The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 156

Uji Ramen Crisis

156. Uji Ramen Crisis

As the Prime Minister stood firm, the assemblyman began to backpedal.

“I just meant hypothetically!”

“Would you like to eat food made in a warehouse swarming with dead rats, horseflies, maggots, and cockroaches, Assemblyman?”

“…….”

“Does that mean it’s okay to make it anywhere as long as it doesn’t cause problems?”

“It’s not that, but is it realistic to make all products cleaner than at home!”

“I believe that food sold for money should be cleaner than what you’d make at home. That’s why we’re trying to enact this law. Update your thinking, Assemblyman!”

“Are you trying to lecture me now?”

“If the National Assembly blocks the drastic strengthening of the Food Sanitation Act, how will you handle the angry public sentiment? The National Assembly will be entirely responsible.”

“…….”

It was a chilling statement.

The rallies were becoming increasingly organized and larger, targeting not only administrative offices but also local assemblymen’s offices, demanding action.

The assemblyman’s father ran a brewery, and while he was trying to support it, he risked public backlash if labeled as an opponent of the bill.

Another assemblyman intervened.

“Now, now, calm down. Let’s solve this realistically and rationally.”

“Please, speak, Assemblyman.”

“I don’t think hygiene is a bad thing. It should be better than in the United States. But the problem is money. How much profit is left from selling bean sprouts and tofu to build a modern factory? How many food companies will be able to comply with these regulations? Are you suggesting we all grow bean sprouts and make tofu at home?”

“Most companies are practically shut down due to the current food scandal. We’re trying to revive companies that want to improve their facilities by providing low-interest loans for 80-100% of the facility investment costs. It will be less burdensome if repaid over 10 years.”

“Prime Minister, isn’t the country’s budget supposed to be discussed and decided a year in advance? You know that’s not possible right now, right?”

“We can create a facility improvement fund that provides low-interest loans from the National Wealth Fund to national banks, specifically for facility upgrades. It’s a loan, not a grant.”

“A fund loan! Ah, that’s a clever idea! But have you finalized the details with the fund companies?”

“I’ve finished discussing it with President Jung.”

“Ah, then we can breathe a little easier. I have no reason to object.”

Another assemblyman inquired.

“If the facilities are modernized, won’t only large companies survive, and all small companies die out?”

“Hygiene has nothing to do with the size of the facility. If you exceed a certain size, you have to hire a sanitation worker, so it’s a choice of running the business on a small or large scale. We plan to encourage small businesses to merge, focusing on regional consolidation.”

Thus, the strengthened Food Sanitation Act passed the National Assembly.

*

Now, the market scene had changed.

Wives who came to the market bought packaged tofu and bean sprouts.

The packaging of all foods stated the place of origin, the name of the licensed producer, and contact information.

The main ingredients were also listed, and there was a pass mark indicating that the hazard analysis had been passed.

The tofu seller at dawn also had to receive hygiene education and produce tofu in licensed facilities.

Clang! Clang!

“Tofu, tofu! We also have soft tofu made this morning!”

The refrigerated distribution system for handling fresh food was also gradually expanded.

*

Forward military unit.

A helicopter was landing on the landing field, and the commander’s jeeps were lined up.

The Minister of National Defense and the generals were on edge, waiting outside the soldiers’ cafeteria.

This was because the President, the supreme commander of the military, was having a meal with the soldiers.

Today’s lunch was bulbaek (soy sauce marinated beef) with pork, lettuce wraps, and steamed eggs as the main menu.

A civilian nutritionist in her 40s was eating with them and explaining the menu.

“We are providing meals at the level of a large company cafeteria.”

The President swallowed a lettuce wrap and said.

“Soldiers fight well when they eat well. Isn’t that right, Private Kim!”

“Yes, Your Excellency! I’ve gained 3kg since I enlisted!”

“You’re suffering away from home, so you have to eat well and sleep well.”

“Changing from plastic tableware to stainless steel tableware makes it feel very luxurious!”

The President said to the nutritionist.

“I hope the nutritionist will have a sense of duty to get rid of the stigma of ‘slop’ [poor-quality food] and become the mother of the soldiers by meticulously checking even the side dishes.”

“Of course. They are all my sons.”

The budget for side dishes for the soldiers was tripled, and the project to improve the soldiers’ diet and cafeteria was launched.

In addition, civilian nutritionists were hired to monitor compliance with the prescribed diet.

And at least once a month, the President scheduled a meal with the soldiers.

The strong Food Sanitation Act brought unintended results.

Food imported from foreign countries also had to meet Korean food standards, which became a kind of non-tariff barrier.

Korean food was considered reliable due to its strict hygiene conditions, and seaweed, sesame leaf cans, braised beef cans, stir-fried red pepper paste, and kimchi were exported overseas at high prices.

However, unexpected side effects occurred due to the strict hygiene law.

* * *

Board of Audit and Inspection.

The President of the Board of Audit and Inspection confirmed the received tip as follows.

– S Food, a ramen manufacturer, is using industrial tallow (beef tallow) imported from the United States to lower costs. Using industrial oil in ramen, which is enjoyed by the entire nation, is no different from mercury bean sprouts and lime tofu [referencing previous food safety scandals]. Please punish them severely. I am attaching evidence photos.

It was an internal whistleblowing from S Food.

The President of the Board of Audit and Inspection closed his eyes tightly.

“Hmm, another storm is brewing. How can there still be people who haven’t learned their lesson? We have no choice but to crack down on them with an iron fist.”

The President of the Board of Audit and Inspection sent the tip to the National Police Agency.

*

S Food Ramen Factory.

Police cars and trucks passed through the main gate.

The guard asked.

“What’s going on?”

The police officer held out an official document with a red stamp.

“This is a search and seizure warrant.”

“…….”

More than a dozen police officers got out of the vehicles that passed through the main gate.

The factory manager, who rushed over in a hurry, protested.

“A search warrant? We are a model company that meets government hygiene facility standards.”

“Are you using American industrial tallow as oil to fry ramen?”

“It’s American tallow, but it’s not industrial; it’s edible.”

“That’s why we issued a search warrant to confirm it. Please show us the import clearance documents and guide us to the tallow storage warehouse.”

The police confiscated unprocessed American tallow drums and customs clearance documents from the raw material warehouse.

*

Police station.

The investigation manager reported.

“Chief, the customs clearance documents and tallow drums clearly state ‘industrial use.’ There’s no denying it.”

The police chief shook his head.

“What era is this? Why would a leading ramen company do this to save a few bucks?”

“That’s what I’m saying. They have no conscience, and they only care about making money.”

“They’ve been caught this time. They’ll be a model case as the first violation of the strengthened Food Sanitation Act. The amount of punitive damages will be astronomical because of the huge sales volume. We should consider this company ruined.”

“Chief, what about the reporters?”

“Have they already caught wind of it?”

“They found out like ghosts. They’re pressing us for information about the investigation. They may be at S Food, covering the story.”

“We need to investigate the factory manager and get the results from the Food Sanitation Research Institute to confirm, but this is enough to raise awareness in the food industry. Let me know the date of the warrant request for the business owner!”

“Yes, Chief!”

*

National Police Agency.

Reporters aimed their cameras and created chaos to capture the scene of the S company’s business owner and factory manager entering in handcuffs.

Click!

Click!

The reporters asked the arrested business owner and factory manager pointed questions.

“How much did you make with industrial oil?”

“Do you usually eat ramen?”

The handcuffed business owner suppressed his resentment, unable to protest as he was led away like a criminal.

The police briefly explained the circumstances of the case to the reporters.

The reporters competed to send out breaking news with sensational headlines.

– Food Murder!

– Ramen Shock!

– Making a Fortune by Selling National Health!

– Industrial Tallow Ramen: The Whole Nation in Lament!

Citizens who saw the first edition of the morning newspaper with the headline on the front page were furious.

“Did they feed people the oil used to lubricate machines? Those sons of bitches!”

“My kids eat ramen almost every day; this is a big deal.”

“No wonder ramen is cheaper than rice! You get what you pay for.”

“These guys should have their three generations wiped out with the new law!”

Citizens across the country caused a commotion by taking the ramen they had at home to the store and demanding a refund.

The store owner had no choice but to give a refund, overwhelmed by the angry citizens.

Ramen returned to the food company piled up.

*

Presidential Office.

The President, who saw the newspaper, was stunned.

“This is a big deal! A big deal!”

The incident that would happen in the late 1980s occurred more than a decade earlier.

The Chief of Staff said.

“It’s as if they’re mocking the strong Food Sanitation Act. How could leading food conglomerates do this, Your Excellency!”

“That’s not what I mean. It’s not the Uji ramen [a famous food scandal] incident?”

“Yes? Then what do you mean….”

“Are they witch-hunting food companies now?”

“Witch hunt?”

“The scientific conclusion is that refined tallow is edible.”

“It was stated as industrial use, Your Excellency.”

“Animal oil or vegetable oil is in a non-edible state before refining. It becomes edible after refining.”

“…….”

“This will spread like wildfire. This is a big deal, a big deal!”

During the Uji ramen crisis during Chairman Wang’s time, the ramen company faced bankruptcy, and eight years later, it was acquitted.

However, the damaged company could not be compensated.

“Where do I even begin with this?”

*

Investigation room.

The investigator triumphantly pressed.

“It’s clearly written here as industrial use, but you’re saying it’s edible?”

“We imported non-edible oil of grade 2 and grade 3 from the United States and refined it to grade 1 level for use as edible oil, investigator.”

“What kind of sophistry is that? Are you saying that people can eat it if they refine petroleum?”

“You can’t eat petroleum even if you refine it, but beef tallow is something people eat in the first place. Most ramen companies use this refined oil, and it’s used as a raw material for making shortening and margarine. But it doesn’t cause any problems. It’s not a harmful ingredient.”

“Shortening and margarine too? Do other ramen companies use Uji [unrefined tallow]?”

“That’s right. It’s a high-quality ramen cooking oil that costs $100 more per ton than vegetable palm oil.”

“Uji is more expensive than vegetable palm oil?”

“That’s right. If we were trying to save a few bucks, we would have used vegetable palm oil like N company, but we wouldn’t have used high-quality animal oil.”

“…….”

The investigator had a feeling that something was wrong.

The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]

The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]

재벌총수가 대통령으로 회귀함 1967
Status: Completed Author: Native Language: Korean
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[English Translation] Imagine a world where the ruthless efficiency of a chaebol chairman collides with the iron will of a nation's leader. Chairman Wang, the titan behind the Hyundai Group, finds himself hurled back in time, inhabiting the very body of President Park in 1967! Korea stands at a crossroads, shackled by authoritarianism and suffocated by bureaucratic red tape. Now, armed with future knowledge and a relentless drive, Wang seizes the reins of power. Witness the birth of a new Republic, forged in the fires of innovation and meritocracy. Will he succeed in transforming Korea into a global powerhouse, or will the ghosts of the past and the weight of history crush his ambitions? Prepare for a thrilling saga of power, ambition, and the ultimate battle for a nation's destiny!

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