The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 213

213. The World’s Rift (2)

“This is Charlie.”

“Charlie, this is John.”

Jung Hyun-woo thought he might be recommending the sale of Victoria Corporation’s stock.

‘John is an investor, after all. He’ll probably think it’s best to sell at the peak.’

If he was worried about the ownership ratio decreasing, he could just sell at the peak and buy back the stock at the bottom.

But Jung Hyun-woo had no intention of doing that.

‘I don’t want to go that far.’

Besides, he didn’t think he could accurately predict the peak and the bottom.

‘If that were possible, John wouldn’t be working with me.’

If an investor who could accurately predict the peak and bottom existed, he would be called the god of stocks.

“What’s the matter?”

If Luna came all the way to the conference room to tell him he had a call, it meant it wasn’t a trivial matter.

“We have news from Tokyo.”

It wasn’t a problem with Victoria Corporation, but with the Japanese investment.

‘Hmm, what happened again?’

It could be that the Japanese government had put a stop to excessive real estate investment.

‘That would be very troublesome.’

Of the $15 billion in investment prepared by Victoria Fund, less than $1 billion had been invested in three months. The remaining $14 billion was waiting for investment opportunities.

“What’s the problem?”

John Peer answered his question.

“It’s not a problem, but a choice.”

Not a problem, but a choice.

Jung Hyun-woo couldn’t help but tilt his head.

“Can you explain in more detail?”

“Kajima Construction has informed us of information that has not yet been announced.”

Jung Hyun-woo narrowed his brow at his answer.

“If it’s unannounced information, does that mean we haven’t announced it?”

“No. It’s information that the Japanese government hasn’t announced.”

“Are you saying you got information from the Japanese government?”

“That’s right.”

The connection between Japanese conglomerates and the political world was even stronger than in the United States.

‘Was the power of the Kajima Group this great? Or is this something that Japanese conglomerates can usually do?’

Either way, it was definitely different from the United States.

“What is it about?”

Jung Hyun-woo thought that the investment direction might change depending on the content.

“First, it’s the Bank of Japan’s interest rate decision.”

The Bank of Japan was an institution that determined Japan’s base interest rate, like the Bank of Korea in South Korea and the Federal Reserve Board [the central banking system of the United States] in the United States.

“Are you saying you can know the base interest rate decision in advance?”

“It seems so in Japan.”

Being able to know the base interest rate decision in advance was like using a cheat code.

‘Is this why Japanese conglomerates don’t go bankrupt and keep going?’

Among the Japanese conglomerate groups, there were several with a history of over a hundred years.

“Is the interest rate going up?”

Jung Hyun-woo had predicted that Japan’s base interest rate would fall in the future.

“No. It’s said to be falling by 0.25 percentage points.”

“A rate cut, then.”

A rate cut meant that money would be released into the market.

“The Japanese government’s policies are also in line with the Bank of Japan’s interest rate cut.”

The central bank lowers the base interest rate, and the government expands its finances.

If this happened, the value of the yen would inevitably fall as more yen was released into the market.

‘Hmm, so that’s why he said it was a matter of choice.’

Jung Hyun-woo and Victoria Fund had bet on the rise of the yen.

In this situation, if too much money was released, they could suffer exchange losses as the yen fell.

“You’re saying that more yen than expected will be released into the market.”

“That’s right. If a lot of yen is released into the market, the high yen could be resolved.”

On Wall Street, there was already talk that the rise of the yen was excessive.

Perhaps the Japanese government was releasing more yen than planned due to pressure from the United States and Wall Street.

“Is what John wants to ask whether to reduce the scale of investment in Japan, or to maintain it as it is?”

John Peer nodded in response.

“That’s right.”

He thought that the owner, Jung Hyun-woo, should decide on the major direction of the investment.

‘My job is to catch the detailed parts.’

Jung Hyun-woo couldn’t help but hesitate before answering.

‘I already know that the yen will rise and the Japanese bubble will grow. But the yen could fall in the short term.’

Even in a major uptrend, there could be short-term adjustments.

‘What should I do?’

Since a huge sum of $15 billion was involved, he couldn’t make a decision lightly.

“John, how much time do we have?”

John Peer realized that Jung Hyun-woo wanted time.

“Charlie, we don’t have much time. There are less than 20 hours left until the announcement.”

Jung Hyun-woo breathed a sigh of relief at his answer.

“I don’t need 20 hours. I’ll give you an answer within 2 hours.”

“Then I’ll prepare measures for both sides in the meantime.”

He was saying that he would make plans so that they could proceed in either direction, whether they reduced investment or maintained investment.

“Okay. Then I’ll call you in 2 hours.”

Jung Hyun-woo hung up and returned to the conference room.

Click.

As he opened the door and entered, Sarah asked.

“What’s going on?”

Jung Hyun-woo sat down in his chair and replied.

“It’s about Japan.”

Robert raised his shoulders slightly.

“If it’s about Japan, it must be bad news.”

Jung Hyun-woo turned his gaze to Robert and asked.

“Why do you think so?”

He thought Robert might have heard some information.

But that wasn’t the case.

“Haven’t there only been good things recently?”

“You’re saying that good things can’t keep happening.”

Robert nodded silently.

Just as there are adjustments in the stock market, it was time for bad news to come from Japan.

“It’s not all bad news.”

Robert let out a short exclamation at Jung Hyun-woo’s words.

“Ha! Then it’s ambiguous news.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and said to Sarah.

“The Japanese government is going to cut interest rates and expand its finances.”

Sarah majored in finance, so she could understand Jung Hyun-woo’s words faster than anyone else.

“They’re going to release yen to prevent the high yen?”

Jung Hyun-woo put his hands together and replied.

“That’s right. And there are only 20 hours left until the policy announcement.”

Robert and Sarah couldn’t help but be surprised that the policy had not been announced yet, but that there were 20 hours left until the announcement.

“Are you saying the policy hasn’t been announced yet?”

“For a company to know the central bank’s interest rate hike information in advance…….”

Jung Hyun-woo cut off Sarah’s words and said.

“It means that cronyism has reached its peak.”

Sarah sighed briefly after hearing his words.

“Hoo……. I see why Japanese companies are strong.”

She thought that Japanese companies were able to compete on more favorable terms than American companies because they moved as one with the Japanese government.

“Anyway, it’s advantageous information for us.”

Robert turned his gaze to the monitor screen and said.

“Our company’s stock is rising in the meantime.”

Victoria Corporation’s stock was trading at $31.7.

‘In terms of market capitalization, it’s $62.4 billion.’

If you were to pick a company with this market capitalization among American companies, it would be Exxon Mobil, the strongest in the oil industry.

“That’s a problem too.”

Jung Hyun-woo had no intention of selling his stake, but excessive overvaluation was bound to be a burden.

Sarah checked the clock on the wall and said.

“Charlie, we have to finish the meeting within an hour.”

The three of them had their own separate schedules.

“The situation is changing rapidly, and time is running out.”

Sarah raised her right hand and said.

“That’s why the CEO needs to use time efficiently.”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and took her words.

“Okay. Let’s finish everything within an hour.”

Sarah wondered if that was even possible in an hour.

* * *

Exactly one hour later.

Jung Hyun-woo came out of the conference room. And the two people left in the conference room let out a long sigh as if they were intimidated.

“Hoo……. This is the first time I’ve talked so much in an hour.”

Sarah waved her right hand.

“I’m tired even though I didn’t talk much.”

She was the one listening to Jung Hyun-woo and Robert’s story. However, the conversation between the two was so intense that she felt severe fatigue even though she was the one listening.

“But will Charlie’s conclusion be correct?”

Robert answered Sarah’s question.

“Only God knows the answer.”

It was an answer that humans cannot know the future accurately, but can only predict it.

At the same time.

Jung Hyun-woo called John Peer.

“This is John Peer of Victoria Fund.”

“John, this is Charlie.”

John Peer checked his $1,200 wristwatch and said.

“You called earlier than expected.”

“I had a lot of work to do, so I came to a conclusion quickly.”

John Peer knew that Jung Hyun-woo’s main job was not an investor, but the CEO of Victoria Corporation.

“Then please give me your conclusion.”

Jung Hyun-woo told the conclusion.

“The conclusion is to proceed with the investment as is.”

“Are we going as is?”

“I think that even if the yen weakens, it will be temporary.”

“May I ask why?”

Jung Hyun-woo replied in a calm voice.

“The basic content of the Plaza Accord [an agreement between France, Germany, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom to depreciate the U.S. dollar in relation to the Japanese yen and German mark] is the appreciation of the yen and the mark. There may be adjustments to the sharply rising value of the yen, but the basics of the Plaza Accord will be maintained.”

His conclusion was that the yen would inevitably rise based on 1986.

John Peer nodded after hearing his explanation.

“After listening, I think Charlie is right.”

He was in a position to execute what Jung Hyun-woo had chosen, so he had less burden.

“You can notify Japan of that.”

“Okay. Then I will convey Charlie’s decision as is.”

The next day.

The Japanese government announced an expansion of fiscal spending, and an hour later, the Bank of Japan decided to cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points to support it.

* * *

“Despite the interest rate cut, the yen has only fallen by 0.52%.”

Sarah was checking real-time exchange rates through JP Services.

“0.52% in two days is a good defense.”

“Did Charlie know this would happen?”

Jung Hyun-woo leaned back in his chair and replied.

“It wasn’t a decision made expecting two days later. As I said two days ago, I was just thinking about the Plaza Accord.”

He had emphasized the Plaza Accord to Robert and Sarah, just as he had told John Peer.

“Anyway, Charlie won again.”

Victoria Corporation’s stock price had been slightly adjusted due to Japan’s fiscal expansion, but remained above $30.

Sarah took her eyes off the monitor and asked.

“Charlie, how does it feel to be the 7th richest person in the United States?”

Jung Hyun-woo stuck out his tongue and asked her question in return.

“Sarah, how does it feel to be the 4th richest woman in the United States?”

Sarah produced an upset by rising to 4th place among the richest women in the United States, as compiled by Forbes.

“Is it because I do the same thing every day? I don’t feel anything particularly different.”

Jung Hyun-woo moved his pen and said.

“Same here. Nothing has changed.”

After the morning meeting, he received reports from the technical team and then had lunch.

After lunch, he reviewed the work status of each team, and when he had time, he discussed investments with John Peer. His life was a continuation of what I mentioned earlier.

“Were the lives of millionaires in magazines fake?”

“Rather than fake, there must have been some directing to increase sales.”

Sarah agreed with his answer.

“Well, my father wasn’t that fancy either.”

Jung Hyun-woo felt anew that she was from a chaebol [a South Korean form of business conglomerate] family.

‘Sarah lived a life where she could meet millionaires just by turning her head.’

Even Aria, a billionaire, existed around her.

“Charlie, congratulations on this victory.”

Jung Hyun-woo stopped his pen and looked up.

“It’s our victory.”

The shares of Victoria Fund were the same for him and Sarah.

“I’m talking about Charlie’s prediction, not money or investment.”

“Is that so?”

Was it because the decline in the value of the yen was not significant?

The two were able to have a conversation with bright expressions.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Then, someone knocked on the president’s office door.

“What’s going on?”

“Mr. Peer is on the phone, CEO.”

“Why didn’t you use the intercom?”

“I thought you were in a meeting…….”

Luna had been his secretary for more than half a year, but she was still cautious in her actions.

“Put the call through.”

Jung Hyun-woo reached out and answered the phone.

“This is Charlie.”

“Charlie, I’m calling because there’s news you need to know.”

“Is it the high yen problem?”

“No.”

Jung Hyun-woo sighed briefly inside.

‘I hope there’s no problem with the real estate business?’

Was it because things were going too well?

He also thought that it was time for something to happen.

But the problem that John Peer mentioned was not the problem he thought it was.

“There seems to have been an accident at a nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union.”

Accident at a nuclear power plant in the Soviet Union.

Jung Hyun-woo immediately knew what that accident was.

‘It’s the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.’

April 26, 1986.

Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Pripyat, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, exploded.

“A nuclear power plant accident? When did you hear about it?”

“I called you as soon as I heard the news. But it seems like the accident happened a while ago.”

The fact that the news had reached Jung Hyun-woo meant that the serious situation had already passed.

‘The explosion must have been yesterday, and the United States only confirmed it and announced it.’

He sighed briefly and said.

“Hoo……. I hope it’s not serious.”

“I’ll contact you when I know the details. And the investment situation…….”

Jung Hyun-woo cut off his words and said.

“Proceed with the Japanese investment without changes.”

The Chernobyl nuclear accident amplified concerns about the environment and nuclear power plants, but it did not immediately shock the Western economy.

‘The economic shock from the Chernobyl accident will come much later.’

The biggest effect of the Chernobyl accident was the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the communist bloc. And the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the communist bloc gave another shock to the West.

“Okay. Then I will proceed with the investment as is.”

As Jung Hyun-woo hung up, Sarah asked.

“Charlie, what’s wrong?”

“A nuclear power plant exploded.”

Sarah widened her eyes and asked.

“In the United States?”

“No. In the Soviet Union.”

Sarah breathed a sigh of relief at his answer.

“Hoo……. What, you surprised me.”

In the 1980s, the Soviet Union was the biggest enemy of the Americans. That’s why she sighed in relief.

“Many people will die.”

Jung Hyun-woo’s voice was cold.

“Like when the atomic bomb exploded?”

People at this time knew how dangerous nuclear weapons were.

“It’s a little different from that. If you are exposed to radiation, you usually die of cancer. Of course, if the concentration of radiation exposed is high, the immune system collapses and you die within a few days.”

Sarah nodded her head greatly and said.

“Hmm, Charlie knows a lot about that too.”

“It’s what I read in a science magazine, so it might be wrong.”

Jung Hyun-woo’s answer was an answer that could be given because he knew about the Chernobyl accident.

‘The Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident was at this time.’

He felt once again that he was standing in the middle of history.