The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 251

251. Moscow (5)

Wealthy individuals, their fortunes ranging from a billion to tens of billions of dollars, stood in a row in the hallway, without chairs. They were divided on the issue of economic cooperation with the Soviet Union.

“Charlie, are you suggesting we hand over export allocations to the Soviets?”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head and replied.

“It’s not about handing it over to the Soviets, but rather exporting as much as they want from our side. Of course, the same goes for our imports.”

Bill Garner, CFO of Chevron, tilted his head.

“Charlie, shouldn’t we discuss this with the U.S. government?”

He was friendly to Jung Hyun-woo, but he didn’t think it was something they could decide unilaterally.

“The Soviet Union is a country that pursues a planned economy. I think we need to adapt to them. And there’s no time.”

If they had at least a week to visit the Soviet Union, they could have negotiated with some leeway. But they only had today and tomorrow to negotiate. Even tomorrow was for detailed negotiations, so the broad framework had to be completed today.

“I agree that there’s no time.”

It was IBM Chairman John Wood who raised his hand in support of Jung Hyun-woo. Originally, he should have been the leader of this economic delegation, but he had asked Jung Hyun-woo to take on the role because of his age.

Coca-Cola’s Jimmy Collins frowned upon hearing his words.

“John, leaving everything to the Soviets like this…”

It’s not good.

That’s what he thought.

But Chairman John Wood’s thoughts were different. He interrupted Jimmy Collins and raised his voice.

“It may be frustrating for you young folks to see, but this isn’t America; it’s the Soviet Union. Do you know what kind of country the Soviet Union is?”

He raised his voice slightly to emphasize the words “Soviet Union.”

“I know. It’s a country behind the Iron Curtain [a term referring to the political, military, and ideological barrier erected by the Soviet Union after World War II to isolate itself and its dependent eastern and central European allies from open contact with the West]. Shouldn’t we approach it more cautiously because of that?”

Jimmy Collins thought he could negotiate with the Soviet Union independently, so he didn’t think they had to make a decision today. But the other CEOs didn’t feel the same way.

“It’s definitely short on time.”

“Let’s do as Charlie says. The reason for entering the Soviet Union isn’t to make profits anyway.”

“That’s right. The U.S. government will concede this much.”

“If necessary, can’t we seek understanding from the officials accompanying us?”

To advance into Eastern Europe and Moscow, this much has to be accepted.

Jung Hyun-woo gained strength after listening to the voices of the business leaders.

“I understand. Then I will seek understanding from government officials and then proceed with the work.”

There were those who were dissatisfied, like Coca-Cola’s Jimmy Collins, but many followed Jung Hyun-woo’s opinion and decided to defer to the Soviet Union’s choices.

When they returned to the conference room, the Soviet side was already seated.

‘It doesn’t seem like they took an extra 10-minute break.’

As he sat down, Anna Karnikova asked.

“Is the meeting over?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“We have agreed on what items to export and how much.”

Anna Karnikova’s eyebrows rose for a moment.

“I believe that is a matter for us to decide, not the United States.”

She had previously emphasized that she would accept the planned volume from the United States.

“We have agreed to that very opinion. We will export our products as much as the Soviet government wants. We will leave the choice of desired fields and products entirely to the Soviet government.”

Anna Karnikova paused at Jung Hyun-woo’s answer.

“You will follow our wishes in everything?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“That’s right.”

The American business leaders had been raising their voices, saying they couldn’t follow the Soviet government’s position until just a while ago.

But after a short 20-minute discussion, their attitude had completely changed.

‘Something’s up.’

Anna Karnikova asked Jung Hyun-woo.

“May I ask why?”

Jung Hyun-woo straightened his shoulders and replied.

“This is the Soviet Union, and in the Soviet Union, we must follow Soviet law.”

Anna Karnikova frowned at the too-simple reason.

“Are you really saying that’s the conclusion you came to?”

“Is it strange?”

“To be honest, it’s hard to believe.”

Anna Karnikova turned her head to Tea Bird, the oldest chairman.

Chairman Tea Bird was the CEO of Kellogg’s, a famous American food company.

“We agreed with Mr. Jung’s opinion. This is true.”

Anna Karnikova knew that Jung Hyun-woo’s status and influence were significant.

‘He persuaded everyone in just 20 minutes? Is he really a born negotiator?’

She nodded with skepticism.

“Alright. If the American side follows our opinion, we can move on to the next topic.”

The next topic was the working-level meeting to be held tomorrow.

It was IBM’s John Wood who spoke up for the American delegation.

“There is a list of products we can export in the materials we submitted earlier. I would like to have a working-level meeting based on that list.”

He thought it was more important to sell first than to sell a lot.

‘If we break through the Soviet Union, the doors of other Eastern European countries will naturally open.’

The reason why American business leaders agreed with Jung Hyun-woo’s opinion was that, as he thought, it was more important to get a foot in the door than to maximize immediate profits.

“Are you saying that individual meetings can be held according to the product, rather than a large meeting where everyone gathers?”

Chairman John Wood nodded.

“You may do so.”

Anna Karnikova turned her gaze to Jung Hyun-woo this time.

“Do you agree?”

Jung Hyun-woo replied briefly.

“I agree.”

American business leaders wanted to move on to working-level negotiations quickly.

‘Only people from the State Department like these big meetings.’

Anna Karnikova’s voice became much softer, perhaps because she had gotten what she wanted.

“Alright. Then we will start working-level negotiations from tomorrow morning.”

“How will the location and schedule be specifically communicated?”

When Jung Hyun-woo asked, she replied.

“We will notify you individually.”

That meant nothing had been decided yet.

“I understand. Then I will return to the accommodation and wait for contact.”

Jung Hyun-woo and the American business leaders wanted to prepare for tomorrow’s working-level meeting rather than attend banquets or go sightseeing.

* * *

“Isn’t it strange?”

Jung Hyun-woo asked back at Sarah’s question as he dried his wet hair with a towel.

“The fact that everyone speaks English fluently?”

Sarah nodded and replied.

“Not only in the conference room, but everywhere, everyone is using English.”

“Could it be that they’ve gathered all the people in the Soviet Union who can speak English fluently?”

“The people we’re meeting… are they all KGB [Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti, the main security agency for the Soviet Union]?”

If it were a spy movie Jung Hyun-woo had seen, it wouldn’t be impossible. But he knew that the Soviet Union’s lifespan was not that long.

Moreover, the Soviet government had suffered a critical blow from the Chernobyl [site of a catastrophic nuclear accident in Ukraine in 1986] nuclear power plant accident last year.

‘In the history I know, there was no counterattack from the Soviet Union.’

The Soviet Union promoted reform and opening up as it was, and then disappeared into history with a coup around the time the Japanese bubble economy [an economic bubble in Japan from approximately 1986 to 1991, characterized by rapid asset inflation] collapsed.

“Sarah, I don’t think they would prepare such a huge play just to deceive us, would they?”

“It would be a relief if that were the case…”

Jung Hyun-woo thought he needed to divert her attention.

‘Do we have time to worry about the KGB or the Cold War [the geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies that began in the mid-1940s and lasted until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991]?’

He was determined to secure the rights to Tetris no matter what.

“How’s Anne?”

Anne had skipped today’s schedule to meet her Russian mother.

“I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you meet her?”

“I met her, but her reaction was cold, should I say?”

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like the conversation went well.”

Sarah sighed briefly.

“Ha… I’m sorry, but I didn’t have the mental capacity to worry about that.”

Her words were true.

Unlike in Tokyo, Sarah was feeling considerable pressure in Moscow.

Jung Hyun-woo could understand her pressure.

‘This isn’t the liberal world she’s used to, after all.’

The Soviet Union and the United States were not completely isolated countries, but the sense of alienation given by the completely opposite systems was greater than anything else.

If Jung Hyun-woo hadn’t known that the Soviet Union was a country on the verge of collapse, he would have felt considerable pressure from the Iron Curtain.

“Sarah, there’s one thing I found strange too.”

At his words, Sarah tilted her head.

“Charlie, did you feel something too?”

Jung Hyun-woo put down the towel and replied.

“They say Russia is a country of beauties, but I haven’t seen any beauties so far. Everywhere I go, it’s either men or…”

It was a joke to ease the tension, but Sarah’s reaction wasn’t very good.

She shouted in a sharp voice.

“Charlie!”

Jung Hyun-woo carefully asked, wrapping his head in the towel again.

“What’s wrong? Your reaction is a bit much.”

Sarah raised her eyebrows and raised her voice.

“Charlie, I’m being serious, and you’re answering with a joke?”

“I’m half serious too?”

Of course, Jung Hyun-woo’s sincerity, which was only half there, couldn’t reach Sarah.

“I’m not in the mood for jokes right now. This hotel we’re talking in might be full of listening devices.”

Jung Hyun-woo sat down in front of her and said in a soft voice.

“Sarah, even if they’re all KGB agents and this room is full of listening devices, we just need to get what we want and leave.”

Sarah asked with a face that hadn’t relaxed.

“What if they record everything about us and threaten us? Furthermore, what if they exploit our weaknesses and make us spies?”

Jung Hyun-woo shook his head and replied.

“The Soviet Union doesn’t have the energy to do that right now.”

Sarah raised her voice in disbelief.

“They don’t have the energy?”

“Sarah, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident that happened last year was more serious than we know.”

“What does that mean? More serious than we know?”

Jung Hyun-woo decided to mix in a little lie for her sake.

“According to CIA information, the damage was at least 5 times and up to 10 times more than we know.”

“That means…”

“That’s right. The damage to the Soviet Union and General Secretary Gorbachev from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is so great that they need Western support. According to CIA satellite photos, wheat production in the Ukrainian steppes has decreased significantly.”

The decrease in wheat production in the Ukrainian steppes was 100% a lie.

But there was no way Sarah would know that.

“Ha… Charlie knew everything.”

Jung Hyun-woo lowered his voice slightly.

“I’m sorry, for not telling you in advance.”

He felt bad that she believed the lie so easily.

‘Was it a mistake to bring her to Moscow? I didn’t know Sarah would be this shaken.’

The pressure that Americans felt about the Soviet Union in the 1980s was more than he thought.

Of course, Sarah was a bit more sensitive. This was because her parents and older brother were all from the military.

“That news… was it something I shouldn’t have known?”

“It wasn’t like that. I just didn’t know Sarah was this worried.”

Sarah grabbed her head with both hands and said.

“It’s okay. All the schedules will be over tomorrow.”

The economic delegation’s official schedule was over tomorrow.

“Should I go to tomorrow’s meeting alone?”

Sarah put down her hands and raised her head.

“No.”

Being alone would only increase her fear.

Jung Hyun-woo reached out and comforted Sarah.

“Stay by my side. I’ll protect Sarah.”

If the KGB set their minds to it, they could easily handle Jung Hyun-woo.

But his one word was a great comfort to Sarah.

* * *

The Soviet institution that responded to Jung Hyun-woo’s request was the Soviet Academy of Sciences.

‘As expected, the academy has the copyright to the game.’

He participated in the negotiations with Sarah and Anne.

“Mr. Jung, please understand that the meeting will be conducted through an interpreter.”

“Since we speak different languages, I think we have to accept it.”

This time, it seemed like a real working-level meeting, with a meeting accompanied by an interpreter instead of everyone speaking English.

‘Will Anne be okay?’

Jung Hyun-woo was worried that Anne was the interpreter, but Sarah was relieved that it was a real meeting with a formal interpreter.

‘Phew… It doesn’t seem like this meeting is fake.’

The moment she let out a sigh of relief, the meeting began.

Jung Hyun-woo first told the Soviet Academy of Sciences what he wanted.

“Our company wants to import excellent computer games developed by the Soviet Academy of Sciences. Of course, we also want to acquire the copyright and distribution rights.”

The Soviet Academy of Sciences scientists had already confirmed in writing that what he wanted was computer games, so they calmly answered his request.

“Everything our scientists have developed is the property of the great Soviet Union. Therefore, in order to acquire it, you must contract with the state and the Soviet Union government. Of course, you must have the permission of the federal government.”

Anne skillfully translated Jung Hyun-woo’s request and the Soviet scientists’ answers. Her translation skills were surprising to both Jung Hyun-woo and Sarah.

‘I was worried for nothing.’

‘Hmm, could it be that Anne lived in Russia when she was young?’

Jung Hyun-woo had no time to admire Anne’s Russian skills.

He quickly moved on to the next phase.

“I believe that permission from the Soviet Union government has been obtained through Comrade Anna Karnikova.”

The Soviet Academy scientists frowned upon hearing Anne’s translation.

“We were instructed to negotiate with Comrade Karnikova, but we were not instructed to sign a contract.”

“That’s right.”

“Agreeing to negotiate here…”

“Could be an overreach of authority.”

Soon, after summarizing the scientists’ opinions, a thin man said in a tone that he had not received permission.

Jung Hyun-woo sighed inwardly after hearing Anne’s translation.

‘Hoo… Doesn’t telling us to negotiate mean to negotiate well and sign a contract?’

He was a little annoyed, but he didn’t frown and spoke in the softest tone possible.

“Comrade Karnikova wants the excellent culture of the Soviet Union to be exported to the United States. That is why she sent you here.”

As Jung Hyun-woo praised the achievements of the Soviet scientists, the atmosphere in the meeting room changed slightly.

The Soviet scientists nodded after hearing Anne’s translation.

“You mean the excellent culture of the Soviet Union will be exported to the United States.”

“That’s not bad.”

“It seems that this is what Comrade Karnikova wanted.”

“Well, if Comrade Karnikova wanted it…”

“Shouldn’t we agree to negotiate with them?”

They agreed with the opinion that Anna Karnikova wanted to export Soviet culture to the United States.

“Then can we get something in return from the United States?”

“Well, shouldn’t we get something like gold from the United States…”

The scientists were not economists or managers, so they were not good at this kind of negotiation.

Fortunately, one of the scientists who participated in the negotiation was from the accounting department.

“It would be better to receive the price of cultural exports in dollars.”

“Dollars?”

“It is much better to receive it in dollars than to receive it in gold or silver.”

The Soviet government was already exporting raw materials such as crude oil and earning dollars from the Western world.

“Would that be okay?”

“Several export departments are already receiving payments in dollars. I heard that they do that when they export movies too.”

When he talked about several export departments, the scientists nodded as if they understood.

“Alright. Then let’s do it in dollars.”

Jung Hyun-woo had no choice but to wait every time the Soviet scientists’ opinions differed.

“Will the negotiation go well?”

At Sarah’s question, Jung Hyun-woo stared straight ahead and replied.

“It has to go well. We can’t come all the way here and go back empty-handed.”

If it doesn’t work once, twice… If it doesn’t work twice, I’ll visit three times.

“Mr. Jung. We want payment in dollars.”

Jung Hyun-woo smiled at their request.

“Dollars are always possible.”

The Soviet scientists nodded after hearing Anne’s translation.

“Alright. Then how many games do you want?”

The game Jung Hyun-woo wanted was Tetris.

‘But if I say I only want Tetris, they might be disappointed.’

He raised his voice slightly.

“We want several computer games, including Tetris. How many computer games can you send us?”

The Soviet Academy of Sciences scientists started the meeting again. This meeting lasted about 5 minutes.

Taking advantage of the break, Sarah asked Jung Hyun-woo again.

“What we wanted was only the rights to Tetris. If we bring other games back to the United States, the CIA might object.”

Jung Hyun-woo had something in mind in advance.

“I’m not going to take those games to the United States.”

“If you’re not taking them to the United States, you’re not going to throw them into the Atlantic Ocean, are you?”

“Why would I throw away something so precious?”

“Then?”

Jung Hyun-woo replied.

“I’m going to establish a game company in West Germany and do reverse engineering there.”

Recreating Soviet games in West Germany.

This would solve the hacking problem that the CIA was worried about.

Soon, the Soviet scientists who had finished the meeting said to him.

“We would like to put a time limit on the property of the proud Soviet Union.”

Jung Hyun-woo wanted an indefinite period, but he decided to accept the Soviet side’s time limit.

“How long do you want the period to be?”

The oldest of the Soviet scientists replied.

“How about 10 years, 1 million dollars?”

Only $100,000 a year.

It was an answer that greatly pleased Jung Hyun-woo.

“How many games are there, including Tetris?”

When his question was conveyed through Anne, the person who had suggested the amount earlier replied.

“Thirty computer games, including Tetris, will be contracted.”

Not just Tetris alone, but thirty games for only 1 million dollars for 10 years.

“How about 3 million dollars for 20 years?”

The Soviet scientists hesitated for a moment after hearing Jung Hyun-woo’s counter-proposal, then raised their voices.

“Let’s do that.”

The reason why the Soviet scientists were not sensitive to the amount was that they thought the fact that Soviet culture was being exported to the United States was the most important thing.

Jung Hyun-woo was overjoyed when they agreed. But he suppressed his joy as much as possible.

“I am happy to be able to introduce Soviet culture to the United States.”

The Soviet scientists smiled at his words.