The Birth of Starlink
“We plan to build an electronic map based on the data provided by the U.S. government. We intend to offer this map not just for internet use, but for vehicle navigation systems as well.”
“That would put us in direct competition with Navteq.”
“A more efficient map with richer data will surely dominate the U.S. market.”
“Catching up to Navteq will require massive investment. And besides road and address data, what else do you plan to include?”
“Investment is a given. I’ll provide an initial $65 million. You need to equip vehicles with GPS receivers and cameras capable of capturing two frames per second to collect data across the entire United States. That will naturally increase the amount of information we can extract from any given GPS coordinate, won’t it?”
“Company names, addresses, road conditions... Ah! We could even include traffic enforcement camera locations. But even with that, the initial investment won’t be enough to cover the whole country.”
“Sane! Think bigger. My goal isn’t just the U.S.; it’s the entire world. A second round of funding is already planned for next year, so don’t worry about the money. Just focus on building the map.”
“Listening to you, it sounds like Google and Navteq are our main rivals.”
“Exactly. Google launched their map service last year, but the level of detail is still lacking. To gain a competitive edge, I plan to have local guides contribute to our service.”
“Local guides...? What is that? Like a tour guide?”
“No. Let me give you an example. Suppose there’s a famous restaurant in L.A. Imagine a customer searching for that restaurant and being able to see reviews left by third parties—evaluations of the food and service. In short, a local guide is someone who inputs information about a specific location.”
“Ah! So we build the map, but the customers fill in the content. But will they participate without any incentive?”
“To create an incentive, I plan to generate revenue through ad banners and share that with the local guides. For instance, if someone searches for a pizza place, we’ll display relevant pizza ads in the banner to encourage corporate participation.”
“I see! You’re showing ads that match the user’s interest. If the map of the entire U.S. is completed, the revenue potential is astronomical.”
“Once the map is finished, yes.”
“Hahaha. The company I ran was nothing more than a mom-and-pop shop. Since I haven’t signed the acquisition papers yet, I could even run this business myself.”
“You could, Sane. But it would require massive investment first. If you grow the company well, I’ll grant you stock options.”
“My... you certainly know how to handle people, Representative. You’ve left me no choice but to work hard. By the way, what will you name the company?”
“Let’s go with Starlink Map.”
“If I take the helm of Starlink Map, where are you going? Will you just remain a passive investor?”
“No. I’m heading back to Korea to start another company. Once you build the electronic map for vehicles, I’ll provide the navigation systems to run it.”
After signing the acquisition contract for The Map Network, the two shared a simple meal and discussed future plans. Once Taesik had explained his vision to Sane, he departed for Korea.
Returning to Korea after a month, Taesik rented an officetel in Seoul and broke the news to his parents: he would be pursuing business instead of his studies. They were shocked by his decision to forgo his MIT dreams, but after he showed them a bankbook containing a portion of the cash sent by FBI Chief Brian and explained his business plan, they were convinced. Once they verified the balance, they agreed to his plan. With a relieved heart, Taesik rested at home before returning to his officetel.
Back in his room, Taesik realized that starting a company from scratch in Korea would be inefficient compared to acquiring an existing one, so he began scouring the internet for leads.
“Even with the internet so well-established, finding truly useful information is difficult! What should I do? Ah! I should use a private errand service.”
After spending the whole day gathering data, Taesik realized the limitations of online research and decided to find someone in Korea like the FBI’s Brian. He found the address of a local errand service near his officetel, stopped by a bank to withdraw cash, and headed straight there.
The office was on the second floor of a shabby back alley, and the entrance was littered with cigarette butts. Taesik frowned as he climbed the stairs. When he opened the door, several burly men were sitting on a sofa, smoking and watching TV. Upon seeing Taesik, they stood up.
“Did you come because you need quick cash? How much do you need?”
“It’s not for a loan. I want to use your errand services.”
At Taesik’s words, a man who had been resting his legs on a desk behind the sofa stood up. “We’ve got a client! Order two coffees from the cafe! Come this way.”
The man led Taesik to the sofa, ordered his subordinates to clear the ashtray and newspapers from the table, and asked, “How can I help you?”
“I want to find someone.”
“You’ve come to the right place. We’re famous for collecting bad debts. How much do you need us to recover?”
“...That’s not it. I want to find an intelligence agent who used to work for the NIS.”
“Uh... why are you looking for people like that? We could handle things for you...”
“Isn’t it better for the errand service not to ask? If it’s possible, I’ll offer 3 million won as a down payment, plus 1 million won for every person found.”
Taesik immediately pulled out a check and placed it on the table. The boss snatched it up instantly.
“Don’t complain later if the headcount is high. Leave a contact number before you go.”
Taesik wrote his number on the newspaper on the table. The man tore off the piece of paper, flashed a confident grin, and promised to call in a few days.
After finishing his business, Taesik returned to his officetel. To achieve his goals, he began designing satellite structures and detailed components, drawing on the satellite schematics he had drafted during his time at the Defense Research Institute. He spent his spare time converting the other designs floating in his mind into formal blueprints. A few days later, he received a call from the errand service.
“Boss! We found the people you were looking for.”
“How many did you find?”
“There are 10 of them, but there’s a slight issue.”
“What is it?”
“They’re looking for a place to work as a group, and their representative wants to meet you. How should we handle the payment?”
Taesik smiled to himself. “I’ll wire the money right away. Give me the account number.”
“You’re a man of your word, Boss. Should I call you if I find more? It’s possible if you give me more time.”
“Let me meet this representative first before deciding.”
After hanging up, Taesik wired the cash to the errand service and continued his design work. By evening, he received another call.
“Is this Kim Taesik’s phone?”
“I heard you’re looking for someone from the NIS.”
“Are you the one introduced by the errand service?”
“Introduction? Hahaha. Well, it’s true that President Shin introduced me. I heard you wanted to meet me. When is a good time?”
“Any time is fine for me.”
“Then come down now. I’ll be waiting at the coffee shop in front of your officetel.”
Taesik was flustered that the stranger knew his location, but he hung up and hurried out of the officetel, curious about the man.
Stepping into the coffee shop across the street, he spotted a man sitting alone. The man stood up and waved at Taesik.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Park Kyung-hoon. I heard you were looking for someone from our former organization.”
“Yes. I’m planning to start a business and I need help.”
“I’ve been digging into your background for the past few days, Mr. Kim Taesik. You finished your master’s at KAIST, went to the U.S., and returned a month ago with $100 million. Strangely, the money was deposited without any foreign exchange transaction reports, yet you’re trading without any issues.”
“......”
“They say it’s money guaranteed by the U.S. government, so there are no problems... but I couldn’t trace your identity even through U.S. channels. Are you an agent working on behalf of the U.S. government?”
“Hahaha. As I said earlier, I’m just an entrepreneur preparing to start a business.”
“Then what exactly is that $100 million? You came back with $100 million after just one month—how am I supposed to believe that?”
Taesik explained that it was money from selling a radar he had designed to the American company Raytheon, and that he had transferred it to Korea with the help of the FBI.
“I won’t ask specifically what kind of incredible technology it was to sell for $100 million. You said you’re establishing a company, but why do you need people from our organization?”
“To be precise, I’m not establishing a company; I’m acquiring one. Starting from scratch takes too long, so I want to find a company that already has a foundation.”
“So, is my job a one-time task of gathering information, or is this an employment offer?”
“I have many things planned for the future. It’s an employment offer, of course. Finding the company I want is just the beginning.”
“Hmm... I’ll be clear: I don’t do illegal work.”
“Hahaha. Naturally. I heard you wanted to work as a group, not alone...”
“Including myself, there are 10 of us. We’ve performed operations together for a long time, so I can vouch for their skills. But can you really afford to hire 10 people?”
“That’s plenty. But I also have something I need to verify. I want to know why you left the NIS. I prefer to hire people with a clean slate.”
“The details are state secrets, so I can’t tell you, but you can assume I left for political reasons.”
“Could you be a bit more specific, considering my position?”
“We conducted operations in China related to North Korea, and when the atmosphere shifted toward inter-Korean reconciliation, I was forced to step down to take responsibility for past operations. Since it’s a state secret, I can’t tell you even if you decide not to hire me.”
“Good. I’ll trust you. I’ve decided to hire you, so tell me what kind of salary you’re looking for.”
“Hahaha. You’re very straightforward. Can I name any price I want?”
“I’ll listen and then make my judgment.”
“When we left the agency, I promised my team members that we would receive at least the salary of a major conglomerate employee. Is that possible?”