Golden Spoon Investment Portfolio - Chapter 64

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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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64. All of this is because of that bastard Seok-won!

Chairman’s Office, Daeheung Group Headquarters, Mapo, Seoul.

“Did you say a hundred billion won?”

Park Tae-hong, seated at the head of the sofa, raised his eyebrows as he asked, and Gil Seong-ho, the Chief Secretary positioned to his right, answered immediately.

“Yes, sir. It appears that the young master returned from the United States with one hundred billion won in discretionary management funds.”
“Well, I’ll be.”

Park Tae-hong let out a bewildered laugh before asking.

“Where on earth did he pull such a massive sum from?”
“According to President Choi Jin-woo, he received investment from a hedge fund introduced through his former professor at Harvard University.”
“His former professor at Harvard—are you referring to Professor Frank?”
“That appears to be the case.”

Park Tae-hong, arms crossed, recalled the face of Professor Frank that he had seen on graduation day.

“I knew he was quite renowned, but does he truly wield that much influence?”
“As a Nobel Prize laureate in Economics and one of Harvard University’s most prominent professors, it’s hardly surprising that he has connections on Wall Street.”
“I see.”

The thought that his second son was a particularly favored student of such an eminent professor brought a satisfied smile to his face.
Observing this, Chief Secretary Gil Seong-ho carefully continued.

“If I may say so, I suspect the story about Professor Frank is merely a cover, and the funds are likely the young master’s own money.”
“The second son’s own money?”
“Yes, sir.”

Park Tae-hong narrowed his brow, then recalled how his second son had won a substantial lottery jackpot in America and subsequently made considerable profits by betting on the pound’s collapse. He nodded slightly.

“Now that you mention it, the second boy did seem to have quite a hefty nest egg.”
“Combined with the lottery winnings and the pound investment returns, it should amount to approximately 130 to 140 million dollars.”

Through several bold leveraged investments, I had dramatically inflated my assets over time, though I was completely unaware of the extent.

“Hearing your account of it, that could very well be the case.”

Park Tae-hong picked up the teacup before him, noticed the coffee had grown cold, and set it back down before speaking.

“Why do you think the second son suddenly brought money into the country?”
“It would be most accurate to ask him directly, but my impression is that he wishes to conduct his investments more seriously.”
“He’s already managing two hundred billion won—is that insufficient?”

The furrow between Park Tae-hong’s brows deepened.

“The larger the capital one commands, the greater the opportunities available, would you not agree?”
“That’s true enough.”

Park Tae-hong, who had been nodding thoughtfully, soon let out a soft chuckle and spoke.

“Two hundred billion wasn’t enough, so he brings in a trillion to invest? That rascal—he certainly takes after someone. His ambition is truly boundless.”
“His bold nature is surely an inheritance from you, Chairman.”

As Gil Seong-ho, the Chief Secretary, added with keen perception, Park Tae-hong broke into a delighted laugh.

“Ha ha ha. You see it that way too?”

Though he appeared utterly shameless in his pride, praise for one’s children never grew tiresome, no matter how many times one heard it.

“He says the funds should arrive within four days. What shall we do?”

Park Tae-hong stroked his cleanly shaven chin with one hand, pondering briefly before lifting his gaze once more to ask.

“There won’t be any problems bringing the money in, will there?”

Gil Seong-ho, receiving his attention, answered immediately.

“No, sir. Since it’s an inflow rather than an outflow of foreign currency, and moreover, we’re using the structure of receiving hedge fund investments, there are no legal complications whatsoever.”
“The second son wouldn’t have undertaken this carelessly, I suppose.”

Given what he had demonstrated thus far, Park Tae-hong displayed considerable trust in Seok-won.

“Then let’s just pretend we don’t know and leave it alone.”
“Understood.”
“And don’t mention this to Chairman Choi either. It wouldn’t be good if word got out that he’s sitting on that kind of money.”
“Yes.”

At that moment, a knock sounded, and Choo Se-young, a manager from the secretarial office whose hairline was beginning to recede slightly, entered the room.

“What is it?”
“I apologize for the interruption, but you’ll need to leave now if you’re not to be late for your next appointment.”
“Has it gotten that late already?”

Chairman Park Tae-hong checked his wristwatch and spoke to Manager Choo Se-young.

“The luncheon is scheduled at Baekje Hotel, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Since Prime Minister Woo Tae-hyung will be attending, it would be best not to be late.”
“You’re right.”

Though Chairman Park Tae-hong nodded at Chief Secretary Gil Seong-ho’s words, he hesitated and didn’t immediately rise from his seat.
Observing the chairman’s reluctance, Chief Secretary Gil Seong-ho asked carefully.

“Is it because of Chairman Woo from Donghae Group?”

Chairman Park Tae-hong clicked his tongue with a displeased expression.

“There are people you dislike without them giving you any reason. Just looking at that man’s face makes me feel uncomfortable already.”

It was common knowledge in business circles that the two men bickered whenever they met—they were sworn rivals.
In the past, they had been distant but not to this extent. Their relationship had completely soured ten years ago during a dispute over the acquisition of Korean Cargill Feed, which had come on the market.
Chief Secretary Gil Seong-ho, who knew better than anyone how their relationship stood, swallowed a sigh internally.

“Chairman Woo’s temperament has always been prickly—just ignore him.”
“I’d like to, but that man keeps hovering nearby and getting under my skin, so it irritates me.”

Then Chairman Park Tae-hong spoke in a reluctant tone.

“You’ve made sure to seat us far apart at the luncheon, haven’t you?”

Since the two men growled at each other whenever they met, the secretarial offices on both sides coordinated in advance whenever there was a business gathering to ensure they sat as far apart as possible.

“Yes. I’ve already informed the organizers.”

Yet Chairman Park Tae-hong’s frown showed no signs of lifting.

“I can’t skip it, can I?”

Chief Secretary Gil Seong-ho’s expression turned troubled.

“This is the Prime Minister’s first luncheon with the Federation of Korean Industries leadership since the implementation of the real-name financial system. It would be best to attend if at all possible.”
“I suppose so….”

Chairman Park Tae-hong let out a reluctant groan, his expression still displeased.

“Tsk. The food probably won’t even go down smoothly… Have a digestive aid prepared in advance.”
“Yes.”

* * *

Baekje Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul.
The spacious and elegantly appointed luncheon hall had thirty round tables arranged throughout.
Silver tableware gleamed atop tables draped in pristine white linens, while an enormous crystal chandelier suspended from the high ceiling cast its beautiful light, adding to the splendor.
Soft classical music drifted from musicians in formal dress playing their instruments within the banquet hall, and early arrivals engaged in light conversation as they waited for the luncheon to commence.
With such a gathering of the nation’s most prominent business figures, dozens of journalists had arrived to cover the event.
Cameras lined the entrance to the luncheon hall, and the assembled press eagerly snapped photographs each time a guest appeared.
Then a murmur rippled through the crowd as someone pointed toward the elevator.

“It’s Chairman Park Tae-hong of the Daeheung Group.”
“He certainly commands presence.”

With Manager Choo Se-young attending him, Chairman Park Tae-hong walked down the corridor lined with red carpet toward the banquet hall entrance.
The waiting press corps stirred into action, eagerly capturing his image on camera.
However, as previously agreed, they took only photographs and video—no questions were posed.
As I stepped past the press and into the banquet hall, Manager Choo Se-young spoke in a low voice.

“I’ll wait here.”
“Very well.”

Park Tae-hong nodded slightly.
As I slowly surveyed the banquet hall, I noticed Woo Yong-gap, chairman of Donghae Group, standing with acquaintances and conversing, which made my eyes narrow.
It irritated me even more that this detestable man occupied the center of the banquet hall so brazenly.

“Tsk. Whether one avoids filth out of fear or disgust, the result is the same.”

Spotting Yu Cheon-seok, chairman of Daegwang Group, on the left side, I immediately changed direction.

“Chairman Yu.”

Yu Cheon-seok, of medium height with a lean frame, turned and brightened upon seeing me.

“Chairman Park! You’ve arrived.”

Though Daegwang Group was considerably larger, we had maintained a long-standing acquaintance through business dealings, and since I was born in 1930—six years his senior—he spoke to me comfortably.
I shook his hand lightly and spoke.

“I heard you were in Europe and thought you wouldn’t be able to attend today, but it seems you’ve already returned.”
“How could I miss it when Prime Minister Woo Tae-hyung is attending? I adjusted my schedule and came back two days early.”

As a passing waitress came by, I picked up a champagne glass from the tray and lowered my voice slightly while looking at Yu Cheon-seok.

“Is it because of the real-name financial system?”

Yu Cheon-seok grimaced slightly and responded.

“With overseas expansion, we need to arrange financing frequently, and the real-name financial system has suddenly dried up the money supply—it’s been quite a headache.”
“Still, isn’t it a bit better than before?”
“The bill market seems to be moving somewhat, but compared to before, the available funds are still woefully insufficient.”

The other attendees conversing with Yu Cheon-seok simultaneously voiced their complaints.

“Chairman Yu is absolutely right.”
“Finding money these days is so difficult it’s killing us. The situation below is complete chaos.”

I nodded in agreement as well.
More than two months had already passed since the real-name financial system was implemented.
However, the major cash holders in Myeongdong remained huddled, watching only the government’s mood, so the credit crunch had not yet fully eased.
The fact that Daegwang Group, ranked within the top ten of the business community, was experiencing difficulty securing funds revealed just how severely the money supply had dried up.

“The Prime Minister appeared at the luncheon talks, so he’ll likely present something forward-thinking to resolve the liquidity crunch.”
“That’s what we need. At this rate, we won’t even be able to conduct business properly.”

Yu Cheon-seok let out a sigh, his dissatisfaction evident.

“Chairman Yu.”

At that moment, I sensed someone approaching from behind.
When Park Tae-hong turned around with a slight frown at the unwelcome voice, sure enough, Woo Yong-gap appeared nearby with a young man in tow.
Yu Cheon-seok, well aware of the poor relations between the two, carefully observed Park Tae-hong’s expression before extending his hand.

“Chairman Woo. It’s been a while.”
“I heard you recently built a new TV factory in Poland. Belated congratulations.”
“Thank you.”

Woo Yong-gap, who had been conversing with a smile, glanced at Park Tae-hong standing to his left and spoke without hiding his displeasure.

“So you were here too.”

Park Tae-hong’s expression darkened at the tone suggesting he’d only just noticed my presence.

“This is a Federation of Korean Industries event—of course I had to attend. Besides, your voice is so loud that my ears were ringing the moment I entered. It was too crowded, so I came over here to escape, but I didn’t expect you to come greet me first.”

At the blunt tone, Woo Yong-gap’s cheek twitched as he felt the sting.

“I hear you’ve put your volleyball team on the market. Your textile business isn’t what it used to be, so your finances must be in rough shape.”

Park Tae-hong’s face hardened as Woo Yong-gap picked a fight over the decision to sell the volleyball team as a cost-cutting measure.

“Still, it’s a volleyball team that once achieved the remarkable record of 184 consecutive wins. It’s truly a shame. I was actually thinking of operating an amateur team myself, so if you’re in a bind, I could take it off your hands.”
“I’d sooner disband it than sell it to you.”
“What?”

As the atmosphere grew tense, Yu Cheon-seok quickly intervened.

“Gentlemen, why are you doing this again? There are reporters outside. Please stop.”

Since both understood that raising their voices would serve no purpose, no major confrontation erupted, though their glares remained sharp and menacing.
Seeing this, Yu Cheon-seok shook his head and quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, who is this young man who came with Chairman Woo?”
“Ah, I apologize for the late introduction.”

Chairman Woo Yong-gap took a moment to compose himself before introducing the young man.

“He’s my eldest son.”
Chairman Woo Yong-gap placed his hand on his son’s shoulder and spoke with unmistakable pride.

“Pay your respects to these esteemed business leaders.”
“I’m Woo Ho-geun.”

Woo Ho-geun, with his thick eyebrows and sharp gaze, cut an impressive figure for a young man.

“Your son is quite handsome.”

As Chairman Yu Cheon-seok offered his compliment with a warm smile, the others present chimed in one after another.

“Indeed.”
“You must feel reassured having such a fine son, Chairman Woo.”
“Ha ha. Thank you all for the kind words.”

Chairman Woo Yong-gap gazed at his son with evident pride as he spoke.

“After he graduates from university, he’ll be joining the group next year, and I plan to keep him close and teach him the ropes. I brought him along today to introduce him around, so I’d appreciate your guidance.”
“I see.”

Since this meant Woo Ho-geun was the future heir to Donghae Group, Chairman Yu Cheon-seok took particular notice of him.

“We’ll see each other often.”
“Yes. Thank you for your guidance.”

At that moment, Chairman Yu Cheon-seok suddenly turned to look at Chairman Park Tae-hong as if remembering something.

“Come to think of it, isn’t your second son about the same age as Woo Ho-geun?”
“My second son graduated from Harvard and returned to Korea, where he’s currently working at one of our subsidiaries to gain experience.”

Chairman Park Tae-hong, his expression visibly stiffening, emphasized the word Harvard with particular force in his response.

“Is that so? Your second son graduated from Harvard?”

One of the attendees asked with a startled expression.

“That’s impressive. Harvard University is second to none even in the United States.”
“You’ve mentioned before that your son is quite the scholar.”
“Ah, I remember hearing about that. The rumors say he’s also quite handsome.”

As the attention suddenly shifted toward Chairman Park Tae-hong, Chairman Woo Yong-gap’s expression darkened.
Chairman Park Tae-hong’s eyes gleamed with barely concealed pride as he deliberately boasted about his son for all to hear.

“He takes after me with his aptitude for studies—he received scholarships throughout all four years at university.”
“Really? Is that true?”

Chairman Yu Cheon-seok also gazed over with an expression of admiration.

“Harvard University is counted among the very best in America, so receiving scholarships there is truly remarkable.”

The attendee wearing the crimson necktie also spoke with an envious expression.

“I’ve heard that prestigious universities like that are as difficult to graduate from as they are to enter. Your son must be exceptionally brilliant.”

Then the man beside him even began to make shameless requests.

“My daughter attends the music conservatory at Ewha Womans University. Would it be possible to arrange an introduction?”
“Ah, I also have my niece….”

Chairman Woo Yong-gap, now relegated to the background of everyone’s attention, ground his teeth in silent fury.
The sight of Chairman Park Tae-hong boasting about his son with such unbearable smugness was absolutely infuriating.
His own son, heaven knows who he took after, had tutors assigned to every subject and money poured into his education, yet his grades never improved. In the end, he’d had to pay a substantial sum to secure his son’s admission to an American university through donation.
But to hear that the other man’s son had actually graduated from Harvard was more than he could bear.

“Which American university did you graduate from?”

At that moment, Chairman Park Tae-hong asked, looking at Woo Ho-geun.

“I… uh…”

Woo Ho-geun felt all eyes turn toward him and, flustered, couldn’t answer immediately. He hesitated and fumbled before finally opening his mouth.

“I attended San Diego Point University.”

Everyone tilted their heads in confusion at the unfamiliar university name they’d never even heard of before.

“San Diego Point?”
“Do you happen to know where that is?”
“I’m not quite sure….”

The people who had been whispering soon turned their gaze toward Woo Ho-geun with knowing looks.
Once it became clear that despite its American study abroad credentials, it wasn’t a prestigious institution at all, the atmosphere in the room grew noticeably cold.

“What matters more than which university you graduated from is what you learned there. Going forward, make sure to assist your father well.”
“…Yes.”

Park Tae-hong cleared his throat lightly and offered some words of encouragement, to which Woo Ho-geun responded a beat too late.
The face of Chairman Woo Yong-gap, who had been thoroughly humiliated, was visibly contorted.
At that moment, Chairman Yu Cheon-seok, sensing the commotion at the entrance of the dining hall, turned his head and spoke.

“It seems the Prime Minister has arrived.”
“So it appears.”

Park Tae-hong, unlike moments before, wore a composed smile as he spoke.

“Well then, everyone go make your appearances.”

As Chairman Yu Cheon-seok and Park Tae-hong led the group toward the dining hall entrance, Chairman Woo Yong-gap, left behind with his face flushed crimson with rage, glared at his son.

“Because of you, what kind of embarrassment is this!”

Then he vented his frustration in an irritated voice.

“I told you to study harder when you had the chance!”
“But Father….”
“Enough. Stop it and just go home!”

Chairman Woo Yong-gap abandoned his son and strode angrily toward Prime Minister Woo Tae-hyung, who was just being surrounded by people as he entered.
Woo Ho-geun watched his father’s retreating back with resentment, then his face crumpled.

“All because of that bastard Seok-won—what a mess this is!”

How could I be humiliated because of someone who wasn’t even supposed to be here in the first place?
Woo Ho-geun, his fury reaching a boiling point, gritted his teeth with a face flushed crimson as he struggled to suppress his rage.

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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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