Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 347

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

347. There is one thing I’d like to ask of you.

“Welcome, Chairman Park.”

Guided by Madam, who was dressed in an elegant hanbok, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il entered the private room at Ojin-am and greeted Seok-won, who was already waiting with a warm smile on his face.
As Seok-won rose from his seat and bowed slightly, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il stepped forward and extended his hand.

“It’s been far too long since we last met.”
“I apologize for not visiting more often.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il spoke with a smile as he grasped his hand.

“Ha ha ha. Not at all. I shouldn’t disturb someone as busy as you.”
“No matter how occupied I am, if you call upon me, I must make the time.”

At that, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il burst into hearty laughter.

“You’ve become quite the flatterer since we last met!”
“I speak from the heart.”

Seok-won replied with a subtle smile and practiced ease.

“Well, even if it were mere flattery, it pleases me to hear such words. Come now, let’s sit.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il gave his shoulder a light, affectionate pat as he took his seat.
The low dining table was laden with an exquisite array of delicacies—more than thirty varieties in all.
Madam, a beautiful woman with an elegant bearing, lifted a ceramic pitcher and filled both their cups before asking in a soft voice.

“Shall I bring the entertainers in right away?”
“I have some matters to discuss with the Secretary-General first, so please call them in a moment.”

The perceptive Madam excused herself naturally and withdrew.

“Of course. I’ll check on the entertainers, so please continue your conversation.”

As the sliding door closed quietly, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il raised his cup and spoke first.

“I ran into your father at a Federation of Korean Industries event not long ago. He still had plenty of vigor about him.”
“He’s still young, after all.”

Seok-won clinked his glass lightly in response.

“True enough—there’s a saying that life really begins at sixty. He’s still in his prime for active involvement.”
“That’s right.”

As Secretary-General Woo Chun-il drained his glass of Andong soju in one long pull, I chimed in agreement and picked up the bottle to refill his empty glass.
Then I glanced sideways at the Secretary-General seated across from me, gauging his expression as I spoke.

“The party convention is scheduled for next week, so you must be terribly busy. Thank you for making time like this.”

At my words, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il waved his hand dismissively.

“I’m just using you as an excuse to take a day off. Besides, all the urgent matters are settled, so I have a bit of breathing room.”
“Once the party convention concludes, Chairman Kim will be making his fourth bid for the presidency, won’t he?”
“So it’s come to that already.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il set down his glass with a slightly bitter expression.
Though the party convention hadn’t even been held yet, both men already regarded Chairman Kim Jae-chun’s victory as a foregone conclusion.
It was inevitable, really—the New Era National Council itself had been founded with the Donggyo-dong Faction, which followed Chairman Kim Jae-chun, as its backbone.
There were nominal competitors, but the convention was essentially nothing more than a coronation ceremony nominating Chairman Kim Jae-chun as the presidential candidate.

“Once the party convention is over, you’ll shift directly into presidential election mode.”
“The other parties will be announcing their candidates in succession as well, so it’s bound to happen that way.”

I withdrew a key and a note folded in half from my pocket, placing them before Secretary-General Woo Chun-il.

“I prepared this, hoping it might be of some small help.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il regarded me briefly, then picked up the note and unfolded it.

[Yeouido Taechang Office-tel, Unit 1311]

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il narrowed his brow and looked up, asking:

“What is this?”

Seok-won answered in a calm voice, his expression full of certainty.

“A presidential campaign requires substantial funding, does it not?”
“…!”
“So I prepared it sincerely, but due to the real-name system, the volume became large, so I brought cash to make it convenient for you to use.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il asked with a surprised expression at the unexpected gift.

“How much is it that you even rented an office-tel for it?”
“One billion won.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il’s eyes widened at an amount far exceeding expectations.

“One… one billion won, you said?”
“Yes, that is correct.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il swallowed hard, seemingly at a loss for words, and could only utter exclamations.

“My goodness. This is quite something.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il, his throat parched, raised his glass and drained it in one gulp, then set it down with a sharp clink before looking at him.

“You certainly have a talent for surprising people.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il spoke in a gentle voice.

“I was just worrying about how to secure funds for the presidential campaign. To receive such a substantial sum first—I’m truly grateful.”
“I apologize for not being able to help further.”
“Not at all. This alone is more than enough. Honestly, if it weren’t for you, who in the Opposition would readily support such a large sum?”

In fact, until now, most people believed the next president would also be a candidate from the Ruling Party, the Democratic Justice Party.

‘Even if we unite as one, it’s uncertain whether we can win, and the Opposition was fragmented into multiple factions, so there was no choice but to think that way.’

However, the IMF crisis had completely overturned not only Korea’s economy but also the political landscape of the presidential race.
Secretary-General Woo Chun-il gazed at Seok-won, who appeared remarkably composed despite having secured such a massive sum, with eyes full of gratitude.

“I don’t know how to repay all the favors you’ve done for me, especially since the last election.”
“That’s not necessary. I simply do these things because my heart compels me to.”
“Don’t say that. If there’s anything you want, tell me. If I can’t handle it myself, I’ll speak to the Chairman and make sure it gets done.”
“I don’t help others expecting something in return.”

Seok-won declined with humble courtesy.
Seeing this, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il grew even more fond of him and pressed the matter further.

“I understand your heart well enough. It’s just that I feel uncomfortable always being on the receiving end.”

Seok-won hesitated for a moment before finally relenting and opening his mouth.

“Well, if you insist, there is one thing I’d like to ask of you.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il leaned forward with curiosity.

“What is it? Tell me.”
“There’s a talented individual who would be wasted remaining outside the political sphere. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like you to consider him as one of the candidates for party nomination in the next by-election.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il, who had naturally expected Seok-won to ask for personal favors, wore a puzzled expression.

“Are you asking for nomination rights?”
“I’m simply hoping you’d include him as one of the candidates.”

However, given how much Seok-won had already helped, merely placing his recommended candidate among the nomination candidates would damage the dignity and prestige of both Secretary-General Woo Chun-il himself and Chairman Kim Jae-chun.
Even excluding the one billion dollars in presidential campaign funds received today, considering all the support Seok-won had provided thus far, granting a single nomination for a National Assembly seat was entirely within reason.
Secretary-General Woo Chun-il, confident that Chairman Kim Jae-chun would also approve, asked with a generous smile.

“Is there a particular district you have in mind?”
“No. Though he’s from Seosan in Chungcheong, he has no political background, so any district would be fine.”
“Hmm. In that case, it would be difficult to send him to a tough district.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il crossed his arms and murmured thoughtfully.
Since the talent Seok-won recommended would be able to win in a safe district just by running under the party banner, the lack of political experience wasn’t really a problem.

“Who is this talented individual you want nominated?”

Seok-won answered as if he’d been waiting for this question.

“Choi Bok-rak worked as a section chief at the Securities Supervisory Authority until recently. He was forced to resign due to malicious accusations from forces engaged in stock price manipulation.”
“Something like that happened?”
“It was the Boseong Communications case—I’m sure you’re aware of it, Secretary-General.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il slapped his knee as the memory returned to him.

“Ah! You’re talking about that stock price manipulation case involving Woo Ho-geun, the eldest son of the Donghae Group.”
“Exactly. Choi Bok-rak was the section chief investigating the case at the time. When the manipulative forces tried to bribe him and it didn’t work, they slandered him by claiming he’d improperly hired relatives using his position, forcing him to submit his resignation.”
“I think I’ve seen articles about it in the newspapers.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il furrowed his brows slightly, his expression growing uncomfortable.

“While it’s true that relatives were hired at the audited institution, Choi Bok-rak absolutely did not employ improper methods as the articles suggested. Though it wasn’t reported in the press, the subsequent audit results confirmed this as well.”

Seok-won refilled Secretary-General Woo Chun-il’s empty glass and offered the explanation on his behalf.
If a record of improper solicitation remained, it could become a vulnerability later when entering politics.
So after the corruption scandal had completely reshuffled the upper echelons of the Securities Supervisory Authority, Seok-won had arranged for Choi Bok-rak’s case to be re-audited, allowing his honor to be restored.

“Hmm. Still, regardless of the circumstances, having unfavorable news published in the papers won’t be beneficial for entering politics.”

As Secretary-General Woo Chun-il stroked his chin and murmured, Seok-won subtly slid the black 007 briefcase he’d placed beside him forward.

“Separate from the funds we’ve kept at the office-tel, I’ve prepared additional cash for your personal use, Secretary-General.”
“Ha ha. What’s this?”

Despite his words, Secretary-General Woo Chun-il didn’t refuse. Instead, he quietly pulled the briefcase toward himself.
Then, with a warm smile on his face, he spoke.

“Well, if his innocence has been proven, it shouldn’t become a major issue. His name was Choi Bok-rak, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If he’s from the Securities Supervisory Authority, he must be well-versed in economics.”
“He earned the nickname ‘Lone Wolf’ for his uncanny ability to root out manipulative forces playing games with stocks and punish them without mercy.”

Secretary-General Woo Chun-il nodded his head after hearing Seok-won’s words.

“The economic situation hasn’t been good lately. The party has needed talented individuals well-versed in this field, and it seems fortune has smiled on us.”
“Since he left the Securities Supervisory Authority and studied economics at an American university, having him at your side would prove invaluable.”
“Oh, is that so? That’s even better then.”

Woo Chun-il, the Secretary-General, tapped his knee as if his decision was final.

“Understood. I’ll speak to the Chairman about it, so have him prepare a resume and come find me.”

Having said this much, it was virtually certain that Choi Bok-rak would receive the New Era National Council’s nomination in the upcoming by-election or general election and secure his seat in the National Assembly.
Seok-won, who could now plant his own man in the New Era National Council that would become the ruling party after winning the approaching presidential election, allowed himself a deep, satisfied smile.

“Thank you for so readily agreeing to such a difficult request.”
“It’s not for anyone else—it’s your request. I can easily do this much. Is there anything else I can help you with?”
“No.”
“Then let’s set aside these troublesome matters and enjoy some drinks.”
“Of course.”

Seok-won rose from his seat and picked up the intercom installed on the wall.
Shortly after, Madam, who had stepped out briefly, returned.

“It seems your conversation has concluded.”

Behind Madam stood two young beauties whose faces rivaled those of celebrities.

“Ah, Madam has arrived.”
“I took great care in selecting girls I thought would particularly please you both.”

With those words, Madam closed the sliding door behind her.

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