My Calling Is Profiler [EN]: Chapter 322

Large organizations that distribute drugs with such vast amounts of money often have routes to bring in drugs while evading the police.

Usually, those who get caught easily are inexperienced, so they do their best, but eventually get caught and taken down.

“Where would those guys get the money?”

“Ah, so that’s why you called them ‘money lenders’?”

“Right.”

It’s highly likely that someone lent them money to buy the drugs.

“Moreover, looking at drug investigation records in Korea, there has never been an investigation into the money lenders. So, the money lenders can invest money more comfortably. If successful, they can multiply it dozens of times. If they’re lucky, even 100 times.”

Lee Ji-soo’s face hardened at those words.

“Not even once?”

“Not even once.”

It always ended with those who imported the drugs.

“And you’re saying Shin Gal-dong is one of those people?”

“It’s possible. I don’t know if it’s drugs or something else, but there aren’t many people with enough cash to be called a money lender. And it’s pointless to expect any conscience from a *chaebol* [family-owned conglomerate] family. You know why one of the major corporations succeeded, right?”

“Ugh.”

In fact, one of the major corporations made a huge amount of money by smuggling saccharin when it was banned in Korea, and that money allowed them to build the company they are today.

“Even so, would a *chaebol* heir do such a thing?”

“Who knows? Maybe? I think it could be part of their heir education?”

Lee Ji-soo tilted her head at Park Do-joon’s words.

“That’s heir education?”

“Actually, there are structural limitations to how much money a media company can make.”

“Yes? Why is that?”

“Media companies are organizations where budgets are executed more transparently than you think.”

“Transparent? Media companies? Those guys are incredibly abusive, aren’t they?”

“To be precise, it’s closer to saying there’s no money to embezzle. Compared to their power, that is.”

As a power group, media companies have strong influence. However, as a typical power group, it is not easy for media companies to make money.

For example, in the construction industry, embezzling labor costs is the most common way to create slush funds. In manufacturing, they use methods such as adjusting unit prices or adjusting supply prices.

Each industry has its own way to create slush funds and embezzle money. No *chaebol* family lives purely on the salary they receive from running the company.

“But what can they do in the media industry?”

“Don’t they usually take bribes?”

“That’s right. They usually do.”

Generally, a reporter from a media company goes to someone, demands money, and if they give it, they cover up any crimes the person commits. If they don’t give it, they fabricate crimes and beat them down.

The famous dumpling incident was created in that way. Of course, the reporter who broke the story didn’t think things would escalate to that point.

Of course, the country was turned upside down by that incident, but the reporter was not punished and instead thrived.

“Reporters even write editorials to criticize a Chinese restaurant for not giving them service. It’s not exactly a secret, is it?”

“That’s true.”

In fact, some media companies have used newspaper editorials to attack a local Chinese restaurant for not providing service when they demanded it. That’s the kind of thing they do.

“But where does that money go?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think the chairman’s family actually receives that money?”

“Well… it’s ambiguous, isn’t it?”

“Crime is a process of money flowing from the bottom up. But if they start exploiting even small amounts of money, the hierarchy within the organization becomes a mess. Those in high positions have a limit to how much money they can receive.”

For example, let’s say a reporter receives 3 million won [approximately $2,200 USD] from a company. Do they keep all that money? If they did, the media company wouldn’t give them the title of reporter.

Generally, 2 million won is kicked upstairs, and 1 million won is kept by the reporter. That’s how it works.

In a fully organized criminal organization, they would demand all 3 million won and then redistribute it, but media companies are not seen as violent or criminal groups externally, so they can’t openly demand all of it.

The reporter gives a significant portion of the money to the editor, and the editor gives some of that money to the director. That’s how the bribery cartel is structured, with money flowing from the bottom up.

“So, the higher you go, the more bribes are possible. Of course, that’s only possible up to the director level. If the CEO takes bribes, it undermines their authority within the organization.”

Moreover, it’s not a small company, but a huge media empire with Shinguk Ilbo and Shinguk Broadcasting. If someone like that is stingy enough to take bribes from directors?

It undermines their authority within the organization.

“In such cases, they find ways to create money instead of receiving it.”

While directors are focused on taking 100 million or 200 million won, the CEO creates 10 billion or 20 billion won.

“The problem is that media companies have limitations in that method.”

Compared to their power, they don’t have many people, so there’s a limit to embezzling labor costs. And because they’re not in manufacturing, there aren’t many loopholes to embezzle money.

The main source of income for media companies is advertising revenue, but that’s transparently accounted for, so there’s a limit to embezzling it.

“So, they take money from other powerful figures? Who knows? Is that possible?”

The companies that are on a level to interact with the CEO of Shinguk Ilbo are not small companies, and threatening them is not in line with their world’s standards.

“You may not know this, but giving bribes, especially in the *chaebol* world, doesn’t mean they see the other party as equal.”

When a *chaebol* gives bribes to a politician and calls them ‘Assemblyman,’ it means, ‘You are still helpful to me, and there’s no need to fight, so let’s go smoothly.’ It doesn’t mean, ‘I acknowledge that you are in a higher position than me.’”

“It’s the same with media companies.”

When Shinguk Ilbo contacts a *chaebol* and has a good conversation, it means, ‘Let’s not fight and go smoothly.’ And the *chaebol* supports them with advertising, meaning, ‘We’re on the same side.’ In fact, advertising through newspapers doesn’t have much effect compared to the cost.

Who buys newspapers to read these days when everyone looks at internet news on their phones? Even if they do buy it, hardly anyone pays attention to the advertisements in the newspaper.

Unlike in the past, there are many places to get product information.

“But if Shinguk Ilbo demands ‘Give me money’ from a *chaebol*, the *chaebol* looks down on them.”

Money? They might give it. But from the *chaebol’s* perspective, they’re not giving it because they’re afraid of Shinguk Ilbo. Honestly, in that situation, the *chaebol* would naturally think, ‘So, you guys have become beggars.’”

“It’s a bit complicated.”

“Maybe this is an easier way to put it? *Chaebols* are like the sun. They have strong power, money, and authority in themselves. And media companies are like the moon. They can gather light from them and reflect it to illuminate the world.”

In other words, the current structural problem of the media is that they cannot survive without the support of large corporations.

“That makes a lot of sense.”

“The problem is that *chaebols* directly create light, meaning money, but media companies have clear limitations.”

They enjoy a lot, but they don’t have the money.

“It would be nice if *chaebols* only showed how to run a clean business. In fact, secretly doing dirty things is often a form of heir education. And acting as a money lender could be part of that process.”

Lee Ji-soo nodded as she listened to Park Do-joon’s words. One of the things she realized while profiling was that human greed is endless. Even people with wealth that they couldn’t spend in their lifetime, or even over dozens of generations, desperately try to accumulate even more money.

“So, we don’t know how Shin Gal-dong will use the money he’s made?”

“Hong Geun-jong didn’t know either.”

In the first place, Park Do-joon had to investigate that himself.

“There are so many things that can be done as a money lender.”

Drugs, land fraud, the used car market—there are so many areas where you can be a money lender. The problem is that not all of them are illegal.

“It might be something they’re keeping quiet about because it’s embarrassing for a *chaebol’s* son to be involved in.”

“Hmm…”

“Maybe it’s a club or something?”

“That’s unlikely. It must be a business they can’t talk about externally.”

Operating a club or participating as a money lender is not embarrassing. If they went to a club, they would be treated as a VVIP [Very Very Important Person], so there’s no reason to hide it.

“Something illegal, or something embarrassing that they can’t tell others…”

At that moment, Lee Ji-soo’s phone rang. After checking it, she let out a long sigh.

“Crazy bastard.”

“Lee Chang-man?”

“Yes, he’s asking for some help.”

“What kind of help?”

“It’s called help, but you know.”

He’s probably just looking for an opportunity to sexually harass her.

“I can’t ignore him either.”

“Just bear with it. It’ll be resolved soon.”

“Okay. But can you track what kind of case it is?”

“I have to.”

Park Do-joon said firmly.

“There’s someone who would know about this.”

# Money Has No Shame

Making money secretly. In some ways, that’s natural for a *chaebol* family. Even if it’s illegal, so what? Humans will do anything if it makes money.

But can they do it perfectly secretly? That’s impossible. Especially if someone higher up is interested.

“Shin Gal-dong’s secret business?”

“To be precise, I think it’s a business that Shinguk Ilbo is doing. Shin Gal-dong, who doesn’t know anything, wouldn’t suddenly become a money lender. It would be operated in the form of naturally taking over.”

Chairman Bae Deok-gi nodded.

“Well, there are things like that. But you managed to figure it out. Most people don’t know those secrets.”

“It’s not that they don’t know, it’s that they don’t want to know.”

“But why do you think I know about it?”

“Shinguk Ilbo is a media company. And they make a living from advertising, but sometimes they reveal their own desires.”

Hyunsung Group gives a lot of advertisements to Shinguk Ilbo, but sometimes they attack Hyunsung Group.

“There are no eternal allies in this industry.”

“Then you should know? There’s no reason for me to expose it.”

“Of course, that’s generally the case.”

Certainly, Bae Deok-gi or Hyunsung Group has no reason to expose the weaknesses of the Shinguk Group. If they hold onto it, they can expose it later.