Episode 193. Good, bad.
Everyone gathered at my words and answered with a face that it was difficult to take responsibility for the car’s Ahn Mi-jeong.
“Um…Actually, I studied wireless charging technology, but I joined this company because I was interested in electric vehicles…”
“I’m not saying it’s completely gone. I can send it to you by dispatch, so why not come back after finishing the development of the wireless charging system in IT? It is a research that can be done right away, and it will be a good experience. Besides, you don’t even have an electric vehicle to study right now, right? When I return, there will be an electric vehicle that I can research.”
Responsible Ann bit her lip and pondered for a while.
“All right. Let’s get together and go to IT to develop wireless charging items.”
“You thought well. It will be reflected in the personnel evaluation, so there will be no regrets.”
Ahn’s face brightened.
“What. Thanks to Ahn, I found two important items, so I’m even more grateful. haha.”
#Mid March 2005.
I called Director Lee Guk-hyun and said,
“This manager. Please make an appointment with RG Group Chairman Cha Byung-han.”
RG Chem.
As the parent company of RG Group, it is the largest chemical company in Korea.
It was also the second largest battery manufacturer in Korea along with Hwansung Chemical.
Because it was a company that had a knack for batteries.
I was planning to procure batteries for electric vehicles through a joint venture with RG Chemicals.
“If it were Chairman Cha, it would be very difficult to plant due to the bankruptcy of RG Display right now. Do you really want to meet him?”
“yes. Well, I didn’t do that on purpose, and it’s common for yesterday’s enemies to become today’s comrades.”
“It’ll be fine, so don’t worry and make an appointment.”
The conference room of RG Display’s headquarters, which was acquired by VOE, a Chinese display company.
The sales team leader started the quarterly earnings briefing.
“I will report the results of the first quarter. Although this is a provisional count, it has a sales of 2.93 trillion won and an operating loss of 350 billion won. Sales increased compared to the fourth quarter of last year thanks to the 10% reduction in panel price, but the operating loss widened as a result.”
Even after hearing that there was a huge deficit of 350 billion won, the president, Jung Jae-min, nodded with a nonchalant face.
“I am doing well. If you persevere like this, the day will come when the market economy will improve. Then we will be able to return to the surplus, so everyone, just do it the way you are now.”
After that, the production status report continued.
Jung Jae-min was trembling as he listened, and then got up from his seat.
“I have an urgent schedule, so I get up first. If you haven’t seen it yet, please send it to us by e-mail. I’ll check it out later.”
When Jung Jae-min left the conference room, complaints erupted everywhere.
“Oh, really, what the hell is that author doing, so do you have a schedule at every meeting?”
“That’s it. Even if VOE parachutes the CEO, he still sticks in someone like that… Is it true that the rumor that VOE will abandon our company once the technology transfer is over?”
At those words, the atmosphere in the conference room suddenly went down.
After a while, people got up and started going back to the office.
Eventually, when only the two of you were left.
The CS (Customer Management Team) team leader opened his mouth with a heavy face toward the development team leader, whom he had been quite close with.
“Mr. Han, I heard from an acquaintance in China, and VOE has already started building a separate LCD line in Beijing. Watching Korean RG display lines go into a mess, but not paying much attention to it… It seems that the rumors are highly likely to be true.”
The development team leader asked with a surprised face.
“Huh… there are so many fine lines here, are you going to build another line in China?”
“That’s right. What’s even worse is that the top talents from each team are going to China one by one. They promise to double their annual salary and take them out in the form of a transfer, but there is no legal way to stop them because they are the same affiliate. If it goes like this, the Korean RG display will only be a shell.”
“..that’s really serious.”
The development team leader said with a bitter smile.
“As long as things are like this, there is only one way.”
“..what are you going to do?”
“Well, can I have a special number? If I stay like this, I’m sure I’ll lose my job, but I need to change my job before it’s too late.”
“I don’t want to go to the VOE side that has messed up our company like this, so I’m going to apply for TM Display.”
The CS team leader asked in amazement.
“A TM display?”
“yes. To be honest, I thought about changing jobs a few times, but I couldn’t afford to leave because of my love for the company. However, looking at what VOE is doing, it seems that the company has already lost its revival… and it seems that the time has come to give up.”
“..that was it. He is, however, one of the world’s leading experts in the IPS mode field, so he will be welcomed by TM Display.”
“Oh, boss too, let go of your regrets and find a way to live. In my opinion, there is no more hope here. English, French, and Chinese, you can speak 3 or 4 foreign languages, so there are plenty of places to go, right? Moving now is a wise choice.”
“…Thanks for the advice. I have to think about it.”
Song Un-jeong, Yeonnam-dong.
When Jaewoon entered the room, RG Chairman Cha Byung-han, who had been there first, stood up.
“I’ve seen many faces in the media, but it’s actually the first time. This is Cha Byung-han.”
“hello. This is Jaewoon Kang. Sit down.”
Cha Byung-han did not hide his uncomfortable feelings, but revealed them as they were.
“..Honestly, it’s not like we’re meeting and having a good conversation, isn’t it?”
Jaewoon answered with a calm face.
“Are there good things and bad things between businessmen? If good stories come and go, it’s a good relationship, otherwise it’s a bad relationship.”
“..you speak well. What is the story you want to tell?”
“Let’s do a business with me.”
“business? What business?”
“It’s the battery business.”
Cha Byung-han tilted his head as it was quite far from the business he had been doing so far.
“..because it’s the battery business…you’re saying it’s a bit sudden…are you doing this because of your smartphone?”
“I believe that the era of internal combustion engine cars that run on oil will disappear and the era of electric cars that run on electricity will come. I want to make my own batteries for that electric car.”
Cha Byung-han asked in surprise.
“You think electric vehicles that can travel less than 100 km on a single charge will become mainstream? Are you serious?”
“Is there a law that says it will still be the same in the future? As long as the battery is improved, electric vehicles will become mainstream in no time. However, there is no such battery right now, so I am trying to make one. To do that, we need a partner with technical skills, and I’m here to offer you that partner.”
Cha Byung-han, who was worried as he touched his chin, asked.
“I understand why you came to me. If it is a battery in Korea, RG Chem is the best. But what kind of relationship are you thinking of as a partner?”
“We are considering a joint venture between RG Chemicals and ours. If Chairman Cha provides the technology and manpower, it would be nice if I financed it.”
Most of RG Chem’s battery business revenue came from the sale of batteries for mobile phones.
After all, the automotive battery sector had neither profit nor marketability, so even investment was being delayed.
Creating a joint venture with fortune was not a bad choice.
Cha Byeong-han, who had been in trouble for a while, asked.
“If the conditions are right, I don’t think a joint venture would be bad, but the problem is the conditions. What do you think of the equity structure?”
“How about 70% of us and 30% of RG Chem? Instead, I think the investment is over 10 trillion won a year.”
It was a time when RG Chemical’s market cap was only 6 trillion won.
When the amount nearly twice that amount came out of Jae-Woon’s mouth, Cha Byung-Han was shocked.
“..10 Articles..?”
Cha Byung-han opened his mouth with a troubled face.
“..I’m famous for my big hands, but Chairman Kang’s scale is really different.”
“haha. I’ll take it as a compliment. Because when I start something, I have to finish it before my intuition is released. When I start the battery business, I plan to grow it properly. A huge amount of money will be invested, and the company has a high-quality customer such as Damoye Automobile, which currently has the largest share in the world, so the joint venture will soon become a battery company worth tens of trillions of dollars. If you invest only battery technology and people, you will be able to own 30% of such a company, so I don’t think it’s a loss to Chairman Cha.”
Cha Byung-han pondered for a moment, then asked Jae-woon.
“If I reject Chairman Kang’s proposal, are you going to give up on the joint venture?”
“of course. However, we will not give up the battery business itself.”
“..Does that mean that you want to start the battery business even if you take over another company?”
“That’s right. It will be less efficient than setting up a joint venture with RG Chem, but don’t you need a battery for an electric vehicle anyway? As I said before, I’m not the type to do anything roughly, so I’ll have to make a proper battery for electric vehicles in some way.”
Cha Byung-han looked at the table for a while with a worried face, then raised his head.
“No matter how much I think about it, there is no other option than to accept Chairman Kang’s proposal. If you decline the offer, you will have to gather around and face a strong competitor called Battery… I’m honestly not sure. The president himself is a very good person, but now he has a lot of funds…”
He smiled bitterly, fiddling with the glass in front of him.
soon spoke
“I don’t think it’s something I would say because I was born as a second-generation chaebol, but thanks to Chairman Kang, over the past few years, I have often thought that the sky is unfair.”
At that, Jaewoon smiled inwardly.
‘The sky is not fair… To make the words that I used to wear sweet in my previous life come out of the mouth of Chairman Cha, who was born in the chaebol Jin-gol!’
Jae-woon said to Cha Byung-han while trying to lower the corner of his mouth as he was about to go up.
“The sky was originally unfair. Chairman Cha only felt it now.”
“..a painful horse…well, if you can’t win anyway, it would be a wise decision to take the same boat. I hope to go along well! Chairman Kang.”
“Let’s make the best electric vehicle battery company together! haha.”
