Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 230

“Wait, what? An audit?” Director Kim Ji-hwan asked, his voice rising.

[As I explained, Director, we are doing a check as part of the early planning. An audit will start next week.]

“But wasn’t the first study already approved?”

[It’s a review, not an investigation.]

“[…] Although most of the money is private, the government is still giving over thirty billion won.”

“That… that’s true, but….”

[It seems that among the projects currently underway in Seoul, this is the largest in scale, so instructions have been given to check everything very carefully.]

“I see.”

[Anyway… I’ve sent the official document by email, so please help us with this, even if it’s a bit of trouble.]

“Understood. Thank you for your hard work.”

[Thank you for your hard work.]

Click-

Kim Ji-hwan, the Director of the Operation Support Division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, felt a surge of anger the moment he hung up the phone.

‘No, an audit out of the blue? Are they serious…!’

It was as if someone had sprinkled red pepper powder on the beautifully prepared meal that Ji-hwan had been planning for two months.

‘Haa… those people at the Ministry of Economy and Finance….’

The person who had just called Kim Ji-hwan was a Grade 4 civil servant from the Ministry of Economy and Finance, someone lower in rank than Ji-hwan.

However, in the execution of such large-scale projects, because they controlled the money, they had the real power, no matter their rank.

No matter how much effort the Ministry of Land put into setting up a new project, it would be completely stalled if the Ministry of Economy and Finance did not approve the funding.

‘But an audit. What on earth are they trying to do?’

As the person in charge of managing the progress of this project from the Ministry of Land’s side, Kim Ji-hwan couldn’t help but dislike the Ministry of Economy and Finance’s audit.

Even in honest offices, audits always mean a lot more paperwork, enough to make anyone nervous.

In the case of this project, there was even a small conflict of interest.

So, as soon as Ji-hwan hung up the phone, he hurriedly opened and checked the official document sent by the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

And the next moment.

“Hoo.”

Ji-hwan couldn’t help but sigh.

‘Why are they suddenly doing this?’

The content of the official document was very simple.

It stated that they would thoroughly audit and investigate whether a completely fair process had been applied in the selection process of all private businesses for the project, without any corruption or collusion.

For Kim Ji-hwan, who had a lot to hide, it was as if a fire had landed on his feet.

‘Damn it. I’ll have to cancel the meeting with Jeun Construction that I had scheduled for next week….’

Fortunately, the audit story came out before Ji-hwan started seriously taking small bribes.

If it had been just a month later, Ji-hwan would have already taken a suitable amount of pocket money from the construction companies.

So, Ji-hwan hurriedly started making calls here and there to clean up the mess he had made.

“Yes, Team Leader. Are you available to talk? It’s about the meeting scheduled for next week….”

“Ah, it’s become a bit difficult due to unforeseen circumstances. I hope you understand.”

“Of course. Even if we can’t meet separately, I’ll do my best to help.”

But after making about three such calls, a fact that Ji-hwan had forgotten suddenly came to mind.

‘Wait. But if the audit starts next week… that means the design review is right away on Monday?’

To be honest, Ji-hwan hadn’t even paid attention to the design rights side when the audit story came out.

The design part had a smaller scale of funding execution compared to construction, barely a drop in the bucket.

There was hardly any opportunity to profit from it.

However, he was starting to feel a little uneasy about having shown some favour to his senior, Kwon Joo-yeol, the president of the Architects Association.

‘Could it be… that the Ministry of Economy and Finance is going to criticize that? Surely not?’

Kim Ji-hwan thought he had stayed within the rules.

He thought that blocking the participation of overseas companies had justification, so it wouldn’t raise major issues of fairness.

He also thought that the number of participating companies in the contest was too small, so he had skipped the first screening, and if he insisted that this was not a measure for a specific company, it would be enough.

So, although a little uneasy, Ji-hwan picked up the phone again to deal with other urgent problems first.

He thought it would be okay because he had not ‘actually’ given or received any money or benefits related to the design rights.

But Ji-hwan couldn’t have known at this time that problems had already started the moment he received the call from the Ministry of Economy and Finance employee.

Weekend evening.

The person who rang Yoon-kwon’s phone was none other than Hwang Jong-ho.

[Our Mayor. Are you available to talk?]

“Haha, Senior. What brings you to call?”

[I hope I’m not calling too abruptly when you’re resting.]

“Not at all, Senior. I was sitting on the sofa, relaxing.”

[You must have a lot on your mind, eh?]

“Well, what can I do? That’s the nature of my position.”

[You’ve become very skilled, Mayor.]

“Hehe, thank you.”

Gu Yoon-kwon and Hwang Jong-ho were quite close as senior and junior colleagues.

Even when they were in related ministries, their working styles and tendencies were different, but the two had many similar aspects in their upright character.

However, they had not exchanged personal contacts recently.

Even when they did contact each other, Yoon-kwon, as the junior, usually made the call first.

Therefore, Jong-ho’s sudden call on a weekend evening was enough of an event to surprise Yoon-kwon.

The two shared pleasantries in cheerful voices for a while, and about five minutes passed.

Hwang Jong-ho’s meaningful remark slipped out from the receiver.

[By the way, that Seongsu district project you’re currently pushing forward.]

“Yes, Senior.”

[I heard there were some problems with the Ministry of Land.]

“……!”

Yoon-kwon couldn’t help but be startled by Jong-ho’s words.

Hwang Jong-ho had been appointed as the Chief of Staff for Policy at the Blue House, but he had been away from practical work for some time.

He didn’t expect him to know even these internal affairs.

But a moment later, Yoon-kwon was even more surprised because the path through which Jong-ho had obtained this information was through a completely unexpected person.

“How did you know?”

[I heard it from CEO Seo.]

“Pardon? Representative Seo, you mean….”

[I’m talking about Seo Woo-jin, the CEO of that WJ Studio you know.]

Jong-ho told Yoon-kwon the stories he had heard from Woo-jin.

As he listened, Yoon-kwon’s eyes widened.

[It seems that during the design competition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport is trying to push a pre-determined candidate.]

“Representative Seo told you this?”

[Not exactly.]

He had become friendly with Woo-jin but had not given him any inside information.

However, listening to Jong-ho, it seemed Woo-jin already knew almost everything.

Woo-jin had given Jong-ho enough information that Jong-ho was now speaking very confidently.

‘Could Representative Seo really have figured all this out from just a few clues?’

It wasn’t hard to guess why Seo Woo-jin had told Hwang Jong-ho this.

As someone in the competition, Woo-jin must have been unhappy to see the unfairness.

He probably thought Hwang Jong-ho was the most influential person he knew and asked for help.

Yoon-kwon’s expression turned slightly bitter as he thought this.

He understood Woo-jin’s frustration, but fixing this kind of special interest wasn’t easy.

‘Even if he is a senior colleague, he can’t do it so simply….’

But then, Yoon-kwon realized he was wrong.

“Did Representative Seo ask you to find the companies participating unfairly?”

[No, he told me to leave them alone.]

“Yes…?”

[But he did ask me one thing.]

“What is it?”

[To stir up some trouble with the construction corruption.]

“Yes…?”

Yoon-kwon’s mind grew confused as his expectations were constantly proven wrong.

But as Jong-ho continued, he began to understand what Woo-jin was planning.

[If there are special interests in the design competition, he said the construction side must be very corrupt.]

“The construction side… You mean the corruption in choosing construction companies?”

[That’s right. He said some officials are taking bribes and trying to push things toward a group of companies. *[An association or group for a common purpose. In the construction industry, it can also refer to several construction companies jointly undertaking construction.]]]

“Haha. Is that so…”

Hwang Jong-ho’s story was long, but the main point was this: Instead of trying to find unfairness in the design competition, where it was hard to find proof, it would be better to stir up the construction side. There, they could easily catch some ‘big fish’.

If they could find the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport’s weaknesses, Seoul could take the lead, and the corruption in the design competition would be exposed.

This was the most effective way to handle it.

After hearing that all this came from Seo Woo-jin, Goo Yoon-kwon shook his head and wondered, ‘Has Representative Seo ever worked in this field before?’

Of course, considering Woo-jin’s age, it was a strange question, but Woo-jin’s insight was so impressive that he briefly considered it.

But as Goo Yoon-kwon listened, he became curious about something.

“But, Senior.”

[Yes.]

“Did you ask Representative Seo this question?”

[What question?]

“Representative Seo is sure there will be construction corruption, but what if they investigate and find nothing? What does he plan to do then?”

Hwang Jong-ho laughed loudly when he heard Goo Yoon-kwon’s words.

[Haha. Hehehehe.]

“Why are you laughing, Senior?”

[I’m laughing because it’s funny.]

“Yes?”

[Because you asked the same question I did.]

“Ah.”

Yoon-kwon waited with interest to hear what Jong-ho would say next.

If he had asked the same question, Woo-jin would have answered it.

He was curious about the answer.

The story that followed did not disappoint Yoon-kwon.

[First, he said that won’t happen. It seems Representative Seo has already found some clues.]

“Ah.”

[And what’s interesting is…]

“…?”

[Even if it does happen, he doesn’t care.]

“Yes?”

Hwang Jong-ho continued in an amused voice.

[That’s why I called you.]

“What does that mean…?”

Yoon-kwon tilted his head, not understanding, and the story continued.

[As Representative Seo asked, I’m going to use my influence to have the Ministry of Economy and Finance do a large audit of this project.]

“You’re auditing the selection of private businesses?”

[That’s right. As part of that, a document will be sent to Seoul tomorrow.]

“What kind of document is it?”

[A document asking them to record the entire competition process to submit an audit report.]

“Gasp…”

Yoon-kwon swallowed hard as he listened.

If the entire competition had to be recorded for the audit, it would mean more work.

But Yoon-kwon sighed in relief.

The recording wasn’t the paperwork Yoon-kwon had imagined.

[Don’t worry. I’m just going to tell them to record everything on video.]

“Ah… That’s a relief then.”

And Jong-ho’s last story contained Woo-jin’s main goal.

[And he wants them to upload that video to Seoul’s official social media.]

“Yes…?”

[Then he said he’d give it a thumbs-up on that post?]

“….”

Woo-jin’s social media account had as many followers as many celebrities.

Among those followers were famous entertainers like Yoo Ria.

And the summer of 2012 was when social media was just becoming popular.