[Senior Sangwook's Grievance]
Upon arriving in Korea and heading to Starlink, I was met with a barrage of interview requests from the local press. Most of the media inquiries focused on why the inaugural flight event had been held in the United States rather than Korea, and they were clamoring to confirm our domestic commercialization plans. Miso insisted that we shouldn't let this momentum slip away, so she decided to step up and handle the interviews herself.
When Miso appeared instead of me, the CEO of Starlink Group, the reporters buzzed with curiosity about her identity. With a natural, composed expression, she switched on the microphone in the conference room.
"I am Lee Miso, the Executive Director in charge of the UAM business at Starlink. I understand there are many questions regarding our UAM project, which is why I've invited you all here today. I have received your questions in advance, but I'd like to proceed with an open Q&A session instead. The person with their hand up on the left...?"
"This is Kim Taeryeong from the Dongju Ilbo. Starlink is a Korean company, so why did you choose to unveil your UAM in the United States? Do you have any plans to conduct production in the U.S. as well?"
"Outside of military aircraft, Korea is still a barren wasteland for this industry. Even if we developed the UAM here, there are no laws or systems in place to provide safety certification. We judged it more advantageous to conduct development testing in the U.S., where the world's leading UAM companies are concentrated."
"But isn't it still a Korean company? Wouldn't it be perfectly possible if you proposed institutional improvements to the government and political circles?"
"Haha. The UAM market is already in a state of infinite competition. We need to secure the market first to achieve the kind of sales success seen by companies like Apple or Edison Motors. We intend to participate in the Korean market whenever the laws and systems are fully established. As you mentioned, Starlink is indeed a Korean company."
"There are rumors that most of the core components used in the UAM were imported. Can you tell us specifically about that?"
"That is a baseless claim. The UAM airframe was developed by Starlink Aviation, the battery by the Misung Group, and the axial flux motor by our UAM Research Institute. We did purchase some avionics equipment that was already commercialized, taking marketability into account. If a Korean company develops components cheaper than those sold overseas, we are more than willing to use them. The person with their hand up over there?"
Miso called on another reporter, who asked a highly professional question, clearly having done their homework before arriving.
"I understand that Europe and the U.S. have already established and applied the standards required for type certification since last year, and Japan is currently pushing policies to create an Air Mobility Revolution roadmap. Does the South Korean government have any budget or systems in place to support UAM?"
Since she couldn't openly bash the government, Miso replied:
"As I mentioned earlier, Korea is a country that is currently a wasteland for aviation. If a development roadmap is established in line with global trends, Starlink intends to develop our UAM in accordance with the government's strategy."
Sensing the political undertone, the reporter made a dissatisfied face and asked, "Has Starlink received any support?"
With no other choice, she answered, "To date, we have received no support from the government. However, Starlink hopes to pursue development centered on the private sector rather than government-led initiatives."
At Miso's response, the reporters began typing into their laptops with the look of people who had finally found a hook to attack the government. Miso frowned slightly and took the next question.
"If the UAM is commercialized in the U.S., will manufacturing take place there? Or in Korea?"
"Starlink's UAM has not yet received type certification. Once we receive the necessary certification for sales, the country of production will be determined based on order volume. For your reference, if the volume is low, we plan to conduct production in Korea."
Having filled their quota for criticizing the government, the reporters shifted the direction of their questions.
"Isn't Executive Director Lee Miso, who is presenting today, the daughter of Chairman Lee Hyundo?"
When the topic veered into matters unrelated to business, Miso reacted sharply: "I will not be taking questions regarding my private life."
As Miso responded coldly, the reporters quickly pivoted.
"If the UAM is commercialized in the future, who will be in charge of the UAM business?"
Miso looked at me without answering. I stepped up to her side and took the microphone next to her.
"All responsibility for the UAM business lies with Executive Director Lee Miso, and if it is commercialized in the future, she will be in overall command of everything."
"Then is there a possibility of collaborating with major domestic conglomerates?"
Miso, locking eyes with me, said, "Other than for batteries, we have no intention of collaborating with domestic conglomerates at this time. Starlink possesses all the necessary technology in-house, and if we enter a mass production system, we plan to expand large-scale factories both domestically and internationally."
"Starlink is not listed on the stock market, so I know it's a company that is difficult to invest in despite high public interest. Do you have any intention of listing the UAM business unit?"
Since it was a question Miso couldn't answer, I stepped in. "If we go public, we would have to prioritize profits, which would make it difficult to carry out our own large-scale investments. There will be no stock listing for the time being."
As the reporters began to repeat the same questions, Miso called on a female reporter, stating it would be the last question.
"I understand that Starlink CEO Kim Taesik and Misung Group Executive Director Lee Miso recently held a wedding. I'm curious if this has any connection to the Misung Group's management succession."
The reporter looked at us with an expression that suggested she didn't care whether we answered or not. I smiled and replied:
"Starlink has no connection whatsoever to the Misung Group. While my wife, Executive Director Lee Miso, does hold shares inherited from Chairman Lee Hyundo, I declare that she has absolutely no intention of participating in the management of the Misung Group."
"I know that CEO Kim Taesik already holds more than 5% of Misung Electronics shares. Some Misung Electronics shareholders are voicing opinions that it would be better for you to take over the management of Misung Electronics instead of Executive Director Lee Yongjae. Do you have no intention of using your 5% stake to participate in management?"
"As I have repeatedly stated, I inform you that Starlink has no intention of participating in securing management rights for the Misung Group. If that is all, we will conclude the interview."
As soon as I declared the end of the interview, the Starlink PR team stalled for time by handing out briefing materials and small gifts to the reporters. Miso and I used that opportunity to slip out of the conference room.
After quenching her thirst with some cold water in my office, Miso said, "Taesik, I'm sorry. Because of me, the media's attention is shifting toward the Misung Group."
"No, it's because the Chairman—or rather, my father-in-law—is ill. Don't worry about it."
Within 30 minutes of the interview, the reporters had uploaded articles. They published pieces criticizing the government's lack of support for pioneering the UAM market and emphasizing the urgent need for government countermeasures regarding future transportation, all while attaching photos of Miso and me. Along with praise for Starlink—now linked to the Misung Group by marriage—being a leader in future transportation, they reported in detail on the need for urgent measures, claiming we had lost the "first" title to the U.S.
I patted Miso on the back for her hard work during the interview and began the work that had piled up during my overseas business trip. Miso also began checking domestic operations while reviewing the UAM development schedule. While I was working through the backlog, my personal phone rang. I answered with a sense of relief.
"Hey! Kim Taesik! Do I have to find out about your marriage through a news article? You know who I am, right?"
"Hyung. I'm sorry! It was a family wedding, so I couldn't announce it. You know Chairman Lee Hyundo is sick and in the hospital. That's why."
After apologizing several times to my university senior, Lee Sangwook, he huffed and puffed before finally accepting my apology.
"I couldn't even go to your wedding, so I'll at least hand you some congratulatory money! Clear your schedule for this evening!"
"Alright, Hyung! Where should we meet?"
"You have a car, right? Let's meet at the pork belly restaurant in front of our company. I'm the senior, and since you're the one who got married, I'm treating you today."
After setting the appointment, I felt bad, so I checked Miso's schedule to see if she was free, telling her I had an appointment with a senior that evening. Miso left a note saying she would prepare a small gift for my senior, whom she was meeting for the first time, and that she would head to the restaurant.
When the time came, I headed to the meeting place and entered the pork belly restaurant near Misung Electronics. Sangwook was already waiting for me with the pork belly on the grill. He spotted me looking around at the entrance and waved me over.
"Hey! Kim Taesik! Over here."
As soon as I sat down, I poured out my apologies for not inviting him to the wedding. After sharing a few glasses of soju, Sangwook told me it was fine and not to worry about it. He then listed the difficulties he had faced while developing mobile processors at Misung Electronics and asked me:
"Hey! You said you'd scout me once you got settled! When are you going to take me?"
After selling the initial mobile processor blueprints to Chairman Lee Hyundo, I had effectively cut ties with Misung Electronics. I had been waiting for Misung Electronics to grow its own mobile processor design capabilities, which meant I hadn't been able to contact Sangwook, so I spoke with a sense of regret.
"Hyung, you've become an expert in mobile processor design now, right? Then I think it's time for you to move."
"Wow! You talk as if you wouldn't have taken me if I didn't have the skills. Do you know how many times I took care of you back in grad school...?"
While the two of us were talking, Miso appeared at the entrance of the restaurant. I waved my hand to call her over. Miso walked over holding something, greeted Sangwook, and sat down.
"Who is...?"
"I'm Taesik's wife, Lee Miso."
Sangwook seemed to remember something; he jumped up from his seat, bowed 90 degrees to Miso, and said, "Nice to meet you. I am Lee Sangwook, a senior researcher at Misung Electronics."
Miso stood up with a smile, but Sangwook seemed uncomfortable and couldn't sit back down. "Aren't you Chairman Lee Hyundo's third daughter? If I had known you were coming, I would have taken you to a better place..."
Sangwook glared at me before handing a soju glass to Miso. "I offer my greetings. I am Lee Sangwook from the Misung Electronics Semiconductor Division."
Miso laughed at how frozen Sangwook was, telling him to be comfortable and to treat her as Taesik's wife. She then handed the paper bag she had brought to Sangwook.
"This is a gift I prepared. I heard you were Taesik's university senior, and since you're a working professional, I prepared a simple business card holder."
Sangwook looked overwhelmed as he received the gift and watched her cautiously for a while, but after a few more glasses of soju, he began to converse comfortably with Miso.
"So, when should I go to Starlink?"
"Hyung! What are you working on right now? I'm asking to check so it doesn't overlap with Misung Electronics' work."
"I'm designing the mobile processor for the next phone. It's driving me crazy trying to put out a new product every six months."
I listened to Sangwook's grumbling and replied, "If you come to Starlink, you'll have to design mobile processors, but you'll need to develop a processor with a different concept than Misung Electronics."
"What do you mean by a different concept...?"
"I'm thinking of developing a smartphone where satellite communication, not mobile base stations, is the backbone."
"Ah! I heard a rumor that Apple is applying that concept to emergency SOS calls."
"We need to develop a mobile processor that enables smartphone communication via the low-orbit satellites Starlink has launched, while also providing base station services for shadow areas! You can do that, right?"