You Have Been Defended [EN]: Chapter 604

“Are you offering to help me now? I thought you didn’t particularly like me, Reporter?”

At Kirihara’s words, Kobayashi asked back as if he had heard something strange.

It was very direct.

Kirihara responded with a smile.

“Frankly, I don’t support you. But I think it’s better for you to become Prime Minister than Onodera Masao. Please consider this a strategic alliance proposal.”

“I appreciate it, but will this really blow up properly? Even if it’s a caught-red-handed situation, I know Wooshin has a huge influence in Korea. Just from the reports in Korea, it seems like the chairman was directly involved. Won’t it be difficult for this to really explode? Won’t they try to cover it up desperately?”

“So you’re not going to put pressure on him to resign?”

“If it blows up, the Prime Minister will have to step down anyway, even if I stay still. If it’s a problem that won’t blow up, what good is it for me to step forward unnecessarily?”

“If it were just economic crimes, you might be able to cover it up appropriately. But you know the details of the case, right? The economic crimes are just for fun. It will blow up one hundred percent. And if it blows up, it won’t end with just one Prime Minister. The Kyungmin Association will be destroyed. At this time, shouldn’t you step forward and condemn the Kyungmin Association from within the ruling party to prevent a change of government?”

“Are you saying it will go as far as a change of government? It will probably end with a change of factions.”

“Even if the factions change, in my opinion, the next Prime Minister will be at the forefront of the Kyungmin Association’s subjugation. If Mori of the Chungji Association is first imprinted as the vanguard, Mori will likely gain support. Because it will be the worst scandal.”

In Japan, where the leader of the ruling party usually becomes the Prime Minister, becoming the president in this situation, where the ruling party may lose trust, could be a bad move.

There’s no telling how long it will take to stabilize.

Even if he becomes Prime Minister, there is a high probability that he will be under pressure to resign at any time.

If the ruling party fails to regain trust and loses the next general election, he may have to resign as well.

So, Kobayashi might not run in the next presidential election to avoid that risk.

Since there is still quite some time until the general election, I don’t know what he has in mind.

Nevertheless, in this situation, he should display his specialty, showmanship.

If he doesn’t want the next Prime Minister position, shouldn’t he look at the next opportunity?

Opportunities to gain public support and improve his image don’t come often.

“Is there anything else left? Is organ trafficking not the end?”

Kobayashi asked in a subtle voice, as if sensing something strange when Kirihara asserted.

Frankly, to Kirihara, Kobayashi and Mori were just similar types of people.

Then, she should choose the barker with a higher chance of success.

She smiled leisurely, as if she had nothing to lose.

“I’ll just say no. I can’t tell you the details yet. But I’ll bet my entire career as a reporter on it.”

The morning paper will soon reach the places closest to the newspaper distribution center.

Starting an emergency meeting now will allow them to quickly take the lead when public opinion is hot.

Kobayashi was lost in thought.

“I’m going to the National Assembly today too. Depending on how you speak in front of the reporters, I’ll decide whether to pass this offer on to Mori.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. I’m helping you make a decision.”

Kirihara looked at her watch and got up from her seat.

“Then I’ll see you at the National Assembly later.”

Kirihara bowed and left the room.

Soon, the fact that Onodera Shizuka was the organ buyer in Japan will be revealed.

Once the article is published in Japan, articles will be released in Korea in succession.

From then on, the ruling party must strongly demand the resignation of Onodera Masao.

If the Japanese ruling party strongly insists that the chairman, who is not even human, should be punished accordingly, there is no need to consider the circumstances of the former Prime Minister who was abandoned by Japan in Korea.

* * *

[Mother and Son Arrested for Attempting Organ Trafficking in Korea, 「Prime Minister’s Daughter and Grandson!」]

[「International Shame!」 Mr. Kobayashi Fiercely Criticizes the Prime Minister]

[「No Excuses Needed, Must Resign Immediately」 Mr. Kobayashi’s Face Turns Red]

[Prime Minister’s Office 「Silence」, All Schedules Canceled]

[Opposition Coalition 「Demands Resignation of Criminal Prime Minister」]

[Mr. Kobayashi, 「Never Seen Such a Prime Minister on Earth」]

[「Perhaps It’s Just My Daughter’s Sole Crime」, Does Mr. Chiba Defend the Prime Minister?]

[Prime Minister Does Not Step Out of the Official Residence]

When Kyokuto Shimbun reported in the morning edition that the foreigner caught for organ trafficking in Korea was Onodera Shizuka, Japan was turned upside down.

Articles and reports poured out all day long.

The Prime Minister’s story was all over the electronic billboards on the main streets, the TVs and radios in restaurants, and the multiple TVs displayed in electronics stores.

Naturally, reporters split up and gathered at the Prime Minister’s official residence and the National Assembly, and the first one caught in their web was Kobayashi.

Kobayashi stood at the very front, made eye contact with Kirihara, who held the microphone to him, and scolded the Prime Minister.

Starting with this, other faction members of the ruling party and the opposition party also raised their voices, as if they had been waiting, demanding his resignation.

This was no different in Korea.

[Foreigner Involved in Organ Trafficking, ‘Daughter of Japanese Prime Minister’]

[The Truth of Organ Trafficking, “An Uncomfortable Deal with the Japanese Prime Minister?”]

[Japan, The Culprit is the Prime Minister’s Daughter, No Connection with the Prime Minister]

[Who is Behind the Attempt to Sell the Hearts of Domestic Children to the Japanese Prime Minister?]

[Japanese Public in Great Shock at Reports That Their Prime Minister Was Involved in Organ Trafficking]

[Japanese Embassy, “Return the Prime Minister’s Daughter and Grandson Quickly” Shameless Attitude]

As the fact that the culprit was the Prime Minister’s daughter was revealed around 3 or 4 a.m. in Japan, it took less than 10 minutes for the news to reach Korea.

Major media companies had already given special orders to their correspondents in Japan to gather information upon hearing that the culprit was the daughter of a prominent Japanese politician, so they were just waiting for Japan to publish the article.

As a result, reporters swarmed Wooshin Hospital, Wooshin Group headquarters, and even Ko Sang-jun’s house like bees.

Of course, the same was true for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, where the investigation headquarters was set up.

“Where is the chief?”

“He said he was going to the bathroom.”

The detective pointed to the end of the hallway.

Heo Min-woo glanced over the briefing room, which seemed like it was about to burst.

“What about the press release?”

“Hoon-seok and Ji-young are probably distributing it now.”

“Did you tell them to print enough? It seems like a lot of people came.”

“Looking at the press room, it’s like a homeless shelter.”

It had only been two days since Choi Jong-hyun and Jo Bong-joon reported on the broadcast that Oh Joon-hong had tried to recruit medical staff and failed, and then killed them.

Because Oh Joon-hong’s house was secretly searched, the news of the search was not broadcast until the next morning.

Since then, people have been badgering the police.

They wanted to know what was found in Oh Joon-hong’s house, whether Oh Joon-hong really ordered the gas explosion, and who else was above Oh Joon-hong.

“That investigative broadcast, the one Choi Jong-hyun reporter and Apollon are doing.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m grateful, though. They provide evidence to make it easier to figure out, and they cooperate in many ways.”

“But?”

“They give it to us so relentlessly that I feel like I’m going crazy. My wedding anniversary is coming up soon, and I’ve had a restaurant reservation for a month, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to go there.”

“When is your wedding anniversary?”

“Next Monday… I made the restaurant reservation for Sunday.”

“Wow, that’s too early. I think I’ll tell you to go in about two weeks, depending on the atmosphere. Can’t you postpone it?”

“No. Well, I can’t help it.”

They had already hired more people, but even so, they needed to borrow even a cat’s paw [any small amount of help].

Heo Min-woo couldn’t even casually tell them to go, even as just a passing remark.

Knowing their position, Heo Min-woo knew very well that they were already considerate of the police in their own way.

They called from time to time, almost every day.

To ask when they could do the next broadcast.

“He’s coming!”

At that moment, a reporter who was sticking his head out of the briefing room door shouted.

Hyeon Byeong-joo was walking into the briefing room.

As soon as he stood in front of the microphone, flashes went off.

Even though it was blinding, Hyeon Byeong-joo opened his mouth without blinking.

“This is Superintendent Hyeon Byeong-joo. Before we begin, many media outlets have disclosed the identity of the organ buyer who was arrested at the organ trafficking scene. Accordingly, I know that the public is expressing a lot of concern. Our investigation headquarters promises to investigate fairly without adding or subtracting anything, and to do our best to reveal the charges.”

This was all the police could say right now.

Now that it has been revealed who the beneficiary is, they cannot avoid addressing it.

Perhaps the reporters will be hotly asking questions about the Japanese Prime Minister during the Q&A session, so they can mention more there if necessary.

“Today’s briefing will be based on the press release that has been distributed.”

Rustle.

Numerous reporters turned over the press release at the same time.

“I will tell you about the results of the search and seizure of the house of Oh Joon-hong, head of the Planning and Coordination Office at Seoul Wooshin Hospital.”

It was the first moment that the name Wooshin was mentioned by the police.

Not only that, but Oh Joon-hong’s full name was revealed as it was.

This meant that Oh Joon-hong’s charges had been confirmed.

After being surprised for a moment, the reporters began typing as if they were about to break their laptops.

“Oh Joon-hong voluntarily submitted his cell phone at the time of the witness summons, and there was no information related to the crime on this cell phone. However, we were able to find a burner phone [a disposable phone used for illicit activities] through a search and seizure of his house. At the time of the seizure, Oh Joon-hong claimed that it was not his cell phone, but our investigation headquarters confirmed that Oh Joon-hong was the actual owner as a result of the investigation.”

Oh Joon-hong, who shamelessly claimed that the cell phone found in the fish tank was not his, had a confident look on his face even when unlocking the device.

The same was true when the police backed up the text messages, call history, and messenger history.

However, there was something he missed.

It was a Chinese restaurant delivery order phone call that he is presumed to have made without much thought.

It is estimated that Oh Joon-hong used this burner phone for about a year, and the delivery order phone calls were made in August of last year, January of this year, and March of this year.

Based on this call history, they contacted the restaurant to confirm the delivery address.

It seemed that he was a regular at the restaurant, and there were more than 50 records of Oh Joon-hong ordering with his own cell phone.

So, it is true that he usually only used his own cell phone.

However, when his own cell phone was not visible, the battery was dead, or there were other reasons why he could not use it, he used this burner phone to call the Chinese restaurant to place an order.

It seems that he never expected that his tail would be stepped on because of the restaurant.

He was such a regular that Oh Joon-hong ate free yangjangpi [a Korean-Chinese cold dish] twice with the coupons he collected from this Chinese restaurant.

As a result, the restaurant knew Oh Joon-hong, and they thought this burner phone was his cell phone number, so they saved it together.

And when Oh Joon-hong’s picture was shown to the delivery person hired by the restaurant, the game was over.

The timing was very good.

If it hadn’t been for Choi Jae-hoon and Jeong Ji-min, or if it had been just one day later, they might not have been able to find this burner phone.

This is because there was a statement in the messages he exchanged that he would get rid of the burner phone in the near future.

He also voluntarily submitted a cell phone in his own name, the police did not find Lim Hyeon-il’s burner phone, and the warrants were repeatedly rejected, so he thought there was no possibility that the burner phone would be caught, but he had to cut off the bud.

“The investigation headquarters has confirmed the messenger content that Oh Joon-hong exchanged with Lim Hyeon-il, head of the Department of Surgery at Seoul Wooshin Hospital, who was arrested on the spot in connection with the organ trafficking that took place last August, using this burner phone. In addition, it was confirmed that the Gangnam gas explosion, which was previously revealed through an Internet exploration media, was an accident artificially created by Oh Joon-hong and Lim Hyeon-il to kill the deceased Mr. Choi. Please refer to the press release for some of the messages exchanged between Oh Joon-hong and Lim Hyeon-il.”

Once again, the sound of rustling was heard here and there.

The reporters who checked the attached messenger content buzzed.

“In addition, based on this, we identified Lim Hyeon-il’s burner phone, which we had not been able to find before, and found and recovered Lim Hyeon-il’s burner phone based on base station information. As a result, it was confirmed that on the day of the attempted organ trafficking, after the surgery preparation was completed, Lim Hyeon-il sent messages to unknown persons stored as NP and BB1 to report the situation. This message content is also included in the press release.”

Sararak, charak, sarak, sak, chak.

The reporters quickly turned the pages.

“In addition, it was confirmed that he had several phone calls with NP and BB1 immediately after the police raid. In addition, records of several phone calls with these two numbers saved under the same names were also found on Oh Joon-hong’s cell phone. The cell phones of the unknown persons saved as NP and BB1 were tracked, but were confirmed to be burner phones. Our investigation headquarters is investigating, believing that NP and BB1 supported or instigated organ trafficking.”