บท 644: Chapter 644: I’m Not Clean Either
A few days after attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kaesong Industrial Complex, Kim Sung-keen gathered all the faction leaders within the Progressive Party.
Seong-geun took the main seat, with Kim Seok-jin, the former chairman leading the largest faction, sitting on his left, and Hong Jin-woo, the head of the junior lawmakers' faction, on his right.
Next to them were the leaders of smaller factions, fewer in number but still commanding respect from their followers.
Seong-geun cast a sidelong glance at Seok-jin and Jin-woo.
They had proposed that he take on the role of chairman of the emergency task force after reaching an agreement, and he had accepted the offer.
"Thank you all for gathering here today."
As Kim Sung-keen slightly bowed his head in greeting, everyone followed suit.
Once the greetings were over, Seong-geun wiped the smile off his face like it was a lie and spoke in a somber tone.
"When I accepted this heavy title, I asked you all to promise me one thing: to trust me and grant me full authority. And you all agreed to give me that full authority, correct?"
At his question, Kim Seok-jin raised his eyebrows and replied.
"Yes. We promised to grant you full authority. That's why the members of the emergency task force were chosen as you wished, right?"
Originally, Seok-jin had intended to hand the chairmanship of the emergency task force to Kim Sung-keen while selecting committee members from each faction.
But since Seong-geun had firmly rejected that idea, Seok-jin felt uneasy about it.
"Chairman, you didn't gather us just to talk about this trivial matter. Please tell us why you called us all together. We are all busy people, after all. Isn't that right, Deputy Hong?"
Hong Jin-woo, sensing Seok-jin's displeasure, shook his head vigorously.
"Chairman wouldn't call people together for no reason; there must be a purpose. What the chairman is doing now challenges the authority of the emergency task force that needs to reform the party. Didn't you dislike those who challenged your authority when you were chairman? Show a little decorum."
"Hmm."
Seok-jin cleared his throat at Jin-woo's sharp remark, his brows furrowing.
His displeasure was evident, but Jin-woo, unfazed, smiled and spoke to Seong-geun.
"As you said, granting you full authority is correct. No matter how you decide to proceed, I will support your reforms as the chairman of the task force, since that's why we are here in the first place. I believe the others feel the same way and support you, right, fellow lawmakers?"
The leaders from other factions all nodded in agreement. It appeared to be a close-knit atmosphere.
"So if you have something to say, feel free to speak openly. You called us together for a reason, after all."
Nodding at Hong Jin-woo's words, Seong-geun opened his mouth again.
"Thank you. Before that, does anyone here know a man named Kim Mu-hyeok?"
Surprise flickered across the faces of everyone except Hong Jin-woo and Kim Seok-jin.
Seeing that reaction, Seong-geun's expression hardened further.
He looked pointedly at Kim Seok-jin and Hong Jin-woo, and asked again.
"Don't you know, Chairman Kim Seok-jin and Deputy Hong Jin-woo? About the businessman Kim Mu-hyeok?"
"I know him."
"I've heard the name."
"So it sounds like everyone knows of him."
Placing his hand on his forehead, Kim Sung-keen let out a deep sigh.
"Has anyone here received money from him?"
The hot-tempered lawmaker Han Min-cheol shot up from his seat and yelled.
"What do you think we are!"
But perhaps he expected this reaction; Seong-geun looked up at Han Min-cheol with a cold expression.
"Looks like you received money, Deputy Han."
"Hey, Chairman!"
Han Min-cheol's voice rose in indignation. It was Kim Seok-jin who stopped him.
"Deputy Han! Sit down, what are you doing!"
"No, Chairman. The emergency task force chairman…"
Seok-jin shot Han Min-cheol a chilling look, as if he didn't even want to respond. Startled by that gaze, Han Min-cheol sat back down.
Still, he couldn't suppress his anger and glared at Kim Sung-keen.
Though this was just a glimpse, it was enough to interpret how the Progressive Party lawmakers treated him.
Internally, Kim Sung-jin clicked his tongue and turned to Kim Sung-keen.
"Chairman, I think I have a rough idea of what you are trying to accomplish… But wouldn't it be faster to ask who hasn't received money from Kim Mu-hyeok?"
"Chairman!"
"What are you talking about, Chairman!"
Everyone except Hong Jin-woo turned towards Seok-jin, but he continued undeterred.
"Unless you're in a fortunate position like Deputy Hong, it's often difficult to obtain the massive funds needed to run a faction. More people here have found themselves financially struggling than those with a cushion. Isn't it true that politics can be overwhelming for even those with ample resources? This is just the reality. Not only ourselves but most politicians in the Moderate Party likely received allowances too."
"…It's not right for lawmakers who wish to redistribute wealth to accept bribes from the rich. Is that how it should be, Chairman Kim Seok-jin?"
This is why naïve bookworms who don't understand the ways of the world can't be trusted. In response to Seong-geun's straightforward question, Kim Seok-jin sneered.
"Chairman, are you pretending to be oblivious, or are you genuinely naïve? Do you think we wanted to be in this situation? Quite the contrary. We accidentally fell into this mess."
Kim Seok-jin, who had already made a name for himself as a politician, had no intention to accept dubious money anymore.
After all, if that were ever revealed, his position would undoubtedly be in jeopardy.
But the man who approached him invoked Cheon Tae-san's ledger, pressuring him to accept money.
'"Is he trying to buy me off? How dare he insult me…"'
'"That can't be possible. Once you see this, your thoughts will change."'
The sum of money offered was far greater than any he had received throughout his political career.
It was far too much to casually refuse from a man who appeared dangerous.
Recalling that amount, Seok-jin's lips curled into a smile as he asked.
"So, Chairman, what brings this topic up so suddenly?"
Seeing the greed glinting in Kim Seok-jin's eyes, Kim Sung-keen sighed deeply.
He was lamenting how much more corrupt the Progressive Party was than he had expected.
No, it wasn't just the Progressive Party. The politics of Korea had already decayed thoroughly.
That the chairman of the Progressive Party openly discussed receiving bribes was simply appalling.
He steadied his emotions and spoke again.
"At the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kaesong Industrial Complex, I met Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok. He was a friend who sat in my class for a semester back when he was a professor at Korea University. But he told me that real politics is a world entirely different from what I taught."
As he spoke, he struggled to suppress a lament over the reality of the Progressive Party.
To hide the tremble in his voice, Kim Sung-keen took a sip of the water in front of him.
"I want to build the Progressive Party into a legitimate party that can undermine the monopolizing Moderate Party. I once believed I could accomplish that. But… now that I see the reality, I have no idea where to even start correcting it."
Hong Jin-woo soothed Seong-geun.
"Chairman, I only just learned about Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok recently. Not everyone received money from him. In our faction, there are more members who haven't received his money than those who have. So please don't worry too much and proceed with the reforms you intend; that's what we're here for, isn't it?"
Hong Jin-woo had also looked into Kim Mu-hyeok after hearing the name.
The deeper he dug into the details, the more he realized how intimidating of a man he could be.
The amount of money he dispensed was staggering—there were even junior lawmakers among those who accepted it.
Where his influence ended was completely unfathomable.
However, politics remained within the realm of politicians. They couldn't simply turn a blind eye while a businessman stirred the waters.
Observing them, Kim Seok-jin said quietly.
"Don't think of opposing Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok."
Simultaneously, Kim Sung-keen and Hong Jin-woo turned to look at him.
"Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok is a man more dangerous than you two think. It's actually safer to accept bribes from him. This man doesn't hesitate to use any method necessary to get what he desires. I'm genuinely afraid of him. Therefore, whatever way you choose to reform the party, don't even think about opposing him. I'm warning you clearly. He is only interested in protecting what's his. If we don't provoke him, he won't pay us any mind. Do you understand what I mean?"
His warning was calm, yet it was drenched in fear regarding Kim Mu-hyeok.
It was the first time Hong Jin-woo had seen Kim Seok-jin in such a flustered state.
He had always been bold and assertive in front of anyone.
Kim Sung-keen was equally shocked.
He had thought of Kim Mu-hyeok's threats as merely childish bravado.
It was a moment of clarity that conveyed just how difficult a time it would be to stabilize the party, as Kim Mu-hyeok had warned him.
"You said it would be tough to stabilize the Progressive Party, and now I understand why Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok told me that. Kim Seok-jin, you are afraid of Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok. And…"
He trailed off and scanned the faces of the faction leaders seated before him.
Their responses were no different from Seok-jin's.
"It seems the majority of you share the same thoughts as Kim Seok-jin."
"Hmm…"
"Ahem!"
A few people cleared their throats to avoid Kim Sung-keen's gaze.
"However, I will not abandon my intention to reform. I will use every ounce of my authority to save this party, the Progressive Party. If that displeases you, feel free to expel me at any time."
Kim Sung-keen declared sharply.
Since returning from the groundbreaking ceremony for the Kaesong Industrial Complex, he had contemplated much.
And he arrived at one conclusion.
If the party fell into deeper chaos as Kim Mu-hyeok warned, he would resign without hesitation.
He wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty, as he had been warned by Kim Mu-hyeok. But the fear of failure in reforming was what truly terrified him.
The thought of shattering his lofty aspirations weighed heavily on him, striking fear even within the seasoned scholar.
"Let's see if this can pass."
Having said that, Kim Seok-jin rose from his seat, prompting several faction leaders, including Han Min-cheol, to stand as well.
"Good luck. I'll be taking my leave now."
With Kim Seok-jin gone, one by one, the rest followed, exiting the chairman's office.
Except for Kim Sung-keen, only a handful of lawmakers supporting Hong Jin-woo remained in the room.
"Deputy Hong Jin-woo, Assemblywoman Im Mi-yeon, and Assemblyman Pyo Chang-soo. Should I take it that you intend to support me?"
Kim Sung-keen asked as he called out each of the three names.
Deputy Hong Jin-woo responded first.
"As I mentioned earlier, I trust you, Chairman. If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have called you here. No matter what Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok does, I will stand by your reforms."
Assemblywoman Im Mi-yeon chimed in.
"I'm not clean either. I've received bribes before. But I can't stand to watch the Progressive Party crumble anymore. If Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok targets me, I won't go down alone."
Im Mi-yeon was one of the few female politicians in the Progressive Party.
As the leader of a faction and a survivor in the male-dominated political arena, she had a fierce determination.
"I agree. I'm not clean either since I received money from Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok, but I'm with Assemblywoman Im Mi-yeon on this point. First, we must save the party; otherwise, I won't survive either."
Excluding Hong Jin-woo, both others admitted to receiving money.
With disbelief, Hong Jin-woo looked at Im Mi-yeon.
"No, Assemblywoman Im Mi-yeon. While I can believe Assemblyman Pyo, how could someone like you, who possesses considerable wealth, accept money from Chairman Kim Mu-hyeok?"
"…It was too much money to let go of. I haven't spent a single penny and have shared all of it with my fellow lawmakers. Our faction doesn't have many wealthy members compared to Deputy Hong's faction. Some are on the verge of losing everything after one election defeat."
Just because she shared the money doesn't mean it solved the problem.
Ultimately, it was no different than gaining favoritism using someone else's money.
While it garnered support from party associates, it also posed a risky potential for a scandal down the line.
"No, even so…"
"Are you trying to criticize me? I had no choice. I was prepared to get drenched in filth to save the party, so please keep that in mind."
At Im Mi-yeon's resolute words, Hong Jin-woo could only gnaw his lip, left speechless.
In her eyes, which had always sparkled with determination, there gleamed a fierce venom.
"…Don't blame me. I couldn't have acted otherwise."
Once more, stating she had no choice, Im Mi-yeon sealed her lips.
An awkward silence enveloped the chairman's office.
* * *
"Chairman, it's been a while."
Upon entering the restaurant, Kim Seok-jin was already waiting.
"You're awfully early; the meeting time isn't for a while yet. Had I known, I would have come sooner."
"Stop complaining. I came early. Don't just stand there, sit down to rest your legs."
With Kim Seok-jin's blunt remark, I chuckled to myself and took a seat across from him.
It was lunchtime, yet the restaurant was empty.
As if he had prearranged it, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the owner brought two bowls of sundae soup without delay after I sat down.
Perhaps they were familiar; the owner gave a nod toward Kim Seok-jin. He, in turn, gave a familiar order.
"You go outside and have a smoke."
"Yes, Assemblyman. Call me if you need anything."
With the restaurant owner gone, it was just the two of us left.
Kim Seok-jin picked up a spoon and served himself some sundae soup first.
Taking a spoonful of the warm broth, he let out an appreciative sound and looked at me with a triumphant smile.
"This is the flavor! You should try it too."
I took a spoonful of the sundae soup as well.
What? I expected it to be better based on his reaction, but it wasn't quite as good as what Grandma made. Guess my expectations were too high.
I decided not to eat more and put my spoon down. I promptly moved on to the main topic.
"So what did you want to discuss?"
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