Representative Kim had prepared extensively to become the "hearing star."
He was attacking Taewoo Construction with the argument that the company imposed excessive fare burdens on the public.
"Then what should Taewoo Construction do? Set fares to zero? If I did that, I would be liable for breach of trust."
"Taewoo Group exists here thanks to the nation and its citizens. Shouldn't you at least bear some social responsibility?"
These politicians attacked in a variety of ways.
All of them were highly educated, having graduated from prestigious universities and passed national examinations.
But exposure to Yeouido politics tends to narrow one's vision, and their attacks weren't enough to corner me.
"I take pride in bearing more social responsibility than any other company. We operate scholarship foundations and even provide support in areas the government has overlooked, all under the Taewoo Group umbrella."
"Is it so difficult to just lower fares a little? We're not asking Taewoo Group to make fares entirely free. We're merely asking you to adjust them to the same levels as other subway lines or comparable bridges for fairness."
For whose benefit?
If I declared a fare reduction here, all the credit would go to Representative Kim.
There was no reason for me to let him reap the rewards while I did the work.
"This is not something I can decide alone. All members of the consortium must agree, and if the government applies pressure, it could easily escalate into a diplomatic issue with the United States."
"Can't you at least accept a smaller share of Taewoo Group's profit? Can't you do that much for the people?"
"To get the subway construction started and build bridges for the public, Taewoo Construction led the consortium to attract foreign investment. Why is that effort not being acknowledged?"
I responded aggressively.
Then, Representative Choi, who had already finished speaking, interjected with a dead microphone, shouting, "Resign!"
"If that's your stance, then I have no choice but to bring up the over-construction issue. You say the consortium bore the construction costs, but isn't the higher fare due to excessive construction expenses?"
"It is absolutely not over-construction. I can stake my position as Chairman of Taewoo Group on that."
"Are you saying Taewoo Construction's internal survey is more reliable than the government's feasibility study? Then I, too, will stake my seat as a lawmaker and claim that Taewoo Construction engaged in overbuilding!"
Finally, the situation I had been waiting for arrived.
The hearing, which had been a one-sided attack against me, had now turned into a duel with clear winners and losers.
"I accept Representative Kim's proposal. If Subway Line 9's congestion remains below the average of other lines within three months of opening, I will step down from my position as chairman."
"Is that a statement coming from the head of a conglomerate? The entire nation is watching!"
"One more promise: if congestion stays below 130%, we will reduce fares by 20%."
"You really refuse to admit any wrongdoing to the very end."
Representative Kim tried to step back slightly, as if he wanted to walk back his earlier threat to risk his seat.
But his colleagues offered no assistance.
"I will also stake my seat! If congestion matches the feasibility study, resign!"
"I support Representative Kim's position as well!"
Ruling party lawmakers rose in agreement.
On the opposition side, their faces showed disappointment, as if they had lost the upper hand.
But did they realize?
By being delayed in their speaking order, their political careers had been extended.
After the hearing, I returned to the company.
The Chief of Planning was waiting for me, his face dark with concern.
"Did a bad article come out? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
"You went a bit too far. All the media coverage is completely dominated by articles about you."
He showed me a few of the headlines.
"Taewoo Group Chairman Appears in Sports Car Instead of Wheelchair""Is the Hearing a Gamble? Chairman and Lawmaker Put Their Positions on the Line""Chairman Kim Min-jae Risk Sparks Taewoo Group Turmoil!"
"Not just anyone can be a journalist, I see. These headlines are impressive. Especially the one about the sports car instead of a wheelchair—I really like that."
"This isn't something to be pleased about. Korea still values etiquette. Especially for someone in a position of responsibility, like a conglomerate chairman, there's a culture that demands excessive propriety."
I knew that well.
That's why I had been cautious and maintained a very formal demeanor up until now.
"But when etiquette turns you into a criminal in the public eye, there's no choice. Isn't a chairman with attitude better than one who commits crimes?"
"And your actions at the hearing are already a huge topic. Why did you place that bet on the congestion of Subway Line 9? Even Line 1 only reaches an average congestion of 120%."
The Planning Chief worried that congestion might turn out too low.
He didn't realize that Line 9 was notorious as a "hell train," which was why he fretted.
"Don't worry. I have everything planned. We'll deploy the two-car trains initially designed by the government on Line 9."
"Even with two-car trains, I can't guarantee congestion will exceed 120%. If needed, should we have our own people board to increase congestion?"
"Don't create unnecessary controversies. Line 9 will naturally become congested on its own."
Before my return, six-car trains ran on Line 9.
Even then, its congestion was higher than other lines.
Deploying two-car trains would undoubtedly turn it into a nightmare train.
***
Subway Line 9 was officially opened.
The hearing had made such a huge splash that crowds gathered to watch the opening ceremony.
The media captured every moment.
Experts tried to claim that the large turnout was simply due to it being the first day.
But the next day, and the day after that, the crowds didn't diminish—they kept growing.
Two weeks later, the Chief of Planning came to me with the hard-to-obtain data on Line 9.
"Chairman, the current average congestion on Line 9 has exceeded 170%. During peak hours, it's approaching 200%."
"Just as expected. And how are the citizens reacting?"
"After analyzing big data from portals and social media, many responses indicate that the demand forecast for Line 9 was underestimated. Some even argue that it wasn't overbuilt—it should have been constructed even larger."
Currently, Line 9 is operating with only two-car trains, as designed by the government.
But Taewoo Construction had built the line to accommodate up to eight-car trains, and eight-car trains could already be deployed if needed.
"So the over-construction controversy has completely vanished."
"The ruling and opposition parties are attacking each other. The ruling party claims they bear no responsibility because the demand forecast was made during the previous administration, while the opposition insists that the current administration, which opened the line, must be held accountable."
Political finger-pointing was in full swing.
The important thing was that Taewoo Group was completely excluded from this blame game.
"And what about the lawmakers who risked their seats?"
"They've been quietly attending to their duties, as silent as mice. They haven't appeared on TV at all and have refused newspaper interviews. They're focusing solely on building support in their constituencies."
"Seems they have no intention of honoring their promises."
"With just a little media play from us, all the attention will turn toward them. If you wish, I can reach out to media outlets to make that happen."
For a lawmaker, nothing was more important than their seat in the National Assembly.
This was especially true for those who lacked enough personal recognition to win their constituency on their own.
In essence, I held their political lifeline in my hands.
The moment I acted, their political careers could end. Even if I did nothing, a small push from the media could easily prevent them from receiving nominations for the next election.
"Do we even need to intervene? They'll tear each other apart on their own. The opposition will cling to everything that happened at the hearing anyway."
"It's just a matter of timing. If we step in, we could escalate things immediately. Of course, I don't recommend doing so. There's no advantage in making enemies in the political sphere."
I was also in a position to grant them a pardon.
A single word of defense from me could shield them from a barrage of attacks.
But I had no intention of giving them that reprieve.
"Those who beg to be spared should be spared. As for those who remain indifferent, let them face the consequences themselves—they're responsible for their own fate."
"The ruling party has already reached out. They suggested arranging a meeting, but the key person wasn't included, so I declined."
"Well done. We need to make sure they never dare call me to a hearing again. It's time to show them I'm not like other chaebols."
It was important to make the political sphere recognize that I was different from traditional conglomerate heads.
Of course, I could have leveraged the People's Economic Party to avoid being dragged into a hearing altogether.
But I didn't want to do that, as it might raise unnecessary suspicions about the relationship between Taewoo Group and the party.
"What level of contact are you waiting for? Perhaps a meeting with a ruling party leader would be appropriate."
"I would consider meeting if the Blue House intervenes directly. Of course, it would have to come with a sincere apology from the party involved."
"I'll relay your intentions carefully to the political sphere."
"Don't bother. The ruling party needs to figure out their own way to apologize. If they can't show even that level of sincerity, they don't deserve a pardon."
The wait didn't last long.
The congestion on Subway Line 9 was rising day by day.
The dissatisfaction of Seoul citizens was growing steadily, and naturally, the media was paying close attention.
"We've received a call from the Blue House. Director Woo Ik-jun personally reached out. He wants to arrange a meeting with the ruling party leader and the lawmakers who attended the hearing."
"Since the number two at the Blue House has stepped in, it wouldn't be proper to refuse. Please schedule it."
"We'll reserve your usual Korean fine dining restaurant. To avoid any unforeseen issues, it's best if we choose the location ourselves."
"Do that."
The Chief of Planning never trusted politicians.
To prevent eavesdropping or photo leaks, he had decided to hold the meeting at Captain Kang's restaurant.
"Still, if even the presidential chief of staff is getting involved, the situation must be quite serious."
"They say the Subway Line 9 issue is affecting the president's approval ratings. And since the mayor of Seoul is from the ruling party, he's taking a hit as well."
"With damage like that, I'm sure they've prepared quite a generous 'apology gift.'"
A pardon always came at a steep price.
And for those with money and power, the cost was always even higher.