Chapter 135

Chapter 135

The Premise Is Wrong from the Start? (2)

Click. Click. Click. Click.

Before long reporters gathered and took photos.

Broadcast station cameras also rolling, newspaper company cameramen also pressed the camera shutter.

Several politicians throwing bodies and sticking faces in front of that too.

Kim Dae-sik frowned.

“Reporters please go out now. Seems cooperated sufficiently this much?”

“Yes, will take only 5 minutes after the meeting starts! This picture is amazing!”

Every time I deliberately shook the document file left and right, Kim Dae-sik’s pupils also moved following as if anxious.

‘This. What use showing the appearance of weakness caught.’

I grinned.

‘Compared to a head that rolls quite well, experience dealing with old snakes insufficient a greenhorn.’

Could read humiliation and defeat from Kim Dae-sik’s expression.

‘If already prepared to go in losing, the talk becomes easier.’

I obediently put down the document file on the negotiation table.

President Shim clapped hands with a clap.

“Scratching nerves with useless wrangling seems sufficient this much. Let’s start the dialogue slowly.”

U-gwang’s Kim Dae-sik leading, the executives each found their seats and sat.

Sat at the negotiation table and looked this way unsatisfactorily.

Clicked tongues looking at the pickets the people who were U-gwang’s union held and the red bands wrapped on the heads.

Cursing that wasn’t a smiling face conscious of the reporters.

“Doing damage compensation sound. Hanging biting saying met a count leaving a matter already compensation all finished. Tsk.”

“Anyway the ones who have none know everything solved if whimpering.”

“Called the police to disperse the protest group. Those didn’t come to senses even dragged to the detention center several times.”

The angry union executives tried to stand up with a whoosh panting, but President Shim raised a hand.

“Reporters are paying attention. Shouldn’t show a radical appearance even before properly starting the dialogue.”

Only then the union executives lowered the half-raised buttocks back.

U-gwang’s Kim Dae-sik rested his chin and smiled.

“Thought President Shim only does management well, didn’t know skilled even in media play.”

Kim Dae-sik couldn’t take eyes off the document file, and the mouth was chattering toward President Shim.

“Put forward a snot-nosed looking only kindergarten student just looking. Trying to buy sympathy votes?”

Wrongly pointed.

But I didn’t bother correcting.

Because more advantageous in the negotiation.

“Think His Excellency will see this matter prettily?”

“Ignored the union protest all along until now. Seems the position became quite troublesome now coming.”

“U-gwang moves receiving His Excellency’s secret order. If media play, U-gwang has to unfold not Taeseong. Understand a bit this way?”

Kim Dae-sik’s eyes were cold.

“His Excellency hates the union making noise. Because the US is scratching the inside hanging on Korea’s labor human rights.”

“Know.”

“Troublesome if a person who knows that comes out like this. Think His Excellency’s wrath will head only to U-gwang?”

It was a threat.

“If Taeseong is pointed as the background who moved the union and made the matter noisy, Taeseong also hard to be safe.”

“Well. I don’t think so.”

President Shim smiled faintly.

“Isn’t this all a matter that happened because U-gwang didn’t keep the matter promised to His Excellency.”

“Promised matter?”

“When former Chairman Kim held a press conference and did a national apology, what was the reason decided to establish U-gwang Foundation?”

Chairman Kim U-gwang promised in the second national apology.

-Our U-gwang promises to dismiss the U-gwang affiliate presidents who participated in the arson, and faithfully participate in the prosecution and central intelligence investigation.

-Moreover decided to establish U-gwang Foundation contributing 1 billion deeply feeling the damage.

-I Kim U-gwang will take the lead and take responsibility for the accident cleanup.

What President Shim was pinching was clear.

“Is former Chairman Kim U-gwang intending to evade responsibility like this?”

“President Shim.”

“Is Chairman Kim Dae-sik also ignoring like this because like father like son, or because completely no knowledge being abroad at the time?”

The sound that both former Chairman Kim evading responsibility and current chairman pretending not to know are all problems.

“Heard the deceased damage compensation money is 100,000 won? Is this U-gwang’s responsibility?”

“Seems didn’t hear the news that U-gwang Foundation additionally paid compensation? Deceased damage compensation money total 300,000 won.”

“Seriously injured consolation money 0 won. Labor union member wage cut all 50%.”

“Busy protesting so not working. Just paid differentially according to performance. Who told to enter the union and protest?”

President Shim’s gaze flashed coldly.

“Joint mourning altar installation besides funeral expenses payment none. Seriously injured hospitalization treatment expenses and nursing expenses support none. In-company medical insurance support impossible.”

“Knowing. Wasn’t in-company medical insurance pretending not to see?”

“Not enough dismissed asking fault reason saying couldn’t work at the factory receiving hospitalization treatment because injured, even claimed damage compensation saying caused damage to the company?”

“What about that?”

Kim Dae-sik shrugged his shoulders.

“Everyone operating companies so? Why only hanging on U-gwang.”

“Because U-gwang’s victims became our Taeseong’s family.”

President Shim said calmly.

“So our Taeseong demands that U-gwang Foundation pays sufficient compensation money to the victims and bereaved families according to the promise made in front of the people.”

“Became a labor human rights activist. If so great, Taeseong······!”

Kim Dae-sik’s sneer stopped abruptly as soon as I lifted the document file and shook blatantly.

I pointed at the document file and the reporters alternately.

The meaning was one.

-Really make the matter noisy like this determined?

Kim Dae-sik who properly understood the threat ground his teeth.

“Let’s do so.”

Kim Dae-sik nodded.

“U-gwang Foundation will pay heartfelt apology along with generous damage compensation money to the deceased and injured.”

“How much thinking of paying?”

“500,000 won.”

“Heard U-gwang Foundation establishment fund is 1 billion. Intending to behave so stingily continuing?”

U-gwang Chemicals fire accident deceased 56, injured 142.

President Shim looked back at me.

“Can’t help. No choice but to reveal.”

I stood up from the seat with a whoosh.

Holding the document file and walking with big strides toward the reporters, Kim Dae-sik urgently raised a hand.

“1 million won!”

“Deceased 10 million won, injured full hospital expenses support and consolation money 2 million won payment. Damage compensation lawsuit withdrawal.”

“What? Gangnam small apartment is 20 million won! Doing business with life price now?”

“The one who haggled meanly with life price is your U-gwang.”

President Shim said cutting sharply.

“If don’t like, don’t. Then we will announce this to the media.”

“Death compensation money 10 million won and injured hospital expenses support and consolation money each 2 million won, lawsuit withdrawal! Okay!”

Kim Dae-sik swept his hair nervously.

“Accept. Enough?”

The people who were U-gwang’s union looked at each other with dazed expressions.

“Not even 3 minutes since the negotiation started?”

“Was this a matter that solves so easily?”

“Doesn’t make sense. Such a miracle-like matter······.”

“So this is why everyone executives, executives? Wa, really amazing!”

Voices where joy and bitterness, emotion and regret intersect.

“We receiving cold water baptism in midwinter, receiving baton beating from riot police and conscripted police······.”

“Crying at tear gas, crying at detention center cold rice, crying again at the public’s disregard······.”

“Demands not accepted even so······.”

The unfinished words were because of sobbing.

“Thank you, heuheuk!”

“Really thank you! Thankful, thank you······.”

“From now on will bury bones in Taeseong trusting only the president and executives. Euheuk.”

Click! Click! Click! Click!

The reporters who entered one side of the conference room continuously burst camera flashes.

The action of taking out notebooks and scribbling with ballpoint pens was quick.

The reporters all shouted “Scoop!” sounds and cheered.

Ruling and opposition politicians jumped in front of the cameras and smiled largely.

“Dramatic negotiation conclusion in 3 minutes after dialogue start! A beautiful moment where labor management government become one! Everyone, thank you for supporting me ruling party Choi Yeong-su!”

“Our opposition party shared life and death with the union until now! I Ma Dong-tak did it!”

“Blocked the union’s strike and returned them to the workplace! Now the time to engage in livelihood! Kim Jin-su will be together!”

When a bitter smile circled at the politicians’ shameless faces and blatant boasting.

Kim Dae-sik walked with big strides and held President Shim’s hand.

Shook largely up and down and shook hands as if to show.

“Smile. Said dramatic labor-management agreement conclusion.”

As if when reddened faces and threatened, Kim Dae-sik was smiling widely.

This also cursing that wasn’t a smiling face.

Small voices that the reporters couldn’t hear came and went.

“Intending to do media play now?”

“If knowing whose fault U-gwang’s damage is enormous, have to cooperate this level.”

Kim Dae-sik smiled in front of the camera and straightened his waist.

“Since agreed on damage compensation, have to hand over that document file to U-gwang as promised.”

Click! Click! Click! Click!

“I won’t forget this matter from now on.”

“A trivial threat.”

“Threat has to start from now. From now on Taeseong will rise and fall with scandals for a long time.”

“Seems still early to grind teeth toward Taeseong?”

“What meaning?”

President Shim didn’t care.

“Public opinion gathering mobilizing media and politicians seems enough this much. Let’s withdraw the union and executives and finish the negotiation among ourselves.”

“Ha!”

“Know only that this proposal is a favor handed thinking of U-gwang’s face.”

“What favor freezing to death······!”

“If don’t like, don’t. Then shall we start from now? Proper threat.”

“······!”

Click! Click! Click! Click!

In the camera flashes bursting as if blinding eyes, President Shim grinned.

“For reference the ruling and opposition politicians who ran there are people who put names on the U-gwang Construction bribe ledger.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Kim Dae-sik rather smiled widely.

“Because not wanting names to rise and fall with the bribe ledger is the same for them too.”

A subtle voice.

“If not wanting political life ruined revealed to the media, have to help U-gwang?”

Kim Dae-sik left President Shim and walked with big strides toward me.

Then without hesitation snatched the black document file I was holding.

Since I deliberately released strength in the hand, not even one common wrangling occurred.

“If me, seems would reveal that to the media and request to help package U-gwang’s image.”

“Kid, if don’t know shut a bit······ No, what is this!”

Kim Dae-sik urgently turned the document file.

“This is not the U-gwang Construction bribe ledger!”

Kim Dae-sik distorted his face with a whoosh.

It was a child’s crude picture book.

On the day went to Taeseong Hospital, handed flower bouquets and drinks to the uncles injured due to U-gwang fire. Uncles, get well soon!

Cut and pasted about ten photos taken together with the U-gwang fire injured.

Every day protest articles saying compensate U-gwang fire damage come out in the newspaper. People fighting cold and hard in midwinter, fighting!

Newspaper article scraps and cheering pictures drawn with crayons.

Prayed to God for the people who unfairly passed away due to arson to sleep comfortably.

On the very last page the appeal I announced holding the megaphone earlier was written.

Tomorrow the 49th day memorial of the U-gwang Chemicals fire deceased opens. But until now U-gwang not even proper compensation let alone apology none. Feeling self-reproach and suffering whether made U-gwang Foundation for this······.

Kim Dae-sik got angry and threw the black document file on the floor.

“Me···, dare deceiving me? Mocking U-gwang?”

“Eh, no.”

I shook the index finger left and right.

“President Shim kept saying. The premise is wrong from the start.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“I never said this is bribe something?”

“This damn!”

“Bribe something such is not an object an eight-year-old kid carries around. Not so?”

An eight-year-old kid enough bringing a picture book.

The panting breath sound of Kim Dae-sik who was panting became rougher and rougher.

“Damn! Damn! Damnnnn!”

Kim Dae-sik trampled <​Dedication for U-gwang Fire Victims> with shoe feet thud thud.

I clicked my tongue.

“If rolling like this in front of the reporters, U-gwang and the chairman’s image management will become quite difficult.”

Click! Click! Click! Click!

Still many people in the conference hall.

“Negotiation ended! U-gwang’s executives, what doing? Clean up cleanly!”

President Shim picked up the trampled document file and shook dust blowing hoo hoo.

“The Young Master bestowed a favor of packaging the image for U-gwang. This became regrettable.”

The tongue clicking sound was a bonus.

“U-gwang who was moved by the picture book and appeal an eight-year-old kid handed and sincerely determined to help the victims. The picture was just good but regrettable.”

“President Shim!”

“I rather want to ask why Chairman Kim is looking for U-gwang Construction’s bribe ledger from our Taeseong.”

“President Shim, you really until the end······!”

“Shut up and listen. The threat not ended yet.”

President Shim smiled coldly.

“From now on thinking of starting the negotiation regarding the sluggish U-gwang affiliate acquisition.”

The U-gwang affiliates the president promised to hand over total seven.

Taeseong Chemicals brought back according to the contract, but the acquisition of the remaining affiliates not properly done yet.

Like old President Shim delaying Taeseong Chemicals acquisition day after day intending to divert assets and continue operating the factory.

‘I didn’t put forward leading U-gwang’s union, and put President Shim forward as the negotiation group representative for nothing. Will settle and end with this negotiation today.’

Deliberately mobilized the politicians on the bribe ledger, and gathered the newspaper company and broadcast station reporters.

For this moment now.

I took out one well-folded paper from the coin wallet.

“Heard former Taeseong Construction president wrote one reflection before chased out. This is exactly that.”

“Su, surely······!”

Quite good.

‘Seems guessed even the statement that opened Taeseong’s safe and scattered 2 billion bribes? Came out firmly prepared.’

I fluttered the paper.

“Shall we reveal this to the media?”

Click! Click! Click! Click!

Still reporters thirsty for scoops glancing this way in the conference hall.

Kim Dae-sik who properly grasped the situation paled white.