Vendor Registration (1)

The truth was, outside of the major conglomerates, a Seoul National University graduate was a rare creature at any regional mid-sized firm or so-called hidden champion. Even among KOSDAQ-listed companies, they were few and far between.

And yet the handsome young man sitting in front of them was an SNU alumnus. Not someone to be handled carelessly. Worse — or rather, more reason for caution — he appeared to be on familiar terms with the president they themselves served. Dismissing him was no longer an option.

The Director turned to the Manager.

"The president instructed us to help Hyangdong Tech with their vendor registration. Go grab a registration application form."

"Yes, sir."

The Manager returned with the form.

The Director smiled and addressed Kim Chirok.

"This is our company's standard form. Please fill in your company profile here."

"Understood. We've only got four injection molding machines, but I'll fill it in honestly."

"There are also quite a few documents you'll need to attach."

"I see they're all listed here."

"That's right. A copy of your business registration certificate, a corporate seal certificate, a breakdown of your technical personnel, a facilities inventory, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so on."

"Understood."

"And have you completed your factory registration? If so, please attach that as well."

Hyangdong Tech's factory registration certificate was already in the hands of a licensed administrative agent. It would come through in a matter of days — nothing to worry about.

"Yes. We've already applied for the factory registration certificate. It should be issued shortly. I'll attach it."

"We'll also need last year's balance sheet and income statement, but…" The Director paused. "Since Hyangdong Tech is a newly established corporation succeeding Hyangnam Tech, we'll waive that requirement."

"Thank you."

"We'll need the representative's résumé as well. It's to assess the CEO's management capability. Given that you're a business administration graduate, we'll score you highly on that front."

"I appreciate that."

"Once you submit the documents, we'll come out for a site inspection. Most likely the Team Leader and the Manager will be the ones to visit."

"Understood."

"And once you're registered as a vendor, those molds of ours that you currently have in your possession…"

This was the critical point. Kim Chirok swallowed hard and locked his eyes on the Director's mouth.

The Director smiled and went on.

"Aigoo — thank you. Truly."

"You know, you have a very likable presence, President. How long were you at H Group's Strategic Planning Office?"

"Two years."

"A company like that must have paid well. Starting a manufacturing business on your own — that can't be easy."

"I'll just have to work hard. And I will."

"Our president did tell us to give your vendor registration every possible assistance, so we'll take a personal interest and support you however we can."

"I'm grateful. The truth is, I've started this company, but there's a great deal I still don't know. If you, the Department Head, and the Manager here at Mitsutech would be willing to help me, I'd be much obliged."

"Is your home in Seoul?"

"It is. I'm living in a studio in Hyangnam-eup at the moment. The thing is, all four of our injection molding machines are sitting idle. We're holding the molds that used to be stored at Hyangnam Tech — if you could see your way to letting us start producing with them, I'd be very grateful."

"Understood. The moment the vendor registration goes through, we'll take care of that. And once you're registered, we'll issue you a unique vendor code, which will also give you access to our ERP system."

"So the orders will come through the ERP, then."

"Before that, our Purchasing Section Chief will be in touch."

Kim Chirok handed the Manager his business card. The Manager offered his own in return.

Kim Chirok returned to Hyangdong Tech.

The Plant Manager and Manager Cho studied his face.

"Did you actually meet the president of Mitsutech?"

"Of course I did."

The Plant Manager and Manager Cho looked at each other. The expression on both faces said the same thing: No way he actually met him.

"I met the president, the Director, the Purchasing Team Leader, and the Manager. All of them."

As he spoke, Kim Chirok fanned out the business cards — the president's, the Director's, the Department Head's, and the Manager's. Every one of them bore the Mitsutech logo, plain as day.

Manager Cho peered at the cards.

"Huh? He's right. These really are Mitsutech cards. Whoa. So this is what the Mitsutech president's card looks like."

The Plant Manager still could not wrap his head around it. His eyes went wide.

"You really met the president?"

"Yes, I did. He called in the Director, the Department Head, and the Manager from the purchasing team and told them all to help Hyangdong Tech."

"Reeeally? That's actually true?"

"Yes. It is."

"But how did you even get a meeting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with the Mitsutech president?"

"As it happens, the Mitsutech president is my university senior. That's how I met him."

"Your university senior? The Mitsutech president graduated from Seoul National University. Be honest with me. How did you really meet him?"

"I already told you. He's my university senior."

"Then… President Kim, you're saying you went to Seoul National University too?"

"That's right."

The Plant Manager and Manager Cho looked at each other again. No matter how they turned it over, the thing refused to make sense. But the business cards were sitting right there. Not believing was no longer an option.

This time Kim Chirok dropped the smile and spoke in a businesslike tone.

"The Mitsutech president said the first step is to register as a vendor. So I brought back a copy of the vendor registration application."

"You did?"

Kim Chirok held out the form. The Plant Manager and Manager Cho blinked down at it. Then the Plant Manager's face clouded with worry.

"Says here we have to fill in facility scale and technical personnel. But Cho and I don't have any technical certifications, and neither of us went to engineering school. What do we do?"

"Just put down your work experience."

"And it says we have to attach the president's résumé too?"

"Ah — that's because they evaluate the CEO's management capability."

"That's a lot of paperwork, though. We even have to attach a copy of the factory registration certificate."

"That's why I filed the factory registration application a few days ago, remember?"

"You've got foresight, I'll give you that, President Kim."

"The Mitsutech president called the Director in and told him that even though Hyangdong Tech is a new corporation and bound to be short in a number of areas, they're to help us anyway. The registration will go through."

"If that actually happens, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

"That's how we get access to Mitsutech's ERP system. All the orders come through there."

"We really did well, bringing this man on as president. Without President Kim Chirok, I don't think there'd be anyone who could handle this. Cho and I are a couple of computer illiterates."

"And once the vendor registration is complete, they agreed to draw up a formal storage agreement for the molds we brought over."

"Wait, really?"

"Which means we'll be able to produce Mitsutech's parts with a clear conscience."

"Things really do start falling into place once President Kim shows up. I'm going to have to take a fresh look at this man."

Manager Cho's expression shifted as well.

"President Kim… did you really graduate from Seoul National University?"

"Haha. If you can't believe it, then don't."

"But why would an SNU grad join a shitty little company like Hyangnam Tech as some grunt?"

"Ah — that was because I wanted to learn how a small business actually works."

He could hardly tell them it was because of Oh Ha-young's sexual harassment case.

The next day arrived.

The Mitstec Purchasing Section Chief called the Plant Manager.

Only then did the Plant Manager truly accept that Kim Chirok really was a Seoul National University graduate. He spoke with a new energy in his voice.

The Plant Manager had felt the shift in Mitsutech's attitude. What still astonished him, though, was the simple fact that Kim Chirok was an SNU graduate.

He reported to Kim Chirok.

"President Kim! The Mitsutech Purchasing Section Chief just placed an additional order for ten thousand units."

"Did he? Then that'll put two of the molding machines to work."

"Even so, the volume's so small the machines'll be idle again in a week."

"Then we'd better get that vendor registration done quickly."

"We're busy, sure — but you don't sit still either, do you?"

With that, the Plant Manager headed outside.

A moment later he came hurrying back into the office.

"Someone's here. Says they're from city hall?"

"Probably here to inspect us for the factory registration we applied for."

Kim Chirok went out. The visitor was a municipal official. Kim Chirok showed him around the plant, and the inspector checked the factory's scale, electrical capacity, and wastewater facilities before heading back.

Kim Chirok sat down to fill out the vendor registration application he would take to Mitsutech. He assembled the various supporting documents and wrote up his own résumé as well.

He was in the middle of preparing the paperwork when a call came in from a woman who identified herself as a friend of Oh Ha-young's — the one who worked at a corrugated box company.

What? She's been upset? That goddamn bitch put me in this situation and now she feels bad?

The news that Oh Ha-young's friend would be sending a witness statement eased Kim Chirok's worries, if only a little.