“I came to apologize to you for my son’s behavior. You should understand that I am a father. Even though my son did something wrong, I can’t see him going to prison as his father.”
“We have plenty of time to talk about it, sir. I’d like to serve you a cup of tea first; you are a guest to my company.”
Gun-Ho asked his secretary—Ms. Hee-Jeong Park—to bring green tea. Gun-Ho also called for Director Jong-Suk Park at that moment.
Egnopak’s president continued to talk.
“I was told a two-week injury certificate was issued. Since you are not seriously injured, let’s finalize the incident.”
“How do you want to finalize it?”
“I know you have enough money, President Goo. But money is still a valid means to settle this sort of thing.”
At that moment, Director Jong-Suk Park entered Gun-Ho’s office. Gun-Ho said to him,
“Director Park, roll up your left-arm sleeve.”
Jong-Suk rolled up his sleeve. The injury on his forearm appeared. It was almost healed, but it left a big and ugly scar.
“He was cut with a sashimi knife. If we didn’t successfully escape, the gangsters, who your son sent to us, would have poked either our belly or our eyes, and that would make both of us disabled for the rest of our lives.”
“Hmm.”
Egnopak’s president seemed to feel uncomfortable while looking at Jong-Suk’s scar. He turned his head to the other side, so he didn’t have to look at the scar again.
“How come you didn’t bring your baseball bat today, sir?”
“Hey, President Goo! Are you being sarcastic with me here?”
“You said earlier that you wanted to settle for some money. How much are you offering?”
“Since two people were injured, I am offering 10 million won for each person. So, it will be 20 million won in total.”
Egnopak’s in-house attorney chipped in.
“This offer price is more than usual given the customary practice in settling this kind of incident with a two-week injury certificate. If you don’t accept our president’s offer, we will have to deposit the settlement offer with a court.”
Without responding to the attorney’s elaboration, Gun-Ho looked at Jong-Suk and said,
“Director Park, you take their offer. The president is showing his effort to make it work, anyway. But I won’t accept this offer for my own injury.”
“Look, President Goo. I have already apologized to you earlier. I know that you don’t need this money, but this is the only thing we can offer. This is the first time in my entire 60-year life, apologizing to someone.”
“Why don’t you show us the settlement agreement? And give 10 million won to Director Park. Jong-Suk, you should sign the settlement agreement.”
Jong-Suk signed the settlement agreement that the attorney handed to him, and Jong-Suk took the envelope with 10 million won in it.
“Good. President Goo, let’s settle your case too.”
“I don’t want to, sir. There is no guarantee that you wouldn’t do it again. Maybe you will obstruct my business for the joint venture or attempt to lynch me again.”
“I guarantee there won’t be anything like this ever again.”
“No. The 10 million won that you are offering to me is the amount of money that will not do anything to me. I know you are richer than me, but I have several 100 billion won. I don’t need 10 million won.”
“Come on. I am desperately asking you to settle for it.”
“I can’t.”
The attorney, who was leading Egnopak’s legal team, chipped in again.
“Then, we will have to deposit this offer with a court. Once we do, a prosecutor or a court will review the case in favor of our side.”
“Then you do what you have to do.”
Silence filled the air for a while.
It was Egnopak’s president who broke the silence.
“You tell me what you want from me.”
“You will need to show me something that will make me willing to sign the settlement agreement.”
“I already apologized to you when I first came into your office today.”
“I accept your apology, of course.”
“Hmm.”
Egnopak’s president closed his mouth for a while with his arms crossed. He looked so upset. He was frowning.
No one in the office said even a word for a while, including the three personnel who accompanied Egnopak’s president, GH Mobile’s managing director, and Director Jong-Suk Park. It was a deafening silence with only some coughing sound from time to time.
“Let’s do this.”
Egnopak’s president broke the silence.
Everyone in the room looked at Egnopak’s president.
“All these things happened because of the formation of the joint venture, so I will give you some support for your joint venture.”
The president then took a sip of his green tea. The tea was already cold.
“Considering another incident with Mandong Company, our company can buy raw materials from your new joint venture—Dyeon Korea—instead of buying them from Mandong Company.”
The director, Dong-Chan Kim, looked at Egnopak’s president with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Egnopak uses BASF products (BASF: a German chemical company and one of the largest chemical producers in the world) for their raw materials, which are supplied by Mandong Company. Are you saying you can change the materials with Dyeon Korea’s products?”
“That’s right.”
Gun-Ho closed his eyes with his arms crossed.
“We are currently purchasing BASF products worth 500 million won on a monthly basis from Mandong Company. It’s 6 billion won per year. What do you think, President Goo? Is that good enough?”
“Hmm.”
“You don’t need to think about it, President Goo. This is a really good offer. Mr. Legal Team Leader, take out the settlement agreement.”
The attorney pulled out the settlement agreement and placed it on the table in front of Gun-Ho.
“Come on! Please sign the settlement.”
Egnopak’s president acted friendly with Gun-Ho. He grabbed Gun-Ho’s hand and led to the agreement.
“Okay, sir. Since you insist, I think I should accept your offer. I don’t want to be rude to you, sir.”
Gun-Ho finally signed the settlement agreement.
The managing director smiled broadly and went to Egnopak’s president.
“You made the right decision, sir. Dyeon Korea’s products will be very competitive, especially in price compared to BASF’s products. You will be pleased.”
And then, the sales director went out quickly and came back with a purchase agreement.
“Sir, please sign this.”
Egnopak’s president signed the purchase agreement without hesitation.
Egnopak’s president was highly experienced. Even though he took over his family’s business, he spent tens of years to run the business until now. He was gaining a lot from this settlement as well business-wise, such as that he wouldn’t have to purchase expensive BASF products anymore because he could replace their necessary raw materials with Dyeon Korea’s products. Also, by disconnecting his business relation with Mandong Company, he wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that he previously pressured Mandong Company to file a lawsuit against GH Mobile.
Gun-Ho also took a very smart move. Even though he was beaten up by a gangster and had four stitches on his face, he gained something very valuable for his business. The new joint venture already established a major client even before the company would open its business.
The managing director, who was recently promoted from the sales director position, entered Gun-Ho’s office.
“Your settlement with Egnopak was one of the best moves I’ve ever seen, sir.”
“I came to apologize to you for my son’s behavior. You should understand that I am a father. Even though my son did something wrong, I can’t see him going to prison as his father.”
“We have plenty of time to talk about it, sir. I’d like to serve you a cup of tea first; you are a guest to my company.”
Gun-Ho asked his secretary—Ms. Hee-Jeong Park—to bring green tea. Gun-Ho also called for Director Jong-Suk Park at that moment.
Egnopak’s president continued to talk.
“I was told a two-week injury certificate was issued. Since you are not seriously injured, let’s finalize the incident.”
“How do you want to finalize it?”
“I know you have enough money, President Goo. But money is still a valid means to settle this sort of thing.”
At that moment, Director Jong-Suk Park entered Gun-Ho’s office. Gun-Ho said to him,
“Director Park, roll up your left-arm sleeve.”
Jong-Suk rolled up his sleeve. The injury on his forearm appeared. It was almost healed, but it left a big and ugly scar.
“He was cut with a sashimi knife. If we didn’t successfully escape, the gangsters, who your son sent to us, would have poked either our belly or our eyes, and that would make both of us disabled for the rest of our lives.”
“Hmm.”
Egnopak’s president seemed to feel uncomfortable while looking at Jong-Suk’s scar. He turned his head to the other side, so he didn’t have to look at the scar again.
“How come you didn’t bring your baseball bat today, sir?”
“Hey, President Goo! Are you being sarcastic with me here?”
“You said earlier that you wanted to settle for some money. How much are you offering?”
“Since two people were injured, I am offering 10 million won for each person. So, it will be 20 million won in total.”
Egnopak’s in-house attorney chipped in.
“This offer price is more than usual given the customary practice in settling this kind of incident with a two-week injury certificate. If you don’t accept our president’s offer, we will have to deposit the settlement offer with a court.”
Without responding to the attorney’s elaboration, Gun-Ho looked at Jong-Suk and said,
“Director Park, you take their offer. The president is showing his effort to make it work, anyway. But I won’t accept this offer for my own injury.”
“Look, President Goo. I have already apologized to you earlier. I know that you don’t need this money, but this is the only thing we can offer. This is the first time in my entire 60-year life, apologizing to someone.”
“Why don’t you show us the settlement agreement? And give 10 million won to Director Park. Jong-Suk, you should sign the settlement agreement.”
Jong-Suk signed the settlement agreement that the attorney handed to him, and Jong-Suk took the envelope with 10 million won in it.
“Good. President Goo, let’s settle your case too.”
“I don’t want to, sir. There is no guarantee that you wouldn’t do it again. Maybe you will obstruct my business for the joint venture or attempt to lynch me again.”
“I guarantee there won’t be anything like this ever again.”
“No. The 10 million won that you are offering to me is the amount of money that will not do anything to me. I know you are richer than me, but I have several 100 billion won. I don’t need 10 million won.”
“Come on. I am desperately asking you to settle for it.”
“I can’t.”
The attorney, who was leading Egnopak’s legal team, chipped in again.
“Then, we will have to deposit this offer with a court. Once we do, a prosecutor or a court will review the case in favor of our side.”
“Then you do what you have to do.”
Silence filled the air for a while.
It was Egnopak’s president who broke the silence.
“You tell me what you want from me.”
“You will need to show me something that will make me willing to sign the settlement agreement.”
“I already apologized to you when I first came into your office today.”
“I accept your apology, of course.”
“Hmm.”
Egnopak’s president closed his mouth for a while with his arms crossed. He looked so upset. He was frowning.
No one in the office said even a word for a while, including the three personnel who accompanied Egnopak’s president, GH Mobile’s managing director, and Director Jong-Suk Park. It was a deafening silence with only some coughing sound from time to time.
“Let’s do this.”
Egnopak’s president broke the silence.
Everyone in the room looked at Egnopak’s president.
“All these things happened because of the formation of the joint venture, so I will give you some support for your joint venture.”
The president then took a sip of his green tea. The tea was already cold.
“Considering another incident with Mandong Company, our company can buy raw materials from your new joint venture—Dyeon Korea—instead of buying them from Mandong Company.”
The director, Dong-Chan Kim, looked at Egnopak’s president with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Egnopak uses BASF products (BASF: a German chemical company and one of the largest chemical producers in the world) for their raw materials, which are supplied by Mandong Company. Are you saying you can change the materials with Dyeon Korea’s products?”
“That’s right.”
Gun-Ho closed his eyes with his arms crossed.
“We are currently purchasing BASF products worth 500 million won on a monthly basis from Mandong Company. It’s 6 billion won per year. What do you think, President Goo? Is that good enough?”
“Hmm.”
“You don’t need to think about it, President Goo. This is a really good offer. Mr. Legal Team Leader, take out the settlement agreement.”
The attorney pulled out the settlement agreement and placed it on the table in front of Gun-Ho.
“Come on! Please sign the settlement.”
Egnopak’s president acted friendly with Gun-Ho. He grabbed Gun-Ho’s hand and led to the agreement.
“Okay, sir. Since you insist, I think I should accept your offer. I don’t want to be rude to you, sir.”
Gun-Ho finally signed the settlement agreement.
The managing director smiled broadly and went to Egnopak’s president.
“You made the right decision, sir. Dyeon Korea’s products will be very competitive, especially in price compared to BASF’s products. You will be pleased.”
And then, the sales director went out quickly and came back with a purchase agreement.
“Sir, please sign this.”
Egnopak’s president signed the purchase agreement without hesitation.
Egnopak’s president was highly experienced. Even though he took over his family’s business, he spent tens of years to run the business until now. He was gaining a lot from this settlement as well business-wise, such as that he wouldn’t have to purchase expensive BASF products anymore because he could replace their necessary raw materials with Dyeon Korea’s products. Also, by disconnecting his business relation with Mandong Company, he wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that he previously pressured Mandong Company to file a lawsuit against GH Mobile.
Gun-Ho also took a very smart move. Even though he was beaten up by a gangster and had four stitches on his face, he gained something very valuable for his business. The new joint venture already established a major client even before the company would open its business.
The managing director, who was recently promoted from the sales director position, entered Gun-Ho’s office.
“Your settlement with Egnopak was one of the best moves I’ve ever seen, sir.”
