Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho added, “For Manager Hong and Assistant Manager Jeong, most of your work will be transferred to the relevant departments of GH Mobile in Jiksan Town. So, you two will see slight changes in your job duty. Ms. Assistant Manager Jeong, I want you to mostly assist Director Kang with his work.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And, Ms. Manager Hong, you will be handling managing losses and profits of the entire GH companies and their tax-related matters. Also, you will get work assignments directly from me from time to time.”

“Understood, sir.”

Gun-Ho then said while looking at each of the four workers in the office, “I’m pretty sure that Manger Hong knows this well already since she has handled our accounting here. GH Development hasn’t really generated enough profits so far. However, GH Mobile is a big company with 600 workers, and it generates good revenues, meaning that you will all be treated better as an employee of GH Mobile, especially money-wise.”

The four workers kept their heads low without saying a word.

“Yesterday, Director Kang gave me the approval form for your severance package for the time that you have been working with GH Development. Director Kang and Assistant Manager Jeong will receive their severance package for their past three years, and Team Lead Jeong will get his two years while Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh will have her severance pay for the past two years of her time with us. Unfortunately, Manager Hong is not qualified for this benefit since she has been with us for less than a year. Because you are moving to another company which is a different legal entity, we couldn’t keep accumulating your severance pay. I’m sorry about that.”

The four employees in the office stayed silent again.

Gun-Ho continued, “You might want to confirm this with Director Kang, but GH Mobile’s President Song, who you will be working for, is a decent and very reasonable man. I have no doubt that he will provide you with proper treatment as his employees. Also, I will talk to him about that too. Let’s continuously keep up the good work.”

Gun-Ho saw the four employees of the former GH Development smiling before they walked out of his office. They seemed to not care much about which company they were working for as long as they were being properly paid for their work.

Director Kang came to Gun-Ho’s office.

“I met with the apparel company’s owner president again, sir, and I left my business card with her.”

“What did she say? I mean the apparel company’s female president?”

“She actually didn’t say anything. When I gave her our offer of 25 billion won for the building, she didn’t give me any explicit response. She just stared at my business card for a while. So, I left her office after making sure that she has my business card.”

“Okay. Good job. If she wants to sell the building, she will give us a call.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. We received 120 billion won in the GH Development’s business bank account, sir. What do you want me to do with it, sir?”

“Please send the entire fund to my personal bank account.”

“Yes, sir.”

“GH Development is not subject to corporate tax this year, isn’t it?”

“We have to make profits in order to pay taxes, right?”

“Well, that’s true. I guess that we don’t have to worry about taxes then.”

“That’s right.”

“How are our workers taking the news about moving to another company? Is there anyone who is complaining about it?”

“No, sir. I thought that they would be dissatisfied with receiving their severance package now since it has to stop being accumulated. I thought that they would prefer to continue their severance pay program even with GH Mobile. But, against my expectation, they seemed to be even happy with the fact that they would receive a lump sum of money now. It’s extra cash for them anyway.”

“Haha, really?”

“In the long term, it’s better to have their severance pay be continuously piled up until they retire. But it seems that everyone needs money at this very moment, and that’s why they looked happy to receive the money now. They seemed to find it as a windfall.”

“I feel sorry for Manager Hong. She wouldn’t be getting the money.”

“I told Manager Hong that Mr. Chairman might have important work for her. Who knows? Well, Manager Hong looked excited for the possibility. I was already told by GH Mobile’s President Song about some of our workers’ new job assignments.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“And, one of the office spaces on the 17th floor will be vacated in June, and the building management department will move to that office.”

“What about all the spaces here?”

“As a matter of fact, Mr. Chairman, your office is way too small. When I visited GH Mobile, I went to the president’s office, and that office was larger than yours here, sir. So, we will have a larger chairman’s office and a secretary’s office on the 18th floor. Actually, President Song made this suggestion.”

“I’m okay with what I have here.”

“We insist that you should have a large and quiet office, sir.”

“Well, let’s think about it again when it’s close to June.”

Gun-Ho was dozing off in his office when he received a call. It was from A Electronics Group’s CEO Park.

“Mr. Chairman Goo, how have you been?”

“It’s good to hear from you, Mr. CEO Park.”

“I’d like to meet you tomorrow at the parking lot of the Namsan Public Library. 11 am would be perfect.”

“Are you going to give me a gift?”

“I’m not sure if it would be a gift. I will talk to you about it tomorrow.”

“Alright. I wanted to get some fresh air in April anyway. Namsan Mountain will provide plenty of fresh air that I need.”

Gun-Ho was curious about what CEO Park would offer him this time.

He walked around in his office with his hands tied behind his back.

“What is he going to offer me this time? His offer should be compatibly good compared to the 30 billion won dividend that I had given to them. Otherwise, I won’t accept it.”

Gun-Ho had his hope high for a second, and then he lost his faith to the reality that he had experienced so far.

“Politicians are not trustworthy. There are tons of trash people in politics without loyalty or fidelity. I shouldn’t expect much. I don’t want to get disappointed.”

The following day, Gun-Ho somewhat felt hopeful. He headed to the Namsan Public Library with Chan-Ho Eom around 10:30 am. CEO Park’s car was already parked in the parking lot. CEO Park rolled down the window a little bit and waved at Gun-Ho. Gun-Ho got out of his Bentley and walked toward CEO Park’s car. CEO Park was alone inside his Genesis without his chauffeur, just like last time when they met.

“You drove yourself again today, sir.”

“I sometimes enjoy driving myself around Namsan Mountain. When I was younger, I often took a walk around here with my then-girlfriend.”

“Haha. You seem to have a good memory about this area.”

CEO Park glanced at his watch and then said, “As you received your dividend from GH Mobile last time, I guess that you must be loaded with a terrific amount of cash now.”

“Well, even though I had a good amount of money, I had to spend a lot as well.”

“Haha, I see.”

Gun-Ho kept staring at CEO Park’s face waiting for what he had to say. While looking at his face, Gun-Ho thought that CEO Park must be a handsome man when he was younger.

CEO Park finally spoke, “Gongmyeong Party’s Party Leader Jin-Woo Lee is scheduled to give a special lecture in Gwangju City soon. It will be held ten days later.”

“Oh, is that right? I’m not acknowledged with current affairs these days. I didn’t have time to read newspapers lately.”

CEO Park lowered his head and said in a low voice, “Party Leader Jin-Woo Lee will announce his intention to run for President during that particular lecture.”

“Oh, really?”

Gun-Ho thought, ‘This information is clearly a big fish!’

Gun-Ho felt goosebumps on his skin all over his body.

‘This is really good! Once I see a big fish bite, I will pull it with all of my strength!’

As Gun-Ho eased his tension, he said, “Haha, it seems that Party Leader Jin-Woo Lee has been and will also be very busy lately.”