Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Chapter 649: First Vendor Company (1) - Part 2

Gun-Ho walked down to the production site, and he headed to the production site B. Director Jong-Suk Park was walking around supervising the work at the site.

"Director Park."

"Bro, you are here."

"I was told that we have even more workers now at the production site."

"Yeah, we have more than 500. Haha."

"It must be hard to manage them all."

"We have managers and assistant managers who do the most of management work. So, I'm good."

Jong-Suk Park looked around and said, "Bro, President Song told me that I must not address you as a brother at work, but, it's okay to call you brother when we were alone, right?"

"I actually prefer that you call me brother. That sounds more… friendly and affectionate. When we have other people with us, you should call me sir, but when we are alone, call me brother as you do now."

"Thank you, bro."

"Suk-Ho Lee left, right? Did you have a good time with him?"

"We ate Galbi (Korean grilled beef ribs), and I paid for it with the business credit card."

"Good. Did he say anything else?"

"He asked me to buy his stores in Shenyang City, China. He said that he would let me pay in installments."

"Did you say no?"

"I told him that I already used all of my money saved up when I bought the Purgio condo next to Dujeong Station. So, I have no money. I also questioned him why I would buy stores in China even if I had money, since I don't go to China. He didn't say anything."

"Good."

"He seems to still see me as a doormat. He thinks that I would take whatever he throws at me without complaining or protesting."

"Hmm, yeah that sounds like him."

At that moment, Jong-Suk's cell phone started ringing.

"Bro, I have to take this. Give me one second."

Jong-Suk answered the phone.

"Oh, bro? Huh? Manager Ahn can't dismantle that machine himself? Just leave it then. I will take care of it."

Jong-Suk hung up the phone and mumbled.

Gun-Ho asked, "Who was it? Who is that 'brother' person?"

"It's Dyeon Korea's Director Kim."

"You still call Dyeon Korea's Director Kim brother?"

"He likes it."

"What machine do they need to dismantle?"

"The machine no. 3— the extruder— needs a replacement of some screws. It sounds like it has some broken parts. Manager Ahn couldn't find which part or a cause for its malfunction. I will have to go there to take a look at the machine."

"Is it common to see a broken part in a machine like that?"

"It usually happens when the machine's handler didn't follow the procedure as instructed in handling the machine. They are not supposed to force the machine to do work, but when you feel some resistance from the machine, you have to figure out why it's resisting."

"You sound like the Japanese engineer— Mr. Sakata Ikuzo."

"Mr. Sakata Ikuzo is the best engineer that I've ever seen in my life."

Gun-Ho recalled Mr. Sakata Ikuzo when he was calmly preparing tea for Gun-Ho in a kneeling position in his home in Motomachi District, Japan.

'Mr. Sakata Ikuzo said that he would put everything into his current work even though he had to risk his life to do so.'

While Gun-Ho was thinking about Mr. Sakata Ikuzo, Director Park made another call to someone.

"Mr. President Song is not in the office, right?"

Gun-Ho could hear the person's voice on the other line saying that President Song was not in the company.

"Why do you need to know if President Song is in the company or not? Who were you talking to?"

"It's the security office. President Song doesn't like to see me in Dyeon Korea."

"Really? He probably didn't want you to leave your position here with GH Mobile."

"Well, bro. I have to go to GH Mobile now. I will be quick. I will just show them how to do the work and will be right back."

Gun-Ho was curious about what went wrong with the extruding machine no. 3. He decided to go to Dyeon Korea earlier that day. He usually went to Dyeon Korea in the afternoon after lunch, but that day he left early.

"Isn't it a bit too early for lunch?"

Chan-Ho Eom thought that Gun-Ho was heading to have lunch.

"Let's go to Dyeon Korea."

"Without having lunch, sir?"

"Yeah. I want to see something there now."

When they arrived at Dyeon Korea, there were so many trucks coming and going. There was a huge truck transporting a 40 feet container. That must be loaded with the products being exported to China or India.

Chan-Ho Eom said, "Sir, the gate area looks extremely busy with so many people and cars."

"I see that."

As Gun-Ho's Bentley was passing through the gate, the security officer gave a military salute and led the car to the building's entrance. Gun-Ho got off the car and walked to the production site right away where the machine no. 3 was located.

When he arrived at the production site, there were a bunch of people standing around the machine— Director Kim, Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo, and a few other executive officers. Even Mr. Vice President Adam Castler was there. When they saw Gun-Ho coming to the area, they all greeted him with a bow.

When Gun-Ho walked closer to the group, he could see Director Jong-Suk Park and the maintenance team's manager— Yong-Suk Ahn— sitting on the floor working with the machine.

"What's wrong with the machine?"

"Some screws are broken… sir."

Director Park replied in a formal way since other people were around them.

"Will it be okay?"

"Some parts need to be replaced. That's it."

Director Park stood up and said to the maintenance manager, "Bro, you try it."

Director Park was calling the maintenance manager brother too. The maintenance manager started putting things back together as Director Park showed him earlier.

Gun-Ho thought that Jong-Suk's calling everyone as brother, who was older than him at the production department, seemed to have created somewhat a cordial atmosphere between engineers.

After going back to his office, Gun-Ho asked for Mr. Adam Castler.

Mr. Adam Castler entered the office with his interpreter— Ms. Myeong-Joon Chae.

"Did you see the machine no. 3 that is already broken?"

"Yes, I did, sir."

"That machine was a part of Lymondell Dyeon's investment in-kind. They sent the old and almost-broken machines to us."

"That's an overstatement, sir."

Vice President Adam Castler looked perplexed.

"If not, why do you think that screw was broken for no obvious reason?"

"It could be that the worker who handled the machine was not careful enough."

"Are you saying that the worker was careless in handling the machine?"

"Maybe he placed raw materials more than the amount recommended in the instruction and sped up the machine. Or, he raised the temperature too high, or didn't set the machine to the right speed."

"So, you are suggesting that it is the worker's fault."

"I believe so."

"Okay. I will ask Director Kim to fire all of the workers who handled that machine."

Mr. Adam Castler was frightened when Gun-Ho said that he would fire the workers. He never expected to hear that. The interpreter— Myeon-Joon Chae— who was standing next to him was terrified as well.

Gun-Ho continued, "Because of that machine, the production line had to stop, which incurred loss to the company. If it was caused by those workers, we need to fire them."

"Umm, that… that's too harsh, sir."

"You said it yourself that the machine has broken down because the workers mishandled it, even though the machine is in a brand-new condition having worked perfectly."

"That… was just my guess, sir. I don't know what happened for sure. I will have people investigate it and find out what really happened."

"That won't be necessary. I just said that because Lymondell Dyeon sent us old machines as their investment in-kind and stated that those machines were worth way more than they actually were. Just know that, Mr. Vice President Adam Castler. You can go back to your work."

Mr. Adam Castler looked embarrassed. He walked out of Gun-Ho's office after giving a deep bow to Gun-Ho. The interpreter— Myeon-Joon Chae also gave a 90-degree bow to Gun-Ho and left the office.

'I need to let them know that I am aware of those old machines. Mr. Adam Castler will tell the head office what I told him today when he sends his weekly report to them.'