1953 Bare-handed Tycoon - Chapter 367



Only Noblemtl

367 – Information gap

As expected, a loud noise began to be heard from the house across the street.

The keynote reassured the worried pilgrim, saying that it would be nothing serious and that he should not worry.

Kijo went out into the yard and smoked a cigarette while looking at the yard of the house across the street.

The 8th generation students were so excited that they couldn’t control their voices.

-Jongpil! It’s not your fault for doing that! It’s a shame you kept it from us!

―There was no way around it, because there shouldn’t be too many captains on a ship. Please understand.

-What? Boatman? Do you think we’re just rowers?

-That’s not it. I mean, I had no choice but to keep it a secret.

―Yeah, you were so good at keeping secrets that the press covered it? I heard that before the press exposed you, Kim Jae-chun also reported to the chairman that you were up to something. Why are things so sloppy?

―It seems like it’s because many civilians are participating. Isn’t it different from us?

―If you knew it was different, you should have told us.

-Please understand. I was planning to let you know soon.

-That sounds like an excuse, Jongpil.

Kim Jong-pil was being unilaterally attacked by his classmates.

It seemed like there were many classmates who were disappointed in him.

-Jongpil, it’s not just the founding. What are you doing at Walkerhill?

-What are you talking about?

―There’s a rumor that the counterintelligence unit is following you. Why are you running around like that, so uncharacteristic of you? Were you in a hurry? The more in a hurry and difficult it was, the more you should have asked your colleagues.

-under….

Kim Jong-pil let out a sigh.

It seemed like a sigh containing an excuse that it was unavoidable due to the busy schedule of the party’s founding.

-Wonshik, what are you doing these days?

The topic turned to amusement parks.

-Me? Me what?

-Are you up to something too?

-What am I making up? It’s obvious what the Finance Committee does.

Yu Won-sik’s voice shook.

He was secretly pushing for a currency reform, and would now have entrusted the printing of new currency notes to a British company.

―The stock market has been going crazy lately. Isn’t that your work? It smells like you.

-Don’t kill a living person! This!

-Won-sik, if you’re playing a prank, do it properly. Many people are worried that the stock market could crash in an instant if things continue like this.

―That’s because I said it wasn’t me! I don’t know either! Why are stocks suddenly skyrocketing…?

Yu Won-sik’s voice softened somewhat. He seemed relieved when his peers began to suspect that he could not even imagine a currency reform and that he would intervene in the stock market.

If the preparations for currency reform had been made known to the public before Kim Jong-pil’s preparations for founding a new party, Yoo Won-sik would have been extremely nervous, as the already weak economy could have completely collapsed.

The 8th generation students, who did not know the details, had a feeling that something was going on, but they were not able to figure out exactly what it was.

Lee Seok-je’s voice was heard.

―Senior Chae Myung-shin’s expression has been really weird lately. He said he was dying because he caught so much corruption while working as an inspector. Do you guys have any desire to line your own pockets or do you have any favors for anyone?

Lee Seok-je, who wants to live a life as clean and upright as Chae Myeong-shin, asked.

―What about another pocket… The national treasury is empty. If you touch it, is it a human child?

-Who touches the budget? There’s no such thing as asking for favors from contractors or asking for help from businessmen, right?

As expected of someone who will become an upright Chairman of the Board of Audit and Inspection in the future, Lee Seok-je made a threat to his peers.

―Seok-je is right. At least, that shouldn’t happen to us 8th generation students. We risked our lives for the revolution, so let’s not be so ugly as to sell our conscience for that little bit of money.

-Yeah, that’s right!

Kijo smiled bitterly as he listened to their conversation, which came across naturally.

The person who felt the most hurt at that moment was Kim Jong-pil.

To raise 20 billion won in funds for the party’s founding, Kim Jong-pil accessed the national treasury, manipulated the stock market, and even received bribes from pachinko operators.

He may think that it was not personal embezzlement but rather an attempt to create a regime and inherit the revolutionary spirit, but it was not a normal method.

And it was something that caused serious harm to someone.

As the door opened, the yard across the street brightened. Oh Jeong-geun came out, bathed in the yellow light of an incandescent bulb.

Kijo quickly put out his cigarette and tried to go inside the house, but Oh Jeong-geun saw him and called out to him.

“Mr. President, let’s have a smoke together.”

Oh Jeong-geun came over to Gi-jo’s house from the house across the street. Gi-jo sat on the veranda with Oh Jeong-geun and smoked a cigarette.

Just as he was about to say something, Oh Jeong-geun heard a sound coming from the house across the street and his eyes widened.

They seemed embarrassed by how clearly their own voices could be heard.

But he soon regained his composure, scratched the back of his head, and said to Kijo.

“Mr. President, have you heard everything we said?”

I couldn’t deny the keynote, so I spoke as if I had only heard the latter part.

“I heard Chairman Lee Seok-je emphasize that we should live cleanly.”

“Haha, then you heard everything there was to hear. I was an idiot who got a seat next door to the president of Hankook Ilbo. Please make sure there are no articles published tomorrow.”

Oh Jeong-geun asked with an expression and tone of voice that indicated that he was sure that Kijo had heard everything.

The keynote speaker replied that he would do so with an expression that said not to worry.

After finishing the story and entering the room, Kijo confirmed once again that there was a gap in power and information even among the 8th generation, the ‘leading figures of the revolution’.

Some of them were convinced that Chairman Park would hand over power to the civilians and return to the military.

Some people were so disappointed in Chairman Park’s participation in civil affairs that they were so innocent that they tried to take off their clothes in protest.

Most of these people had little power and little information.

The 8th class members drank and chatted until late at night, perhaps because they had gathered together for the first time in a long while to reminisce.

* * *

A few days later.

As expected, the government’s new media policy was announced.

First, due to the implementation of the single-edition system, the Hankook Ilbo had to decide whether to go with a morning or evening edition.

The keynote speech was to hold a meeting of executives at the Hankook Ilbo building to discuss whether to have a morning or evening edition.

Opinions were broadly divided into two.

After watching Dong-A decide whether to publish in the morning or evening, the main peace faction decided to avoid the same time slot as Dong-A Ilbo.

It was divided into a main war faction that believed that it should be published at the same time as the Dong-A Ilbo and that it should be confronted head-on.

Knowing that the Dong-A Ilbo was choosing the evening edition, Kijo wanted to go with the morning edition.

I thought it would be better to compete with and win against the easy Chosun Ilbo than to collide with and break the iron fortress of Dong-A Ilbo.

When the peace and war factions could not reach a conclusion, the executives passed the ball to Gijo to decide.

“I’ll do the morning paper. There is a solid readership for morning papers. Wouldn’t it be better to calmly organize the events of the previous day and deliver organized news in the morning?”

When Kijo gave his opinion, everyone accepted it.

As Jang Gi-yeong expected, the keynote speech was supported by the staff of the Hankook Ilbo.

Before the government demanded an increase in journalists’ salaries, the trend was to raise wages higher than the government’s demand.

The keynote speech was supported by Hankook Ilbo reporters as well as typographers and delivery workers.

It wasn’t necessarily because they paid high salaries. It was because they left the editing of newspaper articles to the reporters, visited the field, listened to the opinions of all employees, and respected them.

After deciding to use the Hankook Ilbo as a morning newspaper, Kijo went to the social affairs department after the meeting.

Social Affairs reporter Jeong Beom-tae, who had left for Ganghwa Island to cover the story, returned and was organizing the article and checking the freshly released photos.

Kijo asked Jeong Beom-tae what kind of case he covered.

“I covered the gangsters running rampant on Ganghwa Island. I plan to title it .”

Kijo nodded and then read the article written by Jeong Beom-tae.

[Lost Holidays Around Jeondeungsa Temple.]

[A gang of thugs runs rampant, disrupting the play of 200 people including women]

It had a subtitle called .

The article reported that local gangsters from Ganghwa Island were abusing citizens who were out for a picnic around Jeondeungsa Temple on the island last Sunday.

The article said that gangsters in the Ganghwa area were friendly with soldiers and were carrying soldiers on their backs and causing trouble in the area. They stole food from citizens on a picnic around Jeondeungsa Temple and started fights with them. They even stole alcohol from American soldiers on a picnic and started fights with them, which eventually led to a fight.

“I took a good picture. I even captured the thugs grabbing the American soldiers by the collar.”

Jeong Beom-tae showed a photo of American soldiers fighting against gangsters.

“How did you take this picture?”

“This is the result of two days of reporting with a photographer after receiving a tip that gangsters were causing trouble in the Ganghwa area. I heard they were harassing women on a picnic, so I went to Jeondeungsa Temple where flowers were in bloom, and that’s what happened.”

Although it wasn’t a scoop, Jeong Beom-tae was proud of having taken pictures of the gangsters’ vivid violence.

Although Kijo felt sorry for Jeong Beom-tae, with whom he was close, he decided not to publish the article.

“Reporter Jeong. Have you eaten?”

“I haven’t eaten yet. I’ll put the article on the desk and eat it.”

“Let’s eat first.”

“Rice…?”

Jeong Beom-tae looked at Social Affairs Director Lee Mok-woo.

The keynote speech was also given to Imok-woo.

“Let’s go together, social affairs director. We have something to talk about…”

“Yes, boss. Reporter Jeong, let’s eat first.”

As Kijo moved first, Lee Mok-woo followed him, dragging Jeong Beom-tae along.

The keynote took the two to a beer hall.

Kijo, who poured beer for Lee Mok-woo and Jeong Beom-tae, drank the beer out of frustration.

The two looked at Kijo strangely, who kept drinking beer instead of food.

After ordering soju from the beer hall owner, he mixed the soju and beer in a beer mug and handed it to the two of them.

“This is a bomb shot. Let’s drink until our noses get twisted today.”

Jeong Beom-tae said in response to the keynote speech.

“Boss, I have to organize the article, but drinking too much is a bit… … .”

“Let’s drink first. The social affairs director, please take a drink first.”

Kijo, who usually doesn’t force alcohol on the two of them, kept forcing them to drink.

It was nice that Lee Mok-woo and Jeong Beom-tae were able to drink expensive beer without any worries, but they wondered why the boss was like that.

After a few shots of the bomb shot, Kijo said.

“I’m sorry, but we will not print this article in the newspaper.”

“Huh? You’re not going to publish the article?”

Jeong Beom-tae’s voice grew louder. Lee Mok-woo also looked at Gi-jo in surprise.

“No, that’s not possible.”

Jeong Beom-tae asked with a very disappointed expression on his face at Kijo’s firm answer.

“Boss… this isn’t a political article, it’s an article exposing gangsters that will be published in the society section… Why are you doing this… … ?”

Jeong Beom-tae was dumbfounded by Gi-jo’s decision, but he was close to Gi-jo and couldn’t get angry.

Kijo looked at Jeong Beom-tae with pity.

If the Hankook Ilbo publishes an article about the Jeondeungsa gangsters in the social section tomorrow, April 16, it will once again be hated by the military government.

The soldiers boasted that they had eliminated gangsters after the May 16 Revolution, but they presented evidence that gangsters still existed, and what’s more, those gangsters were gangsters who were friendly with the soldiers.

Revolutionary leaders are furious, saying the photo of thugs fighting American soldiers has damaged South Korea-US relations.

In the original history, social affairs editor Lee Mok-woo and reporter Jeong Beom-tae were arrested for violating the Anti-Communism Act and Article 3 of the Special Act due to the Gangwha Island gangster article.

Lee Mok-woo’s case was eventually dismissed, but Jeong Beom-tae was sentenced to two years in prison and served his sentence until his sentence was suspended one year later.

It was an incident where a nobody got caught up in a crime of blasphemy and ended up paying a huge price.

Kijo said to Jeong Beom-tae, who asked why his article was being blocked.

“Reporter Jeong, I’m sorry for not publishing the article you worked so hard to report. First, I’d like to apologize.”

“I’d rather hear a reason than an apology, sir.”

“That’s… just a feeling.”

“You mean a feeling?”

“Yes, if I were a member of the Supreme Council’s Public Relations Committee or a powerful military person, I would be angry after reading this article. Aren’t the thugs connected to the military and fighting the US military?”

Jeong Beom-tae’s eyes wavered.

I wanted to publish the article, but the keynote speaker had a point.

Social Affairs Director Lee Mok-woo had already agreed and patted Jeong Beom-tae on the back.

“Ha… … . I feel suffocated by this reality where I also think that what the boss said is right… .”

Jeong Beom-tae bowed his head. Gi-jo poured beer for Jeong Beom-tae, who bowed his head.

“Reporter Jeong. Is your wife getting closer to giving birth now?”

“Yes, sir. I will do it today or tomorrow.”

“I will give you maternity leave, so you can stay home with your wife until the baby is born.”

“yes?”

Since the concept of maternity leave was almost non-existent at the time, Jeong Beom-tae felt unfamiliar with it.

“I’ll give you paid leave, so stay at home for about two weeks after the baby is born.”

“Uh, it’s paid…?”

The keynote speaker nodded.

“Work is important, but it is also important to take care of the mother who suffered while giving birth and to give devotion to the baby after birth.”

“That, that’s right… .”

The keynote speaker thought it would be better for Jeong Beom-tae to take paid leave rather than suffer in prison and frighten his mother.

“Thank you for your consideration, sir. But… .”

“There will be endless articles that Reporter Jeong will write in the future. Please keep this article with the photos and publish it as a book looking back on the 1960s in the 1970s. I will support the publication.”

Jeong Beom-tae did not answer readily.

The article said he felt hurt by his pride as a journalist. But he had a family to take care of.

“I think the child will be pretty, just like his mother.”

At the keynote speech, Jeong Beom-tae raised his head.

“Have you seen my wife?”

“You gave me an invitation. I stopped by the wedding hall for a moment.”

Jeong Beom-tae knew that Gi-jo had sent a lot of congratulatory money.

However, since businessmen usually only send money to reporters’ condolence calls and do not come in person, I thought that the keynote speaker would not have come either.

“I thought you weren’t coming to my wedding….”

“If you receive an invitation, of course you should go. And isn’t Reporter Jeong someone special to me?”

The keynote speech was about Jeong Beom-tae working with the Cheongsan workers to help with the recovery efforts at the Typhoon Agnes and Typhoon Sarah flood sites.

“Most reporters usually leave the scene once they have a story to tell. But Reporter Jeong stayed until the end and helped with the recovery work.”

When Kijo praised himself in return, Jeong Beom-tae’s eyes welled up with tears.

‘Is this the ability of President Lee Ki-jo, who led the liquidation without a single labor dispute?’

Even though he was the president who blocked the article, I didn’t hate him.

Jeong Beom-tae poured beer for Ki-jo with both hands.

“Boss, this time I will do as you say. But if you keep doing this, it will be difficult.”

“Okay, I understand. Even if you hate me, please continue working at the Hankook Ilbo. I think it would be heartbreaking for me if Reporter Jeong leaves the Hankook Ilbo.”

At the keynote speech, Social Affairs Director Lee Mok-woo tapped Jeong Beom-tae on the shoulder and said:

“Reporter! You can’t leave the Hankook Ilbo without the president’s permission! I can’t forgive you either!”

Jeong Beom-tae felt that his superiors were comforting him.

The desire to talk back disappeared and only a hollow laugh came out.

“Boss. Why are you leaving the Hankook Ilbo, which pays the highest salary? Boss! Give me a glass of that bomb drink!”

Jeong Beom-tae held out a glass.

Kijo rolled up his bomb and clinked his glasses with Lee Mok-woo and Jeong Beom-tae.

“Let’s make the Hankook Ilbo the best morning newspaper!”

The keynote speech was that the Hankook Ilbo was of great importance.

I thought that in the Korean newspaper market, where conservative and progressive newspapers are particularly vocal, we need to foster centrist commercial newspapers like the Hankook Ilbo in order to balance public opinion.