The Youngest Son of Sunyang - Chapter 154 Give and Take 3
“Is the investigation proceeding then?”
“They’ve asked him to attend as a witness. But…”
“Don’t hesitate, just speak your mind. Is there a problem?”
“They’ve also targeted Miracle Investment, and there are rumors about a close relationship between him and the Chairman.”
“What’s this about a close relationship? These guys are steadily stealing my company bit by bit. Haha.”
The Prosecutor General could tell from Chairman Jin’s laughter that there was no animosity.
“We probably won’t find anything on that end.
“And how about my daughter? Was she involved in this incident? Is it difficult to handle?”
“No, not at all. Anyway, your daughter is a victim who lost a significant amount of money. Regardless of the process, the company’s funds have been restored to their original state. As long as the shareholders don’t raise objections, there shouldn’t be any significant issues.”
Jin Seo-yoon sold her personal shares to cover the loss. There’s no reason for the shareholders to intervene, and the major shareholder is, in any case, Miracle.
“So, what happens if our Chief Prosecutor doesn’t issue any special orders? Are the East and South District Prosecutors’ Offices going to engage in a proxy war with each other?”
“Given that they are colleagues working for the same company, would that even be possible? They’ll just verify the facts each side has uncovered and reach a conclusion. There will be discussions.”
“In that case, our Chief Prosecutor doesn’t have much to worry about.”
“Well, there is one thing that bothers me, Chairman.”
“Go ahead.”
“It’s about a company called Miracle Investment. Is it entirely unrelated to you?”
“Why does that concern you?” Chairman Jin asked the Prosecutor General clearly.
“Ajin Group, Sunyang Motors, Daeah Construction… and now, Sunyang Retail, they’ve been taken over one by one. Judging from the changes in ownership, it seems Miracle has acquired quite a substantial stake of Sunyang. Without your consent, it couldn’t have happened.”
“As for the car business, they sold it because there weren’t enough dollars to pay off the hot money during the IMF crisis. As for the department store, it was taken away because of my foolish daughter’s accident. There’s no talk of consent.”
The Prosecutor General adopted a sterner tone. “You might not be aware, but the Financial Supervisory Service has started looking into Miracle. There’s foreign capital involved, but the nature of it seems ambiguous. Is it speculative capital or genuine capital?”
“Money is just money; it doesn’t have a color. Stop wasting time on trivial matters.”
“This speculative capital made a killing during the IMF crisis and made a quick exit. It’s only natural to be cautious.”
Chairman Jin smiled faintly and shook his head.
“I know these guys well. They’re not speculative capital. Think about it carefully. Do you think speculators would bring dollars and rescue a failing company, even paying the overdue wages of the employees? Do you really believe speculators would do something like that?”
“So, you’re saying it won’t be an issue even if the Financial Supervisory Service starts an investigation.”
The smile disappeared from Chairman Jin’s face. “They’ve already started.”
“Yes, I heard that they’ve sent a request for cooperation to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.”
“Those guys are making quite a fuss as well. Heh.”
The Prosecutor General quietly watched Chairman Jin’s strained laugh and then rose from his seat. “Chairman, I understand your intentions. I’ll watch quietly, and if anything special arises, I’ll contact you again.”
“Alright, I apologize for the trouble.”
“No problem, Chairman. Well then…”
As the Prosecutor General bowed and withdrew, Chairman Jin stared intently at the firmly shut door of his study, his brows furrowed.
“How much did that rascal Yeong-gi paid from him?”
Hak-jae smiled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. It’s difficult to get an exact figure when it comes to that petty bribe disguised as traveling expenses.”
“What about the Financial Supervisory Service?”
“We confirmed that Vice Chairman Jin Yeong-gi tried various tactics.”
“Goodness, a man his age and how much fear does he have… Tsk, tsk.”
As Chairman Jin clicked his tongue while thinking of his eldest son, Hak-jae wore a serious expression.
“Is it because the opposition is formidable? This is not a moment to let one’s guard down. If it were me, I’d want to cut them off too before they even grow.”
“Panicking when facing a formidable opponent is a losing move. The right strategy is to bide your time and look for opportunities. In any case, we need to ensure that the Chairman of the Financial Supervisory Service and the Prosecutor General retire once the general election is over. If they can be influenced by Yeong-gi, they’re too lightweight.”
“Are you suggesting a form of manipulation?”
“That’s right. Be generous with campaign funds during the general election and provide some help. Let them know they owe me a favor.”
Even if they appeared to have stepped down from the frontlines, ginger is still ginger; it’s never mild. Chairman Jin had a way of dealing with people that didn’t let them off his radar.
“Then, what about Do-Jun? Do you think he should be left as he is? If Vice Chairman Jin Yeong-gi gets persistent, he might have to respond to a summons from the prosecution sooner or later.”
“If that guy has his eyes on this position, there will be no shortage of places he’ll wander around. So, it wouldn’t hurt to scout ahead.”
Chairman Jin tapped his substantial leather chair and said. “A law school student… entering as if it’s a ceremony and just not showing up for work. Haha.”
Hak-jae’s jest even managed to loosen Chairman Jin’s stern expression a bit.
“It’s unusual, isn’t it? Is it the work of our youngest brother?”
“That’s right. I was surprised too. At first, I thought it might be a mere coincidence, but when three cases emerged in a month, I thought I recognize Yoon-gi’s work.”
“How do you think came up with the idea to cover the department store owner’s corruption with entertainment news?”
“People are crazy about it. Business owners embezzling money is nothing new. It’s become commonplace.”
The two exchanged a rueful laugh as they talked. Their youngest son’s counterattack was truly ingenious.
“The prosecution actually appreciated the reduced pressure. First, Hanseong Daily stirred it up, giving them a pretext for an investigation, and because they’re facing many watchful eyes. Now they can quietly handle it.”