1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 99



Only Krnovel

Episode 99

“Are you really going to do this… … ?”

Representative Min Jeong-gi asks me with an expression of disbelief, “Is that really true?”

“Do you object, sir?”

“Regardless of whether you are against it or not, if the inheritance tax is abolished, a huge hole will be created in tax revenue.”

“Don’t worry about that. The inheritance tax rate is actually not as high as we think. And don’t you know? Our government is not a poor government.”

The current South Korean government’s budget is overflowing due to the assets of some companies that received ridiculously high returns on investment and technology in return.

Even if inheritance tax revenue decreased, it would not be a big problem.

“That’s true, but… … .”

“Wouldn’t the companies be happy? What do you think, sir?”

“Corporate leaders will certainly cheer. This is the policy they so desperately wanted. But the opposition will be stronger than you might think.”

“Yes, but we will pass it. To be precise, the abolition of the inheritance tax is not important. It is just a negotiating weapon.”

“A weapon for negotiation?”

I turn back to the front of the policy book and show it to him.

“If we’re going to pass all these policies, there’s only one way to do it.”

“Mr. President, these policies can be passed without having to convince businesses.”

That wasn’t a wrong statement.

He controlled both the president and the National Assembly.

The bill could have passed even if businesses opposed it.

“Of course. But if companies start to openly oppose it, there will eventually be problems implementing this policy. And if the government and companies are at odds with each other, the country’s development will inevitably slow down.”

Representative Min listens to me and thinks for a moment.

Then he sighs and says to me.

“First, I’ll take it and talk to the members of the National Assembly. I think there will be more differences of opinion than I thought.”

“Haha. Mr. Representative, please try to persuade the members of the National Assembly.”

“Ha, Mr. President, you always bring up things I never would have thought of.”

Representative Min gives me a look of resentment.

* * *

President Kim Jong-guk’s pledge book is now one of the books that the people of South Korea are waiting for.

Kim Jong-un’s promises have always been unconventional.

But that wasn’t the only reason people were so eagerly awaiting the manifesto.

Even though President Kim Jong-guk has a high approval rating, not everyone likes his pledges.

Even if you support the president, you may not like some of his promises.

But there was another reason why his pledge book was popular.

That’s because he always kept his promises with near 100 percent accuracy.

He always keeps his promises.

Because this was ingrained in people’s minds, his manifesto was often treated as if it were a book of prophecy.

“Is this true? Did President Kim Jong-guk really promise to abolish the inheritance tax?”

Lee Hae-chang, the candidate for the Democratic Party, asks in disbelief after seeing President Kim Jung-guk’s pledge book.

“Yes, to be exact, it is not a complete abolition. They say they will abolish the inheritance tax and recreate a similar tax by changing its name. And the rate is said to be around 5% of the maximum amount inherited.”

“At that level, it’s not really a lot compared to what was previously being released. It seems like it’s practically the same as scrapping it… … .”

Candidate Lee Hae-chang’s secretary speaks with a troubled expression.

“He was originally a person who made many groundbreaking promises, but I never thought he would promise to abolish the inheritance tax.”

“Haa, this is a really tough opponent. It’s like fighting a giant tree.”

Candidate Lee Hae-chang throws his pledge booklet on the table next to him, lies down halfway on his chair, and closes his eyes.

That is understandable, as the reason candidate Lee Hae-chang’s recent approval rating has been on the rise is due to strong support from businesses.

Thanks to this, the coffers of the Gongmin Party have become a never-ending wellspring. Companies have supported him and the Gongmin Party in legal or not-so-legal ways.

But now the story is very different.

What the chaebol leaders want most.

That’s because President Kim Jong-guk dug into it.

“Candidate, should we also try abolishing the inheritance tax as a campaign promise?”

“Okay. This is a topic that they have already taken over. There is no point in us doing this. For now, let’s oppose things like punitive damages instead of abolishing the inheritance tax and stand up to the president.”

The secretary stands up, holding President Kim Jong-guk’s pledge book, saying, “I understand.”

“Okay, I’ll prepare a plan right away.”

* * *

You can see the vast coastal land where a semiconductor factory will be built right before your eyes.

“Is this the land where a new semiconductor factory will be built?”

Chairman Yoo Geon-ho, who came together, answers.

“Yes. We plan to build the world’s largest semiconductor factory.”

“It’s great. It’ll be really nice when it’s finished. When the factory is finished, there’ll be a lot of people coming in here.”

After Russia acquired the Maritime Province and the Khabarovsk Territory, development of underground resources was steadily progressing, but the population grew more slowly than expected.

The population of this vast land, including the coastal and Khabarovsk islands, is less than 500,000, so it is safe to say that it is still an empty land.

Rather, Cheonghae-do is gaining attention as a tourist destination and its population is growing faster than expected, with Cheonghae-do’s population recently exceeding 300,000.

“There needs to be more people living in this land soon. Recently, the population of Cheonghae-do has been increasing, while that of Yeonhae-do and Habarap-do… … .”

But now, it seems like Samjeong Yoo Geon-ho is not listening to my story.

Chairman Yoo stops for a moment and asks me.

“Mr. President… Are you really going to abolish the inheritance tax?”

“Of course. Mr. Chairman, have you ever seen me make a promise and not keep it? However, it is difficult to see it as a complete abolition. There will be a tax of up to 5% under another name.”

“If it’s 5%, isn’t it a virtually non-existent level compared to existing taxes?”

Even if it was only 5%, it was an incredibly small amount compared to the inheritance tax we pay now.

“Do you not want the inheritance tax to be abolished?”

“How could I dislike it? The ultimate goal of people like us is to run the company well and pass it on to our children. It’s just that it’s so sudden.”

“If I am not elected, this policy will not be implemented anyway. It is not guaranteed to be implemented.”

Chairman Yoo says with a slight smile.

“You won’t get elected? How could that be? I have ears to hear. The president will never lose.”

Chairman Yoo Geon-ho seemed confident that I could not possibly lose.

Of course, that is what opinion polls say, but what Chairman Yoo will judge is not opinion polls.

It may be the result of Samjeong’s own information gathering.

“Haha. Is that so? If Samjeong judged it to that extent, then it must be wrong.”

I paused for a moment and continued speaking.

“Chairman Yoo, there are many things that we will have to give up in exchange for abolishing the inheritance tax. Now that both companies and Korea have grown, it is time for companies to take on a clear sense of social responsibility.”

Chairman Yoo speaks as he walks.

“I guess that’s what they mean, you get back as much as you give.”

“Haha. That’s too direct. But I guess it’s not wrong.”

I paused for a moment, took out a cigarette, lit it and spoke to him.

“Mr. Chairman, I actually wish that ordinary citizens who work hard are happy, rather than the conglomerates passing down their wealth. In short, I wish that the money for inheritance tax would flow in a different direction.”

“Mr. President… … .”

I put out my cigarette and gave advice to Chairman Yoo Geon-ho.

“Chairman Yoo, now that you have resolved the issue of inheritance tax that we so desperately wanted, I hope that companies will also firmly participate in the government policy. Shouldn’t we change now too?”

* * *

As expected, the most talked-about promise among people was the abolition of inheritance tax.

And especially, the labor unions protested fiercely as soon as the promise to abolish the inheritance tax was announced.

Unification Union Conference Room.

Even though it was only an hour before the President’s visit, they were already raising their voices in criticism of President Kim Jong-un.

-thud!!

“This is a big mistake, President Kim!”

One of the union members slams his desk and says:

“That’s right! Mr. Chairman! If this bill passes, won’t the conglomerates really be hereditary for a thousand years? Now, they will ignore the unions and conduct business as they please!”

They look at the union leader and shout their condemnation of the president.

Lee Hye-jeong, Chairperson of the Unification Union.

She was elected president of the country’s largest union as a woman.

Because the union was originally a male-dominated organization, many people initially ignored her.

But with her strong charisma, she quickly won the support of union members and took control of the union.

“Let’s just wait and see what the President has to say. Shouldn’t we listen to what he has to say?”

She tries to lighten the mood for a moment.

But one of the committee members still raises his voice in excitement.

“Mr. Chairman! We must speak firmly to the President!”

She calms the crowd once more in a low voice.

“Okay, I understand. But once the President comes, we can’t just treat him coldly. Let’s just wait and see what he says.”

Only then do people calm down a little.

Unified Union.

As the largest union in the country, the political world could not help but pay attention to the unified union.

The president also met with union members once a year to talk to them.

At that moment, a member of the Blue House security service enters the conference room.

The security guard speaks to people as he clears the inside of the conference room.

“The President is coming in.”

A moment later, President Kim Jong-guk enters the conference room.

* * *

“Repeal the abolition of the inheritance tax! Repeal it!”

Some union members stood up, holding picket signs and chanting slogans opposing the abolition of the inheritance tax.

But I didn’t care and went inside, shaking hands with the people holding picket signs.

As you go inside, you see a familiar face.

“Chairperson Lee Hye-jeong! It’s been a while!”

I greeted her with a warm handshake.

“Hello… Mr. President.”

She greeted me by shaking my hand with a look of discontent on her face.

And then he speaks to me in a voice that is clearly holding back anger.

“Please sit down.”

As I sit down, people become a little quieter.

But people’s expressions still seemed full of dissatisfaction.

‘You all have a lot of horns.’

“It seems like everyone is really angry. Let’s laugh a little and talk. Haha.”

I tried to lighten the mood by smiling a little, but the reaction was still cold.

“Hmm, I guess no one is in the mood to laugh.”

“Isn’t that obvious! Mr. President, what on earth were you thinking when you abolished the inheritance tax?”

The chairman, unable to bear it any longer, asks me in a voice full of anger.

I answered in a calm voice.

“Mr. Chairman, and union members, I think you are mistaken. The main thing I am promising this time is not the abolition of the inheritance tax. The abolition of the inheritance tax is just bait. What I want is the protection of workers’ rights.”

“What are you talking about? What does this have to do with protecting workers’ rights?”

I didn’t answer her question for a moment and then brought up the story of my trip to Yeonhae Island with Chairman Yoo Geon-ho yesterday.

“But, more than that, I actually went to Yeonhae Island yesterday with Chairman Yoo Geon-ho of Samjeong. They say they are building a really large semiconductor factory here, and the scale is really enormous.”

-bang!!!

She slams the desk hard and speaks to me.

“Are you here to brag about going out to play with the chaebols?”

One of the bodyguards comes toward me to stop her.

“Oh, that’s okay. Tell me more, Chairman.”

The chairman speaks to me in a voice full of anger.

“Mr. President! I really liked you. My whole family voted for President Kim. Because you are developing this country, because you always think of the people first and our workers. But this is a betrayal of our workers!”

“Why do you think this is a betrayal to the workers?”

“If the inheritance tax is abolished, the conglomerates will continue to inherit this power. Then, will they care about the rights of our workers?”

I nodded and said.

“I understand. But even if the property is not inherited and becomes the property of the country, would it be possible for the country to properly manage that money?”

“Hasn’t the country been running well so far!”

I looked straight at her and said.

“Can you guarantee that any other president, other than me, would run the country so well?”

“That, that is… … .”

The chairman cannot speak any further.

“It may seem arrogant, but the government that comes after ours will certainly not manage national assets as well as ours. By then, it will probably be much more efficient for the heads of companies to run things themselves. And I especially don’t like Korean companies being taken over by foreign countries.”

“But if you abolish the inheritance tax like this… …!”

I paused for a moment and said to the chairman:

“Surely I would not have just given them the candy of abolishing the inheritance tax. If you have seen the pledge booklet, you will know. Those policies will be passed at the same time as the abolishment of the inheritance tax. And there is one more thing.”

The director asks me with a slightly suspicious look.

“What do you mean by one more thing?”

“I finished talking with Chairman Yoo of Samjeong yesterday. After the presidential election, Samjeong decided to allow the establishment of a labor union.”

The chairman’s mouth is wide open.

“Is that true? Are you saying that Samjeong will really allow the establishment of a labor union? Is that Samjeong?”

“Yes. In that Samjeong. Of course, it’s not just a simple government union, but a powerful union like Hyunjoong’s union is fine.”

Union-free management has always been Samjeong’s principle.

But its breaking had significant implications for the labor sector as well.

I looked at the people and said.

“Think about it, everyone. If their assets go to the country or overseas, what good will it do to the country? And even though you always fight, don’t you also want your company to do well?”

I stood up and asked the chairman.

“Chairman, may I speak briefly to the members of the Unification Union for the last time?”

“Yes, that’s right… … .”

The chairman still seemed dazed.

I left her there, grabbed the microphone, walked up to the podium, and asked the union members.

“Union members, what is a union?”

One of the union members answers my question.

“It is a group that protects the rights of workers.”

“Isn’t that so?”

“yes.”

I took a step forward and started speaking.

“You must always prioritize the rights of the workers. The moment the union expands its activities to other areas, the union’s identity collapses and the workers’ rights become secondary.

As president, I always implement policies for the rights of workers, but the role of labor unions is equally important. Just as I always prioritize the development of the country and the happiness of the people as the top priority of my duties as president, I hope that you will also always focus on improving the rights of workers.”

I swallowed for a moment and then shouted at them again with one last appeal.

“Union members, I am always on the side of the people. I do not take the side of either the union or the company. However, please know this. I am a person who works only for the development of the country and the happiness of the people. Please know that this policy is not a policy for the sole benefit of the company CEOs! Please trust me, Kim Jung-guk, once more!”

After a heated meeting, the Unification Workers’ Union declared that it would support President Kim Jong-guk in the upcoming presidential election.

They did not like the abolition of the inheritance tax, but it seemed that the establishment of the Samjeong union, along with other labor pledges, was a decisive factor for them.

“Our Unification Union actively supports candidate Kim Jung-guk in this election! I think that candidate Kim Jung-guk is the only presidential candidate who thinks about workers like us. Candidate Kim Jung-guk has proven this time that labor unions and companies can coexist and grow together. I can’t think of anyone else as the president of the Republic of Korea!”