Park Younggeun had succeeded in passing the bill he wanted, but he faced strong backlash from the business world and was forced to step down.
The governnt sacrificed Park Younggeun to appease the conglorates and suppress their anger.
In the end, the reform had no choice but to co to a halt.
Radical change created too many enemies for Park Younggeun.
However, because he had always worked without accepting a single bribe and maintained an untainted record, he faced no investigation after his resignation.
Though he said he felt relieved, there was still a trace of regret—he had not left by choice. I had tried to create a position for him in Joongwoo Group, but he refused, saying that taking a corporate job right after resignation would set a bad precedent, so I let the matter go.
“With this much material, we can shake them up properly.”
Flas flashed in Park Younggeun’s eyes as he took the docunt.
Even a saint would feel a spark of vengeance toward the business world that had destroyed his decades-long public service career.
“Good. I was hoping to see you wield that blade again, Chairman. Excellent.”
When I answered half-jokingly, Park Younggeun laughed brightly.
The man once called the Grim Reaper of the financial world had returned—this ti holding the sword of the Fair Trade Commission.
Things were about to get interesting.
Even as our eting ended and we stood to leave, the smile never left Park Younggeun’s face.
I couldn’t help but laugh too as he insisted on paying for the al himself.
The next day.
Chairman Yoo Seongjin ca to Pyeongchang-dong.
He entered the study and bowed deeply in greeting.
I set down the newspaper I had been reading, stood, and approached him.
“Welco, Chairman Yoo. You must have had a hard ti with the eting. You did well.”
“What could I have done? Everything turned out exactly as you wished, President.”
Beneath his calm tone, a faint sense of pride lingered. I patted his shoulder lightly and sat on the sofa.
“Haha, still, good work. Ussoyan is... quite sothing, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He looks down on everyone beneath him. I sensed it even when we spoke on the phone, but eting him in person made it clear. He’s the type who tramples others just to raise himself higher.”
“Chairman Yoo’s eye for people has improved. You’ve judged him well.”
I already knew Ussoyan’s personality well, so I could easily imagine how much stress Yoo had endured.
“Yes. During the eting, his stubbornness caused problems. But once you called at the right mont, everything went smoothly. It was obvious he’s terrified of you.”
“Well, I did give him that position. Otherwise, he’d be rotting in prison by now. He may be arrogant, but he’s capable—so treat him gently and make good use of him.”
“Yes, understood.”
It seed he’d had trouble with Ussoyan, but from his silence now, it looked like he had settled things well.
“So, what’s Yamamoto doing these days?”
“He’s been keeping in touch with his n in Japan. But since he can’t return there yet, he’s frustrated. No matter how much other groups offer to help, there’s little he can do without being in Japan. He’s realized that, so lately he’s done nothing but drink.”
“Hm... And what do you think of him, Chairman Yoo? Is he trustworthy?”
I had been receiving reports, but the feeling from soone who dealt with him directly was different. That’s why I called Yoo here.
I wanted his impression.
“He’s a bit frivolous, but once he yields, he bows completely. Ever since he knelt before you, he even bows to .”
“He bows completely, you say. Couldn’t it just be an act? Pretending submission to survive his current crisis?”
After thinking for a mont, Yoo slowly shook his head.
“Yamamoto is simple-minded. He knows exactly what was discussed in the recent eting, so he doesn’t have room for ulterior motives. Korea, Russia, and China have joined forces. If he even considers betrayal, he’d have to go to war with all three at once.”
“So that’s your judgnt? If you see it that way, I’ll trust it.”
I straightened my posture and continued.
“The Japanese governnt will soon lift his wanted status.”
“Excuse ?”
Even the usually unflappable Yoo was startled this ti.
“They’re lifting the warrant? With Japan’s current stance, I thought that would never happen.”
His surprise was reasonable. The entire turmoil in Japan had started with a war between international cri syndicates and the yakuza.
He couldn’t know that it all began from my agreent with Koizumi.
“That’s how it turned out.”
“Yes, understood.”
Though he must have had questions, Yoo didn’t ask any.
I had never once lied to him, so his reaction was natural.
“Still, since he entered the country illegally, he can’t go back through normal ans. Prepare a smuggling vessel and arrange for Yamamoto’s return to Japan.”
“Understood. I’ll make the preparations.”
“And give him instructions on what to do once he’s back.”
I took out a paper envelope and handed it to him.
“I’ve written down everything he needs to do once he returns. Tell him to follow it exactly.”
As Yoo took the envelope, I continued.
“Tell him not to act rashly. Just focus on reorganizing the scattered yakuza factions. He’s the only remaining boss-level figure who isn’t on the wanted list.”
That was Yamamoto’s greatest weapon.
Legitimacy? Firepower? None of that mattered in Japan right now.
Under the sharp eyes of the Tokyo tropolitan Police, no one dared to pick up a gun.
The Japanese underworld had effectively beco a no-man’s land.
With the yakuza gone, ordinary citizens started clashing ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) more often, and the cri rate actually rose.
The absence of an underworld brought its own chaos.
The police could only do so much. In the end, soone had to manage the shadows.
And being chosen by Koizumi—just that alone granted him legitimacy.
“Tell him not to resort to violence needlessly. Especially not to use firearms. The mont he does, his only weapon—his legitimacy—will vanish.”
“I’ll make sure he understands.”
Now that Yamamoto’s issue was settled, it was ti to hear the results of the eting.
“I’ve already received a general report. Did Japan’s underworld agree to reorganize as discussed?”
“Yes. The Kansai region will be handled by China, and the Kanto region by Russia. Tokyo and the greater Kanto area will remain under Yamamoto’s managent.”
“So the original plan passed. Ussoyan must have opposed it fiercely, but you handled it well. I knew I could count on you.”
Even when combined, Kansai and Kanto couldn’t compare.
Nearly one-third of Japan’s population lived in Kanto—it was one of the world’s largest economic zones.
“Correct. Ussoyan did protest, but Hao Xun and Yamamoto yielded the arms-smuggling business, which drew him to the table.”
“Oh...”
A small sound escaped my lips.
Hao Xun and Yamamoto had made quite a bold decision.
At the sa ti, I thought Ussoyan was clever too. The arms trade in Japan was hollow now anyway.
Without gang wars, there was neither demand for weapons nor profit in supplying them.
Dividing territories and agreeing on borders had already made weapons smuggling aningless.
“So it wasn’t money but justification he needed.”
“Exactly. Ussoyan isn’t a fool. He knew the arms trade wasn’t worth giving up Kanto. He just needed a reason—a justification to tell the Russian mafia bosses.”
The Russian mafia’s structure was quite different from other cri groups.
It operated as a federation of various bratvas.
The largest group guaranteed the safety of the others and collected 10–20% of their earnings as protection fees.
They gathered under the Krestny Otets, the Godfather, and decisions from those etings dictated the actions of the entire network.
The territory was simply too vast for one syndicate to control, and forr Soviet territories had all grown into cell-based organizations, so this system made sense.
But no matter how they dressed it up, they were still criminals.
If a decision hard their interests, they’d ignore it without hesitation and resort to violence.
Compared to Japan, Korea, or China, their reliance on violence was far greater.
That’s why justification mattered.
A reason they could show the others: I did this for your benefit.
Just a performance, really.
“Ussoyan’s smart indeed. So they were satisfied with that?”
“No. There were other discussions as well.”
“But since you’re not ntioning them, I take it everything was resolved smoothly.”
“Yes. Most of it was decided just as you wished, President.”
“Then that’s enough.”
Since things had gone my way, there was no point in asking further.
“If anything cos up that you can’t handle personally, contact . Otherwise, continue as you’ve been. If there’s sothing specific, I’ll send instructions.”
“Yes, understood.”
“And have Chunha Group collect twenty percent of Yamamoto’s profits.”
“Pardon? What do you an...? During the eting, we agreed not to expand into Japan in exchange for guaranteeing Korea’s independent ecosystem...”
I cut him off. I already knew what worried him.
“It’s fine. We said we wouldn’t expand into Japan—not that we’d refuse profit. Yamamoto will accept it, unless he’s a fool.”
The revenue from Japan’s Kanto region alone outstripped that of all Korea combined.
It would be a waste to leave it all to Yamamoto.
Besides, once he started making real money, who knew what thoughts might cross his mind?
“I’ll deliver the ssage, then.”
“Not just deliver it—you’ll collect it and distribute it through Chunha Group. There’s bound to be dissatisfaction within the organization. After all, Korea shouldn’t be left with no gain from this.”
“We have no complaints.”
I laughed at Yoo’s quick reply. He really was one of Park Dongsu’s n at heart.
“Of course you don’t, Chairman Yoo. But others inside might. So handle it well. We have plenty of work ahead.”
Not long ago, the governnt had announced the redevelopnt of Pangyo New Town.
After the IMF crisis, the real estate market had begun to recover and overheat, prompting the governnt to accelerate the Pangyo plan.
Already knowing this, I had started buying land in Pangyo right after the IMF collapse—especially around the Samcheong-dong area of East Pangyo.
Once the administration changed, I’d obtain approval for the Techno Valley project and attract Korea’s IT companies there faster than anyone else.
Of course, I also purchased large plots in West Pangyo, where I planned to build a high-end residential district.
But as with all redevelopnt projects, nothing could proceed strictly by the book.
Wherever huge profits erged, every dog and rat would rush in with a spoon.
To control that chaos and move efficiently, the power of Chunha Group was essential.
Sotis showing that fists were closer than the law was far more effective.
“The Pangyo redevelopnt will be a massive profit engine for Joongwoo Construction. Chunha Group must assist with full sincerity.”
“Yes. We’ve already set up dozens of shell contracting companies. If any problem arises, we’ll simply make those companies disappear and continue the work.”
Before I even asked, Yoo laid out the plan. As expected, he handled such matters better than I ever could.
I nodded silently and added one last instruction.
“Oh, and the shareholders’ eting for Ilseong Group affiliates will be held soon. Prepare professional shareholder agitators.”
Let’s turn it into chaos.
A thin, crooked smile crept across my lips.
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