069 : Only head-on breakthrough
I was surprised when I saw the Mother Ship reservation form.
The reservation for the mother ship’s vessel (ship’s cargo loading) was already 100%, and even the waiting reservation was full.
That’s also with Japanese companies that I’ve never even heard of.
“Zaitz normal? glass trade? Unemployment? Kim Joo-im, Park Joo-im, have you ever heard of a company like this?”
“No, I just thought it was weird. A few weeks ago, one or two cases started to stand out, and these days, it was rare that the ship wasn’t on the list.”
“Those companies are eating up all the capacity of international export routes, regardless of whether they are North America, Southeast Asia, Europe, or Australia. I’m going crazy.”
‘this…’
I felt bad.
Originally, the shipping side was playing with money and eating money to the extent that it went back to the rule of thumb until the early 21st century.
Due to the nature of shipping freight rates, which do not have a separate consumer price, shippers like us directly meet with shipping companies to adjust prices.
To export to North America, you must directly contact the shipping company’s North American route manager to check the number of ships, negotiate the freight rate according to the type and volume of the cargo, draw up a contract, and deliver the cargo to the port on a fixed schedule. That way, you can properly load and depart.
Shipping companies aim to transport multiple customers’ cargoes on time, so if the cargoes do not arrive at the port by the scheduled time, they leave without waiting for the cargoes.
Therefore, what is very important for export is to pass through customs on time and put the cargo in the port yard in advance.
So Korea in the 1960s, which was already poor, had one more difficult point. In order to send export products to the United States, the goods had to be shipped to Kobe/Osaka/Tokyo ports in Japan through Busan Port.
This was because there was no Korean national merchant ship that could cross the Pacific Ocean and go directly to the United States.
“How many times has our cargo missed the ship?”
“Twice in Kobe and once in Osaka, a total of 3 times. All of them were tied up by Japanese customs. So this time I sent it to Tokyo, but it’s not clearing customs there either.”
Now the stuff we’ve been making all December hasn’t boarded the ship. The reason for not passing through customs is our company, so the shipping company has nothing to lose. You just need to load the goods of the shipper who has a waiting reservation.
Missing boats was not uncommon, but never in such a row.
It would be a big deal if I couldn’t get to the US within March because my cargo kept getting pushed back.
I need to bring $70 million worth of cash to the U.S. to convert short-term foreign debt into long-term government debt. That’s how I prove my skills to American investors.
“Have you ever seen a case where the fleet was full in early January?”
“What are you talking about…”
“Kim Joo-im, originally, in North America, the amount of goods transported quickly decreases in early January. Before the Christmas part, everyone is crazy busy, and right after that, even the dock workers are talking about Christmas holidays. By the way, the full capacity and the waiting list are fully filled like this? I mean, this is not normal.”
“sorry. I had mostly imported and domestic sales at my previous company… Manager Park, do you have any experience?”
“Oh, me too… I’m not sure about that.”
Even if you are a career worker, you are novice when it comes to exporting. Well, it’s not their fault.
“If you keep missing the ship like this, you will not be able to use the international liner. It’s like being stamped on the shipping alliance.”
If this continues, it will give the shipping companies an excuse.
Even if it passes through customs, it is an excuse to be excluded from the vessel contract.
“Ugh! Is that true?”
“It’s not our company’s fault. Japanese customs won’t let it go.”
“Boss, please send me on a business trip to Japan. Whether it’s customs or shipping, I’ll hold onto the pants and export it anyway.”
“No, we need to figure out the situation first. Keep your mouth shut about this right now, and report it only to Director Lee Sam-bok. You don’t want other people to know. I know?”
“Yes, boss.”
“Go and see the work. For now, let’s leave our things only at Busan Port.”
“Yes, boss.”
If this is intentional, if we go to Japan and grab the crotch of our pants, they will hold on to our things even stronger.
No, I will return it to Korea.
These are the guys who did similar things in the 21st century.
***
‘I need help from the Blue House.’
I finally called the secretary’s office.
In Korea in the 1960s, the Blue House was like the chairman’s office at the headquarters of a large corporation.
＜This is the Blue House Secretariat.＞
“Chief Secretary.”
＜Yes, Mr. Wu. What are you doing? Please contact us first.＞
It used to be a bit awkward, but these days the atmosphere has improved a bit.
I work so hard, and the purpose itself is to pay short-term foreign debt, so I’m not a patriot anyone can see.
“I urgently need your cooperation. It looks like Japan is playing around with international trade ships.”
“Are you kidding me?
“My goods have not been able to get through Japanese customs, so they are not being loaded on merchant ships bound for the United States. They are even taking all of the tonnage of merchant ships bound for the United States. No matter how much I print for export, there will be no way to ship it to the United States.”
“I’m presumptuous, but isn’t it an overreaction? If so, isn’t the Japanese government interfering with Korean private companies’ exports?”
“I wish I was Ki-woo too. However, if you keep watching and even some of the goods do not arrive in the United States, short-term foreign debt may go bankrupt. There’s nothing wrong with being careful. Please check the situation.”
“Let’s find out at the Japanese embassy right away. Please come to the Blue House.”
“thank you.”
The Chief of Staff, knowing the seriousness of the problem, recommended entering the Blue House.
***
“welcome. Boss Wu.”
I ran to the Blue House, and someone was there to meet me.
“Yes, nice to meet you. Excuse me, but who are you?”
“It’s called Yeomwoncheol. Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry. It is my job to help Mr. Wu.”
“Yes? Ah… yes.”
I told the chief of staff a few times that I needed someone to help with the export business, but he was finally assigned today.
It was sudden, but thank you.
I wondered if this nobleman was a man who had only heard about the wish.
Isn’t he the nobleman who led Korea’s heavy chemical industry as the senior secretary for economic affairs in the 1970s?
He is a nobleman who had a lot of influence on the petrochemical field because he was a bureaucrat from the Department of Chemistry, which is rare.
He is a famous figure in the industry as a workaholic, but his face is rounder and kinder than I thought.
‘Now is not the time to think like this.’
I inwardly shook my head.
“Let’s go, Assistant Minister.”
“Yes.”
I went straight to the reception room with Assistant Minister Yeom Won-cheol.
***
“Welcome, sir.”
“I’m sorry for coming in abruptly. I need help.”
“I heard about it. Did I mention that Japanese kids don’t rent boats?”
“It’s just a heart attack.”
“Well, exports to Southeast Asia and exports to the United States are on a different level. Enough to disturb you.”
When Korea entered the export-import market, the biggest difficulty was the shipping industry, and it was also the shipping industry that had a serious trade deficit with Japan.
It was somehow transported to Southeast Asia by Korean ship, but in order to cross the Pacific Ocean, it was necessary to buy a large ship and join the International Shipping Alliance.
Without joining the shipping alliance, it was difficult to find a shipper, and it was difficult to receive port logistics warehouses or stevedoring support. This is because the original shipping company grew into a cartel from birth.
“Imja, what happened to asking the Japanese side to investigate?”
The president hurriedly turned the topic to the chief of staff.
“As a result of urgently contacting the embassy, the Japanese government received a reply saying that it cannot continue giving priority to South Korea for merchant ships bound for North America.”
“What do you mean? Imja, can’t you speak a little easier?”
“So far, the Japanese government has been actively helping Korean companies in their export business, but now they say they will reap the preferential treatment and treat them equally with Japanese companies.”
“Consideration? preferential? Huh.”
The president laughed incredulously.
Listening to the chief of staff’s words, I couldn’t help but recall what happened to our country in the 21st century.
Yes, history always repeats itself.Read at noblemtl
Japan has been giving special benefits to Korea, and it is threatening that the benefits have been distorted due to Korea’s fault.
‘Wow, since the Korea-Japan negotiations failed to ratify, they’re increasing the level of pressure in this way.’
This is where it started.
It seems that the Korean government could not stand this kind of pressure in history.
“I received a reply that the Korean government must come up with a solution if they want to reverse the preferential treatment.”
bang!
“What a pun! I can’t speak properly!!!!”
“Yes, Your Excellency. Their intention is to immediately announce and implement the fisheries agreement agreed in the Korea-Japan agreement. This is what the Japanese ambassador informed me orally.”
“Agreement is what agreement was reached. It hasn’t even been ratified, so what are you trying to do?”
“Immediately withdraw the peace line claimed by South Korea, reduce Korea’s exclusive waters (an area where only Korean fishermen can fish) to 12 nautical miles, and set the rest of the sea as a joint waters to make it clear that Japan and Korea jointly own it. do.”
The word joint waters sounds good at first glance, but it meant that Japanese fishermen with excellent fishing boats would sweep our coasts.
“Are you going to interfere in internal affairs now?”
The president burst into anger, but no Japanese were present to hear it.
“Unless the request is accepted, we have repeatedly said that we will not be able to give preferential treatment to Korea’s export volume. dismissal.”
In other words, it is wrong to use international routes departing from Japan.
It was Japanese.
It comes out like this just because the Korea-Japan negotiations have entered into renegotiation, but how would it have come out if I had obtained information that I had negotiated short-term foreign debt with Van Flint?
My stuff must have disappeared.Read at noblemtl
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
I need to bring back the goods in Japanese customs.
“Using international merchant ships from Japan seems difficult. Is there any boat the government can lend me?”
“okay! Support the warship immediately. No matter how rough the Pacific Ocean is, a warship can cross it.”
“Go… Your Excellency. LST is a warship, so it cannot be used for merchant ships. This is the first condition that the United States put forward when it transferred LST to Korea.”
“What are you talking about. I go to Quy Nhon Port every time.”
“That’s possible under the pretext of providing combat supplies to Powell’s men. It is not something that even our allies can do recklessly for warships to enter foreign territorial waters outside of wartime.”
I heard and saw it.
That’s why warships can’t enter Somalia’s territorial waters, where pirates are rampant, and they can’t escort merchant ships.
“!!! shit…”
President Park also frowned.
He sat down and asked for a cigarette.
What to do with this deep inhalation of cigarette smoke? It seemed that he was starting to worry. It seemed that he had come to his own conclusions.
“Imja, a special envoy to Japan now…”
“No, Mr. President. You must not send it.”
“What’s wrong? If exports cannot be made by March, the country will go bankrupt. Then you can’t bring in loans and you can’t bring in food. Are you saying that we should all starve to death together?”
“Mr. President, if you step down and make an agreement with Japan, you will not only lose to Japan, but you will also be abandoned by the United States. We have to prove our potential.”
If a Korea-Japan agreement is reached now, civil claims against Japan will also be lost, and then the investors brought by Van Flint or Nancy will never look at Korea again.
“Is there any other way?”
“Shouldn’t we start by looking for a ship that can cross the Pacific Ocean? Chief Secretary!”
“Yes, please.”
“Is there a ship in my country that I can use?”
The secretary general did not readily answer my question.
He looked to the side as if he was embarrassed, and Deputy Minister Yum Won-cheol stepped forward.
“How big of a boat do you need? I once inspected a ship when I was in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.”
Seeing that he is confidently stepping out, it seems that he is quick at importing and exporting.
“We need to load 100 40-foot containers. Processed wood is about thousands of tons, so I think it should be about 10,000 tons.”
“Eh… 10,000 tons?”
Was a 10,000-ton ship that big in the 60’s?
Deputy Minister Yeom Won-cheol was so surprised that he made an expression that seemed to faint.
“No? Even an older boat is fine.”
“Even the new ships are not that big. Even 1 or 2,000 tons is a large ship, and at least thousands of tons are all merchant ships that have joint ventures with Japanese shipping companies.”
Was the dependence on Japan this high?
If you cooperated with a Japanese shipping company, you would not be able to use even a thousand-ton ship. The Japanese government will systematically sabotage.
One sabotage operation is meticulous.
“Hey, Imja. Are there any remaining warships at the naval base? Wouldn’t it be okay to fix it and use it as a merchant ship?”
“I don’t know that far.”
‘!!! By fixing the warship? Fix it…’
Suddenly, at the words of the president, something passed by.
While working on a plant, maritime drivers sometimes join, and it was amazing to hear the same story from different people.
When Korea penetrated the North American route, was it not a general merchant ship, but a naval academy? what university was it? In any case, he said that he repaired the boat he was using for training there and crossed the Pacific Ocean.
Instructor Gina, who used to teach navigation, boasted that a commemorative painting was also hung in the auditorium of her alma mater because she led the students and pioneered the North American route after hardships.
“Deputy Minister, by any chance, where do you train our captains or sailors?”
“Of course, we do it in Jinhae or Busan. But, why are you asking that?”
“Isn’t there a practice ship to educate them? Even if it’s a junk, it’s going to be quite big, so if you fix it, I think you can cross the Pacific Ocean.”
“Ugh!”
“Those thoughts!”
“Imja, contact Jinhae right away… No, President Woo goes directly. Go and get it right away if you can use it.”
The president jumped up from his seat and patted my shoulder. Somehow, Deputy Minister Yum Won-cheol and I set off for Jinhae right from the Blue House.
“If you prepare a ship, set up a shipping company at this time. Got it!”
“Yes?”
“yes?”
“ah…”
All three opened their mouths at once.
“Ah, yes. Mr. President. I will.”
I was the first to come to my senses and answer.
I didn’t want to start a shipping company like this, but right now I wasn’t in a position to choose between hot and cold meals.
