The Chaebol Who Flies From Space - Chapter 108



Only Krnovel

The Tycoon Who Flies Into Space Episode 108

108 The Whitman Family

“If you leave it alone, it will take care of itself.”

“I wish I could do that too.”

“How about the second one?”

“Ha, my daughter is a problem. She’s making a fuss about becoming an idol. My wife is worried because she said she got street-casted and said she’d join an entertainment agency.”

“Street casting? What is that?”

“It’s about agency employees handing out business cards to pretty kids on the street and promising to make them idols. Doesn’t the music industry revolve around idols?”

“Your daughter seems to be quite pretty.”

“Fortunately, she is pretty because she resembles my wife and not me.”

“Then why are you so worried? Why don’t you just tell me to do it?”

“That industry is so dirty. I didn’t know anything about entertainers in our food business before, but when I came to Dugeobi, I could see how things were going there. Isn’t Dugeobi’s sales department connected to that? I hear all sorts of rumors about that, whether I know it or not.”

It was inevitable that the sales department of a soju company had deep connections with the underworld. Most liquor wholesalers had been from organizations or had deep connections.

Supplying liquor to bars is a business that guarantees considerable profits. It was natural for the owners of bars who were former gangsters to hang around the liquor wholesale side.

“Haven’t there been many people who came from the entertainment industry? Every time I heard a story, I wondered if it was possible. Unfair contracts, slave contracts. If you just listen to them, how could anyone in their right mind get involved in such a dirty business? How could I bring my daughter into that mess when I knew the obvious circumstances?”

“Tsk tsk, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Huh? What don’t I know?”

“Do you think Chief Do is an ordinary person right now? The former head of the sales support division of Toad is currently the CFO of Bush Beer. If your daughter enters the entertainment industry, will she be disadvantaged? What kind of arrogant person would dare to sneer at the actual number two in the WD Group? He would rather be careful. Otherwise, I would have to cut open his stomach and see how big his liver is.”

Are you talking to the chief’s daughter?

This is like ignoring me, I couldn’t stand it. I had to destroy it by any means necessary.

“Ahem. Am I the number two? Aren’t you Park Young-joo, the CEO of Holdings?”

I was struck by the words, “The second in command in the group,” more than anything else.

“President Park oversees the group, but isn’t the person closest to me Chief Do?”

“… … Hahaha. It makes me feel really good to hear that.”

“So don’t hesitate and let your daughter do whatever she wants.”

“I guess I should talk to my wife about it.”

So I chatted with the passerby about this and that.

* * *

He went on a tour of American affiliates. WD Group was founded not long ago, so the cohesion between companies was much weaker than that of other groups.

This was especially true for newly acquired American companies. So I went around to Ultra, Emma Brown, and Iridium Communications to check on their management. After going around once, the season changed.

The last WD automobile plant in St. Louis, where we returned, was in the midst of a major excavation.

I toured the construction site and checked the progress. I asked the site manager who was touring with me about the progress of the construction.

“When will the factory be completed?”

“The completion of the factory is likely to be significantly later than scheduled due to delays in surrounding infrastructure construction.”

“why?”

“Aren’t they Americans? The promised support has not been provided quickly, so everything from road construction to sewer construction is taking a long time.”

It was absurd, but I guess that’s what happens in America.

“Does the local government have no budget?”

“They say the company that was in charge of the road construction went bankrupt. We are hurriedly looking for another company, but it doesn’t seem to be going well. There are complaints about the dust, so it is difficult to move vehicles carrying materials. In addition, environmental groups are protesting that our factory is damaging the Mississippi River environment, so the city government is also watching.”

Listening to what the person in charge said, the situation seemed a little strange.

“What does Senator Portman say?”

“They say they’ll help, but nothing is actually happening. The city authorities aren’t very cooperative either.”

When we tried to quickly proceed with the construction of the factory, we encountered difficulties here and there.

He gave instructions to Director Kim In-young, who accompanied him.

“You said you would cooperate fully when you were young, but now that I am supporting you with my mouth, you are saying you will move the car factory to Detroit. If you don’t cooperate from the beginning, what are you going to do in the future?”

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.

In that case, it would have been better to build a factory in Detroit, where the infrastructure was in place.

Detroit, a city in a tight spot due to the reduction of production facilities by the three major automakers, would have welcomed the construction of the plant with open arms.

I immediately made an appointment with Senator Portman. Senator Portman, who had been avoiding meetings here and there, got busy moving his heavy buttocks when he heard that the factory was going to be moved to Detroit.

“What’s the problem? We’ve decided to build several factories in St. Louis after much deliberation, but where did the support disappear to? If we keep putting it off like this, when will we ever finish the factories?”

When I arrived at the meeting place and came face to face with Portman, I felt like swearing, but I forced myself to suppress my anger.

“When have I not kept my promises?”

“Didn’t you say you would install the infrastructure first? Also, because of the complaints from the public, the road construction is being delayed continuously, and the supply of materials is not proceeding smoothly.”

Portman responded shamelessly to my words.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. The surrounding residents are against the factory, so it’ll take time to build the infrastructure… … .”

It was a funny story. They said they would risk their lives to help us attract the factory, but now that the factory is being built, their promise has gone up in smoke.

I had absolutely no intention of listening to any excuses.

“Let’s be honest. I don’t know what’s going on, but if the city and state governments are uncooperative like this, we will stop building the plant and move it somewhere else.”

Portman shook his head at my words.

“It’s ridiculous to move a factory that hasn’t even been built properly! If you move the factory, you’ll suffer huge losses right away, and I won’t accept that kind of bluff! As time goes by, those who are blocking the construction will also give up. So don’t act so hastily.”

Portman jumped at the news that construction on the factory was being halted and tried to persuade me.

“Even if we stop construction, how much will it cost! The loss! I’ll take the risk. It’s like this even before the factory is properly built, so it’s obvious how much of a headache it’ll be later.”

He unilaterally gave notice and stormed out.

They immediately halted construction of the factory and held a press conference.

Local reporters rushed to the prepared press conference room after receiving an urgent call.

“WD is considering relocating the St. Louis plant for automobiles, engines, and parts that it had been preparing for. If the state and city governments do not provide the support they promised by next month, the plant will be relocated to another area. If you have any questions, please ask. Reporter over there.”

He pointed to one reporter who raised his hand.

“This is Lewis Carroll for the St. Louis Morning. What promise was not kept?”

“Initially, the city government promised to quickly build infrastructure such as roads and water and sewage systems when attracting the factory. It’s already been three months since construction began, but the road construction hasn’t even started properly yet. It’s also difficult to bring in materials for the factory construction due to public complaints. If this continues, it’s clear as day that the factory construction will be far behind schedule.”

“Are you saying you’re going to relocate the factory just for that little bit?”

“There is a Korean proverb that says, ‘If you see one, you know ten.’ If they don’t keep their promises from the beginning, you can clearly see what kind of attitude they will have later on. If the local government is uncooperative in this way in building a factory, we can just give up and leave halfway through.”

“Then wouldn’t WD Automobile also suffer huge losses?”

“I have to accept it. I will accept the initial loss for the sake of the future. When the new factory is completed, at least 10,000 employees were supposed to be hired, but I will cancel all of them. That’s all.”

The reporters asked me several questions, but I didn’t feel like answering any more.

As the announcement was made, the community was in an uproar.

As the factories were built, job seekers who were excited about the prospect of being hired as workers took the lead in protesting strongly.

They say they’re stopping construction of the factory. Is that really true?

What kind of nonsense is this, that you broke your promise of administrative support?

There were complaints about the construction of the factory. The construction was about to start, but was stopped because local residents complained that the water pipes and roads were being connected and dust was being kicked up.

– Who lives around the factory? It’s just a wasteland there.

– What kind of people are sabotaging the construction of the factory! I even finished filling out the application to apply once it’s built!

– That’s what I’m saying. Is there some guy who’s systematically sabotaging it? And the city accepted it? Isn’t there a conspiracy? Hasn’t this never happened before?

-Why did they interfere in the process of building a new factory? Aren’t environmental groups interfering with it?

– If I leave these bastards alone, I’m not human. I have to show them what it’s like to use my shotgun. What kind of bastards are getting in the way!

As construction was halted and local public opinion grew increasingly hostile, the people who had been loitering around the factory holding picket signs protesting environmental destruction began to slowly disappear.

The most awkward position was that of Rep. Portman’s office, which had been boasting about the plant’s attraction as its own achievement, and was hit hard by the suspension of the plant’s construction.

He called me several times to ask me to meet him, but I just ignored him.

If you want to see the liver in the middle, you have to pay a price.

The fact that the city and county were not cooperating despite the snow and ice was a sign that there was a mastermind behind it. It was also difficult to understand the sudden change in attitude of Rep. Portman. Bush Beer CEO Braden Whitworth, who was most familiar with the local situation, attended.

“What kind of guy is interfering with the construction of the factory?”

In order to devise a plan, we had to first find out the power behind it.

Mr. Whitworth, who is well-versed in the local situation, revealed the information he had obtained.

“It appears that the Whitman family had a hand behind the scenes. It appears that Wilt Whitman influenced Senator Portman.”

“Wilt Whitman? What on earth did he have against me to interfere in this?”

“I heard he was upset because they didn’t greet him first when they took over Bush Beer.”

“… … .”

I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t speak.

“Walter Whitman is the head of the Whitman family, a family based in St. Louis with a history of construction, hotels, and newspapers. They are known as the most prestigious family in St. Louis.”

The attendees shook their heads at President Whitworth’s explanation.

“So you’re saying that the local rich scum is picking on me? That I didn’t greet him first?”

Director Kim In-young got angry.

“This seems to be an attempt to subdue WD’s initiative, which is a stone rolling in from the outside. We need to show them how hot it is.”

“How? How will Director Kim give Walter Whitman a taste of hot air?”

Kim In-young couldn’t answer my question and kept her mouth shut.

“… … .”

“So, why is the head of the Whitman family so angry with me?”

“I heard that when he took over Bush Beer, he thought the chairman would come first to greet him, but he ignored him, so Walter Whitman got extremely angry. He said he sent invitations several times but got no response.”

I received invitations from many places, but I never felt the need to attend. I felt like I was missing something.

“How much wealth does Whitman have that he is rushing into WD?”

“Rather than being a person with a lot of wealth, he should be seen as a local leader. He has produced many governors and mayors in his generation. Senator Portman also had to be mindful of Wilt Whitman because his influence in the community was so great.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. They say a puppy doesn’t know how scary a tiger is, and that was exactly what happened.

“Hahaha, how should I handle this?”

Whitworth responded cautiously to my question.

“Why don’t you meet him? Given his influence in the community, it would be a good idea to maintain good relations with Walt Whitman. It would be difficult for the political and business community in this area to escape the influence of the Whitman family.”

I was shocked by Whitworth’s words.

Why would I be tailing a local rich bum?

What do you regret?

Cooperation from local government?

What is the loss if you abandon the factory you built? How much is that?

Every region that is about to fail has a reason for failing. If I give in to someone once, they will treat me as their subordinate and treat me like an easy target.

It was fortunate that Team Leader Oh, a source of information, was by my side at times like these.

“Oh, Team Leader, how long will it take to gather information on the Whitman family?”

“It’ll be over in a week. If it’s a local powerhouse, the FBI will have a lot of data on it. Judging from the work they’re doing now, it doesn’t seem like they’ve been doing normal business, so it’ll take a little more time to dig into that.”

As expected, Team Leader Oh, he was always as good as he could be.