The Chaebols Are Back

February 1, 1972, in front of Lee Seong-su's house.

Mr. Jang, the manager, became my driver.

Of course, when I return to the Blue House, I will be doing other things for a while.

"please."

Sergeant Jang has a heavy bag in his hand.

"yes."

After answering my question, Sergeant Jang handed a heavy bag to Kim Gwang-pil.

"What is it?"

"Exchange your money at the Dongdaemun dollar market."

If you exchange dollars at the black market, you will get more than at the bank.

"yes."

"For the time being, I'll be moving together with Sergeant Jang."

Since I also need to make my people my own, I added the word "Ahjusshi" after my title so that I could feel closer to him.

"And this."

I handed a note to Kim Gwang-pil.

"This is a list and an address."

"These are the families of my comrades who died in Vietnam."

"Are you saying we should divide $1 million into nine equal parts?"

Kim Gwang-pil asked me with a surprised look.

"No, money that you can't afford is a disaster."

"Yes."

"After exchanging the dollars, please personally deliver only ten thousand dollars each. Find out how the bereaved families are living."

"Are you asking me to check the person next to me as well?"

I nodded at Kim Gwang-pil's words.

"I came back alive alone."

There is a burden on my mind.

I want to repay that in some way.

Of course it's not my fault.

If we really had to find fault, we could place the blame on Private Kim Myeong-bok, who fired the wrong shot.

Anyway, there must have been regular North Vietnamese troops close enough to come as soon as they heard the gunshots.

"ah!"

"And then, exchange the remaining $910,000 and buy land in Gangnam. Anywhere in Gangnam will do."

And later, we plan to preemptively secure land in the new city development area called Odaejang in Gyeonggi-do.

"Yes, I understand."

"We'll have to buy other lands later. And you, senior."

"yes."

"Is there anyone I know who can do my job in Japan?"

"Let's look for it."

"Japanese real estate will be a hotbed of activity in the future."

Two people nodded their heads as if what I said was true.

"First of all, I would appreciate it if you could drop me off near the Blue House."

"I will serve you."

Mr. Jang Sergeant opened the car door.

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* * *

In front of the President's Office at the Blue House.

-Does this make sense!

As I headed to the President's office to report my return to the country and the Blue House, the inside of the President's office was resonating loudly.

"What's going on?"

I asked the secretary's office clerk.

"On the 31st, a middle school student committed suicide by hanging himself after reading a comic book."

"yes?"

"It was widely reported in the newspapers and news, but in the will left by that middle school student, he wrote that he wanted to test whether he could be resurrected like the people in the comics who died in the comics. His Majesty is furious because he knows that. I think it would be better to come back later."

-Cartoons are so harmful, so what has the Ministry of Culture been doing all this time?

The middle school student suicide case is likely to have a huge impact on the comics industry.

"But you're supposed to report today."

"Why is Your Majesty so angry?"

"There's nothing I can do."

I knocked on the office door after speaking to the secretary in the office.

I entered the office carefully.

* * *

Inside the Oval Office.

"Is Seongsu here?"

It's the first time I've seen the president look so angry.

"Comics are harmful, harmful!"

"Your Majesty, I will close all comics that are being published and all animated films that are being aired."

Without even checking the details of the situation of the middle school student who committed suicide, the president said that the cartoon was the problem, so the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism came up with a measure that was only enough to quell the complaints in a hurry.

"Okay, do that."

I stayed quiet because the president was still angry.

'I can't come out at this time.'

When you're angry, you should just let it be.

"Everyone, come out and look."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

After the summoned ministers glanced at me, they left the presidential office, leaving only the chief of staff behind.

"Seongsu, what do you think about comics?"

"yes?"

"How can comics help children grow up, right?"

"Your Majesty, I think the comics industry is one that needs to be fostered."

"what?"

This is the first president who has ever glared at me.

"When I was staying in the United States for a while, I saw a comic book called Superman and a comic magazine called Batman."

"however?"

"You can make a movie out of that cartoon. There is a lot of violence in the cartoon, but I think that's a separate issue. And I think we need to look again at the family circumstances of the middle school student who committed suicide."

"Shouldn't the comics themselves be controlled?"

"In my humble opinion, yes."

"Once it's done, you worked hard, you had a hard time, and you're amazing. Hahaha!"

The president, who had been glaring at me just a moment ago, brightened up when he remembered what I had accomplished.

"no."

"You did something amazing again. Yesterday, a 300,000-ton tanker arrived at Busan Port with 2 million barrels in it?"

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"The Iranian Prime Minister has shown great consideration."

"Of course, the price would be the Islamic temple you mentioned earlier and the name of the road would be Tehran?"

"Yes, that's right. And the Iranian government wants to establish formal diplomatic relations."

Actually, I have to be exclusive about this part.

"I received a report from the Minister of Foreign Affairs that the Iranian Prime Minister has requested that you be appointed as the person in charge of the negotiations to establish diplomatic relations."

"Your Majesty, I have something to apologize to you for."

"Seongsu, is there anything you need to apologize for?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, when I was talking to the Shah of Iran and the Prime Minister of Iran, I lied and said that I was going to be your son-in-law."

"so?"

"My status rose and negotiations became easier."

"Okay, then. But how much did you pay for the 2 million barrels?"

How much should I say?

"One dollar per barrel."

This is a real job.

"Ha, hahaha!"

The president laughed heartily after hearing my answer.

"owner."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The chief secretary couldn't hide his surprised expression either.

"This is why I trust Seongsu and entrust him with work."

"Your Majesty, I have something to tell you accordingly."

I feel like I have to risk my life to say this.

"There must be a reason why they gave it to me cheap."

He is a president whose expression changes drastically.

"Yes, the Shah of Iran doesn't know that he gave 2 million barrels of oil for 1 dollar."

"So, is this a unilateral decision by the Iranian Prime Minister?"

"Yes, that's right. The Iranian Prime Minister is also a royal, a prince."

The president is reminded of something by my words.

"The Iranian prime minister wanted to establish diplomatic relations first, and he ignored the price of oil set at $3 and gave 2 million barrels at $1."

"Yes, that's right."

"Is it rat poison?"

But the president is not asking where the money came from.

'Should we also reveal that we sold 10 million barrels to Japan?'

So how will the President react?

"dismissal."

I lowered my voice.

"What is the reason?"

"I know this may be rude, but can I whisper something to you?"

"You bet a lot."

"yes."

"Seongsu, are you going to get in trouble for something like this?"

"I think you can decide after listening to it."

"Okay, tell me."

After hearing the President's answer, I approached him and reported to him the truth about the secret agreement I had made with the Iranian Prime Minister.

Of course, I hid the fact that the Iranian Prime Minister had invested $100 million in me.

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"Really?"

The look in his eyes changed completely, and he even flashed a life-giving light.

"sorry."

"100 people?"

"Including the Korean community that will be formed around the embassy, ​​the number will be 500."

"yes."

"But they won't be used."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure."

"Seongsu, you have to answer correctly from now on."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What else did you receive besides the 2 million barrels of oil?"

What should I do?

'Should I reveal it?'

In fact, it is difficult to say that I will establish Korea Petroleum without revealing the truth.

"dismissal."

"You have to be honest. It's a big deal if it's bigger than a rice cake. Of course, it's a huge deal to have a long-term supply of oil at $2 for eight years."

"Your Majesty, I have received investment from the Prime Minister of Iran."

"invest?"

"Yes, that's right. We received $100 million in investment, and $20 million of that was reinvested into nationalizing the phosphate mines owned by the Republic of Nauru."

The president was surprised by my sudden revelation, and the chief of staff was so surprised that he trembled.

"Why?"

"Aren't there too many uses for the loans that the US is providing?"

"so?"

"I want to build an oil refinery and petrochemical complex in Yeosu with 80 million dollars."

"Are you saying you're going to do business properly?"

"Yes, that's right. If you refine oil and distribute it domestically and export it to Japan and Taiwan, you can earn an unimaginable amount of dollars."

"You little kid, can you do that?"

"Yes, that's right. I will definitely do it."

"owner."

"Yes? Yes, Your Majesty."

The Chief of Staff to the President still seems to have lost his mind.

"Should I believe what this goblin says?"

At the President's question, the Chief of Staff to the President stared at me for a moment.

I checked the color it represents and it is dark blue.

"Your Majesty, Seongsu is your goblin club."

"That's right. Seongsu is the goblin's club of the Republic of Korea."

"Your Majesty, do you permit me?"

"You have to allow it. There is no other way. By the way, how did you get the Iranian King to boil it?"

"He said he would spread Islam in Korea, a wasteland for Islam."

"The temple is being built."

It's a quick decision.

"Yes, but the Shah of Iran was more satisfied with Korea becoming a place of exile for Islamic missionaries than with them spreading Islam."

"You said that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries are all about religion?"

"Yes, that's right."

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"It seems that the Iranian king is at odds with religious leaders."

"Yes, that's right."

"Then what about the Prime Minister?"

This is the president who figured out exactly why the Iranian Prime Minister invested $100 million in me.

"I think I'll try to become closer to you."

"I understand. South Korea is a liberal democracy that guarantees freedom of religion. There is no reason to block Muslim missionaries from entering the country and doing missionary work."

The president is confident that if such religious activities are carried out, the Iranian government will provide more oil to Korea.

'A liberal democratic country?'

There is a word missing from what the President said.

A country of liberal democratic dictators!

'I too have developed a bad habit like Kim Gwang-pil.'

Of course it's different.

Kim Gwang-pil told me out loud, but I was thinking about it in my head.

Still, I will use the dictator until I become powerful.

And I'm starting to feel a little bit of respect.

"But, you must not cause any trouble."

"That won't happen."

"By the way, if the Iranian King wants it unofficially, should we do it?"

The subject is missing.

'assassination?'

I know it.

This is the truth that the king wants.

"I don't think it's necessarily necessary."

"Okay. Have you decided on a company name?"

"yes?"

"You said you were going to start an oil company?"

"Oh, it's Korean oil."

"Korea Oil? It's not even a public corporation?"

"Your Majesty, the reason I want to become a businessman and an investor is because I want the Republic of Korea to prosper. That's why I will use the name Korea and make it a quasi-public enterprise."

"What is a quasi-public enterprise?"

"The Korean government and people will become shareholders of the company I establish and operate."

If you say you're going to eat alone, you absolutely can't.

"That's what you were thinking? Hahaha, then there's no reason to say no."

I think he likes the term 'quasi-public enterprise'.

"Seongsu."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Let's eat."

It's already lunchtime.