章 622: Chapter 622: A Businessman After All
The drinking session had stretched on for quite a while. As time passed and the cups filled, Han Gyeong-yeong's face grew flushed.
"What's the vibe like in Washington?"
"You know how it is. It's just another typical presidential election season. The only odd thing is how uncompetitive it is. The Democrats are already rallying behind Hillary for the next term. John Kerry is trying to make a move, but it seems difficult for him. He knows better than anyone it's a fight he's likely to lose… I'd say the Democrats are done for. Watching a foregone conclusion isn't exactly thrilling."
"What about the Republicans?"
"They're already toasting in celebration. They're ecstatic, starting up their fundraising. Crazy bastards."
Han Gyeong-yeong spat an expletive, his lips curling into a pout as he continued to grumble.
"There are already plenty of people lining up… It's just the same in Korea and here. Actually, it's worse here. Lobbying is legal, after all."
He looked fed up, as if he had seen it all during his time at various fundraising parties.
With a deep sigh, Han Gyeong-yeong shook his head.
"At least I can sense the Neocon influence is waning even at these fundraisers. If it were like the old days, a lot more people would be flocking to them."
"Hmm… Really? You think the Neocons are actually losing power?"
"I can't say for sure, but that's just the impression I get."
As expected, Han Gyeong-yeong knew how to read the atmosphere without needing to say much.
I had chosen the right person to keep close. I chuckled softly and continued,
"That's a good thing. The more the Neocons dominate, the worse it is for us. We need to keep pouring vast amounts of money into North Korea. But if the Neocons keep interfering, it'll create issues for us."
"Do we really have to pump money into North Korea? I just can't wrap my head around it. Is it because they're our fellow countrymen? Wouldn't it be better to focus on the Middle East instead?"
I couldn't help but let out a laugh.
Everyone seems to have some mistaken notion. Patriotism, our ethnic ties, blood connections…
I'm a businessman; the only thing that matters to me is the safety of myself and my people.
"Why do people cling to such illusions? I have no interest in that. The only ones that matter are my people. Same country, same ethnicity… That's none of my concern. North Korea is just a business partner for me. Anyway, everyone will know North Korea's true value before a decade has passed."
If we can easily access energy via the oil and gas pipelines from Russia while connecting the continent's railways and roads to Asia and Europe…
That value would be beyond monetary measure.
South Korea would be nothing but an isolated island if it couldn't connect through North Korea. An island surrounded by the sea on three sides but attached to the continent.
Back when Kim Jong-il was the leader, it was something we couldn't even dream about, but now we're on the verge of connecting the continental railways.
Of course, just having railways doesn't mean we can transfer all our logistics by rail.
So I was keeping in mind the port logistics. Even half of the logistics entering Shanghai through Nampo Port would yield more wealth than my investments.
And that would give me significant power.
"Still, can you really trust Jang Seong-taek? Alright, let's assume you trust him. But what if the regime changes? What then?"
"As you said, that could happen. But no matter who takes power, they can't just abandon us. That's the scary part about money. Once someone has tasted its sweetness, they can never forget it. Not just us, but vast amounts of money from around the world will flow into North Korea."
If North Korea opens up, it will finally embark on an economic boom that it has never experienced before.
The people of Pyongyang will benefit the most, but the other North Korean residents will inevitably share in those benefits.
Once they taste a free economy, there's no going back to the past.
If they try to control it, everyone will rise up against them.
After finishing the talk about North Korea, the subject shifted towards Iraq.
"They mentioned discussing Iraq's reconstruction project at CPA. You'll be meeting them directly, right?"
CPA was the Coalition Provisional Authority, established under U.S. leadership to manage Iraq.
And under it, there was a separate agency dedicated to managing the reconstruction funds for Iraq.
"Has the Iraq Reconstruction Implementation Committee already been established? Isn't it too soon for that? There are still sporadic battles going on. So why are they already talking about reconstruction?"
As I fired off a barrage of questions, Han Gyeong-yeong shrugged.
"How would I know? They just told me to secure our shares as promised. But you were the one who handled all the negotiations. I just said I'd check since I didn't know much."
"Ah, you didn't tell me that. Good job."
To my knowledge, Bechtel Corporation was leading most of the Iraq reconstruction projects.
The American Bechtel was a multinational engineering and construction company based in San Francisco.
They had a history of over a century and had executed construction projects in over 140 countries across all seven continents.
Additionally, they had a close relationship with our nation as well.
They had played roles in national projects such as the Ulsan Nuclear Power Units 3 and 4, the Gyeongbu High-Speed Railway, and the Yeonggwang Nuclear Power Plant.
Instead of directly performing construction, they focused on managing overall projects, including planning, designing, procurement, construction, supervision, and aftercare.
And… Bechtel also had close ties with the Neocons.
Less than a month after the Iraq War began, even before Hussein was captured, they sparked controversy with contracts worth tens of millions for Iraq reconstruction.
"The UN won't just sit by and watch the U.S. gobble everything up…"
The contract awarded to Bechtel was a $680 million deal over 18 months.
The project entailed restoring the destroyed electrical and communication facilities in Iraq.
It's quite ironic that they destroy it and then reconstruct it themselves.
When I hesitated to respond, Han Gyeong-yeong asked again.
"Mu-hyeok, are you really going to meet them directly?"
"I think it's best to hear it straight from them. Let's go together at that time."
Participating in the Iraq reconstruction project was a must.
This wasn't a project that would end in a few years; it would take at least ten years minimum.
I had already secured shares in the reconstruction project through negotiations with the U.S., and now it was just a matter of where to bring it in.
Even if nearly everything was set, I still had to engage in fierce battles to secure a good position.
"Alright, let's do that. I'll set up the schedule. When would be good for you?"
"Set it for three days from now."
"Okay, Boss!"
I chuckled at the straightforward response and stood up.
"I'm starting to feel a bit tired. Let's finish this drink and call it a night."
"Already? You're getting old, you know that?"
"Look who's talking!"
Ignoring Han Gyeong-yeong's teasing, I emptied the last drink in my hand.
I set down the empty glass, waved my hand, and walked into the room.
* * *
After handling a series of scheduled tasks over the next few days, I flew with Han Gyeong-yeong to Bechtel's headquarters.
"This is strange. Why discuss such an important matter at Bechtel's headquarters in San Francisco instead of Washington?"
If Han Gyeong-yeong looked bewildered, he kept grumbling even as we drove.
"It's not something you can just meet openly."
"That may be true, but…"
Upon arriving at Bechtel's headquarters, we were escorted to the meeting room by someone already waiting for us.
Several people were already waiting for us. Han Gyeong-yeong looked around with a surprised expression, as if he recognized most of them.
I also recognized most of the faces.
"Welcome. Which one of you is Charlie?"
At that moment, a middle-aged man rose from his seat and approached us.
"I'm Charlie."
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Riley Bechtel, the chairman of Bechtel Corporation."
The chairman of Bechtel himself welcomed us. I smiled warmly, shook his hand, and introduced myself.
"Ah, so you're the chairman of Bechtel. I'm Charlie Kim, the major shareholder of Dream High."
"I've heard so much about you."
"I'm always hearing about Bechtel too. You're the world's number one construction firm, right?"
We wrapped up our introductions in a friendly atmosphere.
"So, this must be Director James."
"Nice to meet you. I'm James Han."
With that, Han Gyeong-yeong wrapped up the handshake as well.
"Now, let's sit down and start our discussion."
Riley Bechtel led us to a round table.
In total, there were six men seated, including him.
"This one is…"
Riley Bechtel was about to introduce a silver-haired old man who had a lively gaze.
But I already knew who this old man was.
"You're Secretary George Shultz, right?"
George Shultz expressed surprise with an intrigued look.
"Oh, you recognize me."
"How could I not? You served as Secretary of Labor and Treasury under the Nixon administration and later as Secretary of State under Reagan."
George Shultz.
The former president of Bechtel and current board member, he was a powerhouse who had served as secretary under both Nixon and Reagan.
Currently, he served as the chairman of the Iraq Liberation Advisory Council, a policy advisory group for Bush.
So naturally, he wielded significant influence over Bush's Iraq policies.
"So, do I look familiar to you?"
The old man beside him asked.
"Yes. You're Secretary Caspar Weinberger, right?"
"Sharp-eyed, I see. I heard you're quite young… Yet you can identify me, huh?"
Though he said that, Caspar smiled slightly, seemingly pleased.
Caspar Weinberger had also served in key positions under both the Nixon and Reagan administrations.
This man too was now on Bechtel's board.
And the person beside him was someone I had just shared a meal with not long ago.
"Kissinger, I see you here too?"
Henry Kissinger, pushing up his glasses, waved his hand in greeting.
"Charlie, good to see you again."
Goodness, it's hard to tell if this is a private corporation or the White House.
"Indeed, it's good to see you like this."
"You should've at least told me you were heading to the U.S. You left me back in Korea!"
Henry Kissinger grumbled jokingly.
"The summit has wrapped up, and the six-party talks went well. There wasn't much left to do, was there? Now it's all up to you to sort out the rest."
"Well, you could've told me you were going to be in Korea for a while longer."
"I'm a businessman too. I can't just play all the time. I spend more time traveling than staying put in Korea."
Casual conversation flowed between us. Perhaps because of that, everyone alternated between glancing at me and Kissinger curiously.
Listening quietly, Riley Bechtel chimed in and asked Kissinger,
"Dr. Kissinger, do you know this friend well?"
"Of course. We've shared meals and had some fun adventures together. I'd say we're quite close."
Everyone looked at Kissinger with surprise. His vague reply caught some off guard, as they knew his usual demeanor well.
With his answer, Riley Bechtel nodded.
"I see."
We also greeted Jack Sheahan, the vice president of Bechtel.
He was currently a member of the Defense Policy Board under the Department of Defense.
Last to greet was Tim Burton, the current chairman of Kellogg Brown & Root, a subsidiary of the multinational oil company Halliburton.
Having finished our introductions, we took our seats at the prepared table.
"It seems there isn't a single person from the Bush administration here. Can we really decide such important matters without them?"
I pointed out the absence of any administration officials as soon as I sat down.
To my question, Riley Bechtel responded with a smile.
"Yes. We have been given full authority to handle this."
"That's unexpected. I can hardly believe the keys to such a significant reconstruction project would be handed to a private corporation rather than the White House."
"Well, we are Bechtel. Does that answer your question?"
His pride was evident in his response. I nodded and smiled.
"I understand Bechtel's capabilities. Still, won't there be controversy over favoritism?"
"That's not something you need to worry about. Didn't you secure shares in the Iraq reconstruction project through an agreement with President Bush?"
"I'm just receiving back what I've given."
"The people gathered here are also getting back what they've given so it's not something you need to worry about either."
Though Riley said it casually, it was impossible not to worry about it.
Because this scandal would undoubtedly embroil President Bush in trouble down the line.
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