The Principal's Legacy
At the end of the century, when someone mentioned "the principal," it naturally referred to the principal of Deokjin Elementary School. He had been the greatest benefactor who had helped Yoo Jae-won reach his current position, both materially and spiritually. He was also one of the few shareholders of ID Technology. Although his shares had been converted to preferred stock to secure Yoo Jae-won's stable management rights, his presence remained significant enough that ten percent of any dividends from ID Technology was always set aside for him. To hear that this principal was now critically ill left Yoo Jae-won struggling to grasp the reality. Whenever he returned to Korea, he had visited the man, and he had always seemed vigorous. Yet with his schedule growing busier, nearly two years had passed since their last meeting. What could have happened in that time?
"I'll leave right away." This was not something he could ignore. "Yes, I'll look into it immediately."
Yoo Jae-won asked Kim Dae-seok to find a flight back to Korea at once. Kim Dae-seok immediately began searching through the internet and phone calls.
"All same-day flights are fully booked."
It seemed the day he needed to travel was the busiest. There was always steady demand for flights from San Francisco to Korea, but with the vacation season, no seats remained.
"The corporate jet is currently in Houston. If we cancel the existing schedule and recall it, it can depart within four hours."
"A corporate jet? Can a 737 cross the Pacific?"
"It can. Moreover, after renewing the lease recently, it was upgraded to the latest 737 NG model, so it can make the trip nonstop."
Arranging a leased jet was not a major decision; the operations team handled such matters routinely. The operations team referred to the group's executives and the special team that moved separately under Yoo Jae-won's direct orders. The special team had played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in the recent Japan operation. It was thanks to them that the documents approving Abe's removal had been discovered and leaked to the press, along with other critical evidence. Although the team had not yet reached the stage of public disclosure, they had already gathered substantial proof of the war crimes and inhumane atrocities committed by Japan during its imperialistic "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" campaigns. Their achievements had been so remarkable that Yoo Jae-won had ordered full support for anything they needed. As a result, upgrades to leased aircraft had been approved without question, and today Yoo Jae-won reaped the benefit.
"Understood. Let's do that."
"Yes, I'll request the special team's cooperation and have the jet sent to San Francisco."
Kim Dae-seok immediately made a call. Yoo Jae-won began preparing for his return to Korea. His luggage was always ready, so his first task was to make the necessary phone calls.
The next day, Yoo Jae-won arrived in Korea. Because his arrival had not been publicly announced, he was able to leave the airport quickly. The corporate jet had only recently been upgraded and had not yet received ID Group's logo or colors. This allowed him to slip away swiftly and quietly. Upon reaching Seoul, he headed straight to Asan General Hospital.
Asan General Hospital belonged to the Asan Social Welfare Foundation under Mirae Group, established with Jeon Myeong-heon's personal funds. Founded to provide quality medical facilities to medically underserved regions, its hospitals had first been built in the provinces rather than Seoul, reflecting its strong public-service orientation. That did not mean its capabilities were lacking. Equipped with the finest facilities and medical staff, it maintained a constant rivalry with Ilsung Medical Corporation in both quality and scale. Its VIP facilities were also the best in Seoul. Whether designed with the possibility that Mirae Group's royal family might one day be admitted, certain private suites rivaled five-star hotel rooms. One thing was certain: the layout and interior of those suites were definitely not in Jeon Myeong-heon's style. A man who had lived his entire life practicing frugality would have felt uncomfortable in such opulent surroundings. Still, given the rivalry with Ilsung Hospital and the need to accommodate VIP patients, the suites were entirely justifiable. The principal, like Jeon Myeong-heon, had always been frugal, so he would surely have refused a private suite. Yoo Jae-won almost wished he could hear the man scolding him for bringing him to such a place unnecessarily.
Seeing the principal lying unconscious and dependent on a ventilator filled him with deep sorrow. His once-familiar face had grown gaunt, the illness unmistakable. After watching over him for a long time, Yoo Jae-won stepped out to find his mother and father waiting, along with a middle-aged doctor who appeared to be the attending physician. His parents had expected his arrival, but the doctor looked visibly surprised.
"What is the principal's diagnosis?"
"Pancreatic cancer," his mother answered at once.
"Pancreatic cancer?"
It was a diagnosis he had never imagined. As Yoo Jae-won reacted with shock, the attending physician continued.
"Yes, Mr. Chairman. Pancreatic cancer refers to cancer that develops in the pancreas. While not among the most common cancers, it is one of the most difficult to treat once it appears. The earlier it is detected, the higher the chance of recovery, but unfortunately, Mr. Lee Dong-sik came to the hospital only at the terminal stage. At this point, all I can say is that we will do our best."
It was the doctor's way of telling him to prepare for the worst. Yoo Jae-won knew pancreatic cancer well; it was the disease that had taken Steve Jobs. If it had reached the terminal stage, the cancer had already spread throughout the body. Even with his knowledge of future treatments for countless cancers and incurable diseases, there was nothing he could do.
The news of Yoo Jae-won's sudden return to Korea broke the following day. Because the secretariat had not issued any press release, each media outlet published speculative articles that missed the mark. A call eventually came from the Blue House as well. Jeon Myeong-heon had apparently been curious why Yoo Jae-won had refused to travel together earlier, only to rush back to Korea so abruptly.
"It's Principal Lee Dong-sik. My most respected teacher is critically ill."
Yoo Jae-won explained the reason for his return honestly.
"Ah, I know of him as well. This is serious. I pray for his swift recovery. And be sure to contact me before you depart again."
"Yes. Please take care of your health as well, Grandfather."
Seeing the principal collapse had naturally made Yoo Jae-won worry about Jeon Myeong-heon's health too. By age, Jeon Myeong-heon was far older than the principal. Moreover, as president, his activity level far exceeded that of others his age.
"Haha, I'm perfectly healthy except for being a corpse. Besides, there's a resident physician inside the Blue House. What is there to worry about?"
"You shouldn't be so overconfident. Age is the most reliable indicator there is."
"All right, all right. I understand."
Despite Yoo Jae-won's repeated warnings, Jeon Myeong-heon raised both hands in surrender. Yet because his words came easily while actual change was unlikely, Yoo Jae-won could not feel entirely reassured. After all, the day Jeon Myeong-heon had died in his previous life was drawing closer. The only thing he could hope for was the Blue House system itself. The president's health was directly tied to national security. With a physician monitoring him around the clock, it was unlikely that a serious condition like the principal's would go unnoticed.
On July 12, 1998, the day France defeated Brazil 3-0 in Saint-Denis and lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy, the principal returned to the heavens. After the funeral, Yoo Jae-won felt a profound sense of loss on his way home. Before his regression, the principal had been someone with whom his connection had been extremely faint—a lofty figure a young student could barely approach. That preconception still lingered, yet the principal now etched in Yoo Jae-won's memory was completely different from the one before his regression. Thanks to him, Yoo Jae-won had learned the danger of holding rigid preconceptions about people he had known before regressing. He had come to understand that a person's character was multidimensional and required comprehensive judgment. Losing such a man inevitably left him deeply melancholy.
Yet the principal had left behind something else for Yoo Jae-won as well: a will written for him. Its contents were not extraordinary. It urged him, as he rose to greater heights, to guard against arrogance, and as his earnings grew, never to neglect giving back. Even if it seemed his own share was shrinking at the moment, everything would eventually return as virtue. The words were the same ones the principal had always spoken, but they once again gave Yoo Jae-won cause to reflect on himself.
Even on the day he passed, the principal had lived by his own words. Among his assets, the most valuable—his preferred shares in ID Technology—had been donated in full to Deokjin Elementary School, Yeoju Middle and High School, and small local communities. The principal had children of his own. Yet instead of passing on shares that paid out hundreds of billions of won annually, and sometimes trillions when business was good—the most powerful dividend stock in the universe—he had chosen to give back to society. He had even donated some shares to the ID Foundation. That did not mean he had heartlessly excluded his own children's portion. Houses and various real estate purchased with the steady dividends from ID Technology had been inherited as expected. It was the most natural thing between parent and child. Because of this, the principal's goodwill lost none of its strength, and Yoo Jae-won felt a distinct pang in his chest.
The surplus funds generated from the successful Japan operation amounted to a staggering 53.4 billion dollars. On top of that, ID Group had accumulated substantial profits. After paying taxes and distributing dividends to shareholders, the amount Yoo Jae-won could personally claim was considerable. He had been pondering where best to use it, but he had never seriously considered philanthropy. He had believed the ID Foundation alone was sufficient. Each year, a portion of the net profits from ID Group's affiliates was donated to the foundation, which then spent the entire amount the following year. No other foundation operated on the principle of spending every donated won within a year; such a model required absolute confidence in a steady inflow of funds. Thanks to this approach, even with a modest scale, the foundation's presence had reached world-class levels. Yet after witnessing the principal's example, Yoo Jae-won's thinking had begun to shift slightly. That did not mean he intended to scatter money on a whim. No one understood the value of money better than Yoo Jae-won. If he was going to spend it, he wanted to do so in the way that would produce the greatest impact. Moreover, since the money had been taken from Japan, it seemed fitting to use it on something related to Japan.
Thus, Yoo Jae-won attended not only the principal's funeral but also the encoffining ceremony before returning home. Naturally, he did not forget to visit Grandfather Jeon Myeong-heon before his departure.
"You must be heartbroken. It is truly regrettable that the nation has lost such an exemplary educator."
Jeon Myeong-heon also held the principal in high regard. Of course, what he valued most among all the principal's contributions was the fact that he had helped nurture Yoo Jae-won's computer talents. Having fully recognized Yoo Jae-won's significance through the U.S. visit, Jeon Myeong-heon could not help but praise the principal's foresight.
With that, the story of the principal came to a close.
"By the way, what on earth is this?"
The somber atmosphere was briefly interrupted when Jeon Myeong-heon, unable to contain his curiosity any longer, pulled out a rolled map and asked. It was a detailed map of East Asia with the CIA emblem clearly stamped at the very top.