1953 Bare-handed Tycoon - Chapter 350



Only Noblemtl

350 – Horse counterpart

After returning from Japan, Kijo met Chairman Park at the Ulsan fertilizer plant.

There was no special reason why Chairman Park visited the fertilizer factory.

The purpose was to tour the Gijo factory while inspecting the factories built with aid and loans.

Chairman Park gathered the fertilizer plant workers and gave a passionate speech.

“We plan to request an additional $30 million in fertilizer funding from ICA this coming fiscal year.”

Chairman Park’s announcement was met with cheers and applause.

That was understandable, since if they asked for an additional $30 million, more than half of it would go to the Cheongsan fertilizer plant, which would be a great help in repaying the loan borrowed from West Germany.

The keynote was that he was running a business that would never fail.

The commercial loan could also be repaid early.

Chairman Park, who received cheers, also continued to nag.

It wasn’t a complaint directed at the fertilizer plant workers.

“This fall, I went around the countryside, helping out and observing the fall harvest. The places I inspected were doing an exemplary job of harvesting. I didn’t take a helicopter, but instead went by car and secretly inspected every corner of the countryside, and there were even fields where rice hadn’t been harvested properly. That’s what I’m saying.”

Chairman Park, who had spoken up to that point, held back his words for a moment as if his anger was about to explode, and then continued.

“I thought that we shouldn’t just provide the fertilizer that you’ve made with your blood, sweat, and tears to just anyone. We should give more fertilizer to diligent and honest farmers and less fertilizer to those that don’t. No matter how much we help a group that doesn’t help itself, it’s no use. That’s my belief.”

Applause broke out again.

After the speech, Chairman Park toured the fertilizer plant and asked pointed questions.

The factory manager, who had gone all the way to West Germany to learn the technology, was sweating bullets answering Chairman Park’s questions.

But even though his voice was trembling, he answered without hesitation. After the inspection, Chairman Park patted the factory manager on the shoulder and smiled.

After the inspection, Kijo spoke with Chairman Park at the factory office.

“Mr. Lee, I heard that there is a special fertilizer for trees.”

“Yes, there are slow-release solid compound fertilizers that dissolve slowly.”

“Dr. Hyun Shin-gyu was right. Try making that.”

“It is already in development.”

Chairman Park smiled brightly at the keynote speech.

“Master, you know how to do things that are pleasing to my heart.”

The keynote speaker knew that Chairman Park was serious about reforestation, so he was already developing tree fertilizer.

“But you know, if we provide forest fertilizers for free, won’t farmers use them for farming?”

“It may be possible in the first year. However, since it is a slow-release fertilizer, you will realize that there is no use in spreading forest fertilizer on your fields. I think it is necessary for the government to provide guidance to farmers in advance.”

“Yes, next year we will establish the Rural Development Administration. We will have them provide technology to farmers and supervise them, so we can thoroughly look after agriculture.”

Chairman Park seemed to like the conversation with Kijo and continued talking about reforestation.

“The Forestry Act will be promulgated at the end of this year. Following this, the Forestry Agency will be established, and the Forestry Agency will be placed under the Ministry of the Interior, not the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. What good will it do to just plant trees? We need to protect and crack down on cutting down trees. We need to place the Forestry Agency under the Ministry of the Interior, and create a forest police.”

The keynote speaker nodded.

The new forest law created by Chairman Park consolidated and strengthened the existing laws on forests and abolished the old forest laws that date back to the Joseon Dynasty and the Japanese colonial period.

And establishing the Korea Forest Service and placing it under the Ministry of the Interior, which is in charge of the police, rather than the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, was something that was done in the original history.

Forest police wearing helmets and carrying guns rode horses through the mountains to prevent logging.

“And that guy I mentioned earlier, Dr. Hyun Shin-gyu. He says he created something called the with the aid he received from the United States.”

Rigiteda pine was a new species created by Dr. Hyun Shin-kyu as a hybrid between rigid pine and teda pine.

It was a tree that had the best of both worlds, grew well in poor soil, had good material, and grew straight.

It was a tree that was strong against the cold and grew well even in sandy soil, and even in the mountains and fields of South Korea where desertification was in progress.

“We should also import acacia trees from Japan. Acacia trees grow quickly, so it would be good to make fuel forests with acacia trees before coal becomes widespread.”

As Chairman Park talked about extensive facts about trees and forestation, Seong Dae-ik, who was standing next to the keynote speaker and taking notes on Chairman Park’s words, was surprised.

However, I felt relieved because Chairman Park seemed to be handling the keynote speech without formality.

Dae-ik, who met Chairman Park for the first time, was anxious the whole time, wondering if something might go wrong.

“But you know, when I looked around the factories that received US loans, there were a lot of places that were really amazing.”

After finishing the story about reforestation, Chairman Park started telling the keynote speaker another story.

“When I went to the Honam Fertilizer factory, they were using American-made brooms and ladders. So when I asked why they were using expensive American-made items, they said that the aid contract was signed that way from the beginning, so there was nothing they could do about it. I was astonished….”

Chairman Park clicked his tongue.

“But since we’ve put Brigadier General Kim Jae-gyu (金在奎) in the position of president of Honam Fertilizer, he’ll take responsibility for completing it. He’s a capable and clean guy…”

When the name Kim Jae-gyu came out of Chairman Park’s mouth, Ki-jo’s heart fluttered greatly.

Kim Jae-gyu was eight years younger than Chairman Park, but they were from the same hometown and graduated from the Military Academy.

Although he did not participate in the revolution, Chairman Park thought that the only people he could trust in the process of weeding out the main force of the revolution were people from the same hometown, so he brought in Kim Jae-gyu as someone who would be loyal to him.

Chairman Park, who had no idea what Kijo was thinking, continued talking.

“This problem isn’t limited to that one place. I went to a glass factory in Yeongdeungpo and found that it hadn’t been in operation for two years, but why was there an old American couple guarding the office?”

*Glass Factory

Chairman Park said that her husband was a technical advisor dispatched from the United States and his wife was his secretary.

“I asked the factory owner and he said that the husband gets $1,200 a month and the wife gets $800 from USOM. That’s the aid contract.”

Kijo nodded silently, and Daeik, who heard what was said from the side, was surprised and thought, “Is there such a place in the world where you can make a lot of money so easily?”

“Before coming here, I went to a shipyard in Yeongdo, Busan, and there was a $175,000 machine imported from the United States that was left unattended. When I asked why, they said that the machine was imported as aid four years ago, but only a part of it was brought in, and the machine couldn’t be operated.”

Chairman Park lamented the fact that American aid was being managed in a haphazard manner.

“From now on, even if we receive aid, we should not just accept what the United States gives. We should actively reflect our opinions.”

Chairman Park smiled faintly as he spoke, perhaps thinking that he had lamented too much.

“I wonder if I did the revolution for nothing. Now that I’m in charge of the country, I feel like I’m taking over a house that has been broken into by thieves.”

Chairman Park laughed hollowly, glanced at Seong Dae-ik, and quickly stopped laughing.

Daeik also laughed along without thinking because Chairman Park’s words were funny, but then quickly hardened his expression.

“Let’s just talk about the two of us.”

In response to Chairman Park’s remarks, Kijo turned to Daeik and said:

“Stay out.”

“Yes, sir.”

Daeik bowed 90 degrees to Chairman Kijo and Park and left the president’s office.

As I left the president’s office, I had to watch out for the scary soldiers guarding Chairman Park, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

It was a relief to see the general who had turned the country upside down joking freely with the representative.

Daeik left the building and sighed heartily from a distance.

As soon as Dae-ik left, Chairman Park sent his staff and bodyguard Park Jong-gyu out and began talking alone with Ki-jo.

Chairman Park lit a cigarette, blew out a puff of smoke, and spoke to the keynote speaker.

“Master, you have to help me.”

“I will help you.”

Kijo answered without hesitation.

For now, the best thing to do was to help him wholeheartedly so that he could run the country well.

“How may I help you?”

When asked about the keynote speech, Chairman Park smiled faintly.

“Master, just listen to me.”

“I will do that.”

The keynote speech was that Chairman Park would be lonely.

I wondered if there was anyone around me I could comfortably confide in about my worries.

If he asked his subordinates what he should do, he might appear as a spineless leader, and if he asked his loyal group of 8th generation graduates, he might end up in a situation where he had to accept the advice that ‘they judge to be right’.

Chairman Park seemed to be looking for a comfortable conversation partner who wouldn’t tell him what to do.

“If you have something to say, just say it honestly. Don’t worry about what other people think.”

“All right.”

The keynote speaker was determined to speak frankly if Chairman Park wanted to.

If he can make even a little bit of progress in the right direction, it will ultimately help the country.

After a while of silence, Chairman Park opened his mouth.

“What did you hear from Kennedy when he spoke to me on the White House lawn?”

The keynote was frank.

“Korea is easy, and the chairman seemed to be making fun of us.”

“hmm…….”

Chairman Park stared intently at the keynote speech.

There was a strange corner in his eyes.

He was sharp but not aggressive, and he seemed thoughtful but there was something about him that made it hard to tell what he was thinking.

Kijo was nervous about how Chairman Park would take his first direct remarks.

“Did you think so too?”

Fortunately, Chairman Park seemed to feel the same way.

He said with a cheerful smile.

“The media said it was a huge success. But those of you who were there must have known. The reality was that it wasn’t something to be proud of… .”

The keynote speech defended Chairman Park, who looked slightly dispirited.

“No, you did well. Didn’t you get a lot from the United States?”

“Really? I felt bitter because I felt like I was receiving a lot of threats. When Kennedy said in the joint statement that he would cut off PL480 (food aid) if any force appeared that threatened the current government, it seemed like he was talking to me.”

Chairman Park made an awkward expression for a moment as if his stomach was churning, then continued speaking.

“Do you think Kennedy was protecting me because I was so pretty? He told me that if I didn’t listen to him, he could cut off food aid.”

Chairman Park’s perception of the situation was accurate.

In fact, Kennedy turned back the ship carrying food aid to Korea when Chairman Park failed to keep his promise to transfer civilian control.

Chairman Park took a deep drag on his cigarette smoke and exhaled it, rubbing his eyes with the palm of his hand.

“The chief of intelligence will be going to the United States next week.”

“Is that so?”

“I understand that the Chief of Intelligence is negotiating the introduction of a nuclear power plant and meeting with the heads of South Korean and American intelligence agencies. He will go quietly without even announcing it to the press.”

After saying that, Chairman Park frowned for a moment.

“While the Director of Information is in the United States, I must do whatever Kennedy tells me to do… … .”

Chairman Park seemed to be trying not to give Kim Jong-pil any advance notice.

If he had told Kennedy about the story he had shared outside, he would have had to admit that the United States did not like Kim Jong-pil and that Chairman Park had capitulated to Kennedy.

It wouldn’t have been easy.

Still, I thought it would be better for Kim Jong-pil to tell me the details before he left for the United States.

But the general principle was not to mention anything about power issues.

Chairman Park was a man whose mind was difficult to read, but in an instant, his thoughts were read from his eyes.

Chairman Park seemed to want to use this opportunity to demonstrate a clear superior-subordinate relationship to the 8th class of the Korea Military Academy.

At the same time, the country’s major events seemed to show that he was willing to make his own decisions.

The keynote speech was that it was unclear how the power relationship between Chairman Park and the revolutionary forces would change.

Chairman Park’s eyes were filled with a look that could be either anxiety or determination.

“And by the way… … .”

Chairman Park, who had been silent for a while, opened his mouth.

“What do you think of the rumor that the Chinese are hiding about 100 billion yuan?”

The keynote speaker thought that Chairman Park was casually asking himself questions that required a decision.

This time it was a question of currency reform.

The keynote speech was that Chairman Park should not believe the theory of 100 billion won in underground funds raised by the Chinese community by Yoo Won-sik.

If we carried out currency reform believing such absurd words, the side effects would only increase.

“If the overseas Chinese have that kind of money, why don’t you give it a try?”

“test?”

“If the overseas Chinese had accumulated that much wealth, they would have invested in land because of the severe inflation. Spread the rumor that the overseas Chinese’s real estate will be confiscated and returned to the national treasury to be used for economic development.”

Chairman Park listened to the keynote speech and became lost in thought.

“Real estate… … When I investigated the assets of high-ranking officials after the revolution, I found that those who had amassed wealth illegally bought houses and didn’t even hang nameplates on their houses. They were trying to hide it.”

Chairman Park, who had been thinking deeply, asked again.

“What do you think would happen if you spread such a rumor?”

“There will be a surge in the number of properties for sale in prime Seoul land. Transaction prices will also drop.”

“What if overseas Chinese hold more cash than real estate?”

“They will somehow try to exchange it for dollars or gold and escape to Japan or Free China (Taiwan).”

“What kind of phenomenon will appear then?”

“The dollar value will soar in the Myeongdong black market and gold will dry up in the market.”

“I guess so… .”

“Yes, if the story about the 100 billion won in overseas Chinese funds is true, one of the following will definitely happen: a real estate crash, a surge in the value of the dollar, or a gold shortage.”

Chairman Park nodded, touching his chin at the keynote speech, and said with a sly smile.

“Talking to you makes my mind clearer. Come to the chairman’s office often.”

When Kijo did not answer that he would do so, Chairman Park asked.

“Why? Do you notice me going in and out of the chairman’s office?”

“Yes.”

“Then, come to the Chairman’s residence. The Master told me before. I won’t drink outside with you, so if you want to drink with me, call me to the house.”

This is what Kijo said when he suggested going out for a drink while living at his home in Sindangdong.

“Yes, I have said that.”

“Then, keep your promise.”

Chairman Park chuckled.

The keynote speaker also laughed.