Chapter 172

Chapter 172

What I Aim For

The president held the liquor glass.

“Value-added tax. Didn’t bring out carelessly?”

Trickle.

As if waiting the Blue House security chief filled gaoliang liquor.

“In detail.”

“If detailed explanation would have heard until ears hurt long ago.”

I grinned.

“Have to see the core.”

“From old times when the people largely resist nine out of ten because of tax?”

“Tax that didn’t exist appeared in a snap, where people who like that.”

“Mere indirect tax 10%.”

Mere? Wouldn’t be.

If knowing what result that will bring couldn’t say so lightly.

‘Establishment of value-added tax brings general election defeat and Yushin failure and eventually causes the Buma Uprising and own death.’

The Buma Uprising the Republic of Korea democratization movement that occurred in Busan and Masan etc. in 1979.

A democratic uprising that occurred as economic dissatisfaction and political dissatisfaction reached the extreme, the event that became the decisive opportunity that collapsed the Yushin regime.

“As expected the president not fearing tax.”

The president drank the gaoliang liquor in one go.

The cold and sharp eyes fixed on me.

“Now seeing was a child’s idle sound.”

“If can’t see through truth and falsehood no thought of adding more words uselessly.”

Tok. Tok. Tok. Tok.

The president tapped the table with fingertips again.

Seemed a habit that comes out when sinking into deep thought.

“Know what value-added tax?”

“Tax imposed on the added value obtained in the process of providing goods or services.”

“As expected idle sound.”

“Invisible tax increase. A trick to increase the national treasury by dumping the tax burden on consumers?”

Different from direct taxes like income tax, corporate tax.

Indirect tax invisible.

“A tax item perfect for stealthily raising the tax rate arbitrarily?”

This time the words idle sound didn’t pop out.

“From the aspect of collecting at the same tax rate, across the entire country, on almost all items can be called the final boss of indirect tax.”

According to the 21st century tax notebook among national tax collection sources 1st income tax, 2nd corporate tax, 3rd value-added tax.

Even just collecting VAT exactly 10% this level scale.

“Moreover nominally neither regressive tax nor progressive tax so very advantageous even in pretext avoidance.”

The president’s gaze sinks low.

Wouldn’t be a matter pushing not knowing.

“Kid, know how much VAT charged in Europe?”

“19%.”

Would I not know even that.

“Honestly want to receive 20%, but charged 19% to make look small psychologically.”

A visible trick.

Also a trick often used at marts.

The sound of that much well eaten.

“In Europe receive as much as 19%, in the Republic of Korea receive only half 10%, not vaguely thinking okay?”

Why wouldn’t.

So pushed recklessly like that.

“Value-added tax will be criticized as the symbol of lax national budget operation.”

“Even so can’t not collect tax to operate the country.”

“But that responsibility the president will have to bear.”

I wiped hands with a wet towel.

“The responsibility of this country’s highest commander that.”

I raised the cleanly well-wiped hands.

Began counting fingers.

“First, because of value-added tax price competitiveness will decline than Taiwan companies fiercely competing in the export market.”

Because tax that didn’t exist attached.

A problem point that stood out extremely in the early introduction.

“Second, because a lump-sum tax item that pays in bulk will become the opposite of the purpose of supporting the commoner class.”

Tax regressivity.

The sound of tearing tax at a higher ratio from people who don’t have.

The meaning commoners’ burden grows.

“Third, the inflation rate that was high because of oil shock anyway will become higher.”

Would spread as a large wave to the national economy.

Soon the second oil shock covers.

Where the people’s anger will head obvious even without looking.

“Will bring fierce tax resistance. Can bear?”

“Have to.”

The president put down the liquor glass so a tak sound.

“All this for this country.”

Of course would.

All the words power holders say the same.

‘In reality many matters money enters, no holes money comes out so planning to increase tax and tear.’

Because that the easiest, fastest, most obtaining method.

“Aid and loans obtained from foreign countries also have limits.”

Would be so.

Until now tore aid saying a war country poorer than Africa.

Since relations with the US twisted no more holes to receive more.

‘But in the end the fact a matter pushed thinking tearing money from the people easier than tearing money from foreign countries doesn’t change.’

The blow of Koreagate large.

Anyway relations with the US administration that clings to labor human rights issues heading to worsening.

How much even took out the US military base withdrawal card.

“The Republic of Korea will stand on its own.”

The president dreams of standing alone.

In all fields national defense, security, economy, education, industry etc.

“For that need money.”

The meaning no thought of listening to my words.

Natural response, and what expected.

‘Already shot arrow, and riding the momentum so hard to reverse now.’

I also know.

Nevertheless the reason deliberately bringing out these words separate.

‘I also not a speck of thought of contributing to this regime’s life extension.’

I slightly looked at the central intelligence director and Blue House security chief looking at each other as if to kill.

These two who were dog and monkey in the past.

The conflict started from power desire reached the extreme and drew guns at the drinking seat.

‘Heard arguments went fiercely several times between the two because of value-added tax anyway?’

The president sitting in the center watching such two’s fight and even subtly instigating.

Exactly like this seat today.

“If the 1 billion dollars Taeseong will earn in the Middle East will be a very large help to the Republic of Korea’s economic development.”

The blatant words coveting Taeseong’s money.

So no choice but I decided to step forward.

“Will be a help to the Republic of Korea’s economic development. So give Taeseong the integrated steel mill business rights.”

If like this the president will snatch no matter what method used.

‘I obtain first before snatched.’

What I want not the steel mill falling right now.

Precisely the steel mill business rights.

‘Okay even if Taeseong eats the steel mill, if something enough selling the steel mill business rights to the next regime.’

After subtracting this and that from the total sales of 1 billion dollars the money falling to Taeseong about 100 million dollars.

‘Hyena pack will rush aiming at the blind money 100 million dollars.’

The figures who stuck when U-gwang collapses will turn eyes to Taeseong.

At the very front the president will stand.

For the self-reliance of the Republic of Korea he dreams.

‘Hard cleaning up after matters burst. Advantageous hitting first before others eye, before guessing.’

Because the best defense attack.

The reason I postponed even today’s date and came to this seat.

To settle with the president.

‘Actually what trying to demand from the president not steel mill business rights, the scale became much larger.’

Came to protect Taeseong.

Somehow luckily caught larger.

“Jeong-hyeok, stop.”

Grandfather and father’s complexions who don’t know my meaning paling green.

‘I thinking of obtaining only what to obtain and retreating.’

No thought of coexisting with this regime.

Instead of hiding behind grandfather or father.

The reason decided to certainly obtain only what to obtain and flee.

“Three reasons have to give Taeseong the steel mill business rights.”

I spread fingers once more.

“First, construction stock wave will start soon.”

Already after U-gwang Construction collapsed.

“Massive foreign currency flowing into Korea with large-scale construction orders started from the Middle East, and due to that seeming to return to high growth.”

But not.

“In the boom inflation rate still maintaining double digits. Thanks to that real estate prices repeating surge on surge.”

Gangnam apartment price surge precisely the representative phenomenon.

Land prices near subway line 2 will jump crazily.

“So the government also preparing real estate suppression policies.”

8.8 real estate regulation measures.

The government blocking construction companies from building and selling apartments indiscriminately.

From the purpose of preventing real estate speculation.

“Construction companies that took on unsold apartments will begin chain bankruptcy.”

Like one day suddenly implementing 8.3 private loan freeze measures saying will block underground finance.

The government one day suddenly does 8.8 real estate regulation measures.

That aftermath the construction market had to bear.

How much the Cheonma Group that built Daechi-dong Cheonma Apartment almost driven to bankruptcy.

“At such time if the news Taeseong Construction secured steel mill business rights conveyed how will become?”

Tok. Tok. Tok.

The president continuously tapped fingertips with interesting eyes.

“Don’t think Taeseong Construction will pull up construction stocks that entered the crash market?”

“Stock market prediction hard even for experts.”

The president snorted.

Future not yet arrived.

Wouldn’t really hit.

So I counted the second finger.

“Second, the Republic of Korea needs more integrated steel mills. If hoping to grow more as a heavy chemical industry country have to see as essential.”

Insufficient with only Pohang Steel.

This also what the president agrees.

Only, for several reasons the current regime ignored that request, and eventually decided in the next regime.

“The spare funds 100 million dollars that fell to Taeseong Construction. If anyway better using for integrated steel mill establishment?”

I grinned.

“Said aid and loans obtained from foreign countries also have limits.”

Used the words the president said earlier as is.

In a situation even Pohang Steel no money to build and pulled Japan’s reparations, is it time to pick Taeseong’s 100 million dollars.

The president sank into thought with even deeper eyes.

“Third, now precisely the right time to build an integrated steel mill. Too regrettable to miss.”

The golden period that can prepare facilities at relatively cheap prices.

The president will also recognize this with Pohang Steel’s report.

“Entering the 70s in advanced countries additional steel mill construction almost not pushed. Also in other developing countries no capacity to push large-scale projects.”

Now advanced countries turning eyes to the Republic of Korea.

Because of Pohang Steel’s success.

“If using the complex competitive relations of advanced country companies can purchase excellent facilities at relatively low prices.”

Steel industry an industry depending on large-scale equipment, and steel technology often embodied in facilities.

Therefore as the characteristics of facilities prescribe the nature of technology activities the choice of production facilities very important.

The capital entering 3 million ton scale steel mill construction enormous, and once installed facilities long capital recovery period to the extent of using about 20 years.

Depending on what facilities chosen the profitability and technology activities, even success or failure of the steel industry hung.

“Just preparation and construction of integrated steel mill will take enough 5 years.”

In Pohang Steel’s case took even more time and effort than that.

“Because have to enter basic civil engineering construction of the steel mill site, waterway and cooling water treatment facility construction, pier and port construction to reclamation construction.”

I grinned.

“Calculate the positive effects on the Korean economy that will derive due to this. Not regrettable to miss?”

The president’s fingertips that were tapping stopped.

Silently looks at grandfather and father, and me in turn.

The president pulled up one mouth corner.

“Certainly not a little kid spitting nonsense or idle sound.”

Now what important that?

I drove a wedge.

“If unable to obtain steel mill business rights how will become? Probably Taeseong will invest this money elsewhere?”

Can’t let large sum rot.

Have to roll money.

To roll business.

The president flashed the gaze.

“Thinking of using where?”

“Probably Yugong?”

The president glanced at the central intelligence director and Blue House security chief.

The two looking only at the president with eyes full of tension.

The president erased the faintly risen smile as if satisfied.

‘Honestly now not a speck of thought of acquiring Yugong, but no such good as pressure card.’

I deliberately shrugged shoulders.

“If the two axes of heavy industry indeed oil refining and steel? As see Taeseong has neither oil refining nor steel.”

The president drank the gaoliang liquor in one go then put down the liquor glass so a tak sound.

“Not one or two matters to consider. Even just site selection immediately······.”

“Thinking of building in Gwangyang.”

I grinned.

“Uljin too north so threat to security, Asan Bay water depth too shallow and tidal difference large. But Gwangyang Bay different.”

“······!”

Not only the president but the Blue House security chief and central intelligence director, grandfather and father surprised and looked at me.

“Moreover won’t receive high scores even from the aspect of balanced development of Yeongnam and Honam?”

“Ha······!”

“If putting forward as presidential election pledge Jeolla support rate will soar?”

“······!”

Making a flower stand with both hands and resting the chin I smiled brightly.

“President, still hard making a decision?”

“Steel mill, confident?”

The president made a decision.

Grandfather stood up with a whoosh with an excited face.

“Of course.”

Father also stood up with a face of not believing and bent the waist.

“Just entrust.”

No, not that.

If the president approved so refreshingly have to tear more.