Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 478

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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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478. What a shame I couldn’t see his flustered face in person.

It was that drowsy time right after lunch had ended.
Just as the office workers sat at their desks fighting off the post-meal lethargy, men in black suits entered the Rothschild Fund Korea branch office with hurried footsteps.

“We’re from the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office!”

A man with neatly groomed hair and gold-rimmed glasses pulled a search warrant from his jacket and unfurled it with a loud declaration, and in that instant, the office froze.

“Stop whatever you’re doing immediately. Don’t take anything with you. Stand up and exit the office at once.”

At his polite yet forceful tone, the employees murmured and made no attempt to hide their bewilderment.

“What on earth is this about…?”
“It must be because of Hansan Group, right?”
“What else could it be?”

Then the prosecution investigators approached and spoke with expressionless faces.

“Would you please stand up from your seats?”

The employees exchanged glances before hesitantly rising one by one.
When one Female Secretary tried to take her diary, an investigator immediately stopped her.

“Leave that as is.”
“But that’s my personal item.”

The Female Secretary spoke with a timid expression, gauging the investigator’s reaction, but he didn’t bat an eye and drew the line firmly.

“That’s not possible.”
“It only contains personal notes unrelated to work.”
“Didn’t you hear me say it’s not allowed? Don’t touch it and step back.”

Despite his repeated pleas, the investigator simply shook his head, offering no consideration whatsoever.
The Female Secretary, her face crumpled in distress, had no choice but to leave her diary behind and vacate her desk.
The other employees were similarly forced out of the office with nothing but their jackets and wallets hastily gathered.
The Prosecution investigators moved without hesitation, examining documents scattered across desks and rifling through drawers before sweeping everything into boxes stamped with the Prosecution seal.
The computers used by the staff had all their cables yanked out, and the towers themselves were seized in their entirety.
The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office investigators, known as the grim reapers of Yeouido for their expertise in financial crimes, conducted the search and seizure with swift, practiced efficiency.
Meanwhile, the employees expelled from the office stood in the corridor, watching with anxious faces as the investigators carried out box after box of seized materials.

On the floor above, the branch manager’s office was undergoing the same search and seizure.
John Howell, the branch manager, hastily threw on his jacket and rushed out, his face rigid with alarm as he descended to the Underground Parking Lot via elevator.
The moment the doors opened, Ha-wol strode quickly across the garage toward his car parked in a corner.
Standing beside the driver’s side door, he glanced around to check if anyone had followed him, then opened the door and climbed inside.
Seated in the driver’s seat, Ha-wol opened the glove compartment and retrieved a burner phone he’d prepared for emergencies.
His original phone had already been confiscated on the spot by the Prosecution investigator who’d arrived at his office with a warrant.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Ha-wol recalled a memorized number and began dialing.
After the dial tone rang for some time, Brian Peterson, the chairman in the United States, finally answered, his voice thick with sleep as if he’d just been awakened.

“It’s Ha-wol, Chairman.”
[What’s happening at this hour?]
“The Korean Prosecution has arrived with a search and seizure warrant and is currently going through all the documents and computers in the office!”

Upon hearing the urgent situation, Chairman Peterson exclaimed in shock.

[What? Is that really true?]
“Yes. They confiscated my phone, so I’m calling you from a backup phone I’d prepared just in case.”

Chairman Peterson responded in a grave voice.

[There shouldn’t be anything problematic on the confiscated phone, should there?]
“No. Right after the exposé article came out, I deleted all messages and cleaned up the saved phone numbers.”

Chairman Peterson spoke with a hint of relief.

[Good work.]
“However, if the Prosecution goes through the documents and computers in the office, they’ll likely find substantial evidence that’s unfavorable to us.”
[Hmm.]
“I should have removed those materials from the office beforehand. That was my mistake.”
[It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do about it. I didn’t anticipate the Korean Prosecution would move so suddenly either. At least you deleted the numbers of people connected to us—that’s fortunate. If you hadn’t, this would have become a serious problem.]

Ha-wol, gripping his phone tighter, spoke with a stiffened expression.

“The way the Prosecution is moving so decisively suggests that orders have come down from the Korean government—or rather, from the Blue House, wouldn’t you say?”
[That would seem to be the case.]
“If they’re determined to manufacture problems in this manner, it could very well disrupt the Hansan Group subsidiary sales we’ve been pushing forward.”
[We’re just one step away from closing this deal. I can’t let that happen.]

Ha-wol then asked, a glimmer of hope crossing his face.

“Do you have contingency measures in place?”
[I have a meeting scheduled with Vincent tomorrow.]

As Ha-wol’s eyes widened, Chairman Peterson’s leisurely voice continued.

[I’ll ask him to intervene against the Korean government’s unjust persecution of foreign investors over trivial matters.]

A subtle smile spread across Ha-wol’s previously rigid face.

“Indeed, if Vincent steps in, the Korean government under IMF supervision will have no choice but to back down.”

Chairman Peterson let out a dismissive snort and spoke.

[If Vincent so much as utters a word before the press, the won exchange rate will immediately fluctuate and Korea will find itself in dire straits. They’ve foolishly rushed in without understanding the situation or the consequences. They’ll soon realize their mistake and retreat. Don’t worry.]

As he spoke with such confidence, Ha-wol, who had been anxious moments before, quickly regained his composure entirely.

“Yes, I understand.”

After discussing further countermeasures and ending the call, Ha-wol slipped his phone into his inner jacket pocket with a noticeably more relaxed expression.

* * *

A Living Room adorned with an ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
Seok-won stood comfortably dressed in a cashmere sweater, watching the news broadcast from a television mounted on the opposite wall.

[Following the Prosecution’s sudden raid and seizure of the Rothschild Fund’s Seoul office, the government terminated its consignment arrangement with the Rothschild Fund for the Seoul Debt Adjustment Fund.
Unlike the initial fanfare when the government announced it would inject one billion dollars in funds procured from the United States into Hansan Group to normalize operations, it was revealed that the promised foreign currency investments had not been properly executed.
Furthermore, during the restructuring of Hansan Group subsidiaries, it came to light that funds from the Seoul Debt Adjustment Fund—which was supposed to handle operations rather than foreign capital procurement—were used to repay debts, a revelation that appears to have influenced this series of measures.
Meanwhile, John Howell, Branch Director of the Rothschild Fund, dismissed the matter in an interview with reporters, stating “I cannot understand the basis for the contract termination” and “The recent controversies are merely misunderstandings stemming from a failure to properly comprehend advanced financial techniques.”
He further suggested a strong response, declaring “Against those who have damaged the Rothschild Fund’s business and reputation by providing inaccurate information, we will mobilize every possible measure, including legal action, to restore our tarnished honor.”
Meanwhile, creditor banks are reportedly reviewing the termination of their consignment contracts with the Rothschild Fund for Hansan Group restructuring, citing the recent series of problematic incidents.]

Seok-won listened to the anchor’s commentary while tilting a cold canned beer in his hand, and a sneer crossed his face as he watched John Howell brazenly step before the cameras, commit wrongdoing, and then invoke legal action in reverse.

“Korea must look absolutely ridiculous to him. No wonder he pulled off such a stunt.”

Seok-won let out a small derisive snort, then picked up the remote from the table and pressed the power button, and the television screen went dark.
He set down the canned beer he’d been drinking alongside the remote, then retrieved his mobile phone from his pocket, found a saved number, and pressed the call button.

Brrrr. Brrrr.

With the phone ringing, he walked to stand before the expansive floor-to-ceiling window of the Living Room, and the glittering nightscape of Seoul came into view.
After a few more rings, the other party answered with a hello, and Seok-won spoke in fluent English.

“Vincent. It’s me.”
[Ah! Mr. Park. I was just about to call you, actually.]

Vincent, the Commerce Secretary, welcomed him with an enthusiastic and affable tone.

“Is that so?”
[Just as you predicted, Chairman Peterson of the Rothschild Fund came to me seeking assistance.]

Seok-won tilted his chin slightly upward with an unsurprised expression, as if he’d anticipated this.

“And what did you decide to do?”
[Under normal circumstances I would have obliged, but given what you’ve told me, I made it clear that the U.S. government cannot meddle in Korea’s domestic affairs on a case-by-case basis.]

Though invisible to the eye, Vincent was shrugging as he spoke.

“You handled that well.”

At the answer he’d hoped for, a deep smile spread across Seok-won’s lips.

[Chairman Peterson didn’t see it that way. They bungled their own job, created a mess, and then came scurrying to me for help. Tsk, they’re not even children—truly disappointing.]

Seok-won nodded in agreement at the sound of the tongue-clicking disapproval.

“You’re absolutely right. It’s wrong to avoid solving problems yourself and always seek the easy way out. Moreover, doesn’t this situation contradict the national interests of the United States?”
[Precisely. With Japan already struggling with non-performing assets and Russia declaring a moratorium—creating quite the headache for cleanup—if Korea, which is barely recovering after receiving IMF bailout financing, gets shaken again, the entire global financial market could wobble as well. They should understand that much. Yet to make such a request is utterly pathetic.]
“Still, I’m relieved that Commerce Secretary Vincent didn’t simply fall for Chairman Peterson’s story and maintained his composure so well.”
[Of course that’s how it should be.]

Commerce Secretary Vincent accepted the flattery graciously and spoke in a measured tone.

[By the way, those stocks you recommended last time have skyrocketed. I’m grateful for that.]
“I’m glad you’ve seen such good returns.”
[In any case, regarding the Rothschild Fund, the U.S. government won’t show any displeasure toward Korea or apply any pressure, so don’t worry.]
“Thank you.”

Seok-won smiled, flashing his white teeth.
After that, Seok-won continued the conversation in a warm and cordial atmosphere, exchanging a few more personal remarks before ending the call.
Removing the phone from my ear and gazing out the window, I could see Seoul’s glittering nightscape still shining brilliantly.
I took in that view and smiled with sharp satisfaction.

“It was a good idea to exploit Korea’s situation—unable to fully escape the foreign exchange crisis and forced to watch America’s every move—but they chose the wrong opponent.”

If Commerce Secretary Vincent had simply shown displeasure through an interview rather than needing to call directly as planned, the Korean government would have been startled into withdrawing pressure on the Rothschild Fund.
But there was one thing Chairman Peterson and the Rothschild Fund had overlooked.
That I—a heavyweight on Wall Street with considerable influence not only in the financial markets but also in Washington’s political circles—was their opponent.

“Heh heh heh. It’s a shame I can’t see Chairman Peterson’s face directly as his plans crumble and he scrambles in confusion.”

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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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