You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 181

“Are you done talking?”

As the door to the inner office opened, the two of them turned their heads toward us as if they had been waiting.

Jo Bong-joon still crossed his arms defensively, as if displeased with Kim Chan-young.

“What’s going on? Is this guy really a college student, like I thought?”

Jo Bong-joon bypassed Kim Chan-young and looked at me as if demanding an answer.

“He is a college student.”

“…But how can he be an insider at Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals?”

Choi Jong-hyun also couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

I first took a seat at the conference table where they were sitting and pulled out the chair next to me for Kim Chan-young.

Kim Chan-young readily sat next to me and answered.

“My uncle is a director at Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals. Of course, he’s not a researcher, but he is one of the executives.”

Jo Bong-joon looked back at me as if to confirm whether Kim Chan-young’s words were true.

I nodded silently.

I had just come out of that room after hearing this story.

Kim Chan-young had stepped up as an insider, but I had asked what help he, a college student with only a stake in the company, could provide.

The answer I received was this.

Kim Chan-young’s mother’s younger brother, is currently on the board of directors at Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals.

He apparently never held a proper job, living off allowances from his well-known actress sister, Kim Hwa-young, even into his forties.

Go Sang-joon was well aware of this situation and offered Kim Hwa-young’s younger brother a director position at Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals, which was then preparing for its IPO [Initial Public Offering – when a private company offers shares to the public for the first time].

Of course, knowing he lacked the ability, they didn’t assign him any practical work, and it remained merely a nominal position.

Still, as an executive, he has little difficulty accessing internal documents.

And, ridiculously, his uncle seemed to resent Go Sang-joon, who had kept his sister, a once-famous actress, as a concubine.

Moreover, he grumbled that Wooshin Group has many large affiliates, yet he was placed in Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals, which wasn’t even listed on the stock exchange, and that even this placement was done with a condescending attitude that he couldn’t stand.

Personally, I don’t think highly of such people.

But despite that, he seemed to cherish his nephew Kim Chan-young quite a bit, and although pathetic, he seemed more like a father figure to Kim Chan-young than Go Sang-joon.

In any case, Kim Chan-young said that his uncle wouldn’t know where the information he provided was being used, that he would bring all the data he asked for, and that he would keep the secret.

“Hmm, will there be any repercussions?”

“I’ve already checked that. There won’t be.”

“Even if there is a risk, it’s something I’ll have to bear. Anyway, Apollo-nim… what should I call you?”

“Just call me uncle.”

“I’ll call you mister. Mister, the reporter, and the lawyer, from Myung-hwa Pharmaceutical’s perspective, you’ve already become public enemies the moment you took on this case. If there’s a problem, it’ll be with my uncle for leaking internal data and with me for asking for it. And that’s something I can handle.”

“Look at this kid. So bold. Hey, you punk. But why am I ‘mister’ and this hyung [older brother or male friend] is ‘reporter’?”

“…You said your job is an investment expert, but it’s a bit weird to call you ‘investment expert-nim’ [a Korean honorific title].”

At Kim Chan-young’s retort, Jo Bong-joon burst into laughter.

“Geez, he’s got me speechless. Anyway, Attorney Cha is vouching for him, right? That this kid is trustworthy. Since Attorney Cha planned this whole thing, I trust he wouldn’t ruin a perfectly good meal by dropping a turd in it. That’s what I’m going with.”

As soon as the words ‘Attorney Cha planned this whole thing’ came out of Jo Bong-joon’s mouth, Kim Chan-young turned to look at me.

He had an expression of betrayal.

I told Kim Chan-young that we work based on trust, but it ended up looking like I was hiding something, so it’s a bit embarrassing….

It’s not that I hid it, but rather that I didn’t bother to mention it.

“…Wow, this lawyer is unbelievable, really.”

Kim Chan-young could only repeat “wow, wow” with his mouth open in disbelief.

It doesn’t matter since Kim Chan-young would find out that I planned this whole thing anyway, but Jo Bong-joon should keep his mouth shut.

“Please tell me what documents you need. I’ll ask my uncle to check them right away tomorrow. If they don’t exist, I can’t give them to you, but if they do, I’ll contact you immediately.”

“Any data that can prove whether Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals knew about the allegations of clinical trial manipulation at the US research institution, and any records remaining of the process Lee Joon-sung went through when he went to the US research institution. Most importantly, it would be best to have analysis data showing that the research commissioned in the US had low reliability.”

Kim Chan-young, who had been taking notes on Choi Jong-hyun’s list, put down his pen and crossed his arms.

Then, he closed his eyes for a moment as if recalling something, and then opened them.

“First of all, the last thing you mentioned, I already asked my uncle to check that. But if he said it didn’t exist, it either really doesn’t exist or it’s something my uncle can’t access. And the reported manipulation allegations and researcher Lee Joon-sung, please check those two things right away.”

“That’s reassuring.”

As Choi Jong-hyun smiled, Kim Chan-young bowed his head slightly in gratitude.

Kim Chan-young’s hidden true self doesn’t seem to have a very good personality, but on the surface, he couldn’t be more affable.

I even thought that if Kang Min-jae’s insides turned black, he might become like Kim Chan-young.

“Oh, and just in case, I’ll also get the Antrozole research report. Something might come out of there.”

“Wow, so smart. Good. The external reporting data and the internal data will definitely be different.”

“Yes.”

“How long will it take? We don’t have that much time.”

The summons that flew to Jo Bong-joon listed the prosecutor’s office, not the police station, as the location.

It seemed they had either directly filed a complaint with the prosecutor’s office or quickly passed the procedure through their hotline.

In other words, we have to face the prosecutor directly.

“We don’t have much time until the prosecutor’s summons.”

“Ah, the prosecutor’s summons. I’m waiting for it. The after-report broadcast.”

Even if the data arrives after the prosecutor’s summons, we can still submit the evidence separately.

But it’s better to secure it by the summons date if possible.

Since it went straight to the prosecutor’s office, if an indictment is made, it won’t end with a summary indictment.

I have no intention of dragging this case to trial.

If it goes to trial, I’ll have to be stuck with this for years.

Speed is essential in cases that require continued public interest, so that would be problematic.

We need to reduce the time lost in procedures and keep throwing new bait so that people interested in this case don’t lose interest.

But that won’t be easy.

Usually, in such cases, it doesn’t end with simple defamation.

Obstruction of business is included as a set.

Although there was no mention of obstruction of business in the summons.

Well, the reason for that was not impossible to guess.

No matter how much of a hotline they have with the prosecutor’s office, it takes time, even if it’s short, from the initial filing to the complainant’s statement.

So, considering the timing, when Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals first sued Jo Bong-joon for spreading false information, it must have been before he appeared on News Now.

And after some time had passed, the case became bigger because Jo Bong-joon appeared on News Now.

On top of that, he even started internet broadcasting, so by now, they’ve probably already requested the addition of obstruction of business to the prosecutor’s office.

I’ll find out when I get a call from the investigator or clerk.

* * *

Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office.

A place I once belonged to.

When I first became a prosecutor, I was assigned to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, and my second assignment was here.

My third assignment was the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, where I finished my prosecutor life, so I returned there.

Of course, the one who welcomed my return to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office the most was none other than Hwang Young-chan.

“Cha Pro?”

At the familiar voice coming from the front, I raised my head.

“Chief Prosecutor, how have you been?”

“I’ve been well, of course. I’ve heard a lot of news. Cha Pro has become quite the celebrity, I hear?”

“You flatter me.”

I’ve heard the words ‘celebrity’ countless times so far, but I’ve rarely taken them comfortably without thinking there was an ulterior motive.

But this time it’s different.

The Chief Prosecutor is generally friendly and has a lot of charisma.

When I was in the Western District Prosecutors’ Office, he cherished me quite a bit.

He didn’t have much desire for power or money, so I remember he lived as an academic after retirement.

We weren’t in touch, but we used to exchange greetings when we met occasionally.

In particular, he was the one who congratulated me the most when I was reassigned from the Western District Prosecutors’ Office to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

Even though my first assignment was the Central District Prosecutors’ Office, it’s rare to only work in Seoul, so he was happy as if it were his own business.

I never thought I’d run into him here like this.

“When you were reassigned to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office instead of the Northern or Southern District Prosecutors’ Office, I thought you’d continue to do well in the prosecutor’s office, but I was surprised you resigned. I thought you’d join a big company, but that wasn’t the case either. Were you assigned to a local branch office by any chance?”

“That’s not it. It just turned out that way.”

“Well, yeah. There’s no way you’d suddenly be assigned to a local branch office after catching Jo Jin-tae. By the way, what brings you here… Ah, you came because of the Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals case?”

“Did you know?”

“Of course. I heard from the head of the Criminal Division 5 that everyone was reluctant to take the case after seeing Cha Pro’s name on the attorney appointment letter? Haha. The Myung-hwa Pharmaceuticals case probably went to Jung Chang-yoon, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Yeah, I think so. Jung Pro is the most expert among us, after all.”

Seeing that he even knows the prosecutor in charge, he seems to be watching this case closely.

“Didn’t Jung Pro and Cha Pro use the room next door back then?”

Was that so?

It may be only a memory from five years ago for the Chief Prosecutor, but it’s a memory from fifteen years ago for me, so it’s hazy.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about Jung Pro’s existence.

He was my classmate at the Judicial Research and Training Institute.

We weren’t close, but we weren’t distant either.

He was a doctor-turned-prosecutor, so he was much older than me, who had passed during college.

I don’t remember what he was like in the future.

The problem is that he wasn’t someone with a clear image, so even when I tried to think of a strategy, nothing came to mind.

I couldn’t set up a strategy in advance, but seeing that he didn’t leave a bad impression on me, he probably didn’t act as Wooshin’s dog.

If so, can I expect the prosecutor’s neutrality this time?

“Ah, my. It’s already this late. I should get going. Let’s have a cup of tea after the case is over.”

“I’ll visit you soon. Take care.”

“Okay. Cha Pro, resolve the case well too.”

Not long after the Chief Prosecutor disappeared, a booming voice came from behind.

“Attorney Cha!”

It was Jo Bong-joon.

He said his mother would make him samgyetang [Korean ginseng chicken soup] before the summons and that he would leave separately from his parents’ house, and his face is glowing, perhaps because he had a nourishing meal.

“Do I look a bit more decent? Is this good enough?”

I told him to wear the most decent clothes he had, thinking he was going to a funeral.

Well, it’s not bad.

It’s a bit annoying that he didn’t shave, but he’s much neater and more subdued than usual.

“It’s good. Do you remember the precautions I told you?”

“Ah, I remember. Attorney Cha will do everything, so unless the prosecutor tells me to answer directly, I should shut up, right?”

“It’s not that you have to shut up, but it would be good if you kept your mouth shut.”

“That’s what shutting up means.”

Together with him, I moved into the prosecutor’s office.

“Did you set up a strategy?”

“There’s not much of a strategy. It’s the same as what I shared yesterday. But the prosecutor is my classmate from the Judicial Research and Training Institute, so I’m not completely unfamiliar with him.”

“…The prosecutor in charge is Attorney Cha’s classmate?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you say that?”

“I’m telling you now.”

“You should have told me earlier!”

“What would change if I did?”

Jo Bong-joon looked at me in disbelief, then nodded slowly as if he understood something.

“Well, with a personality like Attorney Cha, there’s no way you would have been close to him even if he was your classmate. Attorney Cha, tell me honestly. Were you a loner your whole life?”

…Should I just not defend this guy?