Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho, Min-Hyeok and Professor Wang headed to Kunshan City.

The Deputy Mayor of the City of Kunshan—Seukang Li—called for the president of Jinxi Construction Company, Chinkkweo Seon. Jinxi Construction Company was a government-owned company and its president—Chinkkeo Seon—used to work for Kunshan City as a construction deputy director.

“Long time no see.”

Gun-Ho and Chinkkeo Seon greeted each other with a handshake. Seukang Li told Gun-Ho.

“Most of the work is done in the industrial park now. The road accessing the park is paved, the management office is completed, and the 3-Flow work is of course done.”

“What do you mean by the management office is completed? Does that mean the phone and the internet are working?”

The president of Jinxi Construction Company responded instead.

“The phone is not working yet. It will take a few more days. Other than that, the office is all set up with furniture and necessary supplies.”

“Oh, really?”

“However, China’s investment in the industrial park is the land only. So, Jinxi Construction Company will send a bill to the joint venture for the cost incurred in constructing the management office and filling the office with furniture and things.”

“Hmm.”

Gun-Ho thought that Chinese people were very accurate in dividing the cost.

When Gun-Ho visited Jinxi Industrial Park later, he was astonished. It looked totally different from the time when he had visited it before. The road was neatly paved and small trees were planted on the borders between factories. Tall trees were planted along the street as well.

“Do you see a building over there? That’s the management office.”

“Oh, wow. It looks great. Is it a prefabricated building?”

“Yes, it is. The management office and a restaurant are located on the first floor, and on the second floor, you can find an administrative office, a president’s office, and a vice president’s office. Restrooms are situated at the backside of the building.”

When they arrived at the main entrance of the management building, a neatly dressed man who looked like in his 50s and a lady in her early 30s greeted Gun-Ho’s party.

“This is Kkangsin Kkao. He will be working as a vice president in the joint venture. This lady will handle general affairs. Her name is Dingpun.”

Kkangsin Kkao and Dingpun gave their business cards to Gun-Ho and Min-Hyeok. Since the joint venture was not yet formed, their business cards still indicated their current position with Jinxi Construction Company which were a planning director and staff in the planning department.

Seukang Li gave Gun-Ho a tap on the shoulder before saying,

“What do you think? Did Professor Wang explain to you about the joint venture? You won’t regret it. Don’t worry about it. It looks like you brought someone who would take the president position for our joint venture. I guess we are ready to sign the letter of intent.”

“Will the letter of intent be signed by Jinxi Construction Company of Kunshan City and GH Development Company?”

“Right. I had a hard time persuading my superiors in Kunshan City to select GH Development Company as our co-venturer because the company is small. However, since GH Development has no debt, and it will invest in cash, I pushed them hard to do it.”

“You said the joint venture will possibly increase capital stock without consideration, right?”

“Oh, I guess if a company is doing well, it increases its capital stock, and it expands its business and so on, right? Our role in Kunshan City is up to the completion of 3-Flow work. We will leave the rest of the business matters to the joint venture. What you would do from now on is up to the joint venture.”

Professor Wang chipped in.

“Seukang, you will have to join them when they give a presentation in Korea. They will need someone who is a high-ranking official in the Chinese government to effectively attract Korean companies, don’t you think?”

“Of course, I will come to Korea for the presentation. If I can’t make it, I will send the construction director of the city.”

“Did you hear that, Gun-Ho? Seunkang Li will be there.”

“Also, you said companies won’t have to pay corporate tax for three years, right?”

“We are going in that direction. I shouldn’t tell you everything today though. Haha.”

The planning director of Jinxi Construction Company gave a tour to Gun-Ho and Min-Hyeok around the management building. They looked around the offices, the restaurant, and the restrooms on the first floor.

“Hmm. It looks really nice. It’s neat and clean since it’s a newly constructed building.”

Min-Hyeok seemed to be impressed as well.

“It is indeed very well built.”

Gun-Ho’s group then moved to the second floor to continue their tour.

“There are desks and chairs already placed in these offices.”

“The computers are all in working condition as well.”

“Hmm.”

“This is the office for the president.”

There were a large L-shaped desk and an executive swivel office chair. Behind the desk, there was a wooden bookshelf. A large sofa set for a guest was there as well.

“Hmm. It is nice. The room is carpeted. Min-Hyeok, if we decide to participate in the joint venture, this will be your room.”

Min-Hyeok blushed when Gun-Ho told him that this would be his office. He then asked Gun-Ho.

“What about the chairman of the board? Is he not working here?”

“He will not. He will come whenever necessary though. Instead, the vice president will assist you.”

Min-Hyeok wrote down something.

“Min-Hyeok, if you work here as a president, you will have to manage all the staff working in this building. There will be more than 30 workers.”

Min-Hyeok blushed again, and then his face became filled with worries. Maybe the idea of working as a president was too much to digest in a few days for him.

Seukang Li talked to Gun-Ho.

“Gun-Ho, let’s sign the letter of intent tomorrow morning around 11 am. What do you say? If you say yes, I will ask journalists to come and join us.”

Gun-Ho, let out a deep sigh before answering it.

“Okay, let’s do it. Since you, Deputy Mayor Seukang Li and Professor Wang guaranteed that I would make money from this, I will do it.”

Seukang Li and Jien Wang held Gun-Ho’s hand while smiling.

Gun-Ho and Min-Hyeok arrived at Crown Plaza Hotel in Kunshan City to sign the letter of intent.

There was a small flag of China and a flag of Korea placed on the table which was covered with a white tablecloth, and a banner was hanging on the wall.

“Gun-Ho, journalists are here. I’ve never been to an event like this. I’ve only seen this kind of thing on TV.”

“Haha. You don’t have to be nervous, Min-Hyeok. I will be the one who will sign the letter of intent with the president of Jinxi Construction Company.”

“What about the deputy mayor of Kunshan City?”

“He can’t do it because he is a government official. However, he will later join us for a photograph, and you should come as well.”

The planning director from Jinxi Construction Company was talking on the microphone. The staff in the planning department showed Gun-Ho a table to sit while smiling.

Gun-Ho and Chinkkweo Seon— the president of Jinxi Construction Company—sat on a table while facing each other. Behind them, Deputy Mayor Seukang Li, the construction director of Kunshan City, the planning director of Jinxi Construction Company, and Min-Hyeok were standing.

Gun-Ho and Chinkkweo Seon signed the letter of intent and shook hands. The journalists were taking pictures of the moment. Some people were video recording it.

There were about seven to eight journalists, and one of them asked a question to Gun-Ho.

“Do you think Jinxi Industrial Park will succeed?”

Surprisingly, the journalist who asked the question to Gun-Ho was Korean.

“Are you from Korea?”

When Gun-Ho asked the journalist in surprise, he said he was from the Korean Economic Newspaper, and he was currently working at the Shanghai location.

“Oh, I see.”

Gun-Ho offered his hand to the journalist for a handshake.

“I believe Jinxi Industrial Park has a bright future. It is located in Kunshan City that is close to the two big cities which are Shanghai and Suzhou, which will give great benefit to the companies in doing business there. Moreover, the companies in Jinxi Industrial Park will enjoy the corporate tax-free for three years in addition to the low rental price. This is certainly a rare opportunity for companies, and I am sure that many Korean companies will be interested. Especially if they were planning to expand their business to China.”

There was a person who was diligently interpreting what Gun-Ho said for Chinese journalists. The interpreter gave his business card to Gun-Ho when he realized that Gun-Ho looked at him several times.

“Haha. I’m an interpreter from the city’s foreign affairs office. I studied in Korea.”

“Oh, I see. You speak Korean very well.”

The Korean journalist asked another question.

“According to the brochure provided for the journalists, you are the president of GH Development, Gun-Ho Goo. Is that right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Can I ask you how old you are?”

“I’m 35 years old.”

“Is it Korean age?”

“Yes.”

“We won’t take any more questions. Please have a seat and enjoy the food.”

The president of Jinxi Construction Company had the journalists go sit on their tables.

That evening, Jinxi Construction Company hosted a dinner at a restaurant called Hwadongchancheong. It was the same restaurant that Gun-Ho was once invited at last time he visited China. The restaurant was still marvelous.

That night, Seukang Li, Professor Wang, Gun-Ho and Min-Hyeok drank a lot until they were overly drunk. They were the four people who would take the lead of northeast Asia economy in the future.