The Magician’s Memorial - Chapter 50



Only Krnovel

Episode 50 false information (1)

Vice President Woo Seong-il was impressed with his personal network management.

I can’t believe they retrieved top secret information related to InnoPhone in just one day.

In order to quickly spread this good news, he went to the president’s office with materials.

“Boss, we have secured all the information, including the problems with InnoPhone.”

“As expected, I like the vice president because he is a quick-tempered person. “Taewoo Electronics employees should learn from the vice president.”

President Park Jin-hoon gave words of praise and looked through the contents of the box.

From the basic specifications to the applied technology and the problems of InnoPhone revealed during the development stage.

“How are you? Would it be useful?”

“These are very useful materials. Where should I spray these to be effective? “I’m wondering whether I should distribute it to competitors or to media outlets.”

“It would be good in the long run to spread the word to competitors, but wouldn’t the short-term ripple effect be better for the media?”

“We don’t need a long-term plan. “Then release the data to the media right away.”

“We will mobilize friendly reporters.”

“I’m going to meet a reporter, but if I go empty-handed, should I use a mask? We should eat together and give him pocket money. “Please take this.”

President Park Jin-hoon opened the safe located in the corner of the president’s office.

There were several envelopes inside, and he took out the thickest envelope and handed it to the vice president.

“Oh, thank you. “I will put it to good use.”

“If you tell them about Innophone’s problems, reporters will rush to you thinking you’re right, so you won’t need that much. “You can use the rest yourself.”

“I will definitely make this a success.”

The vice president held the envelope in his arms and headed to meet the reporter.

He first went into the Korean restaurant where he had planned to meet the reporter and carefully checked the amount in the envelope.

100 checks worth 100,000 won.

The amount was neither that much nor too little.

The vice president moved half of the check from the envelope into his pocket.

To him, 5 million won was not that much money.

As expected from executives, they were receiving exorbitant salaries. However, the person who did not shy away from this kind of free money was also the vice president.

“The vice president always looked for me. “How long has it been since this?”

“Reporter Park! long time no see. While I haven’t seen you, I’ve gained more experience. “When I first saw you, you were a fledgling reporter.”

“Now I walk around with my shoulders straight. Still, it’s not as good as the vice president. Was it the conductor when you first met me? Was it the manager?”

“It was probably the manager. “I went through a lot of trouble because of Reporter Park.”

The two had been in a relationship for over 10 years.

It was closer to a bad relationship than a fate, but during that time, they realized how to coexist with each other.

“There’s no way our vice president, who has finished construction, would just ask to meet with me. Do you have any good sources?”

“Of course not. “But this job requires a reporter with a very loud mouth.”

“There is no reporter in the media who speaks louder than me. “I am the one who sinks first when I go to the swimming pool.”

It was Reporter Park who was joking.

The vice president secretly handed him a document detailing Innophone’s problems.

“I just wanted to move on. “If they release InnoPhone like this, it pricks my conscience because I feel like they are deceiving customers.”

“Our vice president is one of the few executives with a customer-centered mindset.”

Even though Reporter Park was flattering in words.

As I did not waste my time as a journalist, I was able to quickly infer the general situation.

There is no way a vice president would do something worthless, such as whistleblowing.

Could it be that construction is being carried out to keep the crown prince of the Taewo Group in check?

Well, if the crown prince ascends the throne, it will be difficult to maintain the vice president position.

“My identity must never be revealed.”

“Of course. Reporters never reveal the identity of the informant. “If you do something like that, you should quit your career as a journalist immediately.”

“But how can a good article come out?”

“If this information is true, it deserves to be on the front page. They said the battery capacity was 100 hours, but in reality it was less than 20 hours.”

“And as bold as the design is, there are quite a few defective elements.”

“So most of what Steve said at the fair was a lie. If this article comes out in Korea, there will be a huge uproar in the US and Europe. However, is this an issue that will have an impact on Taewoo Electronics’ stock price? Is that okay?”

“I don’t know anything.”

The vice president was already putting his flippers out.

I knew very well what kind of repercussions it would have the moment the data was handed over to the media and published in an article, so I was prepared to pull it out at all costs.

“The front page tomorrow at the earliest. We will try to make it to the front page the day after tomorrow at the latest. However, if Taewo Group interferes, I have no choice. As you know, media companies make their living through advertising.”

“I have no choice but to step forward at the group level. Isn’t that a good thing for you in its own way? If you want to block a news article, the cost of hush money goes down. And I also prepared something separately.”

The vice president naturally put an envelope containing 5 million won into reporter Park’s pocket.

Reporter Park put his hand into his pocket and felt the contents inside the envelope.

The moment he realized that the very stiff thing was not a bill but a check, he raised his thumb.

“I will definitely proceed. “If the Taewo Group tries to silence us, we will do our best to push and pull.”

“I heard Reporter Park is good at communicating well.”

“Then let’s see each other often. “Don’t you and I have good compatibility again?”

“I’ll try to arrange a nice drinking party soon.”

The Vice President and Reporter Park looked at each other and smiled sinisterly.

Without even knowing that that smile was being captured on camera.

* * *

Captain Kang came back today after completing another case.

In the case of President Park Jin-hoon and Vice President Woo Seong-il, several people were monitoring them 24 hours a day.

The talents that Captain Kang recruited were people who had the ability to secure evidence no matter how private the space was.

“CEO, we filmed Vice President Woo Seong-il handing over Innophone data to a reporter, and even secured a voice recording.”

“I had no idea that someone who rose to vice president of an affiliated company would act so sloppily. I thought he would at least appoint a representative to meet the reporter. “I don’t know what kind of guts you have to meet a reporter in person.”

“When I was in the military, there were often people who thought that the fewer people who know the information, the lower the chance of a leak.”

Of course, it must have been difficult to entrust something that could depend on one’s life to someone else.

Then, move thoroughly. Did you think we wouldn’t get caught if we met in a secret restaurant?

“You have a firm grip on the vice president’s leash.”

“If we act now, we can stop reporters before they write articles.”

“Just leave it alone. If you turn off the light now, you’re just playing with fire. “You have to increase the fire as much as possible to set it as an arsonist.”

“Do you mind if I do that?”

“When a slanderous article like that comes out, it actually becomes advertising and that’s good.”

Articles related to product problems naturally have a negative impact on the product.

However, the problems that were reported in the article were false information and were all improvements made during the development stage.

“But wouldn’t it be a bit insufficient to establish a connection with President Park Jin-hoon?”

“President Park Jin-hoon would be the kind of person who would abandon Vice President Woo Seong-il. But would Vice President Woo Seong-il want to die alone?”

“Are you saying that I will hold your ankles and fall into hell with you?”

“A person like Vice President Woo Seong-il may seem very loyal, but he is ready to betray at any time. “If you scratch it just a little bit, it will automatically become an absolute witness that will stop President Park Jin-hoon.”

No one wants to take responsibility for all their sins.

That may be possible if an appropriate compensation is offered, but can the compensation offered by President Park Jin-hoon be greater than the compensation I give?

It couldn’t possibly be like that.

I was the only person who could exonerate Vice President Woo Sung-il, and I was the only one who could give him great compensation.

* * *

Early morning the next day.

The planning director came to the mansion with the first edition of the newspaper.

For the first time, I was able to see the manager’s disorganized appearance due to how urgent the work was.

“There was a big problem. Innophone’s problems were featured on the front page of the newspaper. “The planning office is working to stop the article, but it is not easy.”

“Tsk tsk. It looks like the advertising fee needs to be increased. “How did this happen?”

He was an old man who received reports while wearing his pajamas.

After receiving the first edition from the manager, he clicked his tongue.

“There is no need to increase advertising costs. “Please leave this article alone in the planning office.”

“Boss, sir, if an article like this comes out, not only Innophone but the entire Taewoo Group will be dealt a blow.”

It was the chief secretary who tried to block the article at all costs.

The first edition of a newspaper was a good opportunity for media companies to receive advertising and alcohol expenses.

The first edition was provided only to politicians and large corporations, and advertising and alcohol expenses had to be paid to remove unfavorable content.

Although it was the first edition created for censorship by the Ministry of National Intelligence during the military regime.

Isn’t it ironic that it is now being used to extort money from companies?

Because he changed from a victim to a perpetrator.

“The problems with InnoPhone mentioned in the article are all false. “Competitors or individuals who wanted to defame us released false information to the media.”

“There is no way the media would write an article like this without clear evidence.”

“Of course, since there was evidence and a highly reliable informant, they would have written an article like this on the front page. But that doesn’t change the fact that this article is entirely false.”

“Are you sure?”

“Isn’t a crisis an opportunity? If you can provide a proper rebuttal, you can advertise without spending a single penny. And we have already prepared rebuttal materials.”

I went up to my room for a moment and brought down several pieces of material.

The materials contained rebuttals painstakingly crafted by analysts with annual salaries of 1 billion won at SAVE Investment Company.

“Did you know this would come?”

“I was preparing it just in case, but I didn’t know I would actually use it.”

“You really didn’t know?”

My grandfather looked at me with sharp eyes and said.

“There was a suspicious person, so we were preparing in advance.”

“You didn’t induce it?”

“As if you were guided in some way, you shouldn’t do something like this.”

“It’s going to be noisy for a while. Respond properly. “If it’s too loud before the product is even launched, it won’t end up as noise marketing.”

“We will definitely correct it from the beginning.”

The product launch was imminent.

Inventory piled up at the Incheon factory was moving diligently toward the United States and Europe.

InnoPhone was also moved to Taewoo Electronics home appliance stores across the country and was awaiting release.

If you don’t respond properly.

Innophone is treated as a shiny apricot and loses interest from customers.

“I will ask you one more question. “Is the person who planned this really a member of our family?”

“… … .”

“You’re our family. “Are you sure you’re CEO Park Jin-hoon?”

“I will report back when I have more accurate evidence.”

“Tsk tsk. You should be satisfied with the position of CEO, why are you being so greedy? “Ugh!”

Grandpa sighed and went into the room.

The manager took a slightly more comfortable position and continued talking.

“You really did something like this.”

“These are people whose own safety is more important than Taewoo Group. “With people like that sitting at the top of the Taewo Group, there was no development.”

“I don’t have anything to say, even if there are ten in my mouth. But have you come up with a response plan? “For something like this, wouldn’t it be better to get help from the planning office and the secretary’s office?”

“Please let the Planning Office and the Secretary’s Office handle media response. “I plan to hold a separate event.”

“What if you say it’s an event?”

“It will be a slightly larger event. “We will hold events simultaneously in Korea, the United States, and Germany.”