Episode 105 OTH
“We can’t get crushed stone or gravel?”
“Yes. The French companies that arrived early have monopolized the quarries… They are refusing to supply us with any aggregates.”
The main culprit behind the collusion was a company called ‘OTH’ from France. Originally, OTH was a company operating in this area, but after losing out in a bidding competition to a Korean company, they didn’t withdraw quietly and instead decided to cause trouble.
Daese Construction employees approached OTH to propose supplying aggregates, but OTH maintained a high-handed attitude.
“Well, you can buy the entire quarry or get it from somewhere else. Do as you please.”
When OTH demanded a price over five times the market price, Lee Chang-jin was at a loss.
As the negotiations stalled, a frustrated Director Seo grumbled.
“Are these bastards playing games with us? There’s a limit to overcharging; this is outright robbery.”
“This is outrageous. They’re basically telling us to go screw ourselves.”
A desperate Lee Chang-jin called for an emergency meeting.
“Let’s come up with a plan first. Are there any other alternatives?”
“Well… there is an alternative, but it’s too far. The gravel field is 100 km to the northeast, and construction sand can be extracted from about 120 km away, but considering the transportation costs, it’s not feasible.”
“We have no choice then. Let’s first see if there are other quarries nearby. We don’t have to be taken advantage of, do we?”
However, finding a new quarry was not easy. In fact, all the usable quarries near Damman were already monopolized by OTH. Even after searching thoroughly within a 50 km radius, they found nothing, and Director Seo, exhausted, sat down and wiped his sweat while grumbling.
“There are rocks everywhere in the world, yet we can’t find a single decent quarry.”
After weeks of inquiries, they still couldn’t find any suitable aggregates, and the employees’ frustration reached its peak.
“Hang in there, Director Seo. If you lose your temper here, you’ll really collapse.”
“Damn it…”
Director Seo, exhausted, took off his shirt and fanned himself. The heat was so murderous that just standing made sweat pour down, and it felt like they couldn’t breathe. Lee Chang-jin also wiped his sweat with a handkerchief.
“Have we lodged a complaint with the Saudi Ministry of Housing?”
“Yes. But there’s been no response for weeks, so we can’t expect any effective measures.”
With a lukewarm response from Advisor Hong, Lee Chang-jin asked again.
“Then is there a way to procure aggregates from Korea?”
Director Seo shook his head at that suggestion.
“That’s even more absurd, President Lee. Do you know how much it would cost to transport materials here? Considering the transportation costs, customs, and import approvals, it’s a definite loss. Besides, do you think the Saudis will cooperate? It’s better not to create problems in the first place.”
The Saudis, who had lived a nomadic lifestyle before discovering oil, were inherently laid-back. Moreover, the Saudi side had no particular loss if the construction schedule was delayed.
Since the project was being carried out on a turnkey basis, the risks of delays were entirely borne by the contractor.
“You’re right. Given the cost of renting a barge, it doesn’t make financial sense. Considering the distance to the batch plant, it’s practically impossible to make a profit unless we procure aggregates within 30 km of the site.”
As the construction schedule approached, Lee Chang-jin became increasingly worried. Since aggregates were the most needed construction material, securing a quarry was essential to ensure the project was profitable.
At this rate, negotiating with the French company to buy the quarry seemed the only option. However, the other side was still being stubborn, and negotiations were still at a standstill.
At that moment, Hassan, the local interpreter, came to the barracks.
“Has the construction not started yet? What’s Hassan doing?”
“What do you mean, Hassan? We need rocks to start construction.”
“If it’s rocks, can’t you dig them out from the mountains? There’s a quarry nearby.”
At that, Director Seo responded gruffly.
“Do you think we don’t know that? The French bastards aren’t selling and are holding out.”
“Then why not get them from somewhere else?”
“That would cost more money. Do you think we haven’t looked into that?”
Lee Chang-jin, thinking of a slim chance, asked Hassan, “You’re a local here, aren’t you? You must know the geography well. Is there any other place nearby where we can extract aggregates?”
“What does he know? All he does is eat and poop.”
In fact, Hassan was hired under a local employment mandate and had nothing to do other than clock in and out on time. Being slow-paced, Hassan always procrastinated when given a task, earning Director Seo’s strong dislike.
“Hmm… I think I remember something, or maybe not.”
“Do you remember something?”
“Well, I’m not sure…”
Seeing Hassan’s hesitant attitude, Lee Chang-jin took out a $100 bill.
“If you find a quarry, I’ll reward you tenfold. Wouldn’t that be a sufficient reward?”
“Hmm, can you swear on the Quran?”
“Yes, I swear on the honor of my family.”
Given the region, a vow made in the name of God and family had to be kept even at the cost of one’s life. Only then did Hassan, reassured, clap his hands as if he had remembered something.
“Ah, Hassan knows where the quarry is. There are many rocks there.”
Director Seo, whose expression had changed, urged him.
“Is it true, Hassan? Are you serious about the quarry?”
“Yes, Hassan will guide you. Trust me.”
Hassan confidently pounded his chest, speaking in broken Korean.
Though the employees were skeptical, they had no time to argue given the urgency.
Lee Chang-jin also got into the SUV with the employees and followed Hassan.
The place Hassan guided them to was in the middle of the desert with no roads. The wheels often got stuck in the sand, and they even encountered a sandstorm, losing their way for a while.
After much hardship, they arrived at a point about 24 km from the construction site.
“Here it is. This is where the quarry is.”
“Hey, Hassan. What are you talking about? There’s nothing here.”
Director Seo was dumbfounded. The vast expanse of sand was empty except for red sand. There wasn’t a single sign of a quarry.
As the employees’ expressions twisted in frustration, Director Seo, squinting under the scorching sun, looked at Hassan.
“Are you kidding us?”
“I guided you correctly. It’s here. I’m sure of it. I used to come here occasionally when I was young.”
Hassan, who had brought a shovel, tapped the sand.
“Are you telling us to dig down here?”
“Yes, the rocks are below.”
The employees were a bit dumbfounded. A quarry below a sand-covered ground?
But seeing Hassan’s confident attitude, it didn’t seem like he was joking.
Getting more irritated, Director Seo warned Hassan.
“Is this for real? If you’re lying, you’re in big trouble.”
“Big trouble? What does that mean?”
“It means something bad will happen. You wouldn’t want to write a report for this, would you? Is it true? If it’s a joke, you should stop now.”
Even Professor Kim Hak-do, who accompanied them, found it hard to believe and kept asking for confirmation. Hassan, looking serious, replied.
“Hassan doesn’t lie. I believe in Allah. If I lie before Allah, I will be punished.”
“What nonsense. Since when were you so devout? Didn’t you get caught drinking moonshine before?”
“What are you saying? The problem is the alcohol being there, not me. If it’s there, it’s a sign from heaven to drink it. It’s not my fault.”
“You talk well for someone who doesn’t work. Be honest. Are you pretending to be clumsy on purpose?”
Director Seo glared at Hassan, his distrust evident.
Hassan, avoiding eye contact, looked up at Lee Chang-jin with a pleading expression.
“President Lee, will you pay or not? Hassan kept his promise.”
Everyone looked at Lee Chang-jin with conflicted eyes.
The final decision was up to the president. After some thought, Lee Chang-jin made up his mind.
“Alright. Since we’ve come this far, we can’t go back empty-handed. Let’s dig.”
Considering the hardships they had endured to get here, it would be frustrating to leave without trying. The men picked up their shovels and started digging into the ground. As Lee Chang-jin took the first shovel, Gu Chang-dong and Director Seo also joined in.
However, after more than five hours of digging several meters down, there was nothing but sand.
Director Seo, who had been silently digging, reached his breaking point as time passed.
The murderous heat made it hard to breathe.
An enraged Director Seo threw his shovel and fumed.
“I’m done! Damn it, look at his face! He’s definitely lying.”
Lee Chang-jin was also drenched in sweat. The scorching sun was getting on his nerves.
But perhaps due to his determination to see it through once started, Lee Chang-jin kept digging silently.
Seeing this, Director Seo awkwardly picked up his shovel again.
Hassan, who had been standing idly by, clicked his tongue and criticized.
“Director Seo, no perseverance. Are you giving up already? I’m disappointed.”
“Hey… If we don’t find rocks, you’re dead. Here, you dig too!”
At Director Seo’s threat, Hassan reluctantly picked up a shovel.
Joining the effort late, Hassan also started digging hard.
3m, 4m…
But no matter how deep they dug, there was no sign of a quarry. With no rocks in sight, even Hassan put down his shovel and scratched his head.
“Strange. It should have appeared by now.”
It didn’t seem like he was trying to play a prank. With stubborn determination, the employees couldn’t stop digging. As night approached, Lee Chang-jin didn’t stop working. With the president not resting, the employees had no choice but to continue digging silently.
After eight long hours and digging over 7 meters deep, something hard was felt at the end of Gu Chang-dong’s shovel.
“President, here! I hit something.”
Everyone’s eyes turned to the spot where Gu Chang-dong shouted.
Pressing hard with the shovel, it hit something solid and wouldn’t go further. An anxious Lee Chang-jin and the employees started scooping out the sand with their hands.
In their haste, they discovered a grayish rock.
“It’s rock!!”
“It’s really rock!”
“We hit the jackpot!”
Clearing the surrounding sand revealed that the entire ground was rock.
The employees, who had dug with Lee Chang-jin, cheered with joy.
An excited Director Seo hugged Hassan.
“Hassan, you’re a treasure!”
“Your sweat stinks. Let go. I don’t like men.”
Though the rocks were a bit chalky and somewhat crumbly, they were still rocks. Three days later, a geological test confirmed the strength of the rocks. Hassan, who received a hefty reward, informed them of another quarry 30 km away.
With the discovery of consecutive quarries, Lee Chang-jin applied for a development permit from the Saudi government and decided to set up a batch plant between the quarry and the construction site.
With the aggregate supply issue resolved, Lee Chang-jin sent a fax to Korea.
Upon receiving the telex, the Middle East support team at the Seoul headquarters began shipping various construction materials and heavy equipment according to the material supply plan, and dispatched skilled workers according to the prearranged manpower mobilization plan.
- To be continued in Episode 105 -
