Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

When Gun-Ho went to work in Dyeon Korea, Mr. Adam Castler came to his office with his interpreter—Assistant Manager Myeon-Joon Chae.

“How are you, boss?”

“Someone is in a good mood.”

“I just received an official letter from the head office saying that they agree to increase the capital.”

Mr. Adam Castler showed Gun-Ho the letter written in English, which he received via fax. It was from Mr. Brandon Burke—the vice president of the international business development department of Lymondell Dyeon. His signature was clearly shown at the end of the letter.

“It would have been very nice if we could have reached our authorized capital of 20 million dollars this time. It’s a shame that there is nothing much we can do for now since we won’t have enough cash to reinvest that much after paying the corporate tax.”

“I agree with you. Well, we can try it next year.”

“When do we start the process to increase the capital?”

“We are expecting to receive the external audit report next month, and we can start the process then.”

“Dyeon Korea will have an extra 6 billion won in cash after giving 3 billion won to GH Mobile for the value of the Dyeon Korea’s building that GH put into as its investment in-kind. We can use those funds to expand our international market.”

“When does Mr. Vice President Brandon Burke expect to retire?”

“I don’t know. I guess it would be around this fall.”

“Hmm, really? I see.”

After Mr. Adam Castler left the office, Director Yoon entered Gun-Ho’s office. He was carrying a document to be signed by Gun-Ho.

“According to Mr. Internal Auditor, we are planning to rush into applying for the Inno-Biz certificate along with a certificate to be recognized as a start-up company with technology. We will start the application as soon as we receive the external audit report. He told me that it was your intention, sir.”

“That’s correct.”

“I think that before we apply for those certificates, we’d better get a certificate for environment management system. Since we are a manufacturing company, the fact that our factory is not certified for its environment management system could be a concern for the examiners. We will try to obtain ISO 14001 within two months. This is the plan to achieve it, sir, and we need your signature right here.”

“Hmm, we should have completed this last year.”

“We actually talked about this last year, but we didn’t carry it out for some reason. This will certainly help us get good scores during the examination to be certified as a start-up company with technology too.”

“Okay. Let’s start it right away.”

“We have all the necessary information about it such as procedures and manuals to build ISO 14001 in GH Mobile, so we will get the certificate soon.”

“It is important to get the company certified with it, but building an adequate system is important as well. I want you to educate the workers with it too.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gun-Ho signed the paper that Director Yoon brought to him.

The next day, Gun-Ho went to work in GH Building, Sinsa Town. He was reading a morning paper. There was a news coverage about A Group’s recent organizational restructuring.

“A Electronics’ CEO Park is now the CEO of A Group’s planning and coordination department, just like he told me.”

The newspaper further stated, [As A Electronics’ CEO has been appointed to manage A Group’s planning and coordination department, some critics are of opinion that A Group would focus more on A Electronics’ business and that the chairman wants to be more directly involved in running the entire business.]

The newspaper listed all personnel, who had been promoted and moved to another department, in each A Group’s subsidiary company as well. The names of the directors, general directors, and CEOs were listed.

“Whoa, there are tons of executive officers who have been promoted along with CEO Park. If I add the executive officers who haven’t received their promotion this time, how many executive officers A Group has in total?”

Gun-Ho made a call to GH Mobile’s general affairs director.

“It’s me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I want you to send an orchid plant to A Group’s CEO at its planning and coordination department and also to the new CEO of A Electronics.”

“Yes, sir. Do you have any words to add on the ribbon that would be attached to those plants?”

“For the CEO of the planning and coordination department, say ‘Congratulations on your new job.’ And say ‘Congratulations on your promotion’ for the new CEO of A Electronics since he has been promoted from VP to CEO. And, make sure you pick a very nice orchid plant for them.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gun-Ho went home after work. Young-Eun was fanning the baby.

“What are you doing?”

“Some red skin reactions appeared on our baby’s skin. I’m just trying to cool it down.”

“Why don’t you use the electric fan? Why are you doing it manually?”

“The electric fan could over cool the baby. I can adjust the speed and the strength of the wind with this hand fan.”

Artist Choi, who was sitting next to Young-Eun, chipped in, “I have a favor to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Can you buy a carp fish on the way home tomorrow?”

“A carp fish?”

“Young-Eun is breastfeeding the baby. Eating a carp fish or a snake-headed fish will help her increase her breast milk production. Get me a large live carp fish; I will make rice porridge with it for her.”

“Sure. Where can I buy a carp fish?”

“Try a fish market. They usually carry saltwater fish, but I think some fish markets are carrying freshwater fish as well.”

“Okay, I will buy one tomorrow.”

Gun-Ho was reading a newspaper in his office when a carp fish crossed his mind that Artist Choi asked him to buy for Young-Eun. Gun-Ho was thinking about asking Chan-Ho Eom to buy one for him, and then he decided to go to a fish market himself. Gun-Ho went to the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market with Chan-Ho Eom.

Chan-Ho Eom asked, “Are you going to the fish market to buy raw fish for sashimi?”

“No, I need to buy a carp fish.”

“Did you say a carp fish, sir? Does Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market sell a carp fish too?”

“I don’t know. I’m hoping they do. Do you know where I can find a carp fish?”

“No, sir. I have no idea.”

After parking the car, Gun-Ho and Chan-Ho Eom walked around the market searching for a carp fish. The market had all sorts of seafood including flatfish, crabs, all kinds of clams, and etc., but there was no carp fish. When Gun-Ho was studying for the level-9 government job exam years ago, he saw a carp fish somewhere around there, but he couldn’t remember exactly where he saw it. He asked around where he would be able to find a carp fish.

“Do you know where I can find a carp fish?”

The merchant replied, “No, sir. How about flatfish? We have very fresh flatfish. I will give it to you for half the price. It’s a wild flatfish.”

“I need a carp fish.”

Gun-Ho asked an old lady who was selling lettuce at the corner of the market, “Ma’am, do you know where I can find carp fish?”

“You should cross that underpass bridge. You will find carp fish there.”

When Gun-Ho crossed the underpass bridge, there was a small market that was selling freshwater fish including carp fish. Gun-Ho picked a very large carp fish. The merchant put the live fish in a rice bag before handing it to Gun-Ho. The carp fish was vigorously flapping inside the rice bag. Gun-Ho handed it to Chan-Ho Eom.

“You carry this, Chan-Ho.”

Gun-Ho and Chan-Ho Eom then headed to the parking lot where Gun-Ho’s Bentley was parked.

Chan-Ho asked, “What are you going to do with the carp fish, sir? You know that you can’t eat it raw, right? Freshwater fish is known to carry lots of parasites, and you should never eat it raw.”

“I’m not planning to make sashimi with it.”

“Are you going to make a spicy stew with it then? A mandarin fish or Korean bullhead will make a better spicy stew.”

“No. It will be used to make porridge, and my wife will eat it to produce better and more breast milk.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I need to bring it home while it’s still alive. Let’s head to my condo in TowerPalace now.”

“Yes, sir.”