Chapter 250: Behind the Scenes Maneuvering

“I couldn’t hear the conversation, but there were occasional shouts.”

“Was Vice-chairman Jin Young-gi there?”

“No. He had a private meeting with Chairman Jin Dong-gi.”

Finally, Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae understood who was targeting him.

I was curious how he would react, but I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I had to prevent him from being pushed to a point of no return.

I asked Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk again.

“What’s the current situation with the former Planning Department staff?”

“The two vice-chairmen have placed them in suitable positions. There’s no sense of them being mistreated.”

“No, not the positions. I’m talking about the people. Are they satisfied?”

“They probably aren’t completely satisfied. They were practically the late chairman’s inner circle, and now they’re in the second tier. The close aides who’ve been serving the two vice-chairmen from the start are a different story, aren’t they?”

For salaried employees, the two important things are salary and position. But there are two more important things than that. They don’t appear in numbers or on business cards, but the individuals themselves know, and their colleagues around them know.

That’s the importance of the work they do and the recognition they receive from others. It’s another way of saying ability and pride.

Those who were satisfied with both the visible and invisible aspects under Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae would find it difficult to adapt easily.

I thought about whether it would be a good idea to lower a lifeline to them first.

Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae’s outstanding ability wasn’t just his own strength, but because he worked with an excellent support staff.

“Assistant Manager Kim.”

“Yes.”

“Instruct the trustworthy Strategy Planning Department staff to coordinate schedules and bring Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae’s people together in one place.”

“All of them?”

“Yes. But we need to exclude the guys who are content under my uncles right now.”

Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk, understanding the meaning, nodded his head.

“Yes. I will firmly caution them to prevent any leaks.”

Even a retired veteran politician finds it hard to ignore if his close aides are struggling. Even if it earns him public criticism, it’s a leader’s duty to reappear and let his loyal followers thrive.

I believe Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae hasn’t forgotten his duty as a leader.

* * *

“How many came? No, how many weren’t invited?”

“Four people. I excluded only those whose allegiance to the other side was difficult to determine.”

“So, the ones who attended are all malcontents?”

“Superficially, it might not seem that way. But these are the people who grumbled about how things were better when the chairman was alive.”

It’s hard to know the fence-sitters until you clash with them anyway. Confirming with my own eyes and changing their colors is what I need to do now.

“Let’s go in. Oh, the gifts for these people are prepared, right?”

“Yes. I’ve prepared them according to their ranks.”

When I opened the door and entered, about ten men jumped up and bowed their heads.

“Just sit down. I’m not in a position to receive your greetings.”

Discomfort was visible on their faces as they awkwardly sat back down.

They were probably curious why they were called, but it was hard to ask directly, being the founder’s descendant with no direct relationship in an ambiguous position.

Since there was nothing clear, their expressions were natural.

“Since many of you seem uncomfortable, let me get straight to the point before we eat. Please listen to my story and then enjoy your meal.”

Their expressions brightened a little, and their eyes began to sparkle.

“I’m here because I received a request. They made a difficult request of me, and I have to say difficult things to you.”

When you gather about ten people, there’s bound to be someone with a hot temper. That guy couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.

“Could you tell us whose request it is first?”

“It’s from two people. You probably know them well… President Jo Dae-ho and CEO Oh Se-hyun.”

The room buzzed for a moment.

Jo Dae-ho, the former head of Soonyang Automobile, and Oh Se-hyun, who took over Soonyang Automobile.

These two have a common denominator: HW Group.

“As you know, Chairman Song Hyun-chang, who headed HW Group, has stepped down, and the position is vacant. The heads of the group’s flagship company and the major shareholder’s representative insisted they weren’t fit to be chairman and instead unanimously wanted one person.”

Gathering about ten people, there’s someone who is both hot-tempered and quick-witted.

“Is that one person perhaps Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae?”

“Yes. But I’ve already asked about his intentions, and he flatly refused.”

There’s another buzz, but it’s subtly different. It’s because everyone has different thoughts.

Some might think it’s a position beneath Lee Hak-jae’s status, while others might think it’s the best offer since it’s a promotion from second-in-command to the top position.

“But why are you telling us this…?”

“Weren’t you all like one body with Chief of Staff Lee Hak-jae? If he were to become the chairman of HW Group, wouldn’t it be more comfortable to work with all of you who have been working together for so long?”

These people are also quick-witted.

They know that if Lee Hak-jae becomes the chairman of HW Group, all of them can move to HW Group like a package deal.

It was as if I could hear the sound of them diligently calculating in their heads.

Right now, not a single one of them thinks they’re on the main team. There was a time when they looked down even on the executives of the subsidiaries, but now they’re just insignificant staff in the vice-chairman’s secretarial office.

There was a time when many people were flattering them with sycophantic remarks, but now, even within the secretarial office, they’re treated like unwelcome newcomers, and no one approaches them first, let alone flatters them.

So what if the scale is a bit smaller? It’s a chance to get back into the mainstream.

Also, even if HW Group’s scale is small compared to Soonyang, it’s still a large corporation that no one can ignore in terms of domestic corporate size.

This offer is by no means a losing proposition, but they aren’t the core of the package. The main product is Lee Hak-jae, but he’s already refused, so this is all pointless.

“Excuse me… if Chief of Staff Lee has refused, it seems like a meaningless story.”

“Environments change, and situations change, don’t they? How about you persuade Chief of Staff Lee to change his mind?”

As soon as I finished speaking, everyone even showed a slight smile.

“You don’t understand. Chief of Staff Lee takes a long time to make decisions, but he never reverses his final decisions.”

“That’s right. He’s not someone we can persuade to change his mind.”

Everyone shook their heads and said in unison.

“You all seem satisfied.”

Everyone closed their mouths, perhaps because of my lowered voice.

“What are you even expecting for the future? You’re all on standby for restructuring, targets for dismissal. Do you really think the two vice-chairmen will entrust you with important responsibilities? I heard you were talented individuals, but I’m disappointed. You don’t seem to grasp the situation properly.”

They know my words are harsh. They just don’t want to believe that their uncertain future won’t be better than now.

“Well, I’m just conveying the intentions on behalf of HW Group, so the choice is yours. You can all flock to Chief of Staff Lee and beg him to move to a new home together, or you can be pushed around in Soonyang and eventually be dismissed….”

I added one more thing. Something stronger.

“Around the time my grandfather’s death is forgotten, there will be a major personnel reshuffle. If you believe you’ll have a place when the second-generation management system solidifies, you’ve misjudged our family. We aren’t that generous.”

I finished speaking and gestured to Assistant Manager Kim Yoon-suk.

Kim Yoon-suk began distributing documents to them.

“Those are contracts prepared by HW Group. If you want to sign those contracts, persuade Chief of Staff Lee. Tell him to move. Wouldn’t HW Group be a suitable new home for you all?”

I left them staring intently at the contracts.

“My work is done. Why don’t you all have a meal and have a deep conversation? Goodbye….”

* * *

“You’ve put some thought into this.”

“Since I was desperate, all sorts of tricks came to mind.”

“Do you happen to know something?”

Lee Hak-jae didn’t let go of his suspicious gaze.

I received a call from Lee Hak-jae exactly two days after meeting with the secretarial staff.

Judging by the timing, the secretarial staff visited their boss the night we met, and he thought about it for a day before contacting me.

This is a green light, not a red light.

“I know a lot. What I know most accurately is that Chief of Staff, you have no choice but to accept my offer.”

“Me? You’ve never seen me reverse a decision, have you?”

“That’s because you’ve only walked the flower path laid by Grandfather. When you walk a muddy path, you regret and change your mind. This time, come up the flower path I’ve laid out.”

“Is this North Korea? To be loyal for generations?”

“You don’t even intend to be loyal to me, so why are you saying such things?”

Lee Hak-jae paused for a moment before speaking.

“You know my two older brothers are pushing me to the edge of a cliff, and you even mobilized these guys, right?”

“Yes. Even I think it’s a brilliant move. What do you think?”

“Not bad. But your skin is getting thicker by the day. You’re even becoming slick.”

“I thought speaking with a smile would make Chief of Staff feel a little more at ease. Please just see it as me being cute.”

Finally, a smile appeared on his lips.

“Chief of Staff. Don’t clash with my uncles right now. Considering the political situation, they’ve grown wings.”

This general election is truly a deadly serious fight. Since the general election is being held while the president’s duties are suspended, both the ruling and opposition parties have put their lives on the line.

Naturally, they need to pour in a tremendous amount of money, so Soonyang Group, the source of funds, is desperately needed. So, if Soonyang points a finger and tells them to make it happen, they’ll do it without hesitation.

“Don’t fight them and use HW Group as a shield, even if it’s temporary. I’ll make sure you can counterattack immediately after the general election.”

“You’ll pull me out of the quagmire, secure rice bowls for all my men… what do you get out of this?”

“I don’t do business that makes me lose. Isn’t that what Grandfather hated the most?”

Lee Hak-jae stared at me for a while before saying something unexpected.

“You’re quite cruel. Digging into my difficult situation, stirring up the guilt of not taking care of my men, and even mentioning the chairman to make me feel sorry?”

“Chief of Staff, you’re surprisingly loyal. Think only about yourself right now. I’ll take care of the loyalty.”

“You don’t give an inch. Haha.”

“Then should I keep my mouth shut?”

“Don’t be cheeky and answer my question. What do you want to gain?”

“First, to prevent the holding company conversion and maintain my shares. Second, to raise HW Group to at least the third position in the business world. Overtaking Soonyang and Daehyun seems difficult, so I’ve lowered my goal a bit.”

Lee Hak-jae fell silent again.

We’re almost there.

He’s not stupid enough to refuse the lifeline being lowered because of his petty pride. And he probably has the desire to stand confidently at the forefront and lead a company, not just be someone else’s shadow.

Lee Hak-jae finally opened his mouth after a long time.

“Let’s add one more thing.”

“Is there anything else you need?”

“The promise to put me in the chairman’s seat at Soonyang, is that still valid?”

“Of course. But you’ll have to help me take over Soonyang.”

Lee Hak-jae grinned.

“I heard from the chairman. You prefer clean business relationships, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll draw up the contract. Cleanly.”

I readily took the hand Lee Hak-jae offered.

“Congratulations on moving to your new home.”