Episode 76: Site Inspection
At the same time, in the chairman’s office of Taeyang Group headquarters, Chairman Nam Tae-gon was on the phone.
“No, Minister. Financial issues? That’s nonsense. It’s just a simple happening. Do you think I would let that happen? Our company is solid.”
Taeyang Group headquarters was in a state of emergency. The group had entered emergency mode and was struggling to handle the flood of complaint calls coming in daily, to the point where 24 hours seemed insufficient.
Chairman Nam Tae-gon finally hung up and looked at his executive secretary.
“What’s the current situation?”
“It’s very bad. Rumors are already circulating in the stock market. The stock price has already dropped by more than 20%.”
“File a petition to suspend the compulsory execution in court and deposit a security. Call Hanseong Daily and prepare a press conference for tomorrow. We need to put out this fire first.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Who is the head of the real estate development?”
“President Nam Tae-man of Taeyang Development.”
“That son of a… how is Nam Tae-kyung handling things? I told him to leave the trading division and focus on construction, but he clearly didn’t listen.”
Shortly after, Executive Director Nam Tae-kyung, who had been summoned, arrived at the office.
“You called for me, father.”
Before he could finish, Chairman Nam Tae-gon slapped him across the face.
Slap!!
Nam Tae-kyung staggered from the blow that was hard enough to make his vision blur.
Barely regaining his stance, Nam Tae-kyung stood at attention.
With a red mark on his face, Nam Tae-kyung received a scolding.
“You useless brat, is this how you handle things?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Is ‘sorry’ all you have to say? How could you manage the employees so poorly that such an incident occurred? You didn’t even know that there were rats in the granary. Do you know how much disgrace you’ve brought to the group?”
Nam Tae-kyung lowered his head deeply, his mouth bleeding and tasting bitter.
“I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”
Nam Tae-kyung remained silent and tight-lipped.
Chairman Nam Tae-gon, who was glaring at Nam Tae-kyung, gave a forceful order.
“Handle this matter swiftly. Remove Nam Tae-man from management and send him somewhere out of my sight.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
“Now leave. You need to clean up the mess you made yourself.”
Chairman Nam watched Nam Tae-kyung leave with a displeased look.
Rubbing his eyes as if tired, Chairman Nam sighed.
“You seem tired. Are you alright?”
“Yes, just a moment of dizziness. But my eldest son being in such a state, I have no one to rely on.”
“I’m sorry, but this incident isn’t entirely Director Nam’s fault. If Daehung Trading hadn’t made a move, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s true. Why is Chairman Jin so upset?”
Could it be retaliation for the Dongdaemun project?
After a moment of contemplation, Chairman Nam made a phone call.
“Hello?”
“Ah, Chairman Jin Tae-chun, how have you been?”
“Well enough, nothing to complain about. But why the sudden politeness? Do you need some quick cash?”
“No, nothing like that. Rather, have I done something to upset you, Chairman Jin? Why are you making such a fuss lately?”
“Huh, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play dumb. About this recent incident, wouldn’t it have been better to send Seon-ah directly? Making a fuss in the media seems a bit petty, don’t you think?”
“What? Petty? Speak for yourself. Who was it that backstabbed us after getting the information…?”
“Are you still upset about that? The past is the past, and we’ve both given and taken. I’ll pay back my debt including interest, so let’s end this here.”
“Send the money first and then we’ll talk. I have nothing more to say, so I’ll hang up.”
Jin Tae-chun put down the phone and asked his secretary.
“What’s the profit for today?”
“About 5 billion won. We sold all the stocks purchased with the put option.”
“Well done. Chairman Nam will probably hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon. Contact the securities firms in the city and start buying Taeyang Group’s stocks as soon as the market opens tomorrow. Make sure to buy them anonymously so Chairman Nam doesn’t catch on.”
“Understood. I’ll get right on it.”
Jin Tae-chun opened a bottle of wine he had been saving and took a sip.
The wine he opened was a premium red wine called ‘Chambertin,’ which Napoleon supposedly drank upon victory. Made from carefully selected Pinot Noir grapes from the Burgundy region, it had the aroma of long-aged fruits and a heavy body.
Jin Tae-chun, immersed in the rich flavor, felt as if a decade-long weight was lifted off his chest.
Today, the wine tasted especially sweet.
In Lee Chang-jin’s office in Seodaemun District, Manager Gu Chang-dong spoke.
“President Nam Tae-man of Taeyang Development has been reassigned to a low-level position in the salt farm division on Heuksando Island.”
Chief Seo, who was listening in the office, sneered.
“Serves him right for his arrogance.”
“Well, he brought it on himself. At least the construction payment came in on time.”
As the once-boisterous media calmed down, the days grew warmer, and the spring air began to circulate.
On a spring day when new buds were sprouting, Manager Lee Chang-sik presented a mid-term report during a meeting.
“We’ve received a report from Daese Farming. It seems the negotiations with the agricultural cooperative went well, and they’ll start selling eggs in earnest next month.”
“That’s good news. Have you found the packaging company we talked about?”
“Yes. We are looking into a suitable company among the cardboard manufacturers in Guro.”
“Make sure to choose one that excels in design, and pay extra attention to the appearance. Good packaging always enhances the product. And we also need to build a slaughterhouse, right?”
“Yes, for hygiene reasons. With the increase in regular supply, it will be more cost-effective to run our own slaughterhouse.”
“Then let’s hire a butchery expert during the construction. Coordinate with Manager Lee Dong-geun for the new hires.”
“Yes, understood.”
Despite being brothers, Lee Chang-sik maintained a professional hierarchy at work.
After signing off on the draft documents, Lee Chang-jin turned his gaze to Manager Gu.
“Manager Gu, are there any particular issues with the dryer department?”
“No, nothing specific. We’ve received favorable feedback from Germany. We also got a sizable additional order.”
“That’s encouraging news. Director Hwang, the patent for the Italian towel is about to expire. Once it does, it will be hard to maintain our exclusive position domestically. Do you have any alternatives in mind?”
Director Hwang Cheol-gwan, who was present, replied immediately.
“Yes, President. Since we anticipate a slowdown in the domestic market, we are looking into export routes to Japan and Europe as soon as the premium new products are developed.”
“Are you suggesting we develop the export market?”
“Yes. It seems logical to start with Japan. It would be good to contact Japanese hotels or bath product retailers through Japanese trading companies. To export products, we first need to analyze local consumer preferences.”
Daese Textiles had recently been focusing on shower towels. Since the existing towels often frayed in the washing machine, they were researching ways to make the threads denser.
While discussing additional improvement measures in the meeting room, a loud honk sounded from outside.
“President, someone’s here.”
Looking outside, they saw a delivery truck had arrived, carrying a large tree. When Lee Chang-jin went outside, the waiting driver bowed.
“Hello. Are you President Lee Chang-jin of Daese Industries?”
“Yes, I am. What is this?”
“This is a gift from Chief Won. He instructed me to deliver it to you.”
The item sent by Chief Won was a pine tree shaped like a fan. The tree, which seemed to be decades old, was clearly a precious variety.
Grateful, Lee Chang-jin made a call to Chief Won.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Chief Won. I called to thank you for your New Year’s gift. How have you been?”
“Haha, President Lee. I’ve been well. Did you receive the gift I sent?”
“Yes, Chief Won. Thank you for such a wonderful present.”
“It’s nothing really. I heard you recently acquired a construction company. Your business is growing. Congratulations.”
“Thank you for remembering. But this tree seems quite rare.”
“Ah, that? It was an ornamental tree planted in the backyard of the Blue House. The VIP requested a replacement, and I couldn’t find a suitable place to replant it. I thought of you and sent it over. I hope you like it.”
“Thank you. Such a precious gift…”
“Haha, I appreciate your recognition. It’s a rare species in Korea.”
“I will take good care of it.”
“Good, good. How’s your business these days? No issues with dye imports?”
“Thanks to your support, everything is smooth sailing.”
“That’s good to hear. If you have the capacity, how about participating in the upcoming forest road development project? It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but the project will be launched soon. They are selecting construction companies for a pilot project across the eight provinces. Would you be interested?”
“Me? Really?”
“Haha, why so surprised? I heard you acquired a solid company. It’s time to build more credentials. To expand overseas, you need more practical experience. Tackling challenging projects like mountainous terrain will reduce trial and error.”
Feeling grateful for Chief Won’s thoughtful suggestion, Lee Chang-jin responded.
“Thank you. If given the opportunity, I will do my best.”
“Haha, there will be an official announcement soon, so prepare in the meantime.”
A few days later, the government decided to establish forestry association laws, including guidelines for the management and sale of national forests and forest roads. Reading the article in the official gazette, Lee Chang-jin felt a sense of novelty.
‘Is this what they call the butterfly effect?’
His one comment had changed the course of history, and it was a fascinating realization for Lee Chang-jin. The forest road construction was the first government project undertaken by Daese Construction, making it particularly meaningful.
After receiving the construction specifications and section details from the Public Procurement Service, Lee Chang-jin carefully reviewed the assigned section.
“Which section are we responsible for?”
“From Palgongsan’s Unbong-myeon Office to Bucheon, it’s about 12.4 km in a straight line, and around 50 km including detours. The total allocated budget is approximately 2.4 billion won.”
Nodding at Advisor Hong In-young’s words, Lee Chang-jin said.
“50 km, that’s quite long. We should conduct a pre-construction site inspection first, right?”
“Yes. The actual conditions can be quite different from the procurement data. Honestly, I’m a bit worried since it’s been almost 10 years since I last handled a forest road project.”
Noting the slight unease in Advisor Hong In-young’s voice, Lee Chang-jin reassured him.
“Don’t worry about that. Anticipating that, I invited experts from the Forest Development Corporation’s National Forest Management Team. They will work closely with our team, so let’s learn and adapt together.”
“Understood.”
After finishing the conversation with Advisor Hong, Lee Chang-jin called the team leaders to relay some important instructions.
“I will be away for a while for the forest road project, so Manager Yoon will handle the machinery department in my absence. Collaborate with Manager Jung Ho-sung to ensure smooth exports, and Manager Yeo will oversee finance and accounting. If there are any special issues, contact me immediately.”
“Yes, understood.”
After giving the necessary instructions, Lee Chang-jin selected the technical team for the preliminary site survey. The lineup included Advisor Hong In-young, Chief Seo, and his younger brother, Chang-sik.
Feeling left out, Manager Gu expressed his dissatisfaction.
“President, why are you excluding me? Please take me along as well.”
“Manager Gu, it’s more convenient for you to stay in charge of the factory. Why go through unnecessary hardships?”
“Isn’t it natural for the thread to follow the needle? As one of the founding members, I should accompany you. Even if it’s just as a porter, please take me along.”
Although Manager Gu lacked construction experience, his strong will and status as a founding member led to his inclusion in the preliminary survey.
In his stead, Assistant Manager Seo Yo-han was appointed as acting plant manager of the Yeongcheon factory. Though usually cautious about business expansion, Assistant Manager Seo was meticulous and reliable in handling routine tasks.
A few days later, the chartered bus arrived in front of the Yeongcheon factory office in Seodaemun District, ready for departure. Amidst the team dressed in light hiking gear, Manager Gu stood out.
Dressed in thick jeans from Namdaemun Market, military jungle boots that seemed from the Vietnam War era, a baker boy cap, long sleeves for insect protection, and over-socks, he looked ready for battle, drawing chuckles from Lee Chang-jin.
“What’s with the outfit? Are you going to war?”
“Ah, I heard there are many bugs in the mountains. Better safe than sorry. I even consulted people who had been to Vietnam and Malaysia.”
Clearly, someone had played a prank on him.
Chief Seo laughed at Manager Gu’s overly enthusiastic preparation.
“Moving around in that will make you sweat excessively. And there’s no immediate construction. Go change your clothes.”
“Aren’t we starting construction today?”
Disappointed, Gu Chang-dong asked, and Lee Chang-jin replied with a smile.
“There’s a lot to do before construction. We need to verify survey points and benchmark locations. Don’t rush, Manager Gu. Today, we’re just scouting the planned construction area.”
Unlike typical construction sites, mountains have many variables. Understanding the site conditions and consulting experts is crucial. In mountainous terrain, even small mistakes can lead to major accidents.
Lee Chang-jin’s team headed to the Haseo Elementary School near Palgongsan.
Perhaps due to the vacation period, renting the school for training wasn’t difficult.
The dispatched staff unpacked their equipment in the gymnasium.
Standing in front of the gym, Lee Chang-jin spoke into a megaphone.
“Attention, everyone. Please welcome Professor Kim Hak-do, an expert from the National Forest Management Team and a forestry PhD. Professor, please come forward!”
A scholar wearing thick glasses stepped forward.
- To be continued in Episode 77 -
