Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 268

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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268. Then would it be alright if I asked for just one favor?

[Osung Information & Communications: Accounting Irregularities Overlooked Before Listing; Securities Supervisory Authority Suspected of Systematic Misconduct]

Having finished reading the article in the Sechang Daily News evening edition—still reeking of fresh ink from the printing press—Seok-won’s lips curved into a deep smile.
Scattered across his desk were evening editions from various newspapers published that day, and without exception, exposés of Securities Supervisory Authority misconduct dominated their front pages.
And beneath each article, as if part of a coordinated package, sprawled oversized advertisements for Midopa Department Store’s spring seasonal sale.

“To win anything, you have to place your bets strategically.”

Seok-won leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself.
In exchange for prominently featuring Donghae Peregrine Securities’ involvement in the Securities Supervisory Authority scandal, Daheung Group had promised each newspaper a rotating advertising blitz—running advertisements for not just Midopa Department Store, but all affiliated subsidiaries including securities and textile divisions, each for two-week intervals. It was, quite literally, an advertising bombardment.
And to seal the deal completely, he had distributed paper shopping bags stuffed with cash to the editorial directors of each newspaper.
So Woo Ho-geun’s proposal to run merely a couple of one-time advertisements was never going to gain traction from the start.

“Now that I’ve lit the spark, I need to add more kindling to make the fire burn brighter.”

At that moment, his Attendant Secretary Han Ji-sung knocked and entered, approaching the desk.

“Chairman. You’ll need to depart now to arrive on time.”
“Ah, yes. I hadn’t realized it had gotten so late.”

Seok-won raised one arm to check the watch on his wrist, then rose from his chair.

* * *

An hour later.
Seok-won sat facing Woo Chun-il, Secretary-General of the New Era National Council, in a private room of the Separate Building at Ojin-am, a luxury establishment located in Jongno Ikseon-dong.
Across the spacious low table laden with over forty delicacies, the two men conversed while having temporarily dismissed the Female Server attending them.

“I even provided substantial assistance, yet the general election results turned out poorly. I have no face to show you.”

As Secretary-General Woo Chun-il wore a bitter expression due to the general election defeat, Seok-won picked up the liquor decanter and filled the empty glass before speaking.

“Isn’t it said that the world doesn’t work as we wish? Though the results were poor this time, if you properly consolidate the scattered opposition through this opportunity, I’m certain there will be good results next time. So please, take heart.”
“You’re right.”

Woo Chun-il’s mood had lifted somewhat, and he regarded Seok-won with a gentle gaze.

“You’re still young, yet your thoughts run so deep—I’m always amazed when we speak. It’s comfortable, almost like talking with someone my own age… Ah, but that’s a compliment, mind you. Don’t misunderstand.”

Though inwardly stung by the remark, Seok-won nodded composedly.

“Thank you for seeing me that way.”

Woo Chun-il chuckled and raised his glass.

“After the general election, it’s been hard to shake off this sense of emptiness. Meeting with you like this brings me some comfort. Come, let’s have a drink.”
“Of course.”

Seok-won clinked glasses lightly, tilted his head slightly to the side, and downed the drink in one smooth motion.
Then, as Woo Chun-il had also emptied his glass, Seok-won refilled it and spoke.

“Melons are in season now, so I brought a box of the finest ones as a gift for you.”
“…Melons, you say?”

At this unexpected remark, Woo Chun-il’s thick brows narrowed.
Seeing his confusion, Seok-won smiled faintly.

“Yes. I prepared this hoping it might offer some small assistance to you and the New Era National Council during this difficult time.”

Upon hearing this, Woo Chun-il immediately understood that the fruit box contained something far more valuable than melons.

“But you’ve already helped us before—why do this…?”
“To properly recover from the aftermath of the election, you’ll need this, won’t you?”

Indeed, since the electoral defeat, he had been deeply troubled about how to console the party members, whose disappointment ran profound.
Yet when Seok-won appeared with funds as if he could read his very thoughts, Woo Chun-il felt both flustered and grateful.

“Well, this is something.”
“It’s simply my sincere wish—please accept it without hesitation.”
“Every time, I find myself indebted to you. I’m grateful, yet I have no face to show for it.”
“Please don’t say such things.”

With the party’s finances already strained before the electoral debacle and now even more precarious, Woo Chun-il’s gratitude was genuine, not merely words.

“I’m ashamed to ask, but given the party’s circumstances, I’ll gratefully accept.”
“Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any assistance.”

At that, Woo Chun-il, the Secretary-General, broke into a warm smile and spoke in a gentle voice.

“Haha. It’s reassuring to hear you say that. The Chairman has been eager to meet with Chairman Park as well. But as you know, the situation isn’t favorable right now, so unfortunately we’ll have to postpone it for next time.”

Seok-won, who had heard before the election through Secretary-General Woo Chun-il that Kim Jae-chun, who would become the next president, wanted to meet him, answered without showing any particular disappointment.

“That’s perfectly fine. You must have many more urgent matters to attend to, so please let me know whenever things settle down.”

Impressed by Seok-won’s lack of resentment and his consideration for the other’s circumstances, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il raised his internal assessment of Seok-won even higher and nodded.
Secretary-General Woo Chun-il lifted the glass before him, took a sip, set it down, and spoke with admiration.

“It’s wonderful to see young entrepreneurs like Chairman Park. The future of the business world truly looks bright.”
“I still have much to learn.”

Seok-won replied with humility.
Secretary-General Woo Chun-il, whose expression was full of affection, seemed to remember something and opened his mouth.

“By the way, I’ve been so preoccupied with the general election that I haven’t had time to pay attention, but I heard that Daheung Group is facing difficulties these days.”

Seok-won, who had been timing when to bring up the real purpose, deliberately stiffened his expression slightly as the other man broached the subject first.

“Yes. As you know, we’re struggling because Donghae Group is attacking to seize management control.”

While Seok-won and Daheung Group had received political funding support, Donghae Group, which had formed a marital alliance with former President Noh Ki-hoon and received numerous privileges during the military regime, prompted Secretary-General Woo Chun-il to immediately turn serious and speak.

“Domestic companies can’t cooperate with each other, and instead they’re trying to shamelessly seize another’s company. It seems one’s roots truly cannot be changed.”

Then Seok-won let out a small sigh.

“If it were just Donghae Group alone, we could certainly overcome them. But the problem is they’ve brought in foreign forces to launch a coordinated attack, making the fight far from easy.”
“Foreign forces? Is that really true?”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il, startled, asked as if it were his own matter, his voice tinged with anger.

“Yes. It’s Peregrine Securities, an investment firm based in Hong Kong.”
“Peregrine? Are you referring to the firm that was the first to receive approval for establishing a joint venture in the domestic market and partnered with Donghae Group to establish a securities company here?”

Meeting his wide-open eyes, Seok-won gave a small nod.

“That’s correct. It turns out the two of them joined forces and established Donghae Peregrine Securities, which they used to funnel substantial capital from Hong Kong. Then they disguised themselves as foreign investors and secretly accumulated shares in Midopa Department Store all this time.”
“Good heavens! Such contemptible and devious tactics. So that’s why Daheung Group found itself in such a disadvantageous position without even a chance to respond.”
“If we hadn’t noticed something amiss when we did, Midopa Department Store would have been stolen from us in an instant.”
“That’s truly fortunate.”

Woo Chun-il, the Secretary-General, asked while nodding his head.

“I may not be of great help, but is there anything I can assist with?”

Seok-won inwardly exulted but showed no outward sign as he replied.

“You must be overwhelmed with the aftermath of the general election, so I couldn’t possibly impose. Your words alone are more than enough gratitude.”
“Nonsense. Chairman Park and Daheung Group have helped us tremendously all this time. How could I turn away when you’re facing such difficulties? Don’t be like that—if there’s something I can help with, just say it.”

Seok-won deliberately hesitated before responding, then carefully opened his mouth as if reluctant.

“Then might I ask for just one favor?”
“Two would be fine too, so speak freely.”
“Have you ever heard of Boseong Communications?”

At this, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il tilted his head.

“I’m not sure. It sounds like I’m hearing it for the first time.”
“It’s a mid-sized enterprise that specializes in manufacturing audio equipment and electronic dictionaries, with annual revenues approaching 30 billion won, yet it suffers losses of hundreds of millions every year.”
“I see. But why are you suddenly bringing up that company?”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il asked with a puzzled expression.

“Despite being plagued by chronic losses, it’s also famous in the Securities District as a stock manipulation target.”

Seok-won leaned his upper body forward slightly and lowered his voice as if sharing a secret.
Interest flickered across Secretary-General Woo Chun-il’s face.

“Manipulation syndicates have engaged in stock price manipulation multiple times through methods like issuing false announcements about landing massive export orders or floating M&A rumors to spike the stock price. Recently, such an incident occurred again.”
“But what does that have to do with this situation?”
“The principal manipulator who attempted to manipulate Boseong Communications to inflate its stock price and reap illicit gains is none other than Woo Ho-geun, the eldest son of Donghae Group.”

Woo Chun-il’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Is that really true?”
“Of course. Why would I tell a lie that would be exposed so easily with a little investigation?”
“You’re right.”
“If you wish, I can even show you evidence that Woo Ho-geun orchestrated this scheme.”
“No. I trust you.”

Woo Chun-il shook his head slowly.
Then he picked up the glass in front of him, finished it, and set it down.

“So all I need to do is expose the fact that Chairman Woo’s eldest son committed stock price manipulation and have him face a Prosecution investigation?”

Like a seasoned political operator who had navigated the political arena for years, he immediately grasped what Seok-won wanted.

“I would be truly grateful if you could do that.”
“Heh heh. If things go this way, it won’t be easy for the Donghae Group to continue attacking Midopa Department Store. You’ve devised quite a brilliant strategy.”

He looked at Seok-won with a broad grin.

“Did you come up with this yourself?”

Instead of answering, Seok-won smiled and filled Woo Chun-il’s empty glass to the brim.

“By the way, one of the money lenders who funded Woo Ho-geun’s stock price manipulation is the son of Representative Jeon Jin-young.”

Woo Chun-il’s eyes gleamed.

“You mean the former representative from the Democratic Justice Party?”
“Yes. If the son of a four-term senior ruling party representative is implicated in stock price manipulation, wouldn’t that put the Blue House and the ruling party in quite an awkward position?”

Having found a means to turn the tide in a political situation that had grown disadvantageous after the general election defeat, Woo Chun-il gazed at Seok-won with a deep smile.

“Indeed.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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