The Chaebol Returns To The Presidency 1967 [EN]: Chapter 19

19. Taming the Returner (1)

Before the regression, Chairman Jung’s influence on the economy was so immense that he was called the ‘Economic President,’ making it impossible to bypass him for economic development.

Above all, I remembered his murderous gaze. Recognizing the returner, I felt an urgency that if I didn’t take preemptive measures, the current timeline of history might be disrupted.

The President was lost in thought for days. And the conclusion he reached was this:

“Hmm, he’s definitely a difficult opponent. But strike while the iron is hot.”

* * *

The Blue House [South Korea’s presidential residence], the President’s office.

The Chief of Staff entered.

“Chairman Jung of Hyunse Group has arrived.”

Unlike other companies, the President didn’t go to the site but summoned him to the Blue House.

“Let him in.”

* * *

Arriving at the Blue House, Chairman Jung looked around.

As Park Jung-woong, who had regressed and reincarnated as Chairman Jung, he couldn’t help but feel deeply moved.

“Ah, the mountains and rivers are timeless, but the great figures are gone!” [A common saying expressing nostalgia for the past]

The solid Mount Bukak [mountain behind the Blue House], the majestic Blue House building, and the bluish grass were all the same, but only the people walking around, including the Chief of Staff, had completely changed.

Chief of Staff Jang greeted Chairman Jung as he got out of the car.

“Welcome, Chairman. The President is waiting for you.”

“Oh, I know.”

Chief of Staff Jang, unaware of the circumstances, paused for a moment.

Although Chairman Jung was older, he spoke informally from their first meeting.

“Please follow me.”

“I know the way well.”

“…….”

To Chief of Staff Jang, he seemed like a rude person, even considering he was the head of a large corporation.

However, as the President’s guest, Chief of Staff Jang held back and led the way.

* * *

The President’s office.

After formal introductory greetings, the President spoke to the Chief Economic Secretary and the Chief of Staff.

“I have something important to discuss with Chairman Jung, so everyone please leave.”

He was still a chairman, not a president.

Everyone left, and the President and Chairman Jung finally faced each other alone.

A moment of awkward silence hung in the air.

As if it were his own office, Chairman Jung got up from the visitor’s sofa, took out a cigarette, and lit it directly with a lighter on the President’s desk.

Having sat in that seat for over four years, he was more familiar with it than the current President.

Whoosh~

Chairman Jung blew white cigarette smoke into the air and said to the President.

“Hey, how does it feel to sit on the throne?”

“…….”

“Do you want to become a great emperor recorded in history? Do you want to be a hero of a chaotic era?”

“…….”

There was a mixture of envy and jealousy.

A bizarre conversation began between Chairman Jung in the President’s appearance and the President in Chairman Jung’s appearance.

Chairman Jung plopped down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and said.

“Wearing Chairman Jung’s body, it’s nice to be taller and look down on other people’s heads.”

“…….”

The President didn’t respond and observed Chairman Jung’s words and actions.

“Being the chairman of a large corporation is good. It’s very liberating. Especially company dinners are enjoyable. You can choose beauties as you please. There’s no emperor of the night like it. I enjoyed it more than the king, isn’t this treason?”

“…….”

“The subordinates are also very loyal. Of course, they are all two-faced because of money.”

“…….”

Chairman Jung was in an unstable state, filled with mixed emotions.

“Whew~ I recognized that you are Chairman Jung’s soul at once. You’ve purged all my close aides in the Blue House. Isn’t this a coup d’état that seized the presidential seat without shedding a drop of blood?”

The President finally opened his mouth.

“President Park Jung-woong has already passed away.”

“Really? Hmm, that’s right. He was shot by his cherished confidant.”

Chairman Jung crushed the cigarette, which was more than half-smoked, into the crystal ashtray until it was mangled.

Then, he jumped up, placed both hands on the desk, glared at the President’s face, and shouted.

“Was your last wish to be the President? Did you wish to become the President?”

“…….”

The President flinched, overwhelmed by his murderous aura.

‘Seeing that he knows the path of regression so well, he must have regressed and reincarnated by making a wish as well.’

‘Wait! Did the President wish to live as Chairman Jung before he died? That couldn’t be.’

Chairman Jung went back to the sofa and said like a soliloquy.

“I wished to punish those who betrayed me. And I finally succeeded in returning to the past. I got a chance to take revenge.”

The President felt a chill from Chairman Jung’s murderous glint.

He was like an avenging spirit consumed by resentment.

‘Hmm, he’s distorted by the vengefulness of his past life. He’s still an untamed wild horse. He desperately needs a reality check.’

The President, pressed by Chairman Jung’s force, managed to speak.

“Revenge is a futile act. Have you forgotten the original intention of initiating the modernization of the country? Hyunse Group is a core company that has led the economic prosperity of Korea.”

“…….”

“If you commit retaliatory killings to resolve your resentment, you will also be unhappy, and the modernization of Korea will be ruined. For the sake of the country once again….”

Chairman Jung jumped up, slammed his hands on the President’s desk, and shouted.

“Bullshit! Bullshit!”

“…….”

“The country?”

“…….”

“The ones who betrayed me and shot me all said they were loyal to the country! They said the President was the country and sacrificed their lives. But look at Kim Young-wook. He was ranting in the United States that the Park regime should be overthrown. Kim Je-gu, the one I cherished so much, pulled the trigger!”

“…….”

“For the sake of the country? For the sake of the President?”

“…….”

“Don’t try to deceive me. Don’t be deceived either. The ones bowing down now are not serving the President but the power of the Blue House!”

“Did you just realize that, Chairman?”

“What, what did you say?”

Chairman Jung flinched at the President’s counterattack.

“I realized it after failing in the presidential election. There were 11 million party members, but the vote count was 3.9 million. The party recruiters put in ghost members, and the members only took the money and voted for other candidates.”

“Presidential election?”

“After losing the presidential election, when Hyunse Group underwent a massive tax investigation, those who had praised me as the economic president all turned their backs.”

For the first time, a surprised expression crossed Chairman Jung’s face, which had been full of anger.

“Hey, did you run for president?”

Having died in 1979, he didn’t know what had happened since then.

“I ran for president in 1997, 20 years after you passed away.”

“Hmm, such a thing….”

Chairman Jung took out a new cigarette, put it in his mouth, lit it with a lighter, and took a deep drag.

Whoosh! Whew~

Chairman Jung stood by the window and pondered for a moment.

The President said.

“Whatever the circumstances, now I must live as the President, and you as the chairman of a conglomerate.”

Chairman Jung, with a cigarette in his mouth, said again with a chilling gaze.

“Don’t try to gloss over it like that. I am the eternal President!”

“…….”

‘If he used his position as the chairman of a conglomerate to carry out revenge, Hyunse Group would be dismantled, and the Korean economy would lose its growth engine.’

‘The President would also be remembered as the worst president in history.’

‘He couldn’t let him go like this. A turnaround was needed.’

The President pressed the intercom as if he had made up his mind.

The Chief of Security entered.

“Did you call, Your Excellency?”

The President said.

“Chief Jang, I have something to ask you. Answer very honestly.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

“Who is the President between these two people?”

“Pardon?”

‘Who is the President!’ It was too absurd a question for him.

As the Chief of Security hesitated, the President urged.

“Tell me quickly?”

“W-Well, Your Excellency is Your Excellency.”

Chief Jang felt awkward even after saying it himself.

“That’s enough. You may go back.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

The Chief of Security tilted his head and turned around.

As the Chief of Security left, the President said.

“Did you see? Did you see it!”

“…….”

Chairman Jung flinched at the President’s sudden change in tone.

The President pressed on.

“Even if you and I go out to Gwanghwamun intersection [a major public square in Seoul] and ask the citizens, even if you go to Hyunse Group and ask the Hyunse employees, the answer will be the same.”

“Hmm….”

“The current President is me!”

Chairman Jung’s pupils shook violently.

The President didn’t loosen the reins.

“Go back and work hard for economic prosperity like the chairman of a large corporation.”

But he wasn’t easy to deal with.

“Hey, do you not see anything because you’re sitting in that seat? That seat is not for a mere merchant to sit in!”

The President didn’t back down and countered.

“Chairman Jung, realize the reality! This is the Blue House!”

“You really don’t see anything!”

Chairman Jung, filled with anger, couldn’t contain his rage and suddenly picked up the crystal ashtray and threw it at the President.

Thud!

The ashtray hit the desk and shattered, and glass shards pierced the President’s face.

“Ugh, this guy! Chief of Security!”

As he pressed the bell, the Chief of Security rushed in, saw the scene of glass shards scattered around the desk, and was surprised to draw his gun.

The President reported.

“That man threw an ashtray at me.”

The Chief of Security pointed the gun at Chairman Jung.

“Hands up!”

As the gun was pointed at him, Chairman Jung’s trauma from that day was revived.

His momentum instantly waned, and fear filled his eyes.

Chairman Jung shouted at the Chief of Security.

“Hey, it’s me, it’s me! I’m the President!”

“This crazy! He wasn’t normal from the moment he came in. I’ll shoot if you don’t put your hands up!”

As the Chief of Security’s finger was on the gun’s trigger, Chairman Jung finally slowly raised both hands.

The Chief of Security asked the President.

“Are you alright, Your Excellency?”

“Hmm, just a few shards of glass.”

He picked out the shards with a tissue and wiped the blood.

The Chief of Security’s boot mercilessly struck Chairman Jung’s joint.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

Chairman Jung collapsed and covered his knee. The Chief of Security stepped on his back to subdue him.

“Get down!”

Chairman Jung crouched under the Chief of Security’s boot.

“I’m arresting you on charges of attempted assassination and subversion of the state!”

‘He only threw an ashtray, but it was attempted assassination and subversion of the state!’

‘If it was like this even after coming to the Blue House, what would it have been like if he had visited the chairman’s office of Hyunse Corporation?’

The Chief of Security contacted the radio.

“Emergency! Assemble in the office!”

The President said.

“Chief of Security, handle it quietly so it doesn’t get out. It wasn’t an intentional act with malice.”

“Your Excellency, do you mean don’t let it be known outside?”

“That’s right. For now, detain him in a safe house.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Guards rushed in.

The Chief of Security, holding a gun, ordered.

“Bind this man and take him to the safe house!”

“Yes!”

Chairman Jung resisted violently.

“Let go, you bastards! Do you know who I am! I am the President, the President!”