The Former Chaebol Heir Excels as President

Chapter 49: Interpellation Session (1)

I met Politics Division Chief Jung Jungha at a blowfish restaurant in Yeouido.

Twenty-five years later, his hair was white.

"You’ve aged gracefully."

"That’s a funny way to put it. I just can’t be bothered to dye it anymore."

As much time had passed, he now used honorifics when speaking to me.

Now, it was a meeting between a Member of the National Assembly and a Politics Division Chief, so formality was necessary.

I ordered blowfish soup, and yellowtail was served on the house.

Jung Jungha picked up a bottle of liquor.

"Here, take it. I never imagined we’d meet like this."

"I didn’t expect you to still be in the press, Chief."

"Why not?"

"Back then, you seemed passionate."

"Even after all these years, it’s still the same. Of course, my thoughts do differ from yours, Member."

Unlike the past, Donghwa Ilbo now leaned to the right.

The fact that he had remained there for so long meant that his thoughts aligned with the company’s.

"It’s only natural for thoughts to differ. The environment has its influence."

"Even though you possess immense wealth, you haven’t changed?"

"Money should be a means, not an end. That’s where the trouble starts."

"You’re still young, yet you speak with wisdom."

"Out of a hundred problems, ninety-nine can be solved with money. But there’s one it couldn’t solve."

"What is that?"

Jung Jungha stared at me silently.

"That’s a secret."

"What? Haha."

Jung Jungha made a baffled expression.

There was something I had come to realize. The life of a chaebol second son I experienced in a past life, and the second chance I had growing up in a shantytown.

Living two lives in extreme environments, I had gained an insight.

That’s what changed me.

As Jung Jungha poured liquor into my glass, he asked again.

"I’d like to know the secret. Can’t you give me a hint?"

"Ordinary people change through experience. The wise can do so through empathy."

"Since I can’t solve a riddle, I won’t ask further. Someday, I’ll find out myself, I suppose."

The blowfish soup was placed on the table.

"Let’s eat."

"You come here often, don’t you, Chief? It seems convenient with all the private rooms."

"At my level, it’s inevitable I know many politicians. After all, politicians and reporters are in a symbiotic relationship, like camellias and white-eyes."

"I must be quite lucky, then."

Camellia blossoms bloom in winter.

As it’s a time when insects are inactive, white-eyes serve as pollinators in exchange for nectar.

A mutually beneficial symbiosis.

It was a statement I wholeheartedly agreed with.

Jung Jungha, deboning a croaker with his chopsticks, suddenly muttered.

"What if we went back to how we were in the past? We were quite comfortable with each other back then."

"We only met for a few minutes as a reporter and a high school student. That’s not enough to say we were close."

"If you’re going to continue in politics, familiarity helps. The power of a Politics Division Chief is considerable."

Jung Jungha grinned slyly.

As Politics Division Chief of Donghwa Ilbo, he carried weight. Knowing him would certainly be helpful, but I didn’t want to start from a subordinate position.

"Wouldn’t common sense come before knowledge in journalism? You might have more knowledge and experience than I do, Chief, but we’re not close enough to speak without reserve. That wouldn’t align with common sense at the moment."

"Haha. That was a direct hit. Let’s get to know each other slowly. Let’s eat."

In my past life, I tamed the media with advertisements.

Back then, if you looked at media company shares, construction and civil engineering firms held enough to wield overwhelming influence.

It’s embarrassing to admit now, but there was a time a journalist came because of a problem in an apartment built by Yongho Construction, and I blocked the article with an advertisement.

Likewise, Wang Dohun in my past life handed out construction projects received from supervising institutions to his acquaintances and faced no consequences.

The cartel between construction companies and the media.

I know its solidity well.

"Chief."

"Yes, please go ahead."

"I understand the importance and necessity of the press very well. But if something heats up quickly, it can cool just as fast. That’s why I’m cautious."

"I was too hasty. Let’s take it slow. But why did you join the opposition party?"

"That photo you published played a big role. I became a democratization activist against my intentions."

"Hahaha."

Jung Jungha laughed heartily.

"But that can’t be the only reason you didn’t choose the People’s Party. Aren’t most of your alumni in the Korean Party?"

"To be honest, I wanted to reform the conservatives. In any case, now that I’ve joined the People’s Party, I need to fulfill my role."

"People criticize switching parties as being opportunistic, but I think differently. Humans are creatures of error. Thoughts can change for the better."

His words sounded like a suggestion to change party affiliation.

I had no such intention.

But that didn’t mean I would reveal my inner thoughts completely.

"I do not betray. In any case, I received the nomination from the People’s Party and wore the badge."

"Don’t be too confident. Politics is like a bouncy ball—you never know where it will bounce."

"You’re right. The reason I’m speaking so firmly might be because I’m actually shaken."

"Haha. Transformation isn’t always a bad thing. Here, have a drink."

The conversation that followed was mostly about politics. As a first-term lawmaker, there was a lot of useful information, and his words were helpful.

After emptying the final glass, Jung Jungha spoke.

"There’s a capable junior reporter I know. You should meet him someday. He’ll be of help."

"Who is it?"

"Ban Hyeongpil, a political affairs correspondent at Jongseon Ilbo. He’s a talented one, worth getting to know."

Ban Hyeongpil.

It was an uncommon surname, so I remembered immediately.

In my past life, he was the one who laid out the platform for me to enter politics.

Back then, he was the Politics Division Chief at Jongseon Ilbo.

I needed to confirm.

"Is he a young reporter?"

"It’s not easy to become a specialist correspondent. He’s probably a couple of years younger than you, Member."

That’s right.

It’s the same Ban Hyeongpil.

I was curious.

What was he like in his younger days?

"Please arrange a meeting. The more, the merrier."

"Sure. It was good seeing you today."

"Thank you for remembering me."

"Let’s get along well moving forward."

Time as a politician must be used meaningfully.

In that sense, today’s meeting was a success.

An abandoned building in the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.

Ji Jeongseok ascended the slanted stairway of the building.

As he passed the second-floor hallway.

"Ji Reporter, over here!"

A hand emerged from a side door.

Ji Jeongseok quickly stepped inside.

The middle-aged man before him had a flushed face and beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Ji Reporter! No one followed you, right?"

"Hyungnim, I’m a pro at shaking tails. No need to worry."

The middle-aged man, working as a deliberation officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, peered out the window.

"Hyungnim, I’ve done this more than a few times. If I pick up a tail, bells ring in my head."

"The atmosphere feels off. Since that article came out, I feel like I’m being watched."

"Wrongdoings must be corrected. How long are you going to live as an errand boy under those temporary bureaucrats? In the end, the career bureaucrats always win."

Now was the perfect time when the leakage of power was occurring.

As the President’s power transferred to his successor, the influence of the temporary bureaucrats, once like occupying forces, was waning.

In his previous article, Ji Jeongseok had covered the failed overseas oilfield development and mineral projects.

About 360 billion won had been invested to drill four blocks, but no commercially viable oil was discovered. The lithium project, which had garnered significant effort, also fizzled out after the host country declared nationalization. Among thirty-five MOUs, only two had resulted in final contracts, and even those were equity investments in existing mines.

However, because other media outlets did not pick up Ji Jeongseok’s article, it failed to gain major attention.

The middle-aged man expressed dissatisfaction.

"At least before, the temporary bureaucrats pretended to listen to the career ones. Now they act like lords."

"That’s why we need to show them some teeth."

"You said you were sure, so I gave you the materials. But look at the result—I’m the only one who got into trouble."

"I didn’t expect them not to follow up. Even the guy who promised to write betrayed me. This time, there’s nothing to worry about."

"You have another plan?"

"I’m going to blow it up at the Interpellation Session."

The middle-aged man’s eyes widened.

"Interpellation Session? A Member of the National Assembly?"

"Hyungnim! I’ve got that kind of connection. He’s a really sharp guy and will definitely strike a nerve. This time, there’ll be no articles—just a direct hit."

"Who is it?"

"You’ll see on TV later. I can’t let this info leak."

"You don’t trust me either?"

"Hyungnim, that’s just how I operate. That Member doesn’t even know you gave the materials."

The middle-aged man looked deeply troubled.

"If this turns out to be shouting into the void again, I’m finished."

"There’s a presidential election coming, so don’t worry. Even if the ruling party wins, they’ll differentiate from the former administration."

"I can’t sleep. Please, save me."

Ji Jeongseok looked him in the eye and said,

"Hyungnim, you couldn’t hold back your guilt and exploded. You’re doing the right thing, so don’t waver. Witnesses are already coming forward from the Knowledge Economy Committee."

"From the Knowledge Economy Committee?"

"There are leaks everywhere. If we compare them with the documents you gave me, everything will become clear. The documents?"

The middle-aged man handed over a pouch filled with documents.

"The corruption suspicion regarding the African diamond development rights and the loss from the acquisition of the empty-shell energy group."

Ji Jeongseok’s eyes gleamed sharply.

"Why? Do you know about this?"

"I heard it from an informant. I’ll secure the documents soon—once we compare, it’ll be clear."

"I won’t be exposed, right?"

"Honestly, I can’t guarantee 100%. I can protect you, Hyungnim, but if higher-ups get involved, I can’t make any promises."

"As long as you protect me, that’s enough. Everything within the organization was handled perfectly. Still, I can’t deny I’m nervous..."

Ji Jeongseok understood his feelings.

When he first blew the whistle, it stemmed from a sense of justice—he couldn’t keep turning a blind eye to corruption.

But once the news went public and the internal witch hunt for the informant began, the pressure followed—and he knew that fear well.

The vague anxiety and the tangible terror when the threat becomes real are worlds apart.

Most of those who came to him with information had gone through these very emotions.

He needed to give him courage.

"Hyungnim, can you really live comfortably knowing about corruption? When you first came to me, didn’t you say you couldn’t keep doing this because it was shameful?"

"......"

"You said you didn’t want to remain a father your children would be ashamed of. In dangerous situations, if no one blows the whistle, many people get hurt. I know what’s in your heart. In our society, when someone reveals their conscience for the sake of justice, we don’t applaud them—we serve them a search and seizure warrant. If something happens, I’ll find a way to protect you."

"Alright. Compared to you, Ji Reporter, risking your life on this investigation, I’m nothing. Please uncover the truth. That way, I can find peace of mind."

The middle-aged man bit down hard on his lower lip and steeled himself once more.

"Hyungnim, for now, you just have to trust me."

"I do trust you, Ji Reporter."

"You go first. Be careful."

"You be careful too, Ji Reporter."

Once the middle-aged man left, Ji Jeongseok pulled out the pouch and checked the documents.

As he reviewed them page by page, his expression gradually hardened.

Crouched against the wall, he pored through the documents for an hour.

Then Ji Jeongseok threw his arms up in triumph.