Ever since arriving in Korea, chaos had erupted.
Even though I returned quietly on a private jet, somehow an enormous crowd and a swarm of reporters were waiting outside the airport.
Captain Kang and the staff employed disruption tactics that could have been straight out of a covert operation.
It took over an hour before we could finally get out of the airport and into the car.
"I don't understand what all this commotion is about. How did people even know I'd be arriving in Korea at this time?"
"We are currently investigating. We suspect that airport personnel may have leaked the information. Once we identify the culprit, we will take legal action."
"Just scare them a little and leave it at that. If the news reports that a large corporation's chairman is bullying people, it could become problematic."
"We'll be even more careful moving forward. We'll change flight times at least three times and station more personnel at the airport to ensure a swift exit."
It had been an exhausting day.
A long-haul flight, followed by a hide-and-seek game with the reporters.
I had never wanted home more than I did today.
"Chairman, we've arrived home."
"Captain Kang, you may leave for the day. You've worked hard. Take a few days off, then return to your duties."
"There's a meeting scheduled tomorrow regarding the shared mobility business."
"This is exactly why high positions aren't necessarily enviable. Don't you miss the old days, Captain Kang?"
"Not at all. I prefer being busy. I felt firsthand how difficult life was when I was unemployed after leaving the military."
So Captain Kang had a similar experience to mine.
Before my return, I had been unemployed for over twenty years.
That was why I truly appreciated how fortunate I was to be busy and engaged now.
I stepped out of the car that Captain Kang was driving and entered the mansion.
At the entrance, the Chief Secretary greeted me with a smile.
"You've worked hard, and congratulations are in order."
"Whether it's really something to congratulate remains to be seen. But Chief Secretary, what brings you here at this hour? Surely you weren't stuck by my grandfather's side every day until now?"
"I temporarily fulfilled the role of chairman on your behalf."
"So you took on the grandson's duties I couldn't manage. Thank you. Thanks to you, I could travel to the United States with peace of mind."
"Now I can finally return home as well. The chairman has just entered his room. You should go in and rest."
Normally, my grandfather would have been waiting for me in the living room.
But the fact that he had gone straight to his room before I arrived meant he didn't even want to be seen by the Chief Secretary.
Knock, knock, knock!
I knocked lightly and cautiously opened his door.
A dark room, with only the lamp by the bedside casting a soft glow.
Naturally, I settled myself beside him, leaning gently against his back as he lay on his side.
"Grandfather! Your grandson is here."
"So you've come. You've worked hard."
"Why does your voice sound like that? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Unwell? Don't talk nonsense. Do you have any idea how many executives today got chewed out by me?"
Unlike usual, his voice was hoarse.
If it wasn't illness, then the emotion swelling within him had choked his throat.
"Grandfather, do you remember? When we acquired that Polish company, you had a fierce fight with GM."
"When was that? That's over ten years ago."
"Back then, Taewoo Motors even produced new cars based on GM's technology."
"······."
"And now, Taewoo Motors has swallowed GM whole. Aren't you proud?"
"That sounds exactly like calling a viper that eats its mother. Without GM, how could Taewoo have made any cars?"
"Do you really think that way?"
There was no answer for a long moment.
I didn't press him for a reply and quietly leaned my body against his back.
"I am happy. To live and see Taewoo acquire GM… I still can't tell if this is a dream or reality."
"We could have acquired another American car company, but we did it for you, Grandfather. How do you like the gift I prepared?"
"Hahaha… Who else in the world receives such a grand gift? Chairman Jang who went before us would be jealous enough to visit me in my dreams."
Grandfather spoke while sniffling.
Taewoo Motors had been born from the joint venture with GM.
A company that had once been utterly untouchable was now firmly in Taewoo's grasp—how could he not be overjoyed?
I felt something similar.
But within that emotion was also a trace of vindictiveness.
Before my return, during the foreign exchange crisis, Taewoo Motors had been sold off to GM at a rock-bottom price.
That was precisely why I had chosen to acquire GM.
Of course, even without the element of revenge, GM was still a company worth acquiring.
"If Chairman Jang visits you in your dreams, you can boast about it. Tell him that Taewoo Motors is now ready to become the world's number one car manufacturer."
"Just hearing that makes me truly happy. That Taewoo Motors could become the world's top car company… hahaha."
Grandfather's back shook.
It seemed as if a storm of emotion swirled within him, mingling with laughter.
"Go to bed early tonight. I'll tell you more in detail tomorrow."
"Alright, we'll see each other tomorrow."
I turned off the lamp beside the bed and stepped further into the room.
Strangely, my eyes kept welling up, but I forced myself to hold back.
***
The next day.
I carefully made my way down to the living room.
The conversation I had with Grandfather overnight had been slightly awkward, leaving me feeling a little embarrassed.
But when I got downstairs, Grandfather was nowhere to be seen. In his place stood the Chief Secretary.
"Could it be that Grandfather has already gone to the office? On a day like today, he usually goes in a bit later."
"Hm, well… the Honorary Chairman left for Vietnam on an early morning flight."
"What? He went to Vietnam?"
"He figured that if he stayed, someone would surely put him to work again, so he left."
"Don't tell me he ran away?"
"…That's correct. You could say he made a midnight escape."
The emotional warmth from yesterday vanished in an instant.
How much work could I have possibly assigned him!
And yet, unable to bear it, he fled to Vietnam in the middle of the night.
"Chief Secretary, are you staying behind to handle the handover?"
"Yes. I am here to report on the situation of Taewoo Group while the Chairman is on his business trip to the U.S. I'll provide a detailed report at the office together with the Head of Planning."
"Very well. Let's have breakfast together and head to the office."
"I've already prepared two servings, just in time."
At the dining table, ribs had been laid out.
It seemed as if they were telling me to chew on them thoroughly and calm my anger.
Only after gnawing through the ribs—almost to the point of wrecking my teeth—did I finally leave for the office. Upon entering the chairman's office, the Head of Planning and the Chief Secretary followed me in.
"May I give a brief report on the status of Taewoo Group?"
"Please only summarize the subsidiaries that have notable issues."
"First, Taewoo Semiconductor has broken its record for highest sales. Orders are pouring in not only from Apple but also from foreign smartphone manufacturers."
The semiconductor market was booming.
Not only Apple and Samsung Electronics, but nearly every smartphone manufacturer had jumped into the market.
Samsung Electronics could manage some of its semiconductor supply internally.
But the other companies had to import semiconductors, which naturally caused Taewoo Semiconductor's sales to soar.
"What's the current ranking in the semiconductor market share?"
"Taewoo Semiconductor is competing neck-and-neck with Samsung Electronics for first place. Once our foundry plant is fully operational, we expect to solidify the top position."
"Samsung Electronics hasn't aggressively entered the foundry market yet, right?"
"That's correct. Since they manufacture smartphones themselves, they seem hesitant about the foundry market to avoid friction with their clients."
The foundry market was far from negligible.
Even just dominating the foundry market alone could generate astronomical revenue.
Of course, the unit price might be lower compared to in-house production, but high-volume sales easily outweighed price differences.
"Taewoo Semiconductor is running smoothly. How is Taewoo Trading doing?"
"It's currently reporting the largest losses within Taewoo Group. Only a few mining operations for underground resources have started, so the deficit keeps growing daily."
"That's a problem time will solve. Once all the mines we own begin operations, we'll more than cover the losses."
It hadn't been a mistake to sign that contract with Hyunjin Shipping.
In a few years, an enormous volume of underground resources would be exported worldwide.
When that time came, a shortage of ships would be inevitable, so the contract with Hyunjin Shipping had been made in advance to secure vessels.
"I agree, but the morale of Taewoo Trading's employees is quite low."
"Give them the same salaries and bonuses as the other subsidiaries. They need to endure this difficult period, and morale shouldn't drop already."
"Understood. We'll do that."
"Ah! Taewoo Trading will also take on one more task."
"Are you planning to secure a new underground resource mine?"
"The overseas market is sufficient for now. It's time to entrust domestic distribution to Taewoo Trading as well."
A Korean-style e-commerce platform being built with Amazon's support.
Taewoo Trading was perfectly suited for the task, having already managed a wide range of products.
"Are you planning to fully enter the domestic distribution market as well?"
"I just signed a collaboration agreement with Amazon on the way here. They will be sending know-how and personnel. We've also finalized a $2 billion pre-investment contract."
"So you're aiming to create a Korean version of Amazon. It sounds like a solid plan, but the domestic distribution market is already deeply rooted with a few major corporations."
"If you pour in enough money, you can uproot them. That's precisely why we secured the $2 billion pre-investment."
The Chief Secretary and the Head of Planning both clutched their heads simultaneously.
They knew exactly what was coming.
"You're saying you intend to play a chicken game?"
"What other way is there to push out existing companies? Moreover, single-person households are increasing, so online shopping will surpass large supermarkets. If we invest now and secure our position, we could monopolize the market for over twenty years."
From a results-only perspective, it was a hopeful future.
But everyone present knew the process would be nothing short of hell.
"If you play a chicken game, the losses will be enormous. Taewoo Trading is already in the red—are you sure this is wise?"
"We can't make Taewoo Trading bear it alone. Since this is literally e-commerce, Taewoo IT will join in. If we share the burden, it should be manageable."
"Splitting the losses with Taewoo IT would certainly reduce the pressure."
"Taewoo Trading probably won't pay corporate taxes for at least the next five years. Taxes are only paid if there's profit, aren't they?"
The secretaries had nothing more to say.
They knew that since I had already made up my mind, no argument could change the outcome.
"Now, let's move on to something more important. How is the electric vehicle project progressing? The prototypes we're developing in collaboration with Apple should be ready soon, shouldn't they?"
The trump card for commercializing electric vehicles.
The so-called Apple Car—through collaboration with Apple, Taewoo, and Kia Motors, we were developing electric vehicles.
TL/n -
Happy Holi