Chapitre 627: Chapter 627: Establishing a Special Purpose Corporation
After finalizing all agreements, I left San Francisco with Han Gyeong-yeong.
It didn't take long to reach Sausalito, where Han Gyeong-yeong had bought a vacation home.
"Oh, it's nice and quiet here," I remarked.
"Right?"
The atmosphere here was completely different from the bustling, vibrant San Francisco.
Although it was a small beach town, it was dotted with upscale mansions and vacation homes, making the town quite beautiful.
"How did you find this place?"
"I got a recommendation. Bill Gates has a vacation home nearby, and there are plenty of vacation homes owned by Wall Street and other business tycoons."
I nodded. This place was close enough to downtown San Francisco, making it perfect for weekend getaways.
Han Gyeong-yeong led me to the dock connected to the vacation home.
There, a stunning yacht was docked.
"Let's head out to sea," he suggested.
"You have a yacht too?"
"What's this about? I'm Han Gyeong-yeong. A yacht is just pocket change for me. Don't you think?"
Han Gyeong-yeong puffed up his chest, jokingly. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Well, you are wealthy too."
"I can't show off in front of you, but I'm doing pretty well myself. I can afford a bit of luxury like this."
I climbed aboard the yacht with Han Gyeong-yeong.
However, there was no one in sight to drive it.
"Who's sailing this? Can you do it?"
"Of course I can."
"When did you learn to sail a yacht?"
At that moment, Manager Ma, who had been standing next to us, spoke up.
"I'll take the helm. You two just relax."
"Looks like you know how to sail a yacht too, Manager."
"I learned it a while ago."
Manager Ma smoothly took his place at the yacht's wheel.
"I wanted to show off my sailing skills, though."
Han Gyeong-yeong sighed, clearly disappointed.
Why was he disappointed?
"This is just to let us chat comfortably. We can come back another time."
Han Gyeong-yeong stepped inside the yacht and came back with wine and some snacks.
"I bought this for us to share. It cost quite a bit."
"Showing off a bit, aren't we?"
We moved to the deck to sit down.
Once Manager Ma confirmed we were settled, he slowly started moving the yacht.
The cool sea breeze brushed against my face, and Han Gyeong-yeong poured wine into our glasses before handing one to me.
We clinked our glasses together and took a sip of the wine, ready to dive into conversation.
"Set up a special purpose corporation in Korea for me."
"Planning to handle the reconstruction project in Iraq?"
I nodded.
"To create a consortium, we need a leading corporation. We'll use that corporation to manage all contracts, issuing projects to Jungwoo Construction, Daehyeon Construction, and Pungjin Construction. You can make it happen neatly, right?"
As Han Gyeong-yeong took another sip of wine, he asked,
"Limited partnership? Or a joint-stock company?"
"Limited partnership. I don't like being public or monitored externally. I'll organize the shareholder list myself and pass it along. I need to distribute shares to those who should get them."
This was a government-backed reconstruction project in the U.S., and there wouldn't be any delay or non-payment regarding construction costs.
A limited partnership is also a great way to distribute profits.
It frees us from many obligations that come with a joint-stock company and allows major shareholders to manage it freely. It's easier to avoid scrutiny from the tax authorities too.
Many multinational corporations set up domestic companies in a similar structure, even with ample funds.
Especially global luxury brands, they tend to prefer this method almost without exception.
Since stock trading is difficult, they can't transfer their shares to someone else, meaning there's no threat to management. I liked that it wouldn't complicate things.
"Okay. I'll make sure nothing goes wrong. But you'll hold 51% of the shares, right?"
"Exactly. I'll hold 51%, you'll have 10%, and the rest will be divided among several people. I won't collect any investment funds, but just in case it becomes an issue, you handle the paperwork for me."
"Don't worry about it."
If I left things to Han Gyeong-yeong, it would be set up neatly without legal hassles.
"What should we name the corporation?"
"Hmm… what would be good?"
I twirled my wine glass in thought.
"Should we come up with a name using four-character Chinese idioms?"
Han Gyeong-yeong, who had been pouring wine, chuckled at my impulsive suggestion.
"Hey, are they really going to pronounce a Chinese name for a company that's going to transact with America?"
"You've got a point. Then what should we name it?"
"How about Soul Company?"
Soul Company. I repeated that name in my mind.
"Sounds good. Everyone who will receive shares in this company feels like a soulmate to me."
"Right? Then we'll go with Soul Company… With about a month, I should be able to finish everything. Before that, let me know the people to distribute the shares to."
I nodded.
Although I had a rough outline set, politicians can't put their names out directly.
I needed to check with them directly and decide on the representatives to finalize things. It was better to eliminate any issues that could arise later.
"Let's stop talking business and enjoy the view. We're out in the sea now."
"Yeah. This place is really nice."
Before long, the yacht carrying us stopped far from the beach.
I could barely make out the beach's shape with the naked eye.
"The Californians don't build summer homes here for no reason. Isn't it nice?"
I nodded and set my wine glass down, lying back on the deck.
The deep blue sky filled my view. Watching the clear skies and feeling the breeze made me feel like my worries were drifting away.
Han Gyeong-yeong flopped down next to me. We lay there together in silence, gazing up at the sky.
"I want to sleep like this," I declared.
"Same here. The weather is perfect."
This peaceful silence wasn't too bad.
As time passed in silence, the sun began to set.
It wasn't until the yacht's lights turned on that I finally got up. Han Gyeong-yeong, who had fallen asleep, woke up too.
"Are you planning to have Brand Bechtel working at the new corporation?"
"Of course. It wouldn't help sending him to Jungwoo Construction or somewhere unqualified. I want to keep an eye on him while playing the role of a bridge with America. You felt it too, right? There's something peculiar between Chairman Riley and Brand Bechtel."
In the conference room, even in front of many people, there was an unexplainable tension that flowed between the two of them as father and son.
Han Gyeong-yeong nodded slightly, as if he understood.
"That's true. There's this odd feeling that Riley Bechtel is keeping his son in check? Heavyweights like Caspar Weinberger and George Shultz seem quite fond of Brand Bechtel, so it makes sense."
"Look into it for me. How Bechtel operates and how they decide on their chairperson. There's something off about Riley Bechtel being in that position. Do they perhaps follow some sort of weird primogeniture system?"
"Why? Are you thinking of getting a piece of Bechtel's pie? That'd be tough, you know?"
I couldn't help but laugh at his absurdity.
"How would I get a piece of that? They're a family-run company with no stocks. I just want to know for future reference. I feel like it could be useful to us one day."
No matter how much lobbying Bechtel did, they were still a comprehensive construction company with a vast number of patents. Maintaining a good relationship with them could bring us many advantages. If Jungwoo Construction could grow with that support, it wouldn't bring any negative effects.
"So have you finished everything you needed to do in America?"
I nodded with a smile.
"I want to rest here for a few more days. Now all I have to do is wait for Senator Barack Obama to contact me."
I was incredibly curious about what kind of response Senator Obama would bring.
The sun had completely set, and darkness surrounded us. Only the lights from the yacht illuminated the dark sea.
"Let's head back. I'm tired," I said, signaling Manager Ma to return. We fired up the yacht once again.
The yacht glided back towards the shore, moving even more slowly than before, as if reluctant to leave.
* * *
Days passed.
Han Gyeong-yeong departed for a charity event first, and I took my time to relax.
Perhaps because I had spent a long time in a comfortable place without any worries, I felt quite refreshed.
However, my rest was coming to an end soon. I was planning to return to Korea via Russia in two days.
Still, there was no news from Senator Obama.
I fiddled with my mobile phone, deep in thought.
'When will he reach out? He doesn't seem like the type to refuse.'
If I didn't know the future of Barack Obama, I might have thought he had no ambitions.
But someone who made it all the way to the presidency of the United States couldn't be someone without ambition.
I only nudged him awake a bit earlier.
There's no choice better than mine. Maybe later, but even then, Barack Obama is still at a disadvantage.
"What's happening with Obama?"
"He's busy with external schedules," came the reply.
"Is that so?"
"He's met with Michelle Obama and continued his prearranged schedule. No unusual news."
I nodded along with Manager Ma's calm report.
Michelle Obama is Barack Obama's wife, but she is also his political partner.
"By now, my information should be in their hands."
"Yes. You told me to leave it alone, so I did. I've heard there are people asking around Wall Street."
That would probably be Michelle Obama's brother. I told Manager Ma to let them be since they needed to know about me to receive my proposal.
"But I still haven't heard from them. Have they decided to turn it down?"
"No one besides the boss would bet on him. I'm sure you'll hear back soon. Let's wait a bit longer."
"That's true. If I don't hear from them before I leave the U.S., it'll be disappointing, but I'll have to look for someone else."
In that case, I was planning to suggest someone else instead.
While it would certainly be easier to support a vulnerable Barack Obama, there are many others with weaknesses.
However, it seemed I didn't need to search for anyone else.
I received a message from Barack Obama to meet. He mentioned wanting to meet discreetly, so I gave him the address to the vacation home.
The visitors were two people: Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
"Nice to meet you. I didn't expect to meet the major shareholder of Dream High like this. I've heard a lot of rumors about you."
Michelle Obama greeted me first.
"I too have heard many stories about you, Michelle."
"So you've also done some research on me, I see."
"It's only fair, isn't it? Come on in. I've got some good wine prepared."
I led them to the dining area. I intended to set a relaxed atmosphere, but unlike the unflappable Michelle, Barack Obama seemed a bit tense.
"So, do you have an answer for my proposal? I've been waiting quite some time. Please give me your response."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone