Chapter 27

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The following afternoon.

You want to go out on a business trip again?


Yes, sir. As you know, we’re supposed to receive the samples from Vietnam. I want to learn about customs clearance by stopping by the customs office on this occasion.

Yonggu’s face distorted. Although he suppressed his feelings because of the manager, he felt Hyunwoo’s attitude was getting more and more arrogant. Whenever he had free time, he was away from the office, but he didn’t show any sense of sorriness.
Above all, for a new hire, he was busier going on business trips than his superiors. It looked as if he spent more time going on business trips than staying in the office.
But what angered Yonggu was something else. It was that the manager took Hyunwoo’s side.

Good idea. You can learn and get familiar with the customs office guys. That’s the way you should learn the purchasing team’s business.

What more could Yonggu say when the team manager was making a judgement call like that?
Yonggu looked at his watch. It was 3 pm.

You can go out now, but the timing is rather awkward. If you go out now, when are you going to come back?

When Yonggu’s asked, the manager once again took Hyunwoo’s side, adding,

I think you can’t come back to the office if you go out now. You didn’t take a break after you came from the working trip to Vietnam. Just go back home when you’re done.


Thank you, sir.

Though Yonggu stared at him, gritting his teeth, Hyunwoo pretended not to see him.
Once he was out of the office, he headed to the customs office. He handed out the cookies that he purchased in Vietnam, and with Kwak’s help, he greeted the other public servants in the office.
After saying hello to them, he went out of the office. It was only 4:30pm. Actually, that’s why he came out early.
When he came out of the customs office, he headed directly to Saeto Park. Because it was near the customs office, he didn’t have to move that much. Once he arrived there, he called someone. A little later, a senior man’s voice came out.

Hello

He was Kwon Sangtaek, the person Song introduced to him.

How are you, sir? This is Jang Hyunwoo, who called you yesterday. I’m here at Saeto Park. Where are you now?

As instructed by Kwon, Hyunwoo was moving to a place where there were many old men gathered. A middle-aged man waved his hands toward Hyunwoo.

Do you see me waving my hands?

Hyunwoo’s eyes opened wide. Though he thought Kwon was older because he was Song’s friend, he was much younger than expected. Hyunwoo waved his hands too.

Yes, I saw you. Let me come to you.

Hyunwoo approached Kwon. The nearer he approached Kwon, the stranger he felt.
When he looked at Song, he looked well over 70, but Kwons’ appearance showed he was only in his early 60s. He couldn’t believe Kwon was Song’s friend.

How do you do, sir? My name is Jang Hyunwoo.


Nice to see you. My name is Kwon Sangtaek. What’s the matter? Song hardly contacts me first without a compelling reason.

Hyunwoo was all the more surprised because he called Song derogatively. That meant he was the same age as Song or one or two years junior.
Hyunwoo asked Kwon, unable to suppress his curiosity,

I’m sorry to ask, but are you the same age as Song? You look much younger…

Then, Kwon heartily laughed and said,

Ha ha ha. Well, I may look younger, but Song looks older than his age. How old do you think he is?


Over 70?


No way. He’s only 63.

Hyunwoo was stunned, but at the same time he became sort of expectant. If Kwon was only 63, he might still be enthusiastic about working. He really hoped Kwon would be. He might accept Hyunwoo’s offer for him to go to Vietnam for work. When he talked with Kwon, his skill was the kind of skill Na needed by all means at his factory.
Hyunwoo brought up the topic cautiously.

In fact, I’m with the purchasing team of Aurum.

At that moment, Kwons’ glittering eyes turned sharp, and his warm expression turned sinister.

What? Aurum?

Kwon’s response was expected. Hyunwoo knew through Song that Kwon had a very negative perception of Aurum, but he had to confront Kwon and persuade him that Aurum’s decision at that time was inevitable.
Hyunwoo refreshed his determination.
Let me make Kwon my man by all means.

I know that you have a grudge against Aurum, and I know the reason, too.


Then, why did you come to see me?


As you know, Aurum didn’t do that because it hated you. That was inevitable at the time.

Hyunwoo persuaded him in every way, and Kwon seemed to understand.
However, he couldn’t dissipate Kwon’s anger.

So, what are you going to do about it? Why did you suddenly come to see me? You want me to run my factory again?
Kwon demanded.
After taking a deep breath, Hyunwoo said cautiously,

Yes, please operate your factory again.

At that moment, Kwon made a blank expression.

What? Operating the factory again?

Hyunwoo felt that Kwon’s eyes were animated instantly. That meant that Kwon was still willing to work. However, there was an obstacle, though.

Yes, but there is something different now. As you know, you don’t have any competitiveness in the domestic market. I know a factory in Vietnam. Are you willing to work there?

Kwon made a blank expression at that moment. His staring at Hyunwoo suggested that he couldn’t understand. Then, he seemed to understand, but his expectant eyes gave his anger away.

How dare you suggest that? What? Vietnam? You want me to go to Vietnam for work? Do you think that makes sense?


There are already many Korean businessmen in Vietnam…

Hyunwoo once again tried his best to persuade Kwon, but he wasn’t persuaded. Later he caught Hyunwoo by the collar and said,

You made my factory go bankrupt, and now you want to send me to Vietnam for work? You guys should be punished by Heaven!

Any more talking with him was meaningless. The more Hyunwoo talked, the worse Kwon’s feelings toward him turned. Of course, this wasn’t the end. He would continue to persuade Kwon through Song and his acquaintances. At the end of the day, Kwon would find out that a limitless opportunity was waiting for him in Vietnam.
Hyunwoo went back to see Song.
Though Kwon hated Hyunwoo very much, Song liked him very much.
When Hyunwoo told him what happened, Song said he wanted to help him in one way or another, but he wasn’t of much help. Song and Kwon were close friends in the past, but when Song gave up meeting his acquaintances due to his poverty, their relationship became naturally estranged.
In the meantime, the samples arrived from Vietnam.
The manager was actively engaged among others. He went to see the president immediately to ask for the research team’s assistance in testing the samples.
The samples were sent to the research room. The manager got nervous as if he had married off his daughter.

For Heaven’s sake, the test outcome should be fine.

Hyunwoo was as tense and nervous as well. If the test outcome was good, Aurum could reduce the cost drastically every year.
The test outcome came out one week later, and the outcome was reported to the manager.
Hyunwoo and other team members paid close attention to the test result.
The manager looked at Hyunwoo with a bright smile.

Hyunwoo, great job! Fortunately, most of the parts passed the quality standard. If we conclude the negotiation on the unit price, we can replace the parts on a gradual basis, starting next month.


Wow!

Hyunwoo clenched his fist, and his team members congratulated him with big applause.
Yonggu clapped his hands too. Though he was smiling, there was some awkwardness in it.
Of course, Hyunwoo didn’t care at all.

Manager, what about the wheel test? Did it pass?

The manager shook his head.

The wheel test didn’t pass. It didn’t meet the standard of durability by a little margin. I wish they could improve on it a bit more. Too bad.

Hyunwoo also exclaimed,
Ah!

Out of all the parts used to make chairs, the wheel had the most weighted ratio. If the wheel failed the test, the test results of the sample meant half the success.
The manager comforted Hyunwoo, saying,
Still, we’ve got some good results. If we pull off a good contract on the unit price, we can enjoy a cost reduction worth tens of million won except for the wheel.

However, Hyunwoo couldn’t be satisfied. Apart from cost reduction, Na Sungji, the owner of the factory in Vietnam, weighed on his mind.
Hyunwoo went to Vietnam to see Na, and he could secure other parts there thanks to his help. Also, Jang Dukwoo had introduced Na to him. Only, Na was in danger of being omitted from the contract list. Hyunwoo wanted to include Na’s wheel parts as best as he could, and he knew the way. If he could persuade Kwon Sangtaek, he could get everything that he wanted.

Make a report on the contract, Hyunwoo. The president is also waiting for it. Hurry up!


Yes, sir.

Hyunwoo made the report. The gist of it was how much they could reduce cost of the unit price.
Hyunwoo drew the bottom line of the unit price of the Vietnamese parts against 85% of the Taiwanese products. The amount of the imports from Taiwan was about 1.5 million dollars annually, out of which the wheel accounted for 800,000 dollars, followed by lever, nylon supporting the back of the chair, etc.
Because the wheel couldn’t be replaced right away, the amount of money from replaceable parts was about 700,000 dollars. 15% of that amount was about 100,000 dollars per year in cost reduction.
The president was very satisfied with the report.

100,000 dollars per year. It amounts to three employees’ combined salaries. Hyunwoo saved their lives. Thanks.


Thank you, sir,
Hyunwoo said, lowering his head to him.
He then brought up a topic abruptly,
There is something not included in the report.


What is it?


I’ve learned a lot about customs clearance while I visited the customs office. If we use the FTA, we can save about 6% in cost reduction.

The president’s eyes popped out at that. Already briefed by Hyunwoo, the team manager was wearing a smile of satisfaction.
Surprised by Hyunwoo, the president asked,

6%? 6% of 100,000 dollars in cost reduction?


No, sir. It’s about 6% of 600,000 dollars worth of imports from Vietnam. I guess about 36,000 dollars.


Then, why is it missing in the report?


Because I don’t want to repeat the same mistake last time.


Are you talking about the refund collection?


Yes, sir. Though I did a lot of research, I still have to learn more. I think I can clearly know about the amount of cost reduction better when I learn more.

He explained to the president the reason calmly.
However, it was just an excuse. There was another reason why he excluded it from the report. That was to buy time for him to persuade Kwon Sangtaek.
Whenever he found free time, he sought ways to persuade Kwon. He kept thinking about it at home and in the office.
His father asked him silently,

Do you have something troubling you?

Hyunwoo had to reason to hide it. Rather, he wanted to share it with his father.
After hearing his explanation, he paused to think about something and asked,

Hyunwoo, what’s the most important thing to you?

Hyunwoo answered right away as if he didn’t have to agonize about it. However, he stopped saying it as if he was hit hard by something.

Of course, it’s his family…!

Then, Hyunwoo was very surprised.