1953 Bare-handed Tycoon - Chapter 349



Only Noblemtl

349 – Seo Gap-ho

“Well, as the saying goes, a cicada has to eat pine needles. Shouldn’t it do what it does best?”

Kijo nodded at Seo Gap-ho’s words.

Seo Gap-ho entered Korea earlier than any other Zainichi Korean businessperson.

In 1963, he took over Taechang Textile’s Yeongdeungpo factory, which was under bank management, and established Panbon Textile.

In 1967, the company changed its name to ‘Banglim Spinning’ and in 1973, it established ‘Yunseong Spinning’ in Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do and expanded its business.

However, the following year, ‘Yunseong Spinning’ was completely destroyed by a large fire, and soon after, the parent spinning company operating in Japan went bankrupt due to the first oil shock.

Perhaps due to a series of unfortunate events, Seo Gap-ho, who had been struggling to normalize the company, suddenly passed away a few years later.

The keynote speech was that it was not right to expand the spinning business, even for Seo Gap-ho’s personal sake.

Rather than investing the valuable money earned from the Korean War in businesses with a future, I wanted to invest it in businesses with a future, rather than in the slowly declining textile industry.

Kijo opened his mouth cautiously.

“Didn’t Toyota, which now makes cars, used to make weaving machines?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Seo, how about you try making something different?”

Seo Gap-ho smiled and said at Kijo’s suggestion.

“What do you think I would be good at? If there is an area you would recommend, please let me know.”

Seo Gap-ho seemed to be asking with a light heart.

But the keynote spoke of heavy areas.

“How about trying your hand at the oil refining business?”

“Is it essential oil?”

Seo Gap-ho was surprised.

“Yes, if we build an oil refinery, we will be able to extract raw materials for chemical fibers, which will help the spinning business, and Ulsan is also a good location for building an oil refinery.”

“That would be great. But I don’t know much about essential oils or chemicals, so haha.”

Seo Gap-ho agreed with the keynote speech, but talked about realistic difficulties.

“You didn’t start out knowing about the spinning industry from the beginning, did you? I don’t know if the Korean government will give tax exemptions to Japanese companies, but they promised that if foreign companies invest in Korea, they won’t create public enterprises in that field. I think this will apply to Japanese companies as well. And I expect they will block other private companies from entering the field.”

If Seo Gap-ho were to engage in the oil refining business, it would be tantamount to saying he had a monopoly.

“I run the largest transportation company in Korea. All the oil we use in Korea is dependent on the US and the US military, and I want to run my trucks on oil refined in Korea. If possible, I want to run them on asphalt made in Korea.”

The keynote speech appealed to Seo Gap-ho’s patriotism by talking about the possibility of success in the oil refining industry.

He was a very patriotic man.

Even in Japan, if he bought valuable land and donated it to the Korean government without any conditions, it must have been that his patriotism was on a whole other level compared to other businessmen.

“During the Syngman Rhee administration, the US blocked oil supplies for 60 days because they did not follow their wishes. But if we build an oil refinery in Korea, that won’t happen.”

Seo Gap-ho’s face became serious at the keynote speech.

If he showed interest, Kijo was willing to introduce him to Professor Yoo In-ho.

Professor Yoo In-ho was a specialist member of the Heavy Chemical Industry Subcommittee under the Planning Committee of the Supreme Council.

He was drawing up plans to build an oil refinery at the request of the revolutionary government.

Because of its highly nationalistic nature, it was pushing forward with the construction of an oil refinery using national capital.

The keynote speaker was a paper badge given to him by Chairman Park, which allowed anyone to visit and talk to him.

Seo Gap-ho nodded after hearing the story from the Syngman Rhee era.

But Kijo thought the refinery would be a big adventure for him, so he recommended other businesses as well.

“Have you heard about the Korean Steel Vice Ministerial Corps?”

The keynote speech brought up the KISA story.

The keynote speaker explained it to Seo Gap-ho, who had never heard of it before.

Even without technology, capital participation is open to building a 1 million-ton steel mill in Korea.

Since it is led by the United States, there is no concern that Japanese companies will be disadvantaged by participating.

In response to the keynote speech, Seo Gap-ho showed that he was tempted but he was hesitant to step forward because it was an area he was unfamiliar with.

But surprisingly, Shingyeokho reacted.

“How long will this KISA project be carried out?”

The keynote speech was delighted with Shin Kyuk-ho’s interest.

Shin Kyuk-ho had the intention of entering Korea through the steel and oil refining businesses in Won history.

However, the dream could not be realized because Chairman Park opposed it, saying that the national key industry could not be entrusted to the Japanese.

The keynote speech was that Jeong-yu and Je-cheol, who tried to persuade Seo Gap-ho, stimulated Shin Gyeok-ho’s dream.

“KISA will be implemented temporarily until the end of 1963. If the required capital is not met within two years, it will be disbanded.”

“is it so…….”

The fact that it was American-led and had various institutional safeguards seemed to appeal to the cautious Shin Kyuk-ho.

When Shin Kyuk-ho showed interest, Seo Gap-ho’s attitude also changed.

I asked the keynote speaker a question.

“Hasn’t a vice-ministerial group like KISA been formed on the oil refining side?”

As someone who works in synthetic fibers, I think he was naturally interested in essential oils.

“It hasn’t been formed yet, but I know someone in the government who is promoting the oil refining business.”

When Kijo answered, Lee Hu-rak did not miss it.

“To the two brothers, I think I didn’t introduce this CEO enough. Didn’t he receive a paper badge from Chairman Park?”

“Paper badge?”

“Yes, this CEO is promoting the steel mill business with a top member named Park Tae-jun. He received a document that says he can meet with anyone and promote it without any restrictions. CEO, please show it to me.”

At Lee Hu-rak’s insistence, Ki-jo took out a paper token from his bosom and showed it to Shin Gyeok-ho and Seo Gap-ho.

When Chairman Park saw the document with his signature, the two people’s expressions changed.

“You’re doing a good job. That’s why you came all the way to Japan to see us.”

Seo Gap-ho’s eyes were filled with trust.

He was a man who was itching to invest in his home country.

“Ma, then I should go to Seoul soon and meet with Chairman Park and the professor who is promoting the oil refining business. Don’t you think that’s what I should do? Little brother?”

Shingyeokho also nodded slowly.

Since then, Kijo has been able to engage more deeply with the story.

The two businessmen from Ulsan took a keen interest in the fertilizer plant and the cultivator plant that Kijo had built.

Kijo explained the factory to the two with all his heart.

The keynote speaker was that both were patriotic businessmen and had actively participated in Korean investment throughout Won’s history.

But I did my best to stimulate their investment sentiment.

Just as Kijo had devoted himself to the development of Eundae-ri before growing his business with affection for it, the two were more proud than anyone else of the fact that their hometown, Ulsan, had developed thanks to Kijo’s factory.

Lee Hu-rak spoke passionately about Ulsan, which has developed thanks to the keynote speech.

“A factory is being built in that place that used to be a field of reeds and sand. Is there a bus that goes all the way to Samnam-myeon?”

Samnam-myeon was the hometown of Seo Gap-ho and Shin Gyeok-ho.

“Does the bus go that far?”

“Yes, in the morning and afternoon, a bus is run to transport the residents working at the factory, and in the middle, a bus comes every two hours so that the residents can go outside.”

“Really? I’m glad the bus is coming.”

“Oh, is that all? This CEO also runs a bicycle company, and he gives bicycles to employees who do a good job, right? This CEO also provides new roads, so buses and bicycles can run smoothly.”

After Lee Hu-rak’s boast, Seo Gap-ho and Shin Gyeok-ho looked at Ki-jo as if he were from the same hometown.

“If that’s all, then I don’t have any words. There’s a cultivator factory, right? They rent out cultivators to farmers, so the village doesn’t need cows. Cows. People who send their children to Seoul to study sell their cows early to pay for their tuition, and these days, they use cultivators. Hahaha.”

Lee Hu-rak’s boasting never ceased.

Shin Kyuk-ho, who was listening, showed interest in the fact that Kijo had established Cheongsan Sanghoe in the rural area of ​​Ulsan and was doing distribution business.

“How is the distribution business in Korea?”

Kijo knew that if Shin Kyuk-ho entered Korea, he would be a strong competitor in the distribution business, but he spoke frankly.

He brought in capital from Japan and invested it in Korea, so it would be beneficial to Korea and not cause any harm.

“There are several department stores opening in Seoul now, but they are all the same. No matter how bad the economy is, the rich want to use better products. If you are thinking of entering the distribution business, you will definitely succeed if you open a high-end department store like the Japanese department stores.”

Shin Kyuk-ho nodded in agreement with the keynote speech.

The meeting between the two businessmen, which was supposed to be a visit to Seoul, ended up being a two-hour long discussion about the Korean economy.

Kijo and Lee Hu-rak saw the two people off in front of the headquarters and stood there until the car they were riding in was out of sight.

As they disappeared from sight, Kijo said:

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“It was hard. I tried to persuade him to visit Seoul, but this CEO did all the persuading. Hahaha.”

Lee Hu-rak passed the ball to Ki-jo.

“They seem like really good people. I think they will make a big investment in Korea.”

“Well, it’s not because we’re from the same hometown. Both of my older brothers have a great love for their hometown and country. Even though my older brother, Gyeok-ho, is a bit picky, he’s a very precise person. Don’t be too disappointed in him.”

“No. I have never felt that way.”

Kijo knew the hearts of Koreans living in Japan well.

Nine out of ten diplomatic missions in Japan were built by Korean residents in Japan who bought the land, built the buildings, and donated them to their home country.

When the 1988 Seoul Olympics were decided upon, they were the ones who raised and donated 10 billion yen.

Jamsil Olympic Stadium, Olympic Parktel, Olympic Hall, and Misari Rowing Stadium were built with the money they sent back to their home country.

These are the people who sent 54.1 billion won at a time when a 20-pyeong apartment in Seoul cost 20 million won.

At that time, the total amount of donations collected by compatriots from all over the world, excluding Japan, was 600 million won.

The proud and loud Korean-Americans were nothing compared to the Korean-Japanese.

The keynote speech was that the patriotism of the Japanese expatriates was bound to be particularly strong.

The more the Japanese discriminated against them by calling them Joseonjin, the more venomous they became.

They were people who could tolerate being persecuted and ignored by the Japanese, but could not tolerate their country being ignored.

In comparison, it is true that the Korean government only knew how to use the Koreans living in Japan, and failed to provide any help.

They framed Korean students who came to study in Japan as spies, welcomed them as Koreans, and at some point suspected them of being Japanese and rejected them.

Kijo entered the embassy with Lee Hu-rak, thinking about the complex relationship between the Korean government and the Korean community in Japan.

I would have liked to have told President Seo Gap-ho to sell this fancy and expensive headquarters building and use the money to invest in Korea.

But the hearts of Koreans in Japan may not be like that.

They believed that the Korean embassy should be located in a place that was both nice and expensive to the Japanese so that they and their children would not be ignored, so they thought such talk would not work.