The Secret Investment Formula of a Chemical Genius - Chapter 171



Only Krnovel

Episode 171 First come first served

Immediately after the government announcement.

The Korea Economic Federation (KEF) was called into an emergency meeting as if fire had fallen on its feet.

In the conference room of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business, which is mainly comprised of large Korean companies, loud voices were exchanged, which was unusual for the usual situation.

“This is an outrageous outrage!”

It has dozens of subsidiaries including defense, chemical, and insurance companies.

Kim Seung-hoon, chairman of Hwayeon Group, was unable to control his usually fiery temper and slammed his fist on the table.

Rough words and actions that would normally make one frown.

Yet, none of the attendees had the presence of mind to point out his attitude.

“Okay, okay, you seem a little too excited, so calm down a bit… … .”

The attendee next to him tried to stop him.

“Is this really the CF mark? Isn’t this basically just another name for corporate tax? Everyone, speak up!”

Chairman Kim Seung-hoon became even more indignant at the serious conference room atmosphere that resembled a restaurant.

“That’s right. We can’t just let this go.”

“As Chairman Kim said, we cannot just sit back and let this happen.”

“We must clearly convey our clear intentions to the government!”

First, let Chairman Seunghoon Kim take the lead.

The attendees, who had been observing the situation, began to raise their voices little by little.

“What do you think, SC Chairman Choi Ho-yeol?”

Ranked 2nd in Korea’s business hierarchy.

Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the Korea Economic Research Institute.

Everyone’s attention was focused on SC Group Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who would have already started spewing out harsh words if it were normal.

“What would an old man like me know?”

But the words that came out of his mouth were completely different from what people expected.

A thoughtless word.

People were taken aback to see him with his mouth shut and expressionless face at the end.

“An old man? That’s ridiculous!”

“That’s right, Mr. Chairman.”

A completely different reaction than usual.

The attendees, who were momentarily confused, looked at him again.

Then it seemed as if there was nothing that could be done.

Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who had been leaning comfortably on his chair, leaned forward.

“Let me ask you one thing. Even if Hankyungyeon issues a statement now, will the government bend its stance?”

It is not simply a story that was discussed at a cabinet meeting.

The government has already announced to the public the introduction of the CF mark.

A virtual declaration of war.

In this situation, it would be absurd in many ways for the government to bend its will and withdraw the introduction of the system.

“We have to make them bend!”

Chairman Hwayeon Kim Seung-hoon, who had been quietly listening to the story, suddenly shouted.

Similar age.

He took office as president around the same time.

The two people, who are compared in many ways, have opposite personalities like water and oil, and usually just pretend not to see each other.

The same thing happened at the Hankyungyeon meeting.

Even if there were slight differences of opinion, they would not refute each other as harshly as they do now because they had social status and respect.

A head-on clash between the heads of giant conglomerates.

The attendees watched the two with excited faces at the rare sight that could not be seen even if they paid money.

“How do you say that?”

But Chairman Choi Ho-yeol answered calmly without getting excited at all.

“We can show our power! If we pass on the increased prices due to the introduction of the CF mark to consumers, the people will join us in raising their voices toward the government.”

A confident smile appeared on Chairman Kim Seung-hoon’s lips.

Currently, the majority of the public has not shown any particular reaction to the introduction of the CF mark.

In fact, I thought it was something that had nothing to do with me.

I was just staring blankly, like I was watching a fire across the river.

But what if that fire spreads to your own home?

“Originally, it doesn’t matter how much others lose, but every penny that comes out of your own pocket is precious. If you let the public know what kind of changes the introduction of the CF mark will bring to their daily lives, they won’t stay still.”

Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who had been quietly listening to those words, nodded his head.

“That makes sense. If businesses and citizens all speak out with one voice, the echo will reach the government.”

A triumphant smile appeared on Chairman Kim Seung-hoon’s lips at the thought of having overcome him with logic.

But that smile didn’t last long.

“As Chairman Kim Seung-hoon said, if the government withdraws the introduction of the CF mark, what do you plan to do in five years?”

“… … What do you mean?”

Chairman Kim Seung-hoon’s sharp eyes flew towards Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who still maintained a calm expression.

“America. Are you planning to do business only in Korea? Are you not planning to export Hwayeon to America?”

“… … .”

“I don’t know about the defense industry, but I understand that Hwayeon Chemical’s exports to the U.S. account for over 40%. So, you must have countermeasures in place for that, right?”

Hwayeon Chemical is one of the main affiliates of Hwayeon Group.

It wasn’t such a small company that it could be easily given up.

Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who silenced Chairman Kim Seung-hoon in an instant, looked around the room.

“If anyone here has any good ideas, please feel free to share them. I will be happy to listen with open ears.”

“… … .”

“… … .”

The majority of those present here are leaders of a group.

However, to Chairman Choi Ho-yeol’s indifferent words, they were like new employees who had just joined the company and were left speechless.

The eyes that had been wandering around the air like dust for a moment gathered somewhere.

Chairman Ko Jae-young of Ilseong, who always has a kind smile on his face.

Number one in the business world.

In fact, the company that will suffer the most from the introduction of the CF mark is the Ilsung Group, to which Ilsung Electronics belongs.

At the gathering gaze, Chairman Ko Jae-young quietly opened his mouth.

“I am still a junior, so it seems like a difficult position for me to fill.”

He maintained the attitude of listening to his seniors as a junior.

Chairman Ko Jae-young was the youngest among the group leaders who participated in Hankyungyeon.

However, Hankyungyeon is not a university club. It does not follow the order of entry or seniority.

The higher your position in the business world, the stronger your voice is; this is the unspoken rule here.

Despite the looks of incredulity, Chairman Ko Jae-young kept a gentle smile on his face and held back his words.

But Chairman Kim Seung-hoon’s eyes hardened as if he could not just back down like this.

“Then, let Chairman Choi Ho-yeol speak directly.”

“What are you talking about?”

“The government said it would impose taxes on products that do not have the CF mark. Do you have any countermeasures for this?”

Chairman Choi Ho-yeol, who was looking at Chairman Kim Seung-hoon with quiet eyes, gestured to the staff member standing at the entrance.

As I whispered something, the on-site reporter nodded and ran off somewhere in a hurry.

“I invited someone. Is it okay if I call them here?”

He looked around and asked for consent.

There was no one who specifically opposed it.

Chairman Kim Seung-hoon also folded his arms and maintained a blank expression on his face as if he was going to watch ‘where, what, and how much have been prepared.’

“Then, since there is no one who objects… … .”

The door opens slowly.

Someone walked slowly into the conference room.

A size that is at least twice as large as others.

The corners of the mouth are curled into a bright smile.

A person who would rather have a gym as a background than this place where business people gather.

“Hello, Chairman! This is Lee Tae-kang, Vice President from CZTERA!”

He greeted me with a bright smile.

At Lee Tae-kang’s sudden appearance, most of the attendees were startled and jumped up from their seats.

“I don’t know if I’m an intruder.”

With a gentle face that didn’t match his size, Lee Tae-kang scratched his head.

“No way. Please sit here.”

At that moment, Chairman Ko Jae-young pointed to the seat right next to him with his finger.

“thank you!”

Lee Tae-kang laughed and sat down on the chair without saying a word.

“I overheard this outside the door earlier, but can I answer Chairman Hwayeon Kim Seung-hoon’s question on behalf of Chairman Choi Ho-yeol?”

“… … I see.”

Chairman Kim Seung-hoon nodded with a trembling face.

“I think you are probably worried about the CF mark, but there is no need to be. CZTERA is going to undergo a major expansion soon.”

“… … !”

“… … !”

With Lee Tae-kang’s calm words, most of the people present immediately noticed how the situation was going.

These damn government bastards threw us as prey to CZTERA!

Government announces CF mark.

A major expansion of CZTERA.

These two incidents are by no means separate matters.

It’s not even a coincidence.

It’s as if he doesn’t know anything about the cheap, settled atmosphere.

Lee Tae-kang continued speaking calmly.

“I think many of you are worried about the punitive tax that the government is going to impose on non-CF certified products, but we at CZTERA will supply the carbon credits we have acquired to the market in abundance. We would like to give them away for free, but we are also in business, so we will give them away very cheaply with a minimal margin.”

Even his words sound like those of a street vendor selling cheap medicine.

The group leaders who attended the Hankyungyeon meeting kept their mouths shut and remained silent.

If you think about it, the reason things turned out this way is because of Han Yu-jin, Lee Tae-kang, and CZTERA.

If it weren’t for what happened in the United States, the government wouldn’t have been so hasty in introducing the CF mark.

but.

In fact, one of the main culprits of all this.

Even with CZTERA Vice President Lee Tae-kang in front of them, they were unable to say anything.

– Mutation.

From their perspective, the existence of Han Yu-jin and CZTERA was close to a mutation.

A bullfrog that jumped into the well called quiet Korea.

There was no time to do anything.

Oh! Oh! In the meantime, the bullfrog’s body swelled up rapidly and frighteningly.

When I came to my senses, it was already too late to do anything.

“Is it because they are presidents? They are all very reserved. Haha.”

Small sighs could be heard here and there.

– It’s burdensome.

A common word that came to their minds.

Rather, even if the president were to sit in Lee Tae-kang’s current position, it wouldn’t be this burdensome.

Just 5 years.

Even if a president boasts absolute power, he is only a temporary 5-year position elected through an election.

3 to 4 years including the lame duck period.

Because you just have to endure it for that period of time.

The problem is.

The thing about Lee Tae-kang, who is laughing brightly right in front of us, and Han Yu-jin, who is walking behind him, is that they are too young.

About the same age as your son or grandson.

Even after they retire, CZTERA, Han Yu-jin, and Lee Tae-kang will remain in that position for a very long time.

Become an even bigger monster than you are now.

“Did you see the news that came out a little while ago?”

One of the presidents sitting right next to Lee Tae-kang tilted his head in confusion at his question.

“News?”

“Oh, you didn’t see it. It’s news that just came out. I heard that the US is also very supportive of introducing the Korean CF mark.”

Attendees quickly turned on their phones to check the article.

-The White House expresses its active support for the Korean government’s introduction of the CF mark!

The chairman’s expressions became cloudy.

After the initial White House announcement.

The majority of countries in the world expressed strong opposition.

Even America’s major allies have cautiously expressed concern.

In a situation where all the blame is focused on the United States.

When Korea sided with them, the United States couldn’t help but feel ashamed.

The main goal of the US creating the carbon cluster is to contain China and Russia.

It was much more advantageous for the United States to stand in the same line as Korea.

There is something called flow in the times.

When the automobile came out instead of the carriage.

When smartphones first appeared instead of feature phones.

A huge epochal change that will never allow a return to a previous era.

The people present here found themselves standing in the middle of that flow.

Are you going to protect it?

Will it change?

The sighs of the presidents at the crossroads grew deeper.

at that time.

“Isn’t that ‘Bulsae Ramen’?”

Lee Tae-kang spoke to someone as if he was happy to see them.

“If you say ‘Phoenix Ramen’… … are you talking about me?”

One of the named attendees looked taken aback.

“Aren’t you Chairman Shin Su-yoon of Samhwan Foods?”

“you’re right.”

“Ah, I’ve been eating a lot of Bulsae Ramen lately! I tried it after watching the challenge video, and my mouth was freezing. But it’s strangely addictive, so I eat it sometimes when I think of it.”

Who wouldn’t love someone who loves their product?

Chairman Shin Su-yoon’s lips became much gentler.

“Thank you, Vice President Lee Tae-gang, for liking our company’s products.”

“I heard that this time, it is more popular overseas and ‘exports’ have also increased a lot.”

“It accounts for three-quarters of the company’s sales.”

“Now, Samhwan Foods can no longer be considered a domestic company.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. In the past, food companies were classified as domestic companies, but now they are classified as ‘export companies’, right?”

At first glance, it sounds like small talk.

But somehow, the words ‘export’ and ‘export company’ stuck in the ears of the attendees.

They realized what Vice President Lee Tae-kang was trying to say.

If you can’t avoid it, you should take action rather than passively going with the flow.

Some of the attendees looked at Deputy Chief Lee Tae-kang with a different perspective than before.

“Vice President Lee Tae-gang.”

“yes.”

“You said you would supply carbon credits, but how much will you provide?”

“It will be enough for all Korean companies to use.”

The moment the questioner sighed in relief at the words that they would supply a more than expected quantity.

“However, as you know, construction work needs to be done and there are physical time constraints, so five years is not a very long time. So it seems like we will have no choice but to allocate carbon credits sequentially.”

– First come first served!

A word that came to the minds of all the presidents at the same time.

“So what I’m saying is… … Is there anyone who would like to help us with CZTERA ‘a little bit’?”

Lee Tae-kang’s smile grew deeper.