MTLNOVEL Ch. 47
Chapter 47: Room 510 of the Members’ Office (2)
Im Seong-chan looked at me with a broad smile.
Warmth returned to his previously expressionless face.
“It’s time I came clean.”
I stared at him blankly, not understanding what he meant.
“I came here because I want to work as your staffer.”
“Pardon?”
“I’m not the kind of person who follows party orders blindly. I applied because I wanted to work with you.”
Supreme Council Member Seong Chang-rae had said that every Member of the National Assembly wanted to have Im Seong-chan as their staffer.
Why would someone like that choose me?
I was curious.
“Is it for the reason you mentioned earlier?”
“I believe politics can change the fate of a nation, but I lack political talent. However, I am specialized in support. I know my place well.”
Did he mean he wanted to be a kingmaker?
“Isn’t that expecting too much from someone who just entered politics?”
“Let’s call it an investment. Either way, I don’t have anything to lose.”
“I’d like to hear more specific details.”
“I’ll tell you when the time comes. Didn’t you call me here because you had something to say?”
Oh.
I had forgotten something important.
“To propose a bill, I need ten co-sponsors. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me which Members of Parliament are most likely to agree, based on your judgment.”
“Dozens of bills are proposed every day.”
“I’m aware. But this is a competitive period, and gathering ten is no easy feat.”
“You’re a first-term Member of the National Assembly. Do it yourself. Experience is the most valuable asset.”
He was right.
I hadn’t planned to take an easy road from the start.
“I understand. I’ll push forward myself.”
“The National Assembly is a jungle. You have to identify allies and enemies to survive.”
“Thank you. Staffer, there’s something I’m curious about.”
“Please, go ahead.”
I wanted to test his abilities. At the same time, it would be helpful if he knew about my situation.
“There’s a rumor that Criminal Division 3 has been investigating me since before the election. Can you confirm if it’s true?”
“Where did you hear that?”
“A friend of mine is a prosecutor. It doesn’t seem like a baseless claim. Actually...”
I told him about my bad history with Oh Man-seok and described in detail what we discussed when I met him.
After hearing everything, Im Seong-chan’s eyes sharpened.
“I’ll look into it.”
“Thank you.”
“Start by meeting the Members of Parliament from the ruling party. Since many of them went to the same high school as you, maintaining good relationships will be helpful. Solve the hard problems first, and the rest will be easier.”
“I’ll do that.”
I decided to follow his advice.
“Member of the National Assembly.”
“Yes?”
“For now, stick to principles.”
“That sounds like a condition. Are you saying things will change later?”
“In big politics, principles don’t always work. The background changes depending on where a person stands.”
Could he place me in a different background?
I wanted to prove why he had chosen me.
The ‘Fools’ Club’ was a first-term Members’ group within the Korea Unification Party.
Created with the aim of building true conservatism, the group was led by Ryu Jong-min.
It wasn’t the only first-term Members’ group. There was also the ‘Promise Club’ (Let’s Keep Our Pledges), formed mainly by proportional representatives, and the ‘Regional Development First’ group, composed of Members from southern regions.
The Fools’ Club consisted of first-term Members from the Capital Area and had six members.
They gathered at a Japanese restaurant in Yeouido.
“Let’s make a toast.”
Ryu Jong-min raised his glass.
“For true!”
“Conservatism!”
“Let’s build it!”
Ryu Jong-min and Wang Dohun were the youngest in the group. The others ranged from their late 40s to early 50s.
After emptying his glass, Member of the National Assembly Han Chin-woo spoke.
“Member Ryu, is it hard to gather more people?”
“Maybe because I’m young, it’s not easy.”
“Or maybe you’re too outspoken. The Capital Area got crushed, so reform is necessary, but the further south you go, the more critical nominations become. That’s why I acknowledge your sincerity.”
Ryu Jong-min’s constituency was one where he could win as long as he secured the nomination. That’s why Han Chin-woo admired him for calling for conservative reform.
“I barely scraped through this time. My district, Hwaseong, won’t be safe in the next election.”
“I also think the Capital Area will continue to lose if we stay the same. That’s why change is essential.”
“I agree with you, Member Ryu. Let’s stick with it, even if it’s hard.”
“That’s the plan.”
Wang Dohun, seated next to Ryu Jong-min, did not like being here.
A first-term Capital Area group that excluded regional and proportional meetings.
He had joined out of necessity for allies, but Ryu Jong-min was calling for party reform. Wang Dohun felt uneasy, worried that this might cost him his next nomination.
Ryu Jong-min said,
“The party leadership is planning to reform the Members of Parliament’s pension system and reduce both the immunity from arrest and non-liability privileges. We should support it.”
“Will that really work?”
“We need to lead the charge and speak up first. That’s how our voices will be heard.”
“You’re only saying that because there’s barely any support yet.”
Member of the National Assembly Jeon Hoe-su was skeptical. He had been elected in Ansan and, like Han Chin-woo, had won by a narrow margin.
“If the leadership is pushing it, won’t it pass?”
“We’ll need cooperation from the opposition, and there’s going to be considerable pushback within our party.”
“The opposition is reportedly announcing plans to abolish the Members of Parliament’s pension system and ban holding second jobs for profit.”
Other Members of Parliament, who had been listening to the conversation, joined in.
“Shouldn’t the non-liability privilege remain? We need to protect freedom of expression. Without it, how can we represent the people’s voice without fear?”
“I agree. The non-liability privilege is a protective measure for Members of Parliament. Without it, how can we resist suppression?”
“The problem lies in reckless accusations.”
“That should be left to the National Assembly Ethics Committee.”
“Crayfish sides with crab—they’re all the same. You think that’ll work?”
A fierce debate broke out among the Members of Parliament.
Wang Dohun frowned, visibly bored.
“Member Ryu, I have an appointment, so I’ll head out first.”
“Cheonmyeong said he’d come by. Why don’t you stay and meet him?”
“Kang Cheonmyeong is coming?”
“He should be nearby.”
Ryu Jong-min turned his head to look at Han Chin-woo.
“Sunbae-nim.”
“Yes?”
“Member of the National Assembly Kang Cheonmyeong wants to greet you. Is that alright?”
“Member of the National Assembly Kang Cheonmyeong?”
“He should be close. Shall I call him in?”
“I’d like to see him too.”
Han Chin-woo also gathered agreement from the other Members of Parliament.
Only Wang Dohun still looked displeased.
After receiving Ryu Jong-min’s call, I entered the sashimi restaurant.
The Fools’ Club, which he led.
Since it was a reformist group within conservatism, it was important to build ties with them.
Knock knock—
“Come in.”
I opened the door and bowed my head as I entered.
I saw six people, including Ryu Jong-min and Wang Dohun.
“I’m Kang Cheonmyeong. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“Welcome. It’s even better to see you here.”
Jeon Hoe-su and Han Chin-woo welcomed me warmly.
They treated me kindly.
On the other hand, Wang Dohun looked uncomfortable, as if he had just eaten a raw persimmon.
“Dohun-ah, long time no see.”
“Already working on building your network?”
“Politics aside, we still need to cooperate. First-term Members should unite.”
“Even so, did you really have to come to someone else’s turf?”
Wang Dohun picked a fight as soon as he saw me.
I sat between Jeon Hoe-su and Han Chin-woo.
Jeon Hoe-su asked,
“Have you eaten?”
“I had something nearby.”
“I heard the light in Room 510 never goes off. Aren’t you working a bit too hard?”
“From the outside, I thought Members of Parliament just idled around. But now that I’m doing the job, there’s never enough time.”
“For first-term Members like us, it’s even tougher. There’s so much to learn—we can’t survive without supplements.”
Sitting across from me, Ryu Jong-min asked,
“Member Kang, the interpellation session is coming up. Are you preparing well?”
“I’m not even sure if I’ll get a spot.”
“Same here. It’s hard to get selected as a questioner.”
“What’s the situation over there? It looked like the floor leader election stirred some internal strife.”
I looked at Han Chin-woo, who had asked, and answered.
“I’m not familiar with the internal workings of the party. For now, I’m just watching the fire across the river.”
“Hahaha. It’s hard to take sides. The plight of a first-term Member.”
“We have to play it smart.”
“Are you preparing any bills?”
“I’m preparing a bill on revitalizing traditional markets. It seems many other Members of Parliament are submitting similar ones.”
“Looks like quite a few are just revising scrapped bills and resubmitting them.”
This time, Jeon Hoe-su, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in.
“Since you’re a businessman, I’m really curious about the contents.”
“I’ll send it through my staffer as soon as the bill is ready. Thank you for your interest.”
“Let’s have a drink sometime. I feel like there’s a lot to learn from you, Member Kang.”
“On the contrary, I should be learning from my seniors. I’d be glad to.”
Except for Wang Dohun, the atmosphere was friendly.
After an hour of conversation, the gathering ended.
It was time to check on the constituency office.
By the time I arrived at the constituency office, the sun was setting.
One intern and one paid staffer were manning the office.
“Good work.”
The intern stood up quickly upon seeing me.
“Member of the National Assembly!”
The staffer seated across also stood up.
“You’re here?”
“It’s almost time to clock out. I heard from Staffer Im that a lot of visitors have been dropping by.”
“When we mentioned you were coming, the President of the Merchants’ Association said he would stop by.”
“When?”
“He said he’d be here by six.”
I looked at the clock on the wall.
It was almost six.
“You can head home. I’ll meet him.”
“No, I’ll stay a little longer.”
“I heard you’ve been working late due to civil complaints lately. Since I’m here today, go ahead and leave.”
“Still…”
I gave a warm smile and said,
“That’s an order.”
“…Yes.”
The intern approached and handed me documents organizing the civil complaints.
“These are the complaints we received this week.”
“I’ll take a look. Thank you for your hard work.”
“Take care.”
Once the intern and staffer left, I reviewed the documents.
They ranged from minor issues like noise between floors and parking disputes to bigger matters such as the problem of Chinese compatriots in Daerim-dong and redevelopment-related grievances.
Every issue involved a counterpart. That’s why the process of reaching an agreement was crucial.
I first reviewed the civil complaints from market merchants, which would serve as the basis for the first bill I planned to propose.
Crackdown on illegal street vendors, replacing outdated signs, market modernization, installation of public restrooms and parking lots, expansion of Onnuri gift certificates, and so on.
As I scanned through, one attached document’s title caught my eye.
[Misappropriation of Funds by the President of the Merchants’ Association]
Allegations that Park Du-sik, the President of the Merchants’ Association, had embezzled 100 million won received as consolation money from a large supermarket, evidence that he had distributed money during the election using association fees, and testimony that he collected fees from street vendors for stall spots.
If this information was true, President Park Du-sik of the Merchants’ Association must be legally punished.
The document had no attached evidence and the author was unknown, so verification was necessary.
I recalled Park Du-sik’s face—how he deliberately contradicted me when I had explained the traditional market revitalization plan.
‘He’s definitely a suspicious figure.’
Just as I reviewed the corruption details again, the door opened, and he walked in.
Park Du-sik, President of the Merchants’ Association.
Speak of the devil and he appears.
“Member of the National Assembly Kang Cheonmyeong, how have you been? Do you remember me?”
“Of course. Please, have a seat over here.”
I greeted him with a big smile and showed him to his seat.
Now it was time to catch the tiger.