Chapter 365: Talks with the U.S. Government Have Concluded

Even though Jungwoo’s semiconductor division had seen significant growth, it still couldn’t surpass Ilseong Electronics in scale.

They had caught up in technology, but in terms of foundational facilities and factories, Ilseong Electronics remained dominant.

Due to the ongoing chicken game, Ilseong Electronics had turned into a financial sinkhole, yet with the strength of the Ilseong Group, they could last a few more years.

But by stopping that, I had lost my ability to hold on.

No matter what, I could never have imagined selling Ilseong Electronics.

I thought at least they’d sell off other subsidiaries. Seo Jae-hoon had completely exceeded my expectations.

It was almost laughable that while Seo Yong-geon worked so hard to nurture Ilseong Electronics, Seo Jae-hoon was planning to sell it.

“If Secretary Lee Seok-min is directly involved, it’s almost certain.”

“Yes. With Chairman Seo Yong-geon incapacitated, it means the survival of the group is at stake.”

I frowned. But Toshiba? They must be in a precarious situation as well.

“Does Toshiba have the funds for an acquisition?”

“The Japanese government might intervene. They could take revenge for the humiliation suffered when we acquired their domestic semiconductor company by acquiring Ilseong Electronics.”

“…I can’t believe that.”

It hadn’t been long since the Japanese economy had stumbled; they’d never take such a reckless gamble.

Yet, a part of me thought that since it was Japan, it wouldn’t be strange regardless of what they did.

“Ilseong Electronics’ semiconductor division must never fall into Japanese hands.”

“Yes, I will discuss countermeasures.”

The Korean government would not stand idly by while Ilseong Electronics fell into Japanese hands.

“I’ll talk to the government.”

The Ilseong Group would need to invesstigate this slowly. My mind was racing, but for now, I wanted to shift the topic by mentioning why we had gathered today.

“Regardless, let’s look into that gradually. Today, I called you for another reason. I hope you can send food and medical supplies to Afghanistan through Jungwoo Industries.”

“Afghanistan?”

“Yes, I’d like to send around two million dollars’ worth of food and two million dollars’ worth of medical supplies. Of course, I will handle the payment.”

Kim Byung-woo’s face showed concern.

“Ah… Sending supplies to Afghanistan won’t be easy. I’ll need to discuss details with Jungwoo Industries.”

“Although the Taliban are guerrillas, we should still be able to send them through Pakistan. Humanitarian aid should give the Pakistani government no grounds to stop it.”

“Understood. I’ll issue that order. However, since it’s an Islamic country, we need to ensure the food is certified halal. I’m not sure if there are certified factories in our country.”

Muslims do not eat non-halal-certified food.

Their practice of only eating lawfully prescribed food is well-known, so Kim Byung-woo’s concerns weren’t unfounded.

“We don’t have any domestic options?”

“I’ll need to check further into it. There aren’t many Muslims in our country, so it’s uncertain whether certified companies exist…”

“I hadn’t thought about that. It just got complicated, but please check within your industry. If it’s too hard to find domestically, also think of how to source it from overseas.”

“I’ll relay that.”

“Good. Let me know as soon as you’re ready.”

Jungwoo Group had its roots in Jungwoo Industries.

Their network of trading employees, spread out across the globe, was formidable.

They were masters of the trade, akin to merchants digging for sand in the desert. They’d undoubtedly find a way.

“This is likely just the beginning. We need to establish ongoing trade with Afghanistan, so let Jungwoo Industries know to prepare ahead of time.”

Just then, there was a knock on the study door. Manager Ma entered and spoke.

“Boss, Chairman Lee Sang-geun has arrived.”

“Oh really? Let him in.”

As Manager Ma stepped aside, Lee Sang-geun walked in.

“Did you call for me, Boss?”

Lee Sang-geun bowed deeply in greeting.

After not seeing him for a while, his sharp demeanor seemed to have completely softened.

“It’s been a while. We can catch up later, but please take a seat for now.”

Lee Sang-geun walked over slowly, sitting directly opposite Kim Byung-woo.

“I’ve heard you’re managing Geukseong Construction quite well. I knew you’d succeed.”

“I’m working hard, as you trusted me to do.”

After the merger of Geukseong Construction and Jungwoo Construction, Lee Sang-geun had smoothly separated Jungwoo Construction into an independent construction-focused group.

It would be a waste to leave such talent as just a thug. It was no surprise that Kim Byung-woo praised him.

“While you might say it so calmly, Chairman Lee Sang-geun’s capabilities are exceptional. The employees from Jungwoo Construction were anxious at first about merging with a small construction company, but now I’m receiving positive feedback.”

I smiled at Kim Byung-woo, knowing he had opposed this from the beginning; it felt quite ironic to hear him say that.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it’s clear to me why you entrusted the construction to Chairman Lee.”

Despite the conversation revolving around him, Lee Sang-geun maintained his composure. I found it amusing.

“Chairman Lee Sang-geun is indeed capable. His talents manifest differently depending on the task. Watching him manage Geukseong Construction, it seemed that he might need to be pulled up from the dark world entirely. Still, I was a bit anxious about having Geukseong Construction consume Jungwoo Construction, but it’s fortunate to hear the employees think positively.”

“Skills are one thing, but it could be his status as chairman that helps him achieve this. Those who’ve worked in construction for a long time are far tougher than thugs. Particularly, those who’ve risen to executive levels have spent decades on construction sites.”

It seemed Kim Byung-woo was not the only one to earn the trust of the employees.

Even when he was with me, concern for his staff seeped through his words.

“They endure harsh sandstorms in the Middle East while working hard to meet deadlines. Organizing such people speaks volumes of the chairman’s abilities.”

“Speaking of which, did Jungwoo Construction’s employees work in the Middle East as well?”

“Yes, back then it was an era where all construction companies had to earn foreign currency by working in the Middle East.”

That was a stroke of good timing; now there was work to be done in the Middle East.

I refocused my attention on Lee Sang-geun after hearing Kim Byung-woo’s response.

“By the end of this year, we need to start constructing facilities like schools and hospitals in Afghanistan.”

“Afghanistan? Isn’t that a war zone?”

“It’s been declared a ceasefire, but guerrillas are still active. Even so, it’s an obligation we must fulfill.”

Lee Sang-geun answered immediately without hesitation.

“I understand. I will gather volunteers and prepare.”

“We should send skilled personnel from Korea while hiring locals for simpler tasks.”

“Yes, I’ll discuss this with the executives and select the personnel.”

I smiled at Lee Sang-geun’s straightforward answer.

“Schools and hospitals are just the start. There’s a flood of construction to be done in war-torn Afghanistan. After a war, construction booms; this is just the beginning. Once the Iraq War concludes, we’ll need to expand there too.”

The mention of Iraq brought looks of surprise to both Kim Byung-woo and Lee Sang-geun.

Kim Byung-woo spoke first.

“Iraq? The war hasn’t even concluded yet!”

“It’s only a matter of time before the U.S. wins. It won’t be long before they declare a ceasefire before this year’s end and bring Hussein to trial. From that point forward, rebuilding Iraq’s oil fields, schools, hospitals, and airports will commence.”

As I spoke about reconstruction projects for a war that hadn’t even concluded yet, both men could only mumble in disbelief.

“I’ve already concluded talks with the U.S. government.”

“Is that for real?”

I shrugged, giving off the impression of having no reason to lie to my own people.

“Unlike Afghanistan, Iraq is a profitable region. Afghanistan is still an undeveloped gold mine, but Iraq is already extracting the gold.”

Iraq ranks amongst the top five countries globally in confirmed oil reserves. It was different from Afghanistan.

Iraq was the land rich in black gold, oil.

“Of course, this is confidential. It must never leak. I trust you both, and that’s why I’m sharing this early. This isn’t a project that Jungwoo Construction can handle alone. It’s something that the Jungwoo Group must tackle together. Additionally, I’m considering sharing a portion with Hyeonhwa Group as well.”

Kim Byung-woo and Lee Sang-geun continued to stare at me in a daze, still processing what I had just revealed.

I lightly clapped my hands to break the atmosphere.

“I’ll provide further details once everything is finalized. Any questions?”

Neither Kim Byung-woo nor Lee Sang-geun answered, still staring at me.

“Are you not going to ask me anything later? Let’s move on.”

It wasn’t yet the time to discuss the mining rights in Afghanistan.

Even if I did, we couldn’t start development immediately. Such national-level projects first required discussions with Yoon Chang-ho.

It wouldn’t be appropriate to hand it off as Kim Hak-gwon’s accomplishment.

I organized my thoughts and shifted to another topic.

“Chairman, you’ve finalized the major sponsorship contract for Jungwoo Group’s uniform, right? With Leeds United?”

This year, the contract for Leeds United’s main sponsor was set to be with Jungwoo Group.

Leeds had ended their long-standing contract with their previous main sponsor, and now the Jungwoo Group logo would adorn the chest of Leeds United’s jerseys.

“Yes, but there was significant opposition internally. People questioned whether it was right to support a football club with a yearly donation of 10 billion won. Especially a long-term contract extending for ten years?”

“In a few years, you’ll understand why I took this action. Becoming the main sponsor of a top team in the Premier League will have a tremendous impact on promoting the group.”

Though Kim Byung-woo refrained from expressing it directly in my presence, doubt was evident on his face.

“Jungwoo is known in Eastern Europe, but we lack recognition in Western Europe, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

“If our group’s name is on a football club’s uniform, the fans wearing those jerseys effectively become moving billboards for us.”

Yet, the Korean chaebols still didn’t grasp the scale of how crucial it was to secure sponsorships for sports teams.

In time, they’d realize just how inexpensive this was for brand promotion.

I didn’t need to delve deeper to persuade him; this would become clear over time.

“When have I ever let you down, Chairman? Just trust me this once. You’ll see why the Daehyeon Group strives to sponsor the World Cup once this tournament begins.”

“Ah, the Korea-Japan World Cup starts next month, right?”

The Daehyeon Group had a positive image with FIFA.

And this World Cup had created a sensation, thrusting Song Young-ju’s son, Song Chan-hyeok, into the spotlightas a major presidential candidate.

The current president of the Football Association, he had stepped aside from the group’s power struggles to pursue a political career.

He maintained his position as an independent lawmaker without belonging to any party. This year was destined to be his lucky break.

His approval ratings soared just by virtue of having supported Korean football as the association president.

Thinking of this made me smile unintentionally.

“I think we’re about wrapped up, so how about a wager?”

“A wager?”

“Yes. How far do you think our national team will advance? If you get it right, I’ll give you a great gift.”

I joked, but knowing the value of the gift I’d give, Kim Byung-woo spoke first.

“Since it’s the World Cup in our country, surely we’ll win at least one match? But making it to the Round of 16 seems tough.”

At this point in time, the Korean national team had yet to win a single match in the World Cup.

Kim Byung-woo’s prediction mirrored the general public’s sentiment. The nation was hoping for at least one victory.

I nodded at his words and asked Lee Sang-geun.

“What about you, Chairman Lee?”

“The countries in our group will not be easy to handle. The U.S., Poland, and even Portugal. I think winning a match will be a challenge.”

Both Kim Byung-woo and Lee Sang-geun expected our team to be eliminated.

Hearing their responses, I couldn’t help but smile broadly.

“Thank you for sharing your thoughts. However, I’m betting on our national team reaching the semifinals.”

“What? Semifinals?”

Both of them blinked in surprise, repeating my words.

I reiterated clearly.

“Yes, I’m betting on the Korean national team reaching the semifinals.”