Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: The Washington Gambit
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“What do you mean there’s a problem with the early warning aircraft project?”
When I arrived at the office, a number of people were already there.
CEO Kim Young-gi was there, along with CEO Ahn Si-hyun and Vice Chairman Yoon.
It seemed the matter was more serious than I had thought.
“The U.S. State Department just raised an issue with our early warning aircraft development project.”
“On what grounds?”
I asked, slumping onto the sofa.
In that brief moment, a thought crossed my mind: Just how long does this country have to put up with this kind of meddling?
But the reason that came from CEO Kim's mouth was something I had never imagined.
“Well, they're telling us to honor the promise you made, Chairman, during the negotiations with the previous U.S. administration over the Motor Sich acquisition.”
“A promise I made?”
“The promise to refrain from entering the large aircraft market using Motor Sich engines for the next ten years.”
Come to think of it, I did make such a promise.
In exchange for their agreement on our acquisition of Motor Sich, we wouldn't set foot in the large aircraft market for the next ten years.
But that was about the commercial airliner market. The nature of this issue is entirely different, isn't it?
“Did we make it clear that our goal isn't to enter the commercial airliner market?”
I asked, just in case.
CEO Kim, his face filled with frustration, bit his lip and spoke.
“Of course, I made that argument, but they're not listening at all.”
“Then what are they telling us to do? Don't tell me they want us to buy their product again?”
My voice rose in frustration.
After a quick glance to gauge my mood, CEO Kim cautiously handed me a piece of paper.
“What's this now?”
“This is an official document from the U.S. State Department to our Ministry of National Defense. It says they've received congressional approval for the pre-sale of the E-737 AEW&C, which is currently under development, to the Republic of Korea. In short, just as you said, Chairman, they're telling us to buy theirs.”
A scoff escaped me.
I'd already experienced this sort of thing several times before my regression.
Whenever we tried to develop something on our own, they would interfere and insist we buy their products.
To be fair, for items not mass-produced like reconnaissance aircraft, buying from them might be better than developing it ourselves. The real problem, however, is that the price is usually exorbitant, and the performance often falls short.
“Crazy. They haven't even officially deployed it themselves yet.”
"That's not really the issue. After all, Australia signed a contract back in '97 while it was still in development."
"That's Australia's case. Anyway, is this the price they're quoting for four units?”
“Yes, and they've officially stated that some of the radar's performance will be a downgraded version.”
“What's our Ministry of Defense saying?”
“They're in an uproar over there too. To put it bluntly, they're demanding a price far higher than the cost of our own development, all while pushing a product with lower specs than the U.S. military's version.”
As CEO Kim finished speaking, Michael came to mind.
I wondered if he might know something about this matter.
The thought prompted me to pick up the receiver immediately. After a few rings, Michael's subdued voice came through.
-It's been a while, Mr. Jin.
[I apologize for calling so late, but have you heard any news about the U.S. trying to sell an undeveloped early warning aircraft to Korea?]
-Haaah...
Michael let out a long sigh at my direct question.
It was confirmation enough that I didn't even need to ask again.
I pressed on, just as bluntly.
[Is this pressure from Boeing?]
-Well, I wouldn't know the details of a State Department matter, but there can't be any other reason.
He cautiously stated his opinion.
Even if he called it an opinion, the conviction in his voice meant it was highly likely to be true.
This was no longer a problem that could be solved over the phone.
[I'm sorry to trouble you, but I'd like to meet. I'll come to Washington myself the day after tomorrow.]
Unable to refuse my request for a meeting, Michael ended the call.
CEO Kim, who had been listening to the conversation beside me, suddenly interjected.
“Are you really going to the U.S.?”
“The project is on the verge of being scrapped if we just sit here. Of course I have to go.”
“But our government hasn't given a clear response yet, have they? There's still a chance they could persuade the U.S.”
“We'd be waiting forever. If this becomes public in the meantime, we'll be at a disadvantage. To put it bluntly, if so-called experts who've taken Boeing's money start spouting off on TV, public opinion will boil over. Do you think the project could proceed smoothly while dealing with that?”
Only then did CEO Kim nod.
He stared at the document for a moment longer before asking a meaningful question.
“Could this be because the F-15 sale to our military fell through?”
Honestly, that's a possibility.
Historically, our military's adoption of the F-15K played a significant role in the subsequent development of F-15 variants. That history has now been erased.
To them, Jaewoo must be a thorn in their side, and this could be the result of that.
“We can't rule out that possibility.”
“So what do you plan to do?”
“Well.”
People looked at me with bewildered eyes at my vague reply.
After all, I had rarely given such a negative response before.
Worried they might get anxious, I immediately corrected myself.
“It's not that there's no solution. It's just that I don't particularly like the one I have in mind.”
“……”
******
[It's good to see you again.]
Two days later, Michael and I sat down to talk in a Washington hotel.
He seemed quite displeased with the situation himself; for nearly an hour after we met, he went on a tirade against Boeing.
[I hear the unit price they offered is more than double what our military was planning to pay, right?]
[That's right.]
[Damn it! It looks like they're planning to recoup all the money they poured into lobbying by ripping off Korea. I heard they spent tens of millions of dollars lobbying government officials and Congress.]
I let out a small chuckle at his words.
Perhaps puzzled by my unexpectedly calm demeanor, Michael tilted his head and asked me.
[By the way, did you happen to bring a solution with you?]
[What solution could there be? If the U.S. government tells me to keep my promise, I have no choice but to keep it.]
[…….]
For a moment, he stared intently at me.
It was unexpected—my saying that I would meekly accept the U.S. government's demands.
But I really did intend to do so.
However, only within the bounds of what I promised.
[Please relay this to the Secretary of State. Tell him that Jaewoo will honor its promise to stay out of the large aircraft market for ten years to the very end. And so, we plan to purchase Boeing's airframe for our military's early warning aircraft.]
[Does that mean you're giving up on developing it yourself?]
Michael asked again, a look of surprise on his face.
As if.
When I shook my head with a smile, he narrowed his eyes at me.
[I clearly said I would buy Boeing's airframe. I never said I would buy their early warning aircraft.]
[What do you mean…?]
[Boeing sells commercial airliners, don't they? The E-737 they offered us is also based on a commercial airliner, the 737-700. So, we'll just buy the airframe and convert it into an early warning aircraft ourselves.]
For a moment, Michael looked utterly baffled.
He twisted his lips for a moment before continuing.
[My promise with the U.S. government was clearly that I would not enter the large aircraft market, not that I wouldn't develop an early warning aircraft. So, as long as I don't build the large aircraft with my own hands, I'm in the clear, right?]
[That may be true, but will Boeing really agree to sell just the airframe?]
[If Boeing won't sell, we can just buy one from Airbus. The U.S. government has no grounds to block that.]
Michael let out a series of incredulous chuckles.
After all, not a single part of what I said was wrong.
He kept laughing and shaking his head for a while, as if dumbfounded, before speaking with a deep sigh.
[True, even the U.S. government wouldn't have a comeback if Jaewoo took that stance. But if things go that way, won't Boeing be in a rather tight spot?]
[You could say that.]
They tried to jack up the price and rip us off, including equipment they didn't even develop, and now they might end up selling just the bare airframe.
Even if they wanted to raise the price of the airframe, I could just buy one from Airbus, so they can't really refuse to sell either.
[Well, I'll be.]
At my short reply, Michael shook his head again.
Even though those were my inner thoughts, it was as if he had heard them all.
He stared at the purchase request I had prepared for a long time before finally setting it aside and speaking.
[But why are you putting me at the forefront? You could just deliver that message yourself.]
I was wondering when he would ask that.
After all, it was true that I could just convey my decision directly to the State Department and be done with it.
But would that really be the clean end of it?
The America I know would continue to apply pressure using all sorts of methods, and I was trying to prevent that.
[I'm a believer that the weight of a message changes depending on who delivers it. In other words, if someone like you, Director, one of the most influential figures in the U.S. military, represents Jaewoo's position, the pressure they feel will be entirely different.]
[…….]
The latter part of my statement was practically a threat.
Interpreted correctly, it was a message that the relationship between Jaewoo and the U.S. Department of Defense could be damaged over a single early warning aircraft.
Because of that, I studied his expression for a moment, but thankfully, he didn't show any sign of displeasure.
[Indeed. It would be best to avoid our Department of Defense's relationship with one of its best partners becoming strained simply because of Boeing's stubbornness. Very well, I will deliver this message to the State Department myself.]
I let out a sigh of relief at his words.
This is why connections are so important, and why it's best to make as few enemies as possible.
‘Tsk.’
Thinking about it, those bastards at Boeing are complete fools.
Trying to make an enemy of me just to sell a few early warning aircraft. How much glory did they think they'd get from that?
Then again, that's probably why they'll end up on the brink of bankruptcy in the future.
[By the way, how are you feeling?]
Just as I was lost in thought, Michael gently inquired.
He was probably asking about the terrorist incident.
Feeling reluctant to show my true feelings, I answered with a faint smile, and he said something unexpected.
[I know that one of the culprits fled to China. However, according to our intelligence, he did not cross over to the North.]
[Why?]
I asked, bewildered.
But he seemed to be just as clueless about the reason, shrugging his shoulders.
[It's one of two things. Either he's too afraid of the interrogation from the North's leadership that awaits him to go back, or he's plotting something else.]
[Hmm...]
I felt like I was facing an unsolvable puzzle.
When you thought about it, both were plausible propositions.
The problem was that if the latter were true, it could mean more headaches for me. But that was no reason to be afraid.
It might be different if I didn't know his identity, but there was no reason to be taken down again by a man whose face I now knew.
‘Tsk. Far from being afraid, I'm more worried his head might be the one to go flying.’