1953 Bare-handed Tycoon - Chapter 348



Only Noblemtl

348 – Shin Kyuk-ho

The golf meeting with Lee Hu-rak took place earlier than expected.

Lee Rak’s face brightened after meeting him at the US 8th Army golf course.

Houseman asked Lee Hwa-rak.

“Are you the person who was captured?”

“I wasn’t caught. I just joined the revolution late.”

Lee Hu-rak smiled cheerfully.

“The person who was the eyes that watched Chairman Park has now become his mouth.”

“Isn’t that what it’s like to work in the information industry? You’re being someone’s eyes and ears, and sometimes even their mouth. Hahaha.”

The keynote speech did not look badly on Lee Ha-rak, who quickly moved from the Jang Myun regime to the Park Chung-hee regime.

He was originally that kind of person.

He was a man who did not betray, but who changed his words from time to time.

He could also be seen as a genius at conducting himself.

For a key figure in power during the Third Republic, which ended badly, his final years were relatively peaceful.

The meeting that day was a formality of golf, and conversation was the main focus.

Hausmann asked about the Central Intelligence Agency, and Lee Hu-rak was cautious with his words but hinted that it was the center of the revolutionary government.

Keynote also agreed with his words in his heart.

Until Kim Jong-pil left the KCIA, not only members of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction but also each government department sought advice from the KCIA.

It was known that it was a common practice in the early days of the revolutionary government to ask for the opinion of the central government when pursuing any project.

After circling the course and entering the clubhouse to drink a warm beverage, Lee Hu-rak said to Ki-jo.

“I will be going to Japan soon. If you receive a call from the Japanese mission, consider it as me.”

The keynote speaker nodded.

It seemed that Lee Hu-rak had already been instructed to meet Shin Kyuk-ho and connect him with Ki-jo.

A few days after the golf meeting, good news arrived from Tokyo.

Shin Hak-min, chairman of the Federation of Korean Businessmen in Japan, announced during a meeting with Korean correspondents that “Korean businessmen in Japan hope to participate in the country’s five-year economic plan.”

He expressed his hope that Japanese businessmen would cooperate in building key industries and establishing integrated steel mills and oil refineries in line with Korea’s first five-year economic development plan.

He assured that an investment of about 1 billion yen in Japanese currency is possible, and that cooperation even greater than that is possible if Japanese businesspeople unite.

And two days later, on December 8th, the Korean Embassy in Japan contacted Kijo.

It was a message asking me to attend an event on Sunday, December 10th where Japanese businesspeople would be invited to the Korean Embassy.

The group departed for Tokyo on December 9th.

After getting off at Haneda Airport, Kijo headed to central Tokyo where the Korean Embassy in Japan is located.

The Korean Embassy was surprisingly located in an area of ​​Tokyo where land prices were expensive.

It was a time when the government was unable to provide operating funds to the Korean mission, so it issued instructions to accept donations from Korean residents in Japan to operate the mission.

Yet the headquarters was housed in a fancy building in a wealthy neighborhood.

The keynote looked up at the two-story, quaint European-style building.

The country is so poor, yet the embassy building is so luxurious that I felt a little uncomfortable.

After ringing the doorbell and verifying his identity, Kijo entered the building.

The Sunday representative office construction and Lee Hu-rak gave a keynote speech, and as it was meal time, they ate together and chatted.

Lee Hu-rak called the two most successful businessmen in Japan and said that they should meet tomorrow and have a good talk.

The next day.

Two Zainichi businessmen visited our office.

Shin Kyuk-ho, a tall, slender, handsome man, entered the building first.

It felt like the inside of the building was brightening up.

Another person who came with him was Seo Gap-ho.

Seo Gap-ho, with his rough appearance in contrast to Shin Kyuk-ho, greeted the staff at the representative office.

Kijo knew Seo Gap-ho.

The building and land where the Korean embassy was located were his property.

Originally, the Korean Embassy rented one floor of a shabby building in downtown Tokyo.

During the Korean War, when rent is overdue, the electricity is cut off and the landlord tells him to vacate.

At that time, the sad news reached Osaka, and Mr. Seo Gap-ho, who was running a textile factory, came to Tokyo in person.

He took the Sunday missionary to Takeyacho, a famous wealthy village, and showed him around a building.

Then, when I asked the construction company if it was okay to go to the representative building, the construction company was so shocked that they just opened their mouths and couldn’t say anything.

In 1952, when the Korean War was in full swing, he purchased the building that was used as the Danish Embassy residence for 42 million yen.

When the construction worker asks how to pay the rent, he snaps, “Stop talking nonsense.”

The Korean representative office was established in a two-story European-style building built on a site of approximately 2,400 pyeong.

On August 15, 1962, it was donated to the Korean government as a Liberation Day gift, but it was still in the possession of Seo Gap-ho.

‘Landlord’ Seo Gap-ho greeted the staff of the Sunday office without formality and laughed loudly. He was usually loud.

In contrast, Shin Kyuk-ho, who seemed introverted, greeted people with a quiet tone of voice.

The two people were polar opposites, from their appearance to their personalities.

Lee Hu-rak tied these two people, who were so different, together with his characteristic friendliness.

He spoke in the Gyeongsang dialect, which he usually refrained from speaking in front of the keynote speaker.

“I’m really sorry for making you come to my hometown.”

“Enough. Stop talking nonsense.”

Seo Gap-ho waved his hand and laughed.

Seo Gap-ho, Shin Gyeok-ho, and Lee Hu-rak are all from Ulsan. They are from the same neighborhood.

Even from the perspective of the town, it was an amazing thing. Whether it was because the town was good or because three people who were born in a time when it was hard to make a living and lived in a remote area succeeded and came together in one place.

Lee Hu-rak introduced the keynote speech, and the four sat in the reception room and talked.

The atmosphere was led by Lee Hu-rak.

“Is it Seo Gap-ho in Osaka, Shin Kyuk-ho in Tokyo, and Lee Hu-rak in Seoul?”

After making his brothers laugh by whining, Lee Hwa-rak also slyly inserted the keynote speech into the ‘Ulsan people’ category.

“And in Ulsan, there is President Lee Ki-jo.”

“He doesn’t seem like someone from the same hometown.”

Seo Gap-ho glanced at Kijo and said.

“Your Majesty, that is such a sad thing to hear. Didn’t this CEO build a huge fertilizer factory in Ulsan? He also built a cultivator factory to feed the people of our hometown.”

“Oh really? Then you’re from Ulsan. Hahaha.”

Seo Gap-ho greeted Ki-jo happily and asked to shake his hand again.

Shin Kyuk-ho also smiled at Ki-jo, as if he was pleased to hear that he was a businessman who had built a large factory in his hometown.

“Because our Gap-ho hyung didn’t buy us a building for the embassy, ​​all the diplomats here are out on the streets. The South Korean government should give them medals.”

Lee Hu-rak praised the oldest member, Seo Gap-ho.

“That’s enough. You’re the spokesperson, but you’re talking nonsense.”

“It is an honor not only to the Korean community in Japan but also to our compatriots back home that my brother has become the number one income tax payer in Japan. It is an honor.”

“When will we talk about the enemy? All that money was earned through the war. So I can’t brag about the money I earned.”

“If it weren’t for you, brother, wouldn’t the Japanese son have earned all that money? Brother, you too… … .”

The keynote naturally blended into the atmosphere created by Lee Hu-rak.

While Lee Hu-rak and Seo Gap-ho were chatting away, Shin Gyeok-ho just smiled and remained quiet.

After creating a good atmosphere, Lee Rak brought up the main topic.

“I have a favor to ask of you two brothers. Come to Korea sometime.”

“korea?”

“Yes, please come to Seoul and meet Chairman Park.”

Lee Hu-rak’s first purpose in visiting Japan was to bring the two people to Chairman Park.

The second was to introduce them and greet them.

“They are asking me to invest in my home country.”

“That’s right, brother.”

“I should go see you. The Koreans in Japan are just physically present in Japan, they are Korean children.”

Seo Gap-ho was positive.

Lee Hu-rak looked at Shin Gyeok-ho, who was silent.

“Brother Kyukho, aren’t you coming?”

Shingyeokho opened his mouth to ask a question.

“I should go too.”

“Thank you, sir. Please come and help the chairman.”

Shin Kyuk-ho said with a bitter smile at Lee Hu-rak’s words.

“Yes, I am also basically in favor of investing in the home country, but wouldn’t it be better to invest after diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan are normalized?”

As expected, Shingyeokho was cautious.

“I guess it’s because of nationality. If that’s the case, don’t worry. Chairman Park said he will resolve all issues, such as tax exemptions for foreign companies in the US and remittance of profits.”

“Japanese companies too?”

Shingyeokho asked.

Shingyeokho was sounding out business opportunities by tapping on the stone bridge as if measuring with a ruler.

“Haha, you too, hyung… Really. Why are you so worried? Chairman Park holds the legislative, judicial, and administrative powers. Can’t he make a single law so that you two can invest comfortably? In Korea, there is no opposition party that opposes everything outright, and there are no leftists who look askance at everything.”

Lee Hu-rak looked slightly embarrassed and defended himself earnestly.

But it seemed like such an empty promise wasn’t enough for Shin Kyuk-ho.

“Brother, is Prince Yeongchin unable to return to Korea?”

Shingyeokho brought up the story of Prince Yeongchin.

Lee Hu-rak was momentarily taken aback by the sudden mention of Prince Yeongchin, but then seemed to realize the intention and smiled as he continued to talk.

“Brother, Prince Yeongchin is legally a Japanese citizen. Even if we wanted to give him Korean citizenship, he has no permanent residence in Korea, right? Even if we wanted to bring him to Korea, there is no law. The law. But wouldn’t it be difficult to change the law just for Prince Yeongchin?”

Lee Hu-rak said something contradictory.

Just now, he said that he could make any law for Korean businessmen in Japan, but now he is saying that it is difficult to make any law because he has to consider the public opinion.

Shingyeokho’s expression hardened.

The keynote seemed to know why he did that.

It’s unlikely that Shingyeokho did that because he particularly respected Prince Yeongchin.

As a Zainichi Korean, I felt empathy for Prince Yeongchin.

Even though Koreans in Japan were legally naturalized as Japanese citizens, they remained Korean at heart.

There were many people who dreamed of making money in Japan but then returning to their home country to spend the rest of their lives there.

Those Korean residents in Japan did not look upon the fact that Prince Yeongchin, who was seriously ill, wanted to return to Korea but could not, as if it were someone else’s problem.

Koreans living in Japan have repeatedly requested the government to return Prince Yeongchin to Korea.

It was because they felt that their situation was similar to that of Prince Yeongchin.

When Shin Kyuk-ho seemed uncomfortable and kept his words to himself, Lee Hu-rak also hesitated.

Seo Gap-ho stepped forward to relieve the suddenly chilled atmosphere.

“Can you see my younger brother, Kyukho, looking around? He must be planning to invest a lot of money. Haha.”

Then Shingyeokho also opened his mouth.

“Of course I want to invest in Korea, brother. But I hope that Korea and Japan establish formal diplomatic relations and that legal issues are clearly resolved.”

After stating his position, Shingyeokho said to Lee Hurak.

“The reason I am being so picky is not because I don’t want to invest in Korea. I am saying this because I want my younger brother, Ho-rak, to give Chairman Park precise advice.”

“Okay, brother. I’ll make sure to tell you that.”

Despite Lee Hu-rak’s assurance, Shin Gyeok-ho tried to confirm it one more time.

“Look, brother Hu-rak. I am definitely Korean, but legally I am Japanese. Lotte is also legally a Japanese company. Can Japanese companies receive the same benefits as American companies?”

“Harmony. I can take it.”

The keynote speaker had no choice but to listen to their conversation in silence.

It was because I thought it was not my place to interfere yet.

The keynote speech was that Shin Kyuk-ho’s position was understandable.

Shin Kyuk-ho had dual citizenship.

The fact that they are both Korean and Japanese will make their movements difficult.

Zainichi Koreans were discriminated against in Japan and were viewed with suspicion in Korea.

The conversation naturally flowed to the investment case of Seo Gap-ho, who was active in investing in Korea.

“Brother Gap-ho, please build a spinning mill in Korea.”

Seo Gap-ho readily accepted Lee Hu-rak’s request.

“What’s so difficult about that? All we have to do is bring the machines from Japan. But… Japanese wages are rising day by day, so it’s getting harder and harder. Spinning yarn in Korea is more competitive in the long run!”

“Yes. Chairman Park is pushing for free land provision for foreign companies. Just bring the machines to Korea.”

The conversation between Seo Gap-ho, who runs a business with a strong sense of duty, and Lee Hu-rak, who is friendly, went smoothly.

Then Keynote intervened in their conversation.

“Are you planning to only do spinning?”

Seo Gap-ho looked at the keynote speech that was thrown out lightly.