“君子求諸己 小人求諸人. - A gentleman seeks within himself, a petty person seeks from others.”
Son Kangwook’s dry lips moved slightly.
“A gentleman seeks from within himself, while a small man seeks from others. I know that more than half of you still doubt and do not trust me. However, there are also quite a few of you who have become my allies due to some weaknesses. Or, some of you might still be acting as my brother’s pawns.”
The spacious conference room was filled with numerous executives.
Just as Son Kangwook said, their expressions varied greatly. Some were at ease, while others were on edge, their faces turning pale.
“On the other hand, many of you have been helping me in various ways for a long time. Each of us has different intentions, but today we are here with the same goal. Ultimately, all of you have trusted me, Son Kangwook, and followed me here, haven’t you?”
There was a thick tension lingering in the conference room. It felt like the calm before a storm. Son Kangwook, who was seated at the head of the table, stood up.
“This seat has always belonged to my father and my brother. I could never sit here. But from now on, I intend to take this seat. I will need your help. Unlike my father and brother, I do not intend to run the business autocratically. Today’s meeting is to reaffirm that determination.”
Son Kangwook added while stroking the head of the table.
“Even if today’s grand venture fails, I have no intention of blaming or criticizing you. So, feel at ease. If someone saw this, they might think they’d come to a funeral. Hahaha.”
Son Kangwook’s face was full of vigor. To an outsider, he might have seemed as excited as someone at an amusement park.
It was hard to believe that he had been waiting for this day all his life.
“If anyone here does not wish to share my intentions, you are free to stand up. I promise not to exploit your weaknesses. I am not that petty. Hahaha.”
Despite Son Kangwook’s words, none of the executives stood up. After all, they knew very well that Son Kangwook had been covertly taking over Jeil Group.
Even the Jeil Foundation and Jeil Insurance, which were considered the financial arteries of Jeil Group, were silent, as if tacitly approving his rebellion.
“Then―!”
At that moment, Son Kangwook’s eyes gleamed. It was as if the ferocity of a tiger emanated from his gaze.
The executives who met his gaze all held their breath and lowered their eyes.
“I take it that everyone here shares my intentions.”
“Did you really find him?”
The urgency was evident in the voice. They never imagined that Chief Kim Sang-guk would find Teacher Deoksoo so quickly. Chief Kim Sang-guk nodded briefly and spoke.
“I listed the information the president gave me in two ways. We had to find an old man named Deoksoo related to Jeil Sanghoe. But there were countless old men named Deoksoo nationwide. Of course, fewer than a hundred of them were looking towards their centennial, but most were old men from rural areas. The majority had no relation to Jeil Sanghoe. So, I thought differently.”
Chief Kim Sang-guk, the head of the strategic planning office, continued his hypothesis.
“I thought the name Deoksoo might not be his real name but a nickname or alias. And since he was related to Jeil Sanghoe, I focused on people related to finance rather than farmers who had plowed fields all their lives.”
Chief Kim Sang-guk, who was sitting on the sofa in the office, leaned forward and asked.
“How much do you know about the history of the stock market in our country?”
“Pardon?”
“Let me explain more simply. There are ten people who have illuminated the stock market in South Korea.”
Not historical figures, but people who have illuminated the stock market.
Regrettably, I shook my head. My knowledge of stocks was merely fragmented. I only remembered in detail the major stocks and events from my past life.
“In 1892, a futures exchange was established at the Incheon Port, creating a speculation market for beans and rice. In 1932, the Joseon Futures Exchange was established, officially opening the securities market in Joseon. However, there were no significant regulations or restrictions. After liberation, the stock market in South Korea was nothing but a speculative frenzy. The term ‘chekdongjeon’ was used to describe a market where corporate performance was irrelevant, and only the buying and selling forces moved the market. In other words, the value of companies was determined solely by money, without any directional guidance.”
Chief Kim Sang-guk continued, his eyes sparkling with interest as if recounting an old tale.
“The individual investors, who could be considered giant ants at the time, gradually collapsed as the military regime took control. The regime began to influence the stock market, and investment indicators like ROE, EPS, and PER started to be established in South Korea. As time passed, the market went up and down like waves until the foreign market opened and the foreign exchange crisis hit. This is the flow of South Korean stock market history that every stock trader in South Korea knows.”
All of the above were familiar stories.
But what followed was the key part.
“The ten people who have illuminated the South Korean stock market are the giant ants who have survived in the speculative stock market since liberation. From Baek Gorae of Gwangyang, Samducheon of Mapo, Teacher Park of Haeundae, to Geumhalmoni of Daegu. They were all giant ants who circulated enormous amounts of money, unimaginable for individual investors. Each one was formidable enough to compete with major corporations. I want to talk about Baek Gorae of Gwangyang.”
Baek Gorae?
“His real name is untraceable as he changed it several times, and he was just known by the nickname Baek Gorae. Among the aforementioned giant ants, he was the one who circulated the most funds in the stock market in the 1970s. His influence was so immense that a considerable portion of Gwangyang, as well as parts of Apgujeong, Gangnam, and Gangbuk in Seoul, were his real estate in the 1970s. However, he also disappeared as the military regime began to dominate.”
“Chief, why are you telling me about such a person?”
“Because Baek Gorae of Gwangyang was also known by another nickname, Teacher Deoksoo.”
……!
The astonishment was brief, and regret soon followed. Didn’t he say he had disappeared?
I looked at Chief Kim Sang-guk with a glimmer of hope, but his answer was as expected.
“After realizing that Baek Gorae was called Teacher Deoksoo, I immediately tried to find his whereabouts, but I hit a wall. It was as if he had erased all traces of himself and vanished from the world. Eventually, I found out about the last person he met.”
“Who is that?”
Chief Kim Sang-guk’s Adam’s apple bobbed significantly.
“It’s Kim Namcheon, the so-called king of the media.”
[This is breaking news.]
The urgency in the anchor’s voice was evident.
[Son Jangwon, chairman of Jeil Group, has temporarily appointed his second son, Son Kangwook, Executive Director of Jeil Trading, to the vacant position of President of Jeil Electronics. This is seen as a firm determination by the board to stabilize the group structure, which has been shaken by the current vacancy in Jeil Electronics. Such a temporary appointment was also seen during the foreign exchange crisis. However, it is unprecedented for someone from Jeil Trading to be appointed as President of Jeil Electronics. We will now discuss this with an economic expert.]
The news was playing on the car radio.
The urgency in the anchor’s voice made my mouth bitter. Ultimately, Son Kangwook had made the first move. And not just any move—he had shot straight up to the position of President of Jeil Electronics.
This meant he had won the power struggle against the currently detained President Son Ilseon.
Even if the position of President of Jeil Electronics was temporary, its influence would be immense.
Tsk.
As I clicked my tongue inwardly, the car passed through Daegu and entered Gyeongsan, North Gyeongsang Province.
Kim Namcheon.
It was my second time seeing the nameplate. A long wall stretched beside the large gate, reminiscent of an official’s residence in old Korea.
I never imagined I would come here again. After taking a deep breath, I took a step towards the gate.
“Welcome, I’ve already heard from Chairman Yoo.”
“Sorry for the sudden visit, sir.”
“Not at all, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”
Kim Namcheon, dressed in a pure white traditional Korean outfit, came out to greet me personally.
He and I sat facing each other in the reception room I had visited with my grandfather before.
His seasoned gaze made the cool air feel stifling, like sitting in a sauna.
“I brewed this fine tea myself. Have a cup.”
“Thank you, sir.”
After sipping from the teacup, he spoke.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Sir, let me get straight to the point. Do you know of a person named Teacher Deoksoo?”
“Teacher Deoksoo……”
Kim Namcheon seemed to ponder for a moment before setting down his teacup.
“Are you talking about Baek Gorae of Gwangyang?”
“Yes, sir. I must meet him.”
“Baek Gorae of Gwangyang?”
Kim Namcheon looked at me with a surprised expression. It was natural since there was no apparent connection between me and Baek Gorae of Gwangyang.
Then, a mischievous smile appeared on Kim Namcheon’s face.
“For free?”
Tsk.
I expected this. Kim Namcheon was not someone who made meaningless deals.
“If you need anything, please let me know.”
“I don’t know why you are looking for Baek Gorae of Gwangyang, nor am I curious. However, Baek Gorae of Gwangyang is someone who does not want to reveal himself. I made a promise to him, so I cannot casually disclose his whereabouts. How much do you think my promise is worth?”
“Would ten billion won suffice?”
Kim Namcheon’s eyes widened. Although ten billion might be a small amount for him, he seemed genuinely surprised that I offered such a sum.
There was no need to haggle with Kim Namcheon over trivial matters. It was more important to win his heart with a bold amount.
However, Kim Namcheon soon shook his head.
“That’s too little.”
Damn it!
How could ten billion won for finding someone’s whereabouts be too little? He even called it “too little.”
I wanted to walk out right then and there, but at this moment, Kim Namcheon was the only way to find Teacher Deoksoo’s whereabouts. Moreover, time was running out.
Then he spoke.
“Then let me make you another offer.”
“Yes?”
“I will tell you Baek Gorae of Gwangyang’s whereabouts if you meet my condition. How about it? Simple, right?”
What on earth could his condition be? Kim Namcheon was not someone who made deals that put him at a disadvantage.
Kim Namcheon took a sip of tea and looked at me with snake-like eyes.
“Get engaged to my great-granddaughter.”
