"Why shouldn't we return as much as we take? Let the conglomerate moguls compete."
Of course, if this occurs, Chairman Eunseong Group will manage to stop Gangnam flooding through the employment of foreign engineers, but Chairman Wang of Daehyun Group will begin real estate speculation.
"Yes, we have gained a lot of advantages, so we must return to the nation and people. Is this the redistribution you mentioned earlier, Seongsu?"
"Yes, you could say that."
"As I expected, certainly exceptional, Chief Secretary."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Who do I summon?"
"I believe summoning the presidents of Eunseong Group and Daehyun Group would be a good idea."
"Summon me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Chairman Wang and I are going to consume makgeolli with kimchi of pickled turnip as a side dish this time. Hahaha!"
The President and Chairman Wang are on good terms.
As the President ordered, the Chief of Staff got up at once, and I did the same.
"Seongsu, sit down and eat."
The chief secretary, who was smiling at me, left the restaurant at once.
"Seongsu, you should also greet the two conglomerate leaders this time."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
South Korea is a connection-based society.
So it's useful to know.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, and Your Excellency."
This time, I will reward you with the reward money in the form of land so that you won't be disappointed."
"Did you say land?"
It's incredible.
"Form a land development corporation?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Then I'll give you as much as you want."
The president really likes me.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"So from now on, you shouldn't accept requests like this."
The president's eyes became cold.
"Oh, I'm sorry.
At moments like these, I could not sit up straight on my chair, so I knelt on the ground.
"Tsk tsk, what would be the use if a gentleman's knees are this light?"
ah!
The president truly does consider me a son-in-law.
'This won't do.'
It seems that things are heading in a foreboding direction.
The chief secretary, having stepped out of the restaurant, returned and frowned on seeing me on my knees.
"Your Majesty, I have informed the two presidents right away."
These are the times you have to run when the president summons you.
"Seongsu, wake up."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Even so, I instructed the military academy superintendent to ensure that you pass."
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"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Anyway, Seongsu, I wish the oil shock occurs as you told me. And I wish that we may get oil from Iran for years to come."
"Yes, of course it will happen."
"Go to America and then Iran."
This morning they instructed me to go to the US, and now instruct me to carry the film from the US and go all the way to Iran.
"Chief Secretary, who would be a suitable special envoy to Iran?"
"Your Majesty, I believe it is time to summon the commander of the 3rd Corps and utilize him."
"Lee Jae-gyu?"
That Lee Jae-gyu?
Am I getting entangled with Lee Jae-gyu once more?
I am meeting all the key players of the whirlwind of contemporary Korean history.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Alright, this time dispatch Seongsu as a special envoy to Iran."
Now I have to go to the US and then to Iran.
An hour passed like that.
By the time the two chaebol heads, competing for the first and second place in the Korean business community, arrived at the Blue House restaurant, I still hadn't finished eating my radish noodles.
'The noodles are puffy.'
Anyone who sees it would think that it was originally made of thick noodles.
"Your Majesty, have you called?"
Chairman Wang, known to be humorous, received the president warmly with a smile.
The president was greeted with a bow from the chairman of Eunseong Group by a composed expression like a virtuous elder.
"I have called you because I have something to ask of you two presidents."
At the mention of the word "request," the two chaebol leaders of contrasting personalities frowned simultaneously, as if they had caught themselves for a moment thinking that it was not the right moment to arrive, but that was only for a moment.
"Yes, Your Majesty, proceed."
Chairman Wang spoke first.
"Every summer, Gangnam in Seoul suffers from flooding, which renders life very challenging for the common folk.
"The Gangnam district is low-lying, so it will flood."
"That's why. I want the two chairmen to sort this out. This is my wish."
I'll say please and write command.
"You have to do it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Chairman Wang was the first to reply. But Chairman Wang, as I understand, is hooked on real estate speculation.
"I will try my best."
Following Chairman Wang's response, Chairman Eunseong Group responded calmly as well.
"They are competing for the first and second in the Korean business circle, so we are challenging them."
The President stressed once again.
"Yes, I understand."
The expression in Eunseong Group Chairman's eyes shifted a bit.
'Eunseong Group Chairman dismissed Chairman Wang, who was once a farmhand.'
You likely don't like using the word competition these days.
"Oh, and this is my favorite secretary."
The President introduced me personally to the two chairmen of the groups.
"This is Secretary Lee Seong-su."
I stood up from my chair and welcomed him immediately.
'I'll catch two of you within five years.'
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If you have the capital, I am 100% certain you can catch it.
* * *
January 8, 1972, the Blue House presidential office.
Another monopoly.
The President now seeks me out first when he gets bored.
"He instructed me to travel to the United States with Special Envoy Lee Jae-gyu and present the war documentary on Chosin Reservoir to Lieutenant Smith, then proceed to Iran."
"That's correct."
The 3rd Corps commander, Lee Jae-gyu, hasn't arrived yet.
"Once I meet with the Shah of Iran, I would like to proceed to France."
"Why France?"
"Top religious leader of Iran is in exile in France."
Today's Republic of Korea does not have much knowledge regarding the Iranian dynasty.
"okay?"
"Yes, I looked into it through books, and the supreme Islamic religious authority who happens to be living in exile in France is an Islamic fundamentalist. His name is Khomeini, and we should try to get closer to him as well."
"Seongsu, why did you think that?"
Iran is now a secular Islamic nation, but the Iranian people do not have confidence in the Iranian emperor. The reason is that the world oil price is highest and Iran is now facing extreme inflation."
This is a president whose face changes when I speak.
"Seongsu, are you saying that a revolution could occur soon?
It might not be immediately, but if a revolution occurs in Iran, it will not be a military takeover, but a religious revolution. What I understand from reading books is that religion comes first in the lives of Muslims. Therefore, if there is a religious revolution in Iran, all would go to ruin.
The Iranian religious revolution took place in 1979, I think, and the Iranian dynasty collapsed.
'Come to think of it, the president too.'
Planned to be assassinated on October 26, 1979.
But the president is unaware of that fact, so he is waiting along with me and the would-be assassin, Corps Commander Lee Jae-gyu.
"Let's prepare for the future?"
"Exile life will be difficult and exhausting. If you offer a helping hand, unofficial as it is, Iran can afterwards treat Korea as a big favor and supply it with its unlimited crude oil at a reasonable price."
"But what if the Iranian King hears about it?"
"I will try to keep it secret as much as I can."
"Are you saying that this is indispensable?"
"Yes, that's it."
"Okay, I get it."
"Your Majesty, may I speak with the Chairman of Eunseong Group or the Chairman of Daehyun Group personally?"
"You two conglomerates?"
"If we are discussing business, we can probably secure financing to invest in France."
"Seongsu, do you suppose I am following behind you?"
The president raised an eyebrow.
"Is Your Majesty merely concerned with establishing the Republic of Korea as a thriving and great nation?"
The president looked at me intensely upon hearing my words.
"I will permit it if you vow me that you will not spend the huge amount of money you collected from encountering the two conglomerates on personal things."
"Yes, I will do so."
Naturally it is a falsehood.
"Don't believe it."
"Yes, Your Majesty, and Your Majesty."
"Why do you have more to say to me?"
"Your Majesty just said a while ago that Korea would be stronger if people with more talent like me were available in greater numbers."
"That's right."
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"Your Majesty, I realize this might be presuming too much on your part, but I don't believe we should simply wait for the persimmons to drop from the tree."
It wouldn't be far from the truth to state that I'm now a non-official power broker.
Because I am having a secret meeting with the President like this and I can speak with him at ease.
"Are you saying I'm an idiot who just waits for a persimmon to fall from a persimmon tree?"
"That's not it."
"Then what?"
"Didn't the US agree to transfer $500 million in grant loans on February 5th?"
"so?"
"I hope that only 1/10 of that 500 million dollars will be spent on the youth of South Korea."
"Scholarship program?"
"I believe the reason Japan was able to rise to become a great power in Asia in the past was that after the Meiji Restoration, it sent its best people to the West for study."
The president inclines his head to what I say.
"That's true."
I believe that from the viewpoint of intelligence, Koreans are not at all inferior to Japanese. So, send Korean youth to study abroad at famous universities in the United States or Europe so that they can lay the groundwork for the future of the Republic of Korea."
"Do you want to go too?"
Actually, I want to go.
It would be less difficult to gain capital and run business if you were in the US or in Europe instead of in the Korean small city.
"I shall stand by you, Your Majesty."
"Even until I die?"
Things are about to take a twist in the conversation.
"Yes, Your Majesty, if you give it some thought, Your Majesty's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea of the people will stand stronger."
I concluded with the words, "The Republic of Korea of the people," because if I merely stated "Your Excellency's Republic of Korea," it would be like flattering.
"Yes, I can't simply wish persimmons to drop from a persimmon tree. Through pure luck, I have acquired a persimmon such as you, Seongsu. But the next time, I will have to make the dried persimmons that I will eat myself."