President Kim’s story, I felt like an idiot for asking such a question.”

“No. I understand that America is always in a challenging position. If we were in America’s position, it wouldn’t be much different.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

After that, a pleasant drinking party continues.

Basically, even though Clinton is a bit of a brat, he has a good sense of humor, so the drinking party continues happily.

And before we knew it, the time had come for the drinking party to slowly come to a close.

“Oh, time has passed so quickly. It’s a shame.”

“Haha. Let’s drink some more. Do you have any other plans?”

It was already past 9pm, but I actually had another appointment scheduled for 10pm.

“I’m sorry. I have a prior engagement at 10 o’clock, so I think it’s time to wrap up the drinking party. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such an enjoyable drinking party, so I’m sad.”

“I see. If you have a prior engagement, then there’s nothing I can do. Well, I’m pretty drunk by this point.”

Finally, they end the drinking party by pouring each other another drink.

Clinton stands up and asks me.

“But who else are you meeting at this late hour? Why don’t you take a rest and then do it? President Kim, you’re not that young anymore.”

He speaks to me in a worried voice.

I wave my hand and tell him it’s okay. It’s okay.

“It’s okay. I have to do it as long as I can to stay healthy. This much is fine for now. And recently, I’ve been taking a break for about one day a month.”

Clinton’s eyes widen when he hears that he gets one day off a month.

“Once a month? As expected, President Kim is no match for me. I consider myself a patriot, but not as much as President Kim. I’m not willing to dedicate my entire life to the country.”

“Haha. For me, seeing Korea develop is the greatest happiness, rather than just resting.”

I saw him off to the front of the hotel.

Clinton asks me before leaving in front of the hotel.

“Come to think of it, the presidential election is just around the corner. Is it okay for you to come all the way to the UN General Assembly?”

“Just because there’s an election, can I just go around campaigning and not do my job? If I haven’t done anything in the meantime, I won’t be elected whether I campaign or not.”

Clinton answers with a smile.

“Haha. Well, even the CIA report said that they couldn’t think of anyone other than President Kim for the South Korean presidential election.”

“I am grateful that the people still think that way.”

And so the week at the UN General Assembly went by without a moment’s rest.

* * *

“It is time to move from a state-led economy to a market-led economy! It is time to abandon these old economic policies!”

By the time Kim Jong-guk returned from the UN General Assembly, Lee Hae-chang, the leader of the Gongmin Party, was effectively being toured around the country as the Gongmin Party’s presidential candidate.

His biggest promise was that the national economic system should now move from a state-led economy to a market-led economy, that is, a neoliberal state.

Representative Lee Hae-chang was also calling for neoliberalism at an economic forum attended by President Kim Jung-guk and the leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties.

“The new leader of the Gongmyeong Party seems to be no ordinary person. I thought he would be a sage since he was a former judge, but his fighting ability is extraordinary and he is surprisingly not old-fashioned. He also has a big image, so it seems that people are quite swayed.”

Min Jeong-gi, who attended the economic forum with me, sat next to me and spoke in a worried voice as he watched his speech.

I answered him with a smile.

“Haha, are you afraid that I might fall, sir?”

He says with a puzzled look on his face.

“Oh, no. That’s not what I meant. It’s just that this time the opponent isn’t as easy as before.”

“Don’t worry. And neither YS nor TJ were easy opponents. If I have done well so far, the people will support me once again.”

Representative Min shakes his head and says.

“The public is like that, but the companies’ actions are not simple. In the case of Hyundai and Samjung, they are unable to move because they received so much from the government, but the majority of companies seem to support the neoliberal policies that CEO Lee Hae-chang talks about.”

“If policies are implemented in a neoliberal direction, companies will probably have more room to maneuver.”

Representative Min bit his lips slightly, as if he was angry.

“They are ungrateful bastards. How much has the President done for us so far…?”

“Haha. What’s wrong with companies pursuing profits? That’s just how it is. Don’t look at it so negatively. Well, neoliberalism isn’t all bad.”

When I say something so soft, Representative Min sighs.

“Ha, Mr. President, you are too soft. If I were the President, in a situation like this… … .”

I spoke to him in a meaningful voice.

“And don’t worry, corporations won’t be able to turn away from me in this election.”

“Yes… … ? What is that… … .”

“Just wait a moment. I’m still working on the draft. Haha.”

* * *

Elections are no longer the exclusive domain of offline events.

Starting in 1996, home computers began to gradually enter the market, and now the practice of having one computer per household has virtually ended.

Of course, this was mainly due to the government’s strong push for the one computer per household policy, along with the ridiculously low price of distribution.

And in March 1998, the installation of dedicated Internet lines was completed across the country, including Cheonghae-do.

If history were true, this would have happened a few years later, but with economic development accelerating faster than expected, one computer per household has now become the norm.

Now, discussions about politics take place on the Internet.

In each Internet community, there were always fights over which candidate to vote for in this presidential election.

[Member name: Banggabangga]

[Title: Guys, who will you vote for in this election?]

[Content: I’ve only ever voted for one person, but I’m a little worried this time… Candidate Lee Hae-chang is definitely a great candidate because he’s moved my heart. Who will you all vote for?]

[Comment]

Compatible Rabbit – Carrot, isn’t that President Kim Jung-guk? Honestly, do you think candidate Lee Hae-chang did anything to get elected?

Sea Boy – Don’t overdo it. There is no one better than President Kim Jong-guk when it comes to winning the jackpot.

Orinalda – Banggabangga This person always talks about politics. Can’t we get rid of this person?

I like chestnuts – lol It looks like everyone here is a fan of President Kim Jung-guk. Honestly, even if Kim Jung-guk weren’t president, Korea wouldn’t be much different from what it is now. People are just exaggerating.

The overall atmosphere was still largely in favor of Kim Jong-guk, but as expected, given the nature of the Internet, which is still used primarily by the younger generation, public opinion toward candidate Lee Hae-chang was not bad.

Especially among the younger generation, there have been talks that it is time for President Kim Jong-un to step down.

[Member name: Sea Boy]

[Title: By the way, have you guys heard of that?]

[Content: I heard that President Kim Jung-guk is proposing the abolition of inheritance tax as a presidential election pledge… … ]

[Comment]

Woolari – Are you trying to get attention? What are you talking about? How can someone who wants to lead the economy with the government as much as President Kim Jung-guk do that? Inheritance tax is also one of the good tools for taming corporations.

└Goggling – When did President Kim Jong-guk tame corporations? Who has helped corporations grow as much as President Kim Jong-guk?

Oro – Where did you hear such strange rumors? I guess I should kick out that person who was just passing by.

Rumors of abolishing inheritance tax are circulating on the Internet.

People treated it as just a rumor, but the rumor was not without basis.

* * *

-Introduction of punitive damages.

– Strengthening consumer protection policies.

-Strengthening corporate responsibility.

-Strong worker protection policies.

– Inducing large-scale employment centered on large corporations.

A week before the election campaign begins.

Representative Min Jeong-gi, who came to devise a plan for the election, is surprised to see the draft of the pledges prepared for this presidential election and asks.

“Mr. President, are you really going to make this your campaign promise? If you do this, all the companies will turn their backs on you.”

All of the policies listed above were ones that businesses really hated.

“Yes, we will implement it. As our companies have grown bigger, they must also fulfill their responsibilities. However, the companies will not object. Rather, they will like it. No, they may even cheer it.”

“Cheers? What are you talking about? What kind of crazy company would look at these policies and… .”

I said to him with a meaningful smile.

“Well, let’s turn to the next chapter.”

“Next chapter?”

And when Representative Min Jeong-gi opened the next chapter, he was so surprised that he couldn’t close his mouth for several minutes.

This was because the policy written in the next chapter was so shocking that it made me forget all the policies that came before.

-Abolition of inheritance tax.

“I will propose the abolition of the inheritance tax as a pledge for this presidential election. And I will use that as candy to bring in all sorts of other policies.”