The Youngest Son of Sunyang

"Insoo Chairman Lee Jong-cheol. It's said that he will lead the new administration initially. The first secretary seems to be the frontrunner."

"Lee Jong-cheol? Isn't this gentleman not even from DJ? He's from JP."

Oh Se-hyun had an incredulous expression upon hearing the name of the next administration's key figure that Chairman Jin had mentioned.

"If you consider the accuracy of the information, wouldn't Grandfather be more reliable? You should discard your doubts."

"Well, if Sunyang Group is behind this, it can't be a coincidence."

"I guess we'll have to meet him."

"Chairman Jin arranged it, didn't he?"

"How much have I done so far? Besides, our Miracle is the one of the shareholder in Sunyang. It's only natural."

The President-elect or the Chairman of the Transition Committee must be cautious in their movements until the inauguration ceremony. Meeting a specific individual would immediately expose them to the media and could lead to complications.

To have a secret meeting, you need someone with enough power, and Chairman Jin is undoubtedly someone who can't easily refuse a meeting proposal.

"All right. Let's have some fun in the big water from now on. Hehe."

"From now on, let's meet together. If I wear a suit and stand next to you, I might look like a chief secretary, don't you think?"

"What's this? Are you saying you don't trust me?"

Although he initially appeared surprised at the suggestion of a direct meeting, he soon made a joke.

"Politicians often speak vaguely. To interpret accurately, it's better to meet in person."

"What if he recognizes you? As Chairman Sunyang's grandson, he might be cautious."

"I'm not a public figure. I briefly appeared on TV after last year's college entrance exam, but no one remembers."

For the Chairman of the Transition Committee, there's no reason to watch a minor television broadcast.

The crucial point is how well he understands reality.

Out of the 3.2 billion dollars, 1 billion was changed by the Sunyang Group, and I was eager to know how he views the remaining 2.2 billion dollars.

If he evaluates the value of the dollar downward, then he's merely a clueless politician.

Is Lee Jong-cheol truly the key figure in the next administration, or is he just a puppet who holds the door and lets others in?

"Hey, this kid. Why dress up like this? You're just making the suit look dirty."

"No matter what I wear, clothes get dirty. Didn't you know?"

"Anyway, you're not humble."

Oh Se-hyun lightly nudged my back, and we began walking toward the elevator.

"This hotel is like a haven for politicians."

"It's right in front of the Blue House, the Government Complex, and it's close to Yeouido... There's nowhere better."

"Because it goes directly from the parking lot to the guest rooms, there's no need to worry about being noticed even more, right?"

"That's true. What's with all these secret meetings? Sinister folks."

The two of us, while criticizing politicians in general, proceeded to the meeting place.

After giving a light knock on the guest room door, a familiar face from TV opened it.

"Oh, Representative Oh Se-hyun?"

"Yes."

"Please come in."

Inside the guest room, about five or six members of the transition committee were engaged in conversation, but they fell silent when we entered.

"Alright, let's proceed like this, and I'll head back first. I have some matters to discuss with this gentleman here."

The transition committee members nodded slightly and left the room.

"Welcome. I'm Lee Jong-cheol."

"I'm Oh Se-hyun. Thank you for taking the time despite your busy schedule."

"Don't mention it. Aren't you the one who saved A-jin Group from collapsing? I should be the one to express gratitude."

His attitude was different from what I expected.

He was a graduate of the 16th class of the military academy and had served as a National Intelligence Service agent during the Fifth Republic before becoming a member of the Minjeong Party. With that kind of career, one might expect him to be far from humble and more towards arrogance.

It's unclear whether it's a result of his good political maneuvering or simply his innate character.

"Who's the young person over there...?"

"Oh, that's my aide. Just to be safe, I want to let you know in advance that there are no secrets between me and this friend. Whatever conversation we have with Chairman today, we're planning to tell him everything, so please allow him to sit with us."

"Of course. There shouldn't be much to hide, but I appreciate your consideration. Hehe."

I nodded to Lee Jong-cheol and didn't say much. It seemed like he also had no particular interest in me.

"According to Chairman Sunyang, you're the person he wanted to deliver good news. Is that correct?"

"It seems you're busy. You're getting straight to the point."

"Oh, I apologize for that. Let's sit first."

Chairman Lee Jong-cheol guided us to the central sofa in the guest room.

"There's about 2.2 billion dollars available at the New York headquarters of Miracle Investment. I plan to bring that money to Korea."

"There must be conditions, right?"

he wasn't surprised at the mention of 2.2 billion dollars. Was he calm because of the substantial amount, or did he not understand the value of 2.2 billion dollars?

"Yes. I also wanted to meet with Chairman to discuss those conditions."

Although Oh Se-hyun handed over a file he had prepared, Lee Jong-cheol briefly glanced at the title and then placed it on the table.

"Why would an investment firm get involved in construction? Finance and construction don't seem to go together."

"The proposal isn't about a construction project. While it includes some aspects related to construction, it's a separate project. I'd like to ask for your positive consideration."

"If it's positive, does that mean pouring dollars into Korea?"

"Yes."

"You'll pour it in, make huge profits, and take that money back to the United States, right?" He said it with a smile, but it wasn't a gesture of goodwill.

It was clear that being an American investment firm had given him preconceived notions. He saw Miracle as a means for foreigners to siphon Korea's wealth abroad.