Chapter 137: Surprise!

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the day of the temporary shareholders’ meeting at Hyunhwa Corporation.

By the time we checked the stock ledger, most of the minority shareholders had already received their compensation and signed over their proxies to Kim Seong-hak.

“It’s good to see you, Boss Kim.”

Before the temporary meeting, I had a brief tea time with Kim Seong-hak.

His relaxed expression showed his confidence in the upcoming meeting’s results.

“I heard you sent your son abroad.”

As I took a sip of the coffee his secretary poured for me, he said.

“It’s true that I made a mistake.”

I found it ridiculous that he spoke as if sending his son abroad was some kind of punishment.

“Don’t you regret it?”

“Regret is something only losers have.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right.”

His arrogant demeanor annoyed me, but I didn’t say anything else.

The result was obvious anyway.

“You’re very confident.”

“I’ve already secured 51% of the shares. No matter what you do, the proposals for this shareholders’ meeting will pass. You have 37%, right?”

Kim Seong-hak’s smile rubbed me the wrong way.

Han Gyeong-yeong had received all the stocks from the foreign banks, and he kept buying more from the market. But even including the delegated stocks, 37% was still the most he could manage.

Many of the minority shareholders were uncontactable, and even if I could reach them, it was already too late since they’d signed over their proxies.

„Let’s take our seats. The meeting is about to start.”

I didn’t respond and simply got up from my seat.

„Has it already gotten this late? I guess we should head in. I can’t wait to see the results.”

I arrived at the grand conference hall where the temporary shareholders’ meeting was being held with Kim Seong-hak.

Typically, only the ones who applied for the meeting and those related to the management are allowed to attend.

However, many people had gathered in the conference hall, and it was bustling with activity, probably because the matter had become quite noisy.

I found a seat next to where Han Gyeong-yeong and Eva were sitting.

„What did you talk about with Chairman Kim?”

Han Gyeong-yeong asked me in a hushed voice.

„He thinks he has already won and was just smugly smiling at me.”

„Damn, I’m sorry. I did my best.”

„It’s fine. You did what you could.”

That was when the host raised the microphone.

„This temporary shareholders’ meeting…”

The meeting proceeded quickly in the beginning with unimportant matters.

The proposal we prepared only came up at the end.

„I would like to propose the dismissal of all current board members, including CEO Kim Seong-hak.”

As the chairman said that in a dry voice, Han Gyeong-yeong stood up.

„The management’s negligence has caused enormous harm to the shareholders. They have rejected all the shareholder-friendly policies we requested. Therefore, I propose that all current board members, including CEO Kim Seong-hak, be dismissed.”

„Hey! You can’t say that!”

No sooner had Han Gyeong-yeong finished speaking than a vicious shout echoed through the conference room.

Ignoring the directors, Han Gyeong-yeong continued.

„CEO Kim Seong-hak’s reckless management has put Hyunhwa’s very existence at stake due to the foreign exchange crisis…”

We had pored over the accounting ledgers like hawks, but even the experts among the teams we worked with couldn’t find any problems with Jungwoo Group’s financial statements.

In the end, the best we could do were just speculative accusations.

„Stop! Chairman! Let’s end this with a vote!”

It looked like they had mobilized vote counters to carry out this meeting.

To have vote counters in a shareholders’ meeting, I had to admire the man’s perseverance.

„If there are no objections, we will proceed to a vote. Does anyone wish to speak against it?”

The directors on Kim Seong-hak’s side did not voice any objections.

They were probably confident that they would win the vote.

„There are no objections, so we will proceed to a vote. We will do it by a show of hands.”

The host, who had calmed the noisy conference room, immediately asked for the shareholders’ intentions.

„For proposal number seven, those in favor of the dismissal of CEO Kim Seong-hak and eight others please raise your hands.”

People began raising their hands one by one.

Shock appeared on Kim Seong-hak’s face just a few seconds later.

„Is there anyone else opposed? I’ll give you five seconds.”

„Hyung, what are you doing?!”

Although CEO Kim Seong-hak’s voice rang through the conference room, it was drowned out by the sound of the chairman’s gavel.

Tang! Tang! Tang!

„Then, those in favor please raise your hand.”

Starting with me, Han Gyeong-yeong and Eva raised their hands. Then the president of Ilseong Electronics, who was attending as Il-sung’s representative, sslowly raised his hand.

For a moment, Kim Seong-hak’s face brightened with rage.

And that wasn’t all.

Kim Seong-hak’s elder brother, Kim Seong-hyeok, who owned 8.5% of the shares, raised his hand.

„Hyung!”

Even the vote counters that Kim Seong-hak assigned to the meeting stared agape. The other shareholders who had come to watch could only stare with blank expressions.

All of Kim Seong-hak’s underlings also raised their hands.

„Is there anyone else in favor? I will give you five seconds.”

After the chairman banged the gavel, he immediately announced the result.

„With 57.4% in favor and 27.3% against, I declare that the motion proposed by Han Gyeong-yeong and three others for the dismissal of CEO Kim Seong-hak and eight others has passed.”

The chairman’s voice echoed in the conference room, which had fallen into a dead silence.

„Next is proposal number eight, the appointment of Kim Seong-hyeok and eight others as directors.”

At that moment, Kim Seong-hak stood up and shouted.

„What the hell! The agenda for today is over! Who allowed you to replace the directors! This is my company!”

Even though he was yelling at the top of his lungs, the outcome had already been decided.

Kim Seong-hak probably hadn’t predicted this scenario.

To appoint or dismiss a director at a shareholders’ meeting, two-thirds of the attending shareholders must vote in favor.

He must have been complacent thinking that no matter what, he wouldn’t end up being dismissed.

„With 57.4% in favor, the motion to appoint Kim Seong-hyeok and eight others as directors has been approved.”

The sound of the gavel banging against the table rang through the meeting hall again.

Kim Seong-hak had a look on his face as if he had been hit on the head with the gavel.

„Congratulations, Chairman Kim Seong-hyeok,” I said as I stood up and approached him.

Kim Seong-hyeok, who silently received the shocked gazes of the people around him, turned to me.

„Thank you. It’s all thanks to President Kim Mu-hyeok.”

„It was your decision that made this happen.”

While Kim Seong-hak, who was blank with shock, was turning purple with anger and was about to lunge at me and Kim Seong-hyeok, Manager Ma and his bodyguards blocked him.

„Hyung! How could you do this to me! How could you abandon your only blood and…”

„Only blood?”

The cold voice seemed to freeze Kim Seong-hak on the spot.

„Have you forgotten what you did to that blood of yours after your father passed away?”

The news that Kim Seong-hyeok had been holding for a long time was so terrifying that Kim Seong-hak froze.

„If you’re still a human, you would have called me ‘Hyung.’

As if he didn’t want to talk to me anymore, Kim Seong-hyeok turned his head and told the security guards guarding the meeting room.

„Get this bastard out of here.”

The guards hesitated as they looked at each other.

„Get him out now!”

When I said it for him, Manager Ma and the bodyguards lifted Kim Seong-hak up.

I almost burst out laughing at Kim Seong-hak, who was screaming and kicking in midair. Unfortunately, the atmosphere didn’t allow it.

„Stay true to your word.”

The president of Ilseong Electronics, who had approached us, said to me and Kim Seong-hyeok,

„I’ll contact you soon.”

„I’ll take my leave then.”

Just then, I heard a ghostly voice calling me from behind.

„Hey, Kim Mu-hyeok…”

Oh no.

„I’ll contact you later, Chairman Kim Seong-hyeok.”

„Yes, I have to make arrangements now myself. I think I need to hold a board meeting to replace some of them.”

Although Kim Seong-hak said that he had flown off, he still had an influence over the group.

To ensure that my coup was successful, I had to eliminate Kim Seong-hak’s underlings, which were spread throughout the company.

I bid farewell to Kim Seong-hyeok and looked back at Han Gyeong-yeong.

„Surprise!”

I playfully said, and both Han Gyeong-yeong and Eva, who had frozen expressions on their faces, sighed in disappointment.

„Explain. What was that?”

„What did you think of my surprise?”

„Forget the surprise. Just explain what happened.”

Han Gyeong-yeong glared at me, his eyes narrowing as if he was frustrated.

I started explaining what had happened over the last few days to them with a smile.

* * *

I had made an appointment to meet with Ilseong’s Chairman Seo Yong-geon, but I felt uneasy since I already had a good idea of what he would ask for.

Just like how I dealt with the Cheongpung Group, I couldn’t just get rid of him through illegal means.

As I was thinking about this, I received a call from someone I had never expected.

„You asked to talk to me…?”

It was Kim Seong-hyeok, the brother of Kim Seong-hak.

– Yes, this is Kim Seong-hyeok.

A slightly tense voice could be heard from the other end of the line.

– Is there any way we could meet alone without anyone knowing?”

„I’m at the office in Myeong-dong.”

– I’ll head over now.”

Suddenly, I could not figure out why Kim Seong-hyuk had suddenly reached out to me.

Although he worked at Hyunhwa Group too, his position was almost honorary, and he hardly made any moves of his own. There were rumors that his relationship with his brother was very bad.

‘Could it be that he wishes to seize the company’s control from his brother?’

Still, he was far from the power dynamics inside the company. He was practically a useless zombie of a person who had not even branched off his own companies.

Before I could organize my thoughts, Kim Seong-hyeok arrived. Apparently, he came to my office in Myeong-dong as soon as I got off the phone with him.

When the door opened and I saw Kim Seong-hyeok, I was surprised that he looked like an even younger version of Kim Seong-hak, who was only slightly older than me.

„Hello! I’m Kim Seong-hyeok.”

Since our names were similar, my first impression of him was not bad.

„Please, have a seat.”

„Thank you.”

Just by looking at how they talked, the two brothers seemed to have completely different personalities.

„It’s an honor to meet President Kim Mu-hyeok, whose name has bee on everyone’s lips. Thank you for taking the time to meet me. I really appreciate it.”

But the warm atmosphere didn’t last long. When we got down to business, Kim Seong-hyuk’s mood changed dramatically.

„Let’s work together. I have no interest in the company. I just want you to remove Seong-hak from Hyunhwa.”

I couldn’t give him an immediate answer.

He wasn’t asking for company control. He was asking me to get rid of his brother, Kim Seong-hak.

Kim Seong-hyuk didn’t want his brother to be successful, and it looked like he wanted him out of the way more than he wanted to control the company.

„I’ll give you all the shares I own. If you acquire the friendly shares and those that Ilseong has, it will also be possible to dismiss the board through a special resolution.”

I quickly ran the numbers through my head.

If two-thirds of the shareholders agreed, the board of directors could be dismissed. It was a proposal worth considering…

Of course, that was assuming I could trust him.

„I don’t quite follow. You want to take Seong-hak out of the company but do not want to take control of it yourself…”

„I understand why you may doubt me. But I am sincere.”

There was nothing false in his expression and eyes.

„Why do you want this?”

Although he hesitated before answering, Kim Seong-hyuk soon began speaking.

The words that came out of his mouth were about some of Hyunhwa Group’s secrets.

I sensed a hint of sadness in his eyes as he spoke.

By the time I had finished listening to all his stories, I could understand how he felt.