Episode 185
“Hmm, Saseong and MG have similar research lab security systems.” All technical documents were stored on an internal network, inaccessible from the outside. No external storage devices, such as floppy disks or CDs, were allowed inside the labs, even for employees. And everyone entering or leaving the lab had to go through airport-style security checks.
It was a fortress, practically impenetrable to industrial spies. “We need an inside collaborator…”
I said, resting my chin on my hand, “The problem is, an ordinary researcher won’t be enough.”
To breach their security, we needed someone at a higher level, a lead researcher or a manager, someone with access to sensitive information.
I clicked my tongue. “This is not easy.”
“We knew it would be difficult,” Maru said, shaking his head. “They’re not going to let their valuable technology, developed over years of research and billions of won in investment, be stolen easily.”
I held my head in my hands. “This is a headache. It’s Wang Jin-hee’s first request to Baek In-hwi, I can’t fail her.”
“Her first request was too difficult,” Park Jong-bum said. “How about finding a struggling mid-sized electronics company and helping Haixin Group acquire it?”
“A mid-sized company?”
“Yes, several subsidiaries of the Asin Group were put on the market after its collapse. Asin Electronics is among them, and I hear their annual revenue is around 200 billion won. Haixin Group could acquire it, extract the technology, and then resell it.”
The Korean economy, which had briefly shown signs of recovery after the IMF crisis, thanks to the IT boom, had plummeted again, bankrupting countless companies.
Asin Group, also hit hard by the IT bubble’s burst, had finally collapsed after struggling for almost a year. “That’s not a bad idea. If they acquire the company, they can take the technology without any repercussions.”
“The technology might not be as advanced as Saseong or MG’s, but it’s still valuable. And Haixin Group has plenty of money.”
I nodded. “Alright, investigate Asin Electronics. Their key products, the estimated acquisition price, their debt… everything. We’ll keep it as a backup plan.”
“Yes, sir.”
“So we have a backup plan, but the primary targets are still Saseong and MG. Let’s keep brainstorming.”
“Yes, sir,” Maru and Park Jong-bum said in unison.
“So…” I was about to end the meeting when I suddenly noticed a name on the list of key figures at MG’s research lab. “Huh?” I tilted my head. “Kim Dong-wan, head of MG’s research lab?”
“Yes, that’s him. Is there a problem?” Park Jong-bum asked cautiously.
I looked at Maru and Park Jong-bum. “Isn’t he the one who came to us with the prototype VCR?”
Years ago, during my forays into insurance company auctions, I had acquired a fire-damaged VCR. I had planned to repair and resell it, but it turned out to be an unreleased prototype, a top-secret product developed by MG.
They had been frantic, trying to recover it, but I had refused to sell. And then this Kim Dong-wan had appeared, offering to buy it back. I had sold it for 500 million won, a 300 million won profit.
“That’s him, I think. The name sounds familiar.”
“Yes, that’s the one. But why…?”
“He has a connection to us. We should approach him.” If we could sway the head of the research lab, it would be easy to acquire the technology.
But Park Jong-bum shook his head. “I don’t think that’ll work. He’s known for his integrity. He won’t be bribed. That’s why I didn’t mention him.”
Maru nodded in agreement. “I remember. You offered him 50 million won as a token of gratitude, but he refused. And there were no repercussions. He was a true gentleman.”
“It would be better to target Oh Joo-ran, the deputy head of the research lab. He’s the second in command, and there are rumors about him abusing his power and selling promotions.”
“I agree. It won’t work with Kim Dong-wan. He’s too principled. We’ll just be creating problems for ourselves. He seemed like a genuinely good person.”
Maru and I had met with Kim Dong-wan in person. He remembered him as a gentleman, a fair and honest man. That’s why he was so against approaching him. But my impression had been completely different. He was the epitome of hypocrisy, refusing my bribe but exuding a sense of unease and insincerity.
“Let’s try anyway,” I said.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea…” Maru said, looking worried.
“I have a plan. Director Park…”
“Yes, sir.”
“Approach him discreetly and tell him I want to meet with him. Discreetly is the key word. Understood?”
“Yes, sir, but what if he refuses? It’s suspicious for a research lab director to meet with the chairman of a competing company.”
“That’s why it has to be discreet. Tell him I have an offer he can’t refuse. Just one hour of his time.” I said with a confident expression, “He’ll come. I’m sure of it.”
And two days later, as I predicted, he was sitting in my office.
He was dressed impeccably, the same gentle smile on his face.
“It’s been a while, Director Kim.”
“It has. I haven’t seen you since that incident.”
“That’s right.”
“Haha, many things have changed. I’m still just a director, while you, CEO Park, have become the chairman of Chunha Group, ranked 17th in the business world.” He said with a seemingly genuine smile, “I knew you were a remarkable man, decisive and ambitious, but you’ve exceeded all my expectations. I was a bit hesitant when Director Park contacted me, but I wanted to see you again. You’re a prominent figure now, a star of the business world, a paragon of virtue. It’s an honor to meet you, Chairman Park Sol.”
His flattering words… Maru, standing behind me, was nodding along, oblivious to the undercurrent of insincerity. But I felt a surge of the same unease I had felt before, even stronger this time. I forced a smile. “You’re too kind.”
He maintained his smile, but even his seemingly natural demeanor felt artificial and unsettling.
We talked for a while about current events and the economy, but I hadn’t mentioned the reason for our meeting. He glanced at his watch. “It’s been almost an hour.”
“Has it been that long? I enjoyed our conversation.”
“Likewise. But Director Park said you had a proposition for me…”
He had finally brought it up himself. He had come here because he was curious about my “proposition.” And it confirmed that he wasn’t just a naive and selfless man. “I have a question for you, Director Kim. Do you remember our previous encounter?”
“Our previous encounter? Which one?”
My eyes gleamed. “I offered you 50 million won as a token of gratitude. Why did you refuse?”
The atmosphere in the room instantly turned cold. It was an unusual question, asking why someone had refused a bribe.
“Is that relevant to your proposition? I don’t understand why you’re bringing up the past.”
“It’s very relevant. I’d like to offer you that 50 million won again.”
Maru, confused, looked at me, and Kim Dong-wan stared at me silently.
He finally said, “I didn’t expect you to be so… direct. As I said, things have changed. I’m not in a position to accept bribes anymore. I should be the one offering them.”
“That’s why I’m offering it to you now. You don’t have to worry about the consequences.”
I smirked. “You refused because you were afraid of being indebted to me, weren’t you? 50 million won is nothing to me now. It’s less than my daily entertainment expenses.”
He smiled. “So you’re offering me 50 million won again? Why now?”
“Executives are contract workers, aren’t they? It’s a small gift, in case you decide to join our company after leaving MG.”
I took out a paper bag from under the table. “50 million won, clean money. You can use it without worrying.”
“Hmm…” He hesitated. “Is that all?”
I smiled. “That’s all. I have nothing else to ask of you.”
“…You’re aware that your contract with MG prohibits you from working for a competitor for two years after your resignation?”
I shrugged. “My group has many subsidiaries.”
He took the bag. The incorruptible, righteous Kim Dong-wan had accepted the money. Maru’s eyes widened. He had been convinced that Kim Dong-wan was incorruptible. “I’ll put it to good use,” Kim Dong-wan said.
“Good. Use it wisely. It was a pleasure meeting you again, Director Kim. Goodbye.”
“What was that about?” Maru asked after he left, a dumbfounded expression on his face.
“What do you mean?”
“What’s the difference between the 50 million won you offered him back then and the 50 million won you offered him today? Why did he refuse it then and accept it now?”
I chuckled. “It’s about the balance of power. I was a nobody back then, a small-time operator. If he had accepted my money, he would have been indebted to me. He made a wise decision.”
“So it’s okay for him to accept it now?”
“Of course. 50 million won is nothing to me. It’s like giving pocket money. He judged that it was a safe amount to accept. Knowing what to accept and what to refuse, minimizing the risks… it’s not easy. He’s a shrewd operator. That’s how he’s maintained his reputation.”
He was a master of self-promotion, currying favor with his superiors and earning his subordinates’ respect with his carefully crafted image as an honest and principled man, while also engaging in corruption behind the scenes. He was a hypocrite.
“And I’ve offered him a safety net. He can always join Daehoo Electronics if things go wrong at MG. It’s a no-lose proposition. He couldn’t refuse.”
I chuckled and then said to Maru, “Does this remind you of anyone? Minimizing risks, seizing opportunities, maintaining a spotless reputation…”
Maru’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me…”
I smiled. “Director Kim Dong-wan. He’s like me.”
I had found him unsettling back then, but with my increased experience and broader perspective, I now understood the reason for my unease.
It was a case of “it takes one to know one.”
We were both masters of deception, hypocrites hiding our true nature behind carefully crafted masks.
There were countless hyenas like us in every corner of society, from the bottom to the top, their positions determined by their skills and abilities, but their behavior was always the same.
Deceiving, manipulating, waiting for the right moment, and promoting themselves. Kim Dong-wan was one of them, a hyena disguised as a saint.
But even he was just a child compared to me. I was at the top of the food chain, a special kind of hyena with intuition, a weapon that could bring down even the most powerful beasts. I was his kind, but I was also his superior.
“So why did you give him 50 million won? To test him? To lure him into leaking technology?”
I shook my head. “No, I just wanted to confirm my suspicions about him, to see if my initial impression was correct. And I was right. He’s cautious, difficult to approach, but he’ll be incredibly useful if we can guarantee his safety.” I smirked. “I know how to handle him. Have Jin come in. And President Kim Min-sik as well.”
Jin was a first-generation heihaizi, fluent in Korean. Kim Min-sik, with his gangster-like demeanor, would only intimidate a cautious person like Kim Dong-wan.
“You can’t approach a cautious hyena like that. They won’t move unless they feel safe. Watch and learn.”