Episode 23: Securing the Site
Twinkle Twinkle Well-maintained cars showcased themselves seductively.
While Lee Chang-jin was looking around, Manager Kim approached a hefty-looking truck.
“How about this vehicle? It’s a Land Cruiser, suitable for off-road use at construction sites. It has a 6-cylinder, 145-horsepower gasoline engine. Its top speed is 120 km/h and it can easily transport over 1 ton of cargo.”
Lee Chang-jin, after inspecting the vehicle, gave a brief assessment.
“Hmm… The cargo capacity is too low for a freight vehicle. And the fuel efficiency doesn’t seem great for commercial use. To carry steel structures, it needs to handle at least 3 tons.”
For carrying heavy loads like steel beams or crane parts, a mere 1 ton wouldn’t cut it. In fact, the second-hand freight truck he currently used often broke down due to overloading, exceeding 1.5 times its capacity. Upon Lee Chang-jin’s refusal, Manager Kim immediately introduced another dump truck.
“Ah, then how about this Dae-han 8-ton dump truck? It’s four-wheel drive and has a high-spec engine, making it very powerful. The engine is from Isuzu, known for its durability.”
Isuzu, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is the country’s oldest manufacturer specializing in automotive and industrial diesel engines. After inspecting the engine, Lee Chang-jin quickly pointed out a new issue.
“This uses a hydraulic cylinder instead of an air brake. Doesn’t that increase the risk of vapor lock?”
‘Vapor lock’ refers to a phenomenon where air bubbles form in the brake fluid, causing the brakes to fail. This can occur when the foot brake is used excessively in a short time on a downhill slope, or if the brake fluid is of poor quality, leading to steam-induced bubbles in the brake lines.
Sweating, Manager Kim replied to Lee Chang-jin’s sharp observation.
“That’s true, but this vehicle has passed safety checks, so the likelihood of such issues is very low. Moreover, hydraulic cylinders are much more powerful than air brakes.”
But Lee Chang-jin was firm.
“There’s always the ‘what if.’ Brake issues can lead to major accidents. Beyond performance, I need a vehicle that breaks down less frequently.”
After comparing the specs of each vehicle, Lee Chang-jin finally chose two trucks. As he walked back inside, Jin Seon-ah, who had been waiting in the lounge, stood up enthusiastically.
“Oh my, have you already made your choices?”
“More or less… I’m satisfied.”
Manager Kim, who had returned inside a bit later, shook his head in amazement and joked.
“Where did you find such a person? Your fiancé seems to know everything about vehicles. I’ve never seen a customer so knowledgeable about cars.”
Lee Chang-jin had chosen a GMC truck for freight and a pickup truck from Cheongwoo for purchasing materials in the city. He chose the GMC because, despite its speed being only 75 km/h, its fuel efficiency and power were unparalleled.
Especially since it navigated mountainous terrain well and could cross rivers without stalling or flooding, ensuring high stability.
The pickup truck could also be used as a passenger car, and its price and maintenance costs were low. Additionally, it could be converted to use an LPG tank later.
At that time, LPG dealerships were just establishing a distribution system where gas received from refineries was delivered to consumers through sales outlets. As a result, the cost of a 20kg tank was only 295 won.
Jin Seon-ah, who had inspected the vehicles, also looked satisfied.
“You made good choices. But aren’t you buying a passenger car? I thought you’d get at least one sedan…”
“My car just needs to run. The one I have now is still usable.”
Frankly, even Lee Chang-jin hesitated a bit.
In his previous life, he had a GM Rekord that he was fond of.
It was the first new car he bought after establishing himself as a broker. Even after making enough money to nearly become a conglomerate, he didn’t change the car for almost 10 years.
Given that it was a vehicle he had during his prime before his downfall, it made sense that he was attached to it.
But the problem was the car’s price. If it were a bare-bones model without any options, it would be one thing, but adding features like air conditioning and heating would make the price close to 4 million won.
Currently, that amount could buy two two-story Western-style houses on the outskirts of the city.
Considering the need to expand the factory site, purchase raw materials, pay off credit purchases, settle overdue taxes, and hire additional personnel, 400 million won was by no means a small amount.
Of course, if he really set his mind to it, he could buy it, but Lee Chang-jin decided to forgo it.
He judged that purchasing another vehicle would be better spent on buying a new machine.
Hearing this, Jin Seon-ah nodded regretfully.
“Then it can’t be helped. Now that we’ve chosen the cars, shall we look around the site?”
For the next two weeks, Lee Chang-jin and Jin Seon-ah worked together to estimate factory costs and check rental prices.
From a sweater factory in Hwayang-dong to the Guro Industrial Complex and the area around Siwha Industrial Complex.
After thoroughly exploring the area, they found an old warehouse on a 5,000-pyeong site with a 3,200-pyeong floor area a bit away from the Yeongcheon Market in Seodaemun-gu.
Jin Seon-ah, who had gathered the information, spoke.
“The landowner here is a businessman who put the property up for a quick sale because he needed urgent funds after borrowing money against real estate collateral. The surrounding market rate is 13,000 won per pyeong, but the sale price is 10,000 won per pyeong.”
“The building is quite old. It looks like it was built during the Japanese occupation.”
“Even if it’s old, it can be quite usable with some repairs. Moreover, since the warehouse is past its construction lifespan, the building cost is almost nothing. The purchase price is just the land cost of 50 million won, and you could probably negotiate it down by about 20%.”
“Then it’s not a bad deal. Is long-term rental possible if I just pay the deposit?”
“Yes. The rental fee is 1,000 won per pyeong per month, so for a 3,200-pyeong building, it would be around 320,000 won per month. I think we could get it down to about 250,000 won. However, you’ll need to consider additional costs for repairing the warehouse, bringing in power, and water and sewer works, which would add up to around 5 million won.”
“Would you recommend buying or renting long-term, Ms. Jin?”
Without hesitation, Jin Seon-ah answered Lee Chang-jin’s question.
“I recommend buying. With industrial fund loans and tax benefits, purchasing is more advantageous in the long run. Plus, it’s close to Jongno and Seoul Station, making transportation convenient. Considering future development, the land price is likely to skyrocket. Actually, I’ve had my eye on this spot too.”
Lee Chang-jin smiled at Jin Seon-ah’s seemingly generous remark.
“Alright, let’s buy it.”
After several rounds of negotiation, Lee Chang-jin closed the deal at the desired price.
The real estate agent who handled the transaction handed over the documents and kindly said,
“The purchase price is 40 million won. You just need to pay 10% of the contract amount, which is 4 million won, today. After one month, pay 50% as an interim payment, which is 20 million won. The remaining balance will be due upon moving in and transferring the title in three months, right after Chuseok.”
“Thank you. How much is the commission fee?”
“Just give me 120,000 won.”
Impressed by the agent’s honest pricing, Lee Chang-jin asked,
“Can I ask for one more favor? Could you arrange a cleaning service for me? I’ll pay an additional 100,000 won for your trouble.”
“That would be my pleasure. Leave it to me.”
The real estate agent, thrilled by the unexpected extra money, beamed.
With the major task completed, a relieved Lee Chang-jin expressed his gratitude to Jin Seon-ah.
“Thank you so much for all your help. You’ve been invaluable. I’ll treat you to something later.”
Feeling a bit sad as they parted ways, Jin Seon-ah playfully glared at him.
“Hmph, just words? That’s just lip service, right?”
“Haha, no, I’ll contact you first when I get the chance.”
“That’s a promise.”
They hooked their pinky fingers together, and Lee Chang-jin and Jin Seon-ah parted ways, promising to meet again.
The next morning, an unexpected gift awaited Lee Chang-jin at the factory.
An excited Goo Chang-dong exclaimed,
“Boss! A sedan was sent from the Gwanghwamun branch, and they said it’s for you!”
“What? What are you talking about? I didn’t buy a sedan.”
“Haha, just come out and see. You’ll be surprised.”
When they stepped outside, a GM Rekord sedan was gleaming in the sunlight in front of the parking lot. Bewildered, Lee Chang-jin couldn’t understand, so an employee from the dealership bowed and spoke.
“Are you Mr. Lee Chang-jin? Here, Ms. Jin sent this.”
The employee handed over the car keys along with a letter.
Upon opening the letter, Lee Chang-jin saw neatly written handwriting.
[To Mr. Lee Chang-jin, this vehicle is a consulting fee and a token of appreciation for your efforts. I’ve taken care of the car cost and registration tax, so don’t worry about additional expenses. It’s a gift to encourage you to continue using our company’s services, so please don’t refuse it.]
Looking inside the vehicle, Goo Chang-dong expressed his admiration.
“Ma’am is quite generous. A car as a gift, wow.”
The vehicle came with full options. Although overwhelmed by the unexpected gift, Lee Chang-jin couldn’t help but smile.
Inspecting the car, Lee Chang-jin murmured softly,
“This is too much for a gift…”
「Mirae Motors, Supports 300 Vehicles for Chuseok Travel… Offers 5 Nights and 6 Days Test Drive」
The scorching heat of midsummer had passed, and the summer that felt like a heatwave had ended.
By September, the faces of employees were brightened by the anticipation of Korea’s biggest holiday.
Everyone was looking forward to the long-awaited golden holiday.
Workers lined up in front of the office with excited expressions.
Today was the day they received their eagerly awaited Chuseok bonuses.
When it was Seo Yo-han’s turn, he stepped forward, and Lee Chang-jin handed him an envelope.
Seo Yo-han, bowing deeply with the envelope in hand, said,
“Thank you, boss.”
“No, thank you for all your hard work, Foreman Seo. Keep up the good work.”
Inspecting their envelopes, the employees were delighted. The Chuseok bonus ranged from 20,000 to 30,000 won per person.
Foremen received about 50,000 won. Considering that a welder’s daily wage was 1,500 won, it was a significant amount. After everyone had received their envelopes, Manager Goo stepped forward last. Handing him the envelope, Lee Chang-jin softly whispered in his ear.
“I added a bit more for you, Manager Goo. You’re a founding member.”
Winking, Lee Chang-jin’s words prompted Manager Goo to peek inside the envelope.
Inside were ten crisp 10,000 won bills.
Moved, Manager Goo hugged Lee Chang-jin tightly.
“Boss, I love you!”
“Haha, I’ll pass on that. Manager Goo, I’m not into men.”
As Lee Chang-jin gently extricated himself, the employees burst out laughing.
Feeling embarrassed, Manager Goo laughed along.
Despite the recent heavy workload, the employees seemed energized, proving the effectiveness of the bonus.
“Everyone, go home and get some rest. Enjoy your vacation and come back ready to work hard!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Alright, everyone, dismissed!”
With the employees leaving early in the morning, the factory was now empty. Locking up the factory, Lee Chang-jin also began preparing for his journey home.
Returning to his boarding house, he took one last look around the empty room.
‘Is this the last time here?’
In fact, this was Lee Chang-jin’s final visit. Along with moving the factory, he had already found a new place closer to the factory.
Having moved most of his belongings in advance, there wasn’t much left in the room.
Running his hand over the familiar table, Lee Chang-jin heard a knock at the door.
- To be continued in Episode 24 -
