Chapter 120
Chapter 120
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: Unmasking the Leaker
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"I'll take a look."
Kang Hyun closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.
Everyone in the courtroom was listening intently to his words.
"The contents stated in Exhibit A-19(1) through (3), A-20(1) and (2), and A-21 and A-22. Please cross-reference these now with the submitted Seohae Pulp Company reorganization procedure documents."
Kang Hyun calmly laid out the documents he had glanced over just once.
'There's no shortage of material.'
Kang Hyun's strategy was to counter Seok Ji-hoon's claims by cross-referencing the vast array of documents and submitted evidence.
But in truth, it was an impossible feat. Unfurling a stream of unprepared materials? No one could do it.
That was true for anyone else, at least.
Kang Hyun began pulling it off, one by one.
"Reorganization claim registry, pages 10 through 28, and 65 through 71. At the time of the commencement of the Seohae Pulp Company reorganization proceedings, the plaintiff held claims against the company totaling 16,729,273,615 won: an Industrial Bank guaranteed corporate bond claim of 10,000,000,000 won, an overdraft loan claim of 2,852,164,175 won, and a deferred payment claim of 3,877,109,440 won. Subsequently, the 10 billion won was extinguished due to the Industrial Bank's fulfillment of its guarantee obligation, and approximately 45 percent of the remaining claims were converted to equity contributions."
Kang Hyun rattled them off in sequence.
His words, precise down to the last won and without pause, were flawless—not a single error.
The bench methodically followed along, pinpointing the documents and beginning their legal review.
Seok Ji-hoon's side could only skim them lightly; with no preparation for this deluge of material, they were helpless.
"We'll start with page 1 of the Seohae Pulp reorganization plan documents for third parties. Please also refer to Exhibits A-20(21) and A-22.
'It shall be stipulated that the order of allocation for remaining reorganization claims shall follow creditor-designated allocation.' Under this plan, the plaintiff allocated the equity conversion claims first to the overdraft loan claim of 2,852,164,175 won, with the remainder of 217,303,825 won applied to the deferred payment claim in this case."
"Correct."
The presiding judge nodded slightly in agreement.
Kang Hyun accelerated, pressing Seok Ji-hoon harder in response.
"Defense, please confirm. Is this accurate?"
"...We need to review the documents, but yes, in part."
Seok Ji-hoon spoke in an irritated tone at Kang Hyun's demeanor, but Kang Hyun ignored it and drove the point home.
"It will be precise. The key here is that these reorganization claims arose from the deferred payment under the letter of credit. It's stated multiple times in the referenced documents—an indisputable fact."
"...We accept that."
Seok Ji-hoon finally conceded.
Kang Hyun had chosen neutral wording that left no room for dispute.
Moreover, it aligned with Seok Ji-hoon's own assertion.
That the claims had been recognized as reorganization claims, and Seohae Pulp had made payment accordingly.
Thus, defendant Kawasaki Corporation had no basis for liability in damages.
At first glance, it seemed to bolster the defense's position.
But this was Seok Ji-hoon's blunder.
"The claims our plaintiff seeks from the defendant are not reorganization claims arising from the deferred payment under the letter of credit. The claims sought by the plaintiff are for 'damages due to unlawful acts.'"
"...Unlawful?"
"Seohae Pulp wouldn't have covered damages for the defendant's unlawful acts, would they? Do you concede?"
"Unlawful? That's absurd."
"Sounds like a concession to me."
"..."
Seok Ji-hoon flinched slightly.
The audience, familiar with him, grew suddenly restless. It was a sight they'd never witnessed.
"We'll check the documents. Reviewing Exhibit B-30, the guarantee. On the 11th of the month this incident occurred, Seohae Pulp requested the defendant to deliver the cargo immediately upon arrival at the discharge port. On the 18th of the same month, the defendant instructed delivery of this shipment's cargo—through irregular means."
"We have the guarantee. How is that irregular?"
"Delivering cargo without a bill of lading, despite submitting a guarantee, is unlawful."
"It's common practice. Calling it unlawful is ridiculous."
"Delivering goods to someone other than the bill of lading holder without the bill itself is a risky act premised on potential liability for damages—and you're invoking custom in court?"
"...Custom hardens into precedent. Do you know how maritime carriage contracts operate?"
"Your Honor, the plaintiff cannot comprehend what the defense is saying."
"Wouldn't refusing delivery due to lack of bill of lading handover be the real issue?"
Seok Ji-hoon shot back sharply, but it was a retort born from feeling cornered.
The momentum had already shifted toward Kang Hyun.
"Moreover, the defendant's actions constitute an unlawful act due to intent or gross negligence. It infringes on the bill of lading holder's rights over the goods."
"Your Honor!"
Seok Ji-hoon's tone rose another notch.
"Please judge wisely. As I said, the plaintiff's claims are baseless."
Kang Hyun's argument had pierced deep into the underbelly of maritime contracts—the tacit irregularities—and while unlawful, it was undeniably so.
Yet attacking it head-on? Unprecedented in Korean courts.
The bench recognized this; the judges fell silent, and the courtroom hushed.
Finally, the presiding judge spoke.
"We'll need to deliberate on this. Does the defense have further argument?"
"Yes."
Seok Ji-hoon emphasized his rebuttal, as if to avenge the humiliation.
He had grown frantic, his eyes shaking, hands trembling slightly—a man who'd taken a solid hit.
But even so, Seok Ji-hoon quickly regained composure and unleashed another fierce assault.
Kang Hyun countered immediately.
Their astonishing clash resumed.
"As the bank handling Seohae Pulp's transactions, the plaintiff issued a usance letter of credit and provided credit. Yet it failed to diligently investigate or monitor the credit status."
"Please refer to Supreme Court Case 98Da13211. Can it be seen as neglecting the duty of care under social norms or good faith when the issuing bank receives shipping documents but doesn't inquire into the cargo's whereabouts?"
"Your Honor, the plaintiff had conducted numerous similar transactions with Donghae Pulp and knew or should have known it would receive this cargo without a bill of lading—yet issued the usance letter of credit. Thus, it must be deemed that the plaintiff tacitly consented to or approved the unlawful removal of the cargo!"
"Evidence that it knew in advance?"
"We have the witness Lee [redacted]'s examination results."
"You're basing such speculation on a witness examination? No other evidence to substantiate, then."
Five minutes, ten... twenty.
Kang Hyun wasn't just shielding—he was thrusting back with a sharp spear, parrying Seok Ji-hoon's onslaught.
Each time, rebuttals outside Seok Ji-hoon's calculations, bizarrely sharp logic, emerged. Inevitably, Seok Ji-hoon's ammunition began to run dry.
"..."
Seok Ji-hoon trembled.
Even his second, third, tenth attack wouldn't land a scratch—he realized it now.
Time passed: one hour... two.
More than enough for Kang Hyun's arguments to captivate the entire courtroom.
Seok Ji-hoon pressed on aggressively, but Kang Hyun deftly evaded, countering instead.
Small applause erupted with each of Kang Hyun's rebuttals and surrebuttals. Seok Ji-hoon seemed to feel he was battling not just the plaintiff but the whole arena, his expression occasionally dazed.
And during the final recess.
"Professor Park Min-ha."
"...Yes?"
"Could we talk for a moment?"
Kang Hyun quietly called her out of the waiting room.
Park Min-ha followed him with a puzzled look, and they faced each other in a dim corner of the hallway.
He turned to her directly.
"No need for long talk. I don't know what you want, but I've already known you're working for Center Director Gong Hyun-jeong."
Indeed.
Kang Hyun had become certain at some point during the debate.
Seok Ji-hoon pulling out logic the defense couldn't have anticipated, attacking fiercely.
Fine, but the defense reciting from the plaintiff's supplemental documents too?
What was the issue?
As Kang Hyun pondered during his arguments, one person came to mind: Park Min-ha.
At his words, she revealed her true colors.
"Impressive. How did you know?"
"The feedback between you and me, the materials we gathered and shared together—all of it became their answers. If I'm right, you handed everything over."
Kang Hyun's words were sharp, but Park Min-ha parried without a hint of guilt.
"As expected, you're something else!"
She smiled at him with her usual affable expression.
"..."
But this, too, was anticipated.
Kang Hyun said to her,
"Truth be told, when I first realized, I felt betrayed... Tsk."
He looked at her with incredulity, as if she were pathetic.
"I don't know how much you leaked, but it seems it only exposed their limits. They countered flawlessly up to a certain 'line'..."
"..."
"That's the 'line' of the leaked materials. Beyond that, sloppiness shows, and they start floundering."
"..."
"In the end, we'll win. So prepare yourself."
She listened silently, then lifted her brazen face and stared at him.
"What do you mean?"
A chill ran down his spine.
Kang Hyun was genuinely startled.
Unlike the calm, bespectacled, kind face he'd known, a strange expression floated behind her eyes.
A disconcerting sense that this wasn't the person he knew.
"I'm your supervising professor here, and the team is Korea University Team 3, 'Park Min-ha Team.' What can you do about it?"
Looking at her, he wondered if she might be more dangerous than Seok Ji-hoon or Gong Hyun-jeong.
"Focus on the match, Kang Hyun. It's not over till it's over—you know that? I've found it quite entertaining."
Her audacity exceeded his expectations.
"Do you think you're untouchable here?"
"...?"
"Whether you're Gong Hyun-jeong's confidante or a key figure in the bracket—it doesn't matter. I don't need explanations for your role."
"..."
"So, I'm not interested in whatever form you'll come begging in later. All that matters is that right here, Park Min-ha, you're a tenure-track professor at Korea University who acted as a mole."
"And? What can you do now that you know?"
She spat venomously.
But Kang Hyun met her eyes squarely and threw her words back.
"It's not over till it's over. Take the advice."
He began pressing her.
"I've already reported to the dean via the Korea University student council that Professor Park Min-ha leaked materials. A disciplinary committee will convene."
"Doesn't matter."
Park Min-ha cut him off sharply.
She feigned nonchalance, but her teeth were grinding as she glared at him.
Kang Hyun sneered.
"We'll see if it truly doesn't. And honestly, I don't care whether it does or not for you. Merely..."
Kang Hyun paused.
To tighten the noose.
"I'll just watch as part of your efforts go to waste."
That was it.
Kang Hyun turned and left Park Min-ha behind.
"Oh, and remember this: every time you mess with me from now on, that tower you built with your efforts will crumble, bit by bit."
Step, step.
Park Min-ha could only glare at his retreating figure, breathing raggedly.
He could hear her uneven breaths even from afar, but she was already beneath his notice.
For him, only the match remained.