Chapter 793
Airbnb, which started with no capital, received investments from Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz and became a global company.
Instagram, which had only four employees, was acquired by Facebook just for attracting users without any revenue.
The value of the company, which was founded only a few years ago, was a whopping 1 billion dollars (1.2 trillion won).
JK Communications, a small company, grew rapidly with the joining of world-class semiconductor design engineers. It was thanks to the talents who recognized the company’s vision.
In Silicon Valley, it was possible to get investment, merger and acquisition, and talent recruitment as long as you had the skills.
But what about Korea?
Yoo-hyun asked Hyun Jin Gun, who had tried to make Korea like Silicon Valley in the past.
“Why don’t we make Korea like that too?”
-It will never work.
“Why do you think so?”
-Korea is originally a structure where large companies squeeze out subcontractors. The political circles are also connected to large companies. Who would care about new startups?
“Large companies…”
Hyun Jin Gun’s words sharply pointed out the structural problems.
While Yoo-hyun was murmuring, Hyun Jin Gun’s voice mixed with regret came.
-Anyway, it won’t be easy for you in Korea. That’s why Paul told you to start in the US.
“Then it would have been easier. But that wasn’t the direction I wanted.”
-What did you want?
What was Hyun Jin Gun’s mind in the past?
He didn’t know why he stepped up to save the venture ecosystem, but he seemed to know his wish.
Yoo-hyun also had the same heart in his chest.
“I want to create a global platform company in Korea.”
Yoo-hyun’s determination echoed in the wind.
A few days passed.
Clank.
Yoo-hyun got out of the car and looked up at the tall building.
Gangnam Hansung Tower was shining under the sun.
He hadn’t been here for a long time, but it felt like he came yesterday.
The memories of the past 25 years flashed in his head like a panorama.
When Yoo-hyun was caught in his thoughts, the security guards bowed their heads.
“Hello.”
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”
Park Young-hoon, who got out of the driver’s seat, greeted them with a lively voice.
When one of the security guards approached, Park Young-hoon handed over the car key as if it was natural.
He made eye contact with Yoo-hyun and shrugged his shoulders.
“What are you looking at? I’m here as a major shareholder for the board meeting.”
“Who cares?”
“I mean, you should think of it as natural. Don’t be nervous thinking about your days as a Hansung manager.”
As if.
Yoo-hyun was the president of Hansung Electronics.
He was more used to receiving courtesy than Park Young-hoon.
As he was about to say something, he saw a man holding a picket sign on the side of the road.
‘A one-man protest?’
Suddenly, he remembered the people who protested against the restructuring in the past.
They were pushed away by the security guards and held pickets at that corner.
Was there any problem with Hansung?
“Hyung, wait a minute.”
Yoo-hyun raised his hand and turned his steps toward the man.
“Why? Where are you going?”
“Just. I want to see something.”
There was still plenty of time before the board meeting started, so he thought it would be okay to take some time.
Trudge trudge.
As he approached, he saw the words on the picket the man was holding.
-Hansung Electronics, who stole the technology of subcontractors, is this coexistence?
Below that, there were detailed contents densely written.
As Yoo-hyun bent his waist and read quietly, the man glanced at him and waved his hand.
“You look like an employee, don’t get involved.”
“I’m just curious about what’s going on.”
“You’ll get in trouble if your bosses see this. I heard that one employee got scolded by his boss for being suspicious before.”
The president of the subcontractor who was protesting was worried about Yoo-hyun.
Park Young-hoon came over and whispered.
“Yoo-hyun, the security guards are coming. Don’t get involved.”
“I know. It’ll be quick. Mr. President.”
“What?”
Yoo-hyun raised his head and looked at the man’s face.
He saw the face of President Lee Seung Hyuk, who was holding a picket alone, trying to survive.
President Lee Seung Hyuk was a victim of Yurim Fashion’s abuse.
The situation was different, but he couldn’t help but see the man overlapping.
Large companies sacrificed small companies under the pretext of tradition.
Wasn’t Hansung the same?
He might have missed something because he was only in Hansung’s fence.
Yoo-hyun asked the man a question he had in his mind.
“Do you think Hansung Electronics is a good company?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m just curious. You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable.”
“Well, they must be good for themselves. We don’t care. It’s none of your business, but Hansung is the same as sucking blood from subcontractors even if they pretend to be clean.”
“Then…”
He wanted to ask more, but he felt the footsteps of the security guards behind him.
He thought it might hurt the man, so Yoo-hyun said goodbye and backed away.
Park Young-hoon stuck close to Yoo-hyun walking.
“Man, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but hurry up. Hansung Electronics is one of the clean ones. They’re doing well.”
“I know they’re clean. But is that enough?”
“Or? Are you going to change it?”
“If I can, I will.”
As Yoo-hyun expressed his will, Park Young-hoon touched his forehead with difficulty.
“Ouch. Hey, you’re the CEO of River. You’re not affiliated with Hansung Electronics… Well, you did have a foot in it, but it doesn’t matter now.”
“No. It seems to matter.”
“Ha! This guy is going to cause trouble. Weren’t you going to do it casually?”
“I was, but I can’t. I changed my mind.”
Yoo-hyun lowered his head and entered Hansung Tower.
The board meeting was held in the executive conference room on the 35th floor.
He was familiar with it in the past, but it was his first time since he came back.
Yoo-hyun got off the elevator and looked over the board list with the guidance of the staff.
There were 10 registered directors attending the board meeting, and only three of them were internal directors.
Most executives didn’t have a chance to attend the board meeting.
Yoo-hyun was also able to attend the board meeting only after he became a business director.
But now Yoo-hyun was not an internal director, but an ‘other non-executive director’.
He belonged to the remaining two, excluding the five outside directors that Park Young-hoon was in.
-You are a registered director, but you belong to another company, so you don’t have much burden. You just need to attend occasionally and grasp the situation.
The other non-executive director proposed by Chairman Shin Kyung-wook was different from the internal director in that he didn’t do any company work.
He was also different from the outside director in that he had no disqualification for nomination.
But his power was no less than the other directors.
‘He was even stronger, if anything.’
Yoo-hyun was reminiscing about the past in front of the conference room.
Swoosh.
Another other non-executive director came over and reached out his hand.
“President Han, long time no see.”
“Huh? Vice President.”
Yoo-hyun smiled and shook hands with Vice President Yeo Tae-sik, who became the representative director of (Co.) Hansung.
He inherited the position of Vice President Lim Hyuk-su and managed the overall operation of the group, making a breakthrough promotion.
He smiled at Yoo-hyun, who had a long relationship with him.
“Have you been well?”
“Of course. I’ve been well. Congratulations.”
“My shoulders are heavy. I’m also burdened by being the chairman of the board meeting.”
“You seem to be doing well, though.”
It was customary for the president of Hansung Electronics to be the chairman of the board meeting, but from this year, Vice President Yeo Tae-sik of (Co.) Hansung became the chairman.
It was Chairman Shin Kyung-wook’s decision to strengthen the holding company system.
As Vice President Yeo Tae-sik was talking to Yoo-hyun, he greeted the person who was walking over.
“Hello, Vice President Hyun.”
“It’s new to be greeted by the chairman first.”
“I’m lacking a lot. Please teach me.”
Vice President Yeo Tae-sik bowed his head to Vice President Hyun Ki Joong.
Vice President Hyun Ki Joong.
He served as the mobile business director under former President Shin Myung Ho, but he was pushed away by Shin Kyung-soo’s appearance and returned as the representative of Hansung Electronics.
Vice President Yeo Tae-sik introduced Yoo-hyun to him.
“Vice President, this is President Han Yoo-hyun.”
“I know. I know him very well.”
“Nice to see you again, Vice President.”
Clasp.
He shook hands with Yoo-hyun and recalled the old memory.
“Was it about five years ago? You and President Lim Jun Pyo came to see me?”
“Yes. We went to clear the misunderstanding about the Apple factory investment.”
“That’s right. I thought you were very bold back then, but you became the first contributor to make the chairman.”
“I didn’t do much.”
“Come on. I have ears to hear. I look forward to working with you.”
Strictly speaking, Yoo-hyun was not a member of the owner family, and he had a short career in Hansung.
He was not as influential in society as the outside directors, but Vice President Hyun Ki Joong respected him.
He spoke casually, but he treated him as an equal.
The same was true for the following home appliance business director and mobile business director.
They all welcomed Yoo-hyun to the board meeting without any complaints.
Yoo-hyun finished greeting and Park Young-hoon came over.
“The chairman gathered the internal directors and talked about you. That’s why they’re all careful.”
“Careful? Where did you hear that?”
“The chairman said that before. Well, maybe he was a little worried about you.”
“What’s there to worry about?”
He didn’t have to explain anything unnecessarily.
Yoo-hyun shrugged his shoulders and Park Young-hoon pulled his arm.
“You’re a board novice. Come on, come here. Let me do my role a little.”
“What role?”
“I’m in charge of the general affairs among the outside directors.”
Park Young-hoon smiled and introduced Yoo-hyun to the outside directors.
Maybe he had already told them?
They didn’t give Yoo-hyun any trouble and treated him nicely.
But there was a suspicious look in their eyes.
It was natural.
Yoo-hyun didn’t care much, and greeted them with a smile on his face.
Thud.
Yoo-hyun sat down and looked at the outside directors he had just greeted.
They had titles of professors and advisors, and their careers were impressive.
Deputy Minister of Justice, Commissioner of National Tax Service, Secretary General of Fair Trade Commission, Director of Economic Research Institute, etc.
They all had a place in society, and they were still participating in government committees or advisory bodies, exerting their influence on the whole society.
He looked at the name cards with dense letters and suddenly remembered the old days.
‘The careers of the previous board members were like this too.’
The people were different, but back then, they also decided the direction of Hansung as the people who moved Korea in each field.
Of course, everything was according to the will of Chairman Shin Kyung-soo.
-If that’s what the chairman wants, we should definitely restructure. I’ll try to calm down the public opinion on the government side.
The outside directors should have checked the arbitrariness of the largest shareholder, but they were busy covering up any wrong decisions made by Shin Kyung-soo.
The board meeting didn’t function properly, and the company couldn’t run well.
That’s how Hansung rotted from the inside.
Would it be different now?
No way.
Only the chairman changed from Shin Kyung-soo to Shin Kyung-wook.
Whatever agenda came up, they followed the chairman’s will.
The board meeting proceeded smoothly as expected.
Vice President Yeo Tae-sik, who was the chairman of the board meeting, brought up the agenda.
“Next is the aircraft acquisition. We plan to acquire the aircraft that we rented from Hansung Chemical for 8.2 billion.”
There was no trouble.
As expected, half of them agreed, and the sound of the gavel rang.
Bang bang bang.
Many agendas were quickly processed, and the board meeting reached the end.