Episode 30: Anyang Steelworks
Lee Chang-jin’s car entered Seoul around 2 PM.
The car continued downstream along the Hongjecheon Road, passing through the Jungangcheong Square, Bukaksan Pass, and the Sajamun Road in Segeomjeong. Opposite Hongje Elementary School, above the covered Hongjecheon, traditional markets and the Yujin Shopping Mall came into view.
As the new GM Record approached near the mall, a manager in blue clothing came out to greet him.
“Mr. President, what brings you here?”
Lee Chang-jin lowered the car window and bowed slightly as he spoke.
“Ah, I’m the new resident. It’s my first move-in, so I’m meeting you now.”
“Ah, I see. But you’re so young. It’s impressive.”
“Haha, not at all. Please take care of me from now on.”
The structure of the Yujin Shopping Mall was quite unique. At a glance, it looked like a single building, but upon closer inspection, it was a structure where buildings A and B faced and connected with each other.
Lee Dong-geun, who went up to the second floor, was overwhelmed from the start. On one side of the central garden, which was 16 meters wide and 200 meters long, there was a small playground with a swing and a management office. Bicycles and air conditioner outdoor units left by the residents stood out.
In front of the garden, children around 8–9 years old were playing enthusiastically. On one side of the garden, there were state-of-the-art playground facilities for that time. Dong-geun, watching the scene, muttered with a defeated look.
“This place is like a palace. It’s really amazing.”
“Haha. There are even better houses than this in Seoul. Come on, let’s move quickly.”
Even the corridors of Yujin Shopping Mall were quite spacious. In fact, the Yujin Shopping Mall was built as a dual-purpose military building in case the northwestern region of Seoul was breached for urban warfare.
Therefore, later, an officer who moved in here said that the high ceiling of the piloti space on the first floor was because the height of the tank turret was calculated.
In other words, the Yujin Shopping Mall was no different from a large air-raid shelter prepared for war, so it had to secure ample space for combat in emergencies.
Thanks to that, even though each household placed jars and flower pots outside, it wasn’t difficult to pass through.
Some houses had wet laundry hanging on the terrace.
The place where Lee Chang-jin lived was the southern A building. When Lee Chang-jin, holding the key, opened the door, the view of Inwang Market and Hongje-dong came into full view through the window.
Seeing the interior and hesitating, Lee Chang-jin urged Dong-geun.
“Come in after taking off your shoes. I’ve already called a company to clean everything up.”
Dong-geun, carrying a bag, looked around the newly wallpapered apartment interior and rolled his eyes. The cleanly arranged floor was covered with monolium flooring, and a crystal chandelier was shining on the ceiling.
On one side of the wall, a large leather sofa was placed imposingly, and Lee Chang-jin laughed awkwardly.
“Chang-dong, that guy, I told him to just put usable furniture, but he went ahead and renovated everything.”
Dong-geun, admiring the wide terrace and the open view, kept exclaiming.
“Wow, the rooms are so grand. Hyung, you really made it big.”
“Made it big, my foot. Okay, you can use the room there, and I’ll take the master bedroom. The remaining room is a closet, so put the rest of your stuff there. There are two bathrooms, so use the nearest one. Don’t worry about water, gas, or electricity bills; use them as much as you need. The toilet is a sit-down type, so be careful. And don’t wash your face there.”
“Oh, come on. Do you think I don’t know that? I studied a bit before coming to Seoul.”
“Haha, alright. By the way, take this. It’s for your academy fees.”
Lee Chang-jin took out five 100,000 won checks from his wallet. Surprised by the amount, Dong-geun waved his hand.
“Why are you giving me so much? I don’t need this much.”
“Take it. Seoul’s cost of living isn’t the same as the countryside. I often work late, so I can’t always prepare meals for you. When I’m not here, you have to manage this house. Register for the appraiser academy in Dongdaemun tomorrow, and don’t skimp on anything since physical strength is crucial for the exam. If you need more, let me know.”
“Really, hyung, thank you so much. I’ll definitely repay this kindness.”
“Haha. Passing the exam quickly is what I hope for. Get the certification and settle down soon. Now, I’m going to work, so organize the stuff.”
As Lee Chang-jin was about to leave, Dong-geun responded incredulously.
“What, you’re going to work today after just arriving? You must be tired from driving so long; you should rest.”
“Haha. No, thanks, but I rested more during the holidays, so there’s probably a lot of work piled up. Plus, I need to check on the factory relocation. So, I’m counting on you.”
“Got it. Take care, hyung.”
Lee Chang-jin headed to Seodaemun District.
The newly contracted new factory was filled with panels.
At the remodeled Yeongcheon factory, various machinery and equipment were lined up. Most of the machines had already been moved, but the work of transporting office supplies, desks, chairs, and other moving items was in full swing.
Gu Chang-dong, wearing a safety helmet, was giving instructions and overseeing the site.
“Be careful when moving. If the equipment gets damaged by the machinery, it will be a big problem for the workers.”
“Everyone, ensure safety and don’t rush.”
Lee Chang-jin felt relieved. He had worried that the work might be delayed in his absence, but it seemed to be an unfounded concern. He thought there was no one else to manage since Ye Jin-ju, who was in charge of accounting, was on vacation until this week. Fortunately, it seemed that the work was progressing properly.
Under Gu Chang-dong’s direction, people moved systematically. Although he was only a few months senior, Gu Chang-dong seemed quite adept at handling people.
Watching the scene with a contented look, Lee Chang-jin.
A while later, spotting Lee Chang-jin, Gu Chang-dong hurriedly ran over.
“Mr. President! You’re here now? Wow, you look different after a few days off. You always look good, but today you look even more radiant.”
His flattery didn’t seem annoying despite his gorilla-like bulky appearance. Lee Chang-jin chuckled and murmured.
“It seems like you buttered up your tongue while I was away, Manager Gu. Was there any issue while I was gone? How’s the moving progress?”
“Yes, the move should be completed by this afternoon. The new factory setup and cable installation are also done.”
“Thank you for taking care of things in my absence. Manager Gu, any sales-related claims or other issues?”
Lee Chang-jin addressed him by his title when there were many people around, even though he treated him casually when they were alone. After thinking for a moment, Gu Chang-dong spoke.
“Ah, there was a claim from Anyang Steelworks a short while ago. They said the crane malfunctioned. The overload prevention device has an issue, and the brake device is slipping. I’m not sure if the motor is broken. They were quite vague about it, so I think someone from our side should go there to check.”
Lee Chang-jin looked puzzled at Gu Chang-dong’s words.
“A breakdown already? The overhead crane there was ordered less than six months ago, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. So I was just about to find out the details. I’ll take care of it immediately.”
“No need. Just supervise here. Ulsan is better if I go myself.”
Lee Chang-jin preferred to handle deliveries and claims himself whenever possible. Even if someone else went, it would be difficult to teach the purchaser’s staff about the machine’s performance or operation. Moreover, if an employee had an accident while driving, it would be hard to deal with the aftermath.
Changing into work clothes, Lee Chang-jin gathered the necessary parts for the crane’s overload prevention device and hoisting system, loaded the tools and equipment onto the dump truck, and headed to the Ulsan factory.
The place Lee Chang-jin visited was the Anyang Steelworks factory where he had previously been in charge of the design.
“I’ve seen it a few times when it was just a site, but this is my first time seeing the completed form.”
In fact, it’s quite rare for an engineer in charge of design to see the completed factory.
Feeling a sense of pride, Lee Chang-jin recalled his faint memories. Two years ago, the newly constructed Anyang Steelworks Ulsan factory was a company specializing in producing Oil-filled cables, which are buried underground.
Until the early 70s, there was no demand for such cable businesses. The rule was to install cables on utility poles.
In that era, it was common to see cables hanging on utility poles. However, cables on utility poles were not only unsightly but also posed various risks, such as birds getting electrocuted, power lines snapping during lightning or rain, and frequent electrocutions.
At that time, West German President Lübke, who was visiting Korea, gave this advice during a luncheon.
“Installing utility poles is not a good choice for the future. Korea is a rapidly developing country. If you plan to build subways in the future, digging up the roads again for cable installation after paving the asphalt is a waste of manpower. It would be much more efficient to lay the cables underground in advance, saving costs. It would also be much safer for national security.”
For a former military president, the idea of being safer in case of terrorism or war was decisive.
After Lübke’s visit, the government decided to bury newly installed cables underground in major urban areas, including Seoul.
This led to the establishment of this Ulsan cable factory.
The newly completed factory was filled with various advanced equipment. Inside, workers in clean work clothes were walking around. When Lee Chang-jin parked and knocked on the security office door, a guard came out.
“Who are you?”
“I’m from Daese Industry. I’m here regarding the crane malfunction. Can I report to the higher-ups?”
A worker wearing a safety helmet came out and, seeing the truck Lee Chang-jin brought, bluntly asked.
“You said you’re from Daese Industry?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why did it take so long? When contacted, you should come running immediately. How can we trust you with future work if you’re this slow?”
Lee Chang-jin felt a bit upset by the sudden scolding but held back and bowed politely.
“Yes, I’m sorry. By the way, where is the problematic equipment?”
“Follow me.”
The temperature inside the factory, where work was ongoing, was quite hot and humid.
Inside the ventilated building, cable drying operations were in progress.
The cable drying process involves vertically setting up a large cylindrical furnace, lifting the lid with a crane, placing the cable into the furnace, and then securing the lid and bolting it.
As Lee Chang-jin looked up in fascination, the worker explained boastfully.
“Ah, is this your first time seeing this? That over there is where we dry coils or cables. The dryer has a heater inside the drum, and when electricity is connected, it heats up. We wrap the cable around it, turn on the heat, and dry it thoroughly in a vacuum state to eliminate any moisture.”
“Ah, I see.”
When electricity flows through a cable, it generates heat and pressure due to electrical resistance. If moisture remains, it can easily cause deformation or short circuits. Therefore, a drying process is necessary to remove the moisture and prevent such deformations.
After observing the process, Lee Chang-jin asked casually.
“So, how many times do you usually repeat this process in a day?”
“As many times as possible. There’s no limit to the number of times. Usually, we do it dozens of times a day.”
The sight of the pulley moving and the massive upper casing, over 5 meters high, moving up and down was quite a spectacle. The worker grumbled as he guided Lee Chang-jin to the destination.
“Here it is. The crane you supplied stopped working, slowing down the entire operation. Even when we run the motor, it doesn’t work, just making noise. How can we use it properly?”
In front of the malfunctioning hoist-type overhead crane, there was a button device that could be pressed.
Examining the overhead crane, Lee Chang-jin asked quietly.
“Did you check the voltage? First, check if the fuse in the power supply is blown and replace it if there’s an issue.”
“Of course, we checked that. We’ve already checked the brake wheel and end cover. No issues found.”
“Is that so?”
Nodding, Lee Chang-jin continued to inspect the crane. To identify the problem, he checked the contacts and motor, inspected the electrical disk terminals for poor contact, and examined the electromagnet for issues.
“Hmm. The overload prevention device and hoisting system have been damaged due to overload, and some bearings have melted. The motor shaft bearing is severely worn, causing partial rotor core displacement. We need to replace the taper roller bearings immediately.”
“What are you talking about? How could it break down so soon after purchase? Did you sell us a faulty product?”
Lee Chang-jin calmly responded to the angry worker.
“Didn’t you mention earlier that this crane has a maximum load capacity of 15 tons? If you exceed the weight limit and overwork it, any machine is bound to break down. Moreover, in such a hot environment, the wear rate of each component increases, shortening their lifespan.”
The worker frowned at the explanation and asked.
“So, what do you want us to do? Are you saying it can’t be fixed right away?”
“No, it’s not that. Please wait a moment. I brought the parts and equipment, so I’ll fix it right away. It’s a difficult task to do alone, so I need some help.”
Lee Chang-jin checked if the reducer was heating up and opened the oil tank. Once he confirmed there were no impurities, he examined the condition of the shaft bracket and decided to replace the worn-out bearings.
Surrounded by maintenance workers and staff who came to help, Lee Chang-jin inspected the hoisting system and found additional issues with the hook and hoisting motor winding excessively during upward operation. He also discovered parts damaged by shocks from above and deformed wires, which he decided to replace with new ones.
Finally, Lee Chang-jin checked the wear condition of the reduction gears and the brakes and advised.
“From now on, please keep an eye on this part. If the brake adjustment nut is incorrectly set or the brake ring is too worn, the spring pressure will decrease, reducing the braking force. When the motor is running, if the brake clearance is too tight, the friction will increase, adding extra load. In such cases, immediately stop the operation and reset the clearance.”
The worker, who had previously spoken rudely, responded with a softened tone.
“Hmm… I see. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
His speech had gradually changed to a more respectful tone. Earlier, he had mistaken Lee Chang-jin for a simple technician based on his age and appearance in work clothes. However, after observing Lee Chang-jin’s behavior and actions, he realized there was something different about him.
Having completed the repair work, Lee Chang-jin decided to also inspect other overhead cranes for potential issues.
Despite occasional questions from the maintenance workers, Lee Chang-jin answered them all without any hesitation.
With tips flowing effortlessly from his mouth, the staff unconsciously turned into students, attentively listening to Lee Chang-jin’s words.
At that moment, a factory manager, who happened to witness the scene during a patrol, was surprised and greeted him.
“Hey, Manager Lee, what brings you here?”
- To be continued in Episode 31 -
