Episode 16 — A Shabby Office and a Sweet Offer
"It's a bit shabby, but please, have a seat."
"Hahaha... Not at all."
The two men showed no small amount of discomfiture as they stepped into my office. And no wonder — by their standards, the office I was currently using was shabbier than they could have imagined.
There was the moldy sofa that had come with the building when I bought it, reeking of an age no one could pinpoint. There was the all-in-one steel desk with drawers so rusted they let out a skin-crawling screech every time they were opened, the kind of furniture that might have been fashionable back in the eighties.
Surveying the office — a scene you'd expect to find only in some two-bit startup — Kim Yoon-sik, Managing Director of Aseong Electronics' DS Division, forced a pleasant smile onto his face.
"Hahaha. My, this is far more modest than I expected. No one would believe this was the office of the man behind the technology that's got the whole world talking."
"You don't happen to need a separate research facility, do you? If you'd like, we could look into a place with proper facilities for you. Ah — of course, somewhere prime in the capital region, naturally."
His praise was so contrived it was impossible to tell whether it was genuine flattery or an attempt to butter me up. But if I let him ramble on, he'd clearly waste an hour of my time, so I gave a noncommittal nod and cut straight to the point.
"So, what exactly is this proposal you wanted to make? After you went completely out of your way to make no contact whatsoever?"
I laid particular weight on the words no contact whatsoever, and he soon trailed off mid-sentence, coughing awkwardly. Still, he answered with that same pleasant smile plastered across his face, playing it cool.
"Hehehe. We did try calling several times, but we simply couldn't get through. Your office doesn't answer its phone, our emails go unread... With no other way to reach you, we had no choice but to show up unannounced like this. If it displeased you, I sincerely apologize."
"...It's fine. Don't worry about it."
I had no desire to make middle-aged men bow their heads in apology, so I waved a hand and took another look at their business cards.
"Managing Director of Aseong Electronics' DS Division, and Head of Next-Generation Technology Development, hm... Two men of your stature coming to see me in person — I take it this is about Lucid?"
Ontel's next-generation optical semiconductor. Lucid.
Considering the influence and ripple effects this technology would unleash, perhaps it was only natural for them to come knocking at my door.
After all, if Ontel began mass-producing optical semiconductor chips, that day would mark the beginning of the end for Aseong Electronics and every other semiconductor company in the world.
"Um... and this gentleman is...?"
"Ah, he's my attorney — he also serves as my personal secretary and legal advisor. Don't mind him. Feel free to speak as if it were just the two of us."
"Oh, he's your attorney. I see."
Reassured by the mention of my attorney, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik began to speak with ease. And just as I'd predicted, he nodded and said,
"To put it bluntly, yes. You may or may not know this, but Aseong Electronics possesses some of the finest semiconductor production infrastructure in the world. In particular, when it comes to DRAM, NAND flash, and foundry services, our manufacturing capabilities rank among the top three globally."
At a glance from Managing Director Kim, the Head of Next-Generation Technology Development, who had been waiting at his side, produced a tablet PC. He showed us a site under construction on a massive scale and continued his explanation.
"What you're looking at is Aseong Electronics' next-generation semiconductor fab currently under construction in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Once completed, this facility will be capable of producing at least ten billion semiconductor chips annually within the next five years. Furthermore, if we apply the new technologies we're currently developing to the mass-production process, we project an additional twenty to thirty percent increase in output. And..."
The Head of Development piled on one technical term after another, expounding on just how extraordinary Aseong's future semiconductor fab would be. When his explanation finally wound down, Managing Director Kim, who had been watching from the side, smirked and said,
"Well? What do you think?"
"About what?"
"Our infrastructure."
"Well... it's not bad."
Truthfully, it was quite impressive.
Aseong Electronics wielded enormous influence in the semiconductor industry — easily among the top five companies in the world. Granted, its recent decline had been pronounced, but it still commanded a vast roster of clients and possessed a wealth of technical know-how and R&D resources. It was, in fact, a company capable of mass-producing and proliferating optical semiconductor chips faster and more efficiently than even Ontel.
That was precisely why even Alex, the AI lodged in my head, had initially advised me to reach out to Aseong Electronics first to develop the new next-generation semiconductor technology.
But... it was Aseong Electronics itself that had kicked away the jewel that had rolled right up to its feet.
"And yet Aseong Electronics already turned down my proposal, didn't it?"
"..."
They'd already been thoroughly burned once. Now that they were extending a hand asking to work together, there was no way I could view it favorably — and at my lightly tossed question, an awkward silence settled over the office.
"Well, you see... hahaha, it's rather embarrassing to admit."
Kim Yoon-sik's eyebrows bobbed up and down as he managed a sheepish smile.
Then, wearing the expression of a man making a confession, he continued.
"The truth is... our own leadership was divided at the time. A conservative conglomerate like ours tends to move only on proven, validated things... The very concept of an 'optical semiconductor' was so radical back then that some of our more conservative members were excessively cautious about it."
He gave a slight bow of his head, carrying the unmistakable nuance that the decision had been the fault of others, not himself.
"But things are different now. The whole world has acknowledged that your technology is real, hasn't it? The mood inside the company has completely changed, too. People are saying that if we don't join hands now, we'll be fools. It's gotten to that point."
The Managing Director burst into an awkward laugh and lowered his head. Then he spoke with genuine sincerity.
"I apologize for recognizing your worth too late. But... couldn't you give us a chance, even now?"
It was a strange situation — a man well along in years, bowing his head and pleading. But this wasn't a problem that could be settled with sentiment, so I frowned and said,
"...I don't understand. Aseong Electronics can't possibly be unaware that I've already signed a technology transfer agreement with Ontel."
The technology transfer agreement between Ontel and Limitless had already been publicly disclosed through EDGAR.
It was common knowledge that a standard technology transfer agreement contains a confidentiality clause forbidding the disclosure of any information related to the technology to other companies — which meant their request was, frankly, nonsensical.
Within the bounds of common sense and the law, that is.
"Ah, of course, openly developing optical semiconductor chips together with us would be difficult. But cooperating quietly, just between us, without anyone knowing — that's possible, isn't it?"
"Are you saying... you want me to stab Ontel in the back?"
At my question, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik waved his hands and didn't immediately object. Instead, as if reciting a prepared script, he spoke in a tone that was careful yet precise.
"There's absolutely no need to put it that way. We are merely... suggesting that we keep 'possibilities' open."
He leaned slightly forward in his seat and continued.
"Right now, you have a formal technology transfer agreement with Ontel, and we respect that agreement. However, how long that agreement holds is entirely a matter of performance and trust, wouldn't you say?"
I said nothing, quietly meeting his gaze. He smiled faintly and went on.
"Can Ontel truly mass-produce anything worthwhile based on your technology? Will they still be a partner you can trust three, five years from now? Even if they succeed in mass-producing optical semiconductors, will they be able to achieve production volumes at a satisfactory level?"
Ontel was already in decline. Emphasizing again and again that Ontel's capabilities fell short of Aseong's, he took the tablet back and showed me a document with the words Consulting Agreement Draft on its screen.
"Officially, Aseong Electronics is internally reviewing a 'consulting agreement' to be signed after your contract with Ontel ends. Of course, until that contract is signed, there is formally no relationship whatsoever between us and you... but in the meantime, so that we can prepare for the agreement smoothly, couldn't you quietly share the technical direction and some reference materials with us in advance?"
"..."
"We call those 'pre-review materials.' If it's handled as 'technical research cooperation' for efficient preliminary response before the formal contract with you, there's no significant legal problem."
Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik thrust a contract under my nose, tempting me in a honeyed voice. I examined the contract he offered at my leisure, then soon organized its contents in my head and asked,
"So... you're asking me to hand over to Aseong Electronics the data and technical know-how I currently possess for developing optical semiconductors? And in return, you'll pay me when the confidentiality period with Ontel ends... in other words, five years from now?"
"Officially, yes. But unofficially, we can accommodate whatever terms you desire, as much as possible."
Eyes gleaming, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik boasted that he could give me anything. At his words, I put on an expression of mild amusement and let out a long breath.
"Hmm..."
"Mr. Kang. There's truly nothing problematic about this at all. As long as you keep your mouth shut, we'll make sure Ontel can never raise the issue."
"Will they, now?"
"Of course! After all, the general principles of the optical semiconductor technology were already made public in the paper you published, weren't they?"
My first paper — now crowned the Best Paper of the Year, cited and referenced by countless people, boasting record-breaking view counts. The world was full of latecomers with fire in their eyes, devouring that paper inside and out in a desperate scramble to develop optical semiconductor technology by any means necessary. So he spoke with a face full of conviction.
"Even if Ontel raises the issue, we'll simply argue: 'We thoroughly analyzed and researched Mr. Kang's published paper, and through our own considerable efforts, we succeeded in developing it independently!' There's nothing Ontel can do about that."
"Hmmm! I see!"
"What do you say! This way, you'd be reaping benefits from both sides!"
When I nodded along as if genuinely impressed, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik grinned with delight and pressed on with his pitch enthusiastically. Then, talking as if the deal were all but sealed, he extended his hand to me.
"Hahaha. Then we'll assume we're in agreement and contact you again later. Next time, we'll host you somewhere far nicer."
"Ah, actually, I don't think this approach is going to work out."
"I beg your pardon? What do you mean...?"
"There's just one small problem."
"A small problem, you say...?"
Managing Director Kim asked again, wearing an expression that showed he hadn't understood a word. But I simply smiled at him and pointed a finger at Kim Cheol-min, my attorney, whose face was stiffer than it had ever been.
"My secretary here just heard every word of this conversation."
"And why would that...?"
Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik looked at me and asked, his eyes saying, He's your personal attorney, isn't he? But no sooner had he taken the business card Kim Cheol-min silently handed over than his face drained of color, and he sucked in a sharp breath.
"Gah...!"
"Kim Cheol-min, of the Ontel Korea Legal Team. A pleasure, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik."
Kim Cheol-min introduced himself in a voice colder than ice. And to Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik, who was staring at me with a desperate expression as if to ask what on earth was going on, I answered with a smile.
"Oh, he's someone Ontel temporarily assigned as my personal secretary."
"Th-then why are you only telling me this now...?"
"I honestly didn't expect you to propose something so blatantly illegal out of nowhere."
He had, in effect, blurted out his entire plan to stab Ontel in the back — right in front of an attorney employed by Ontel itself. And then, producing a phone as if he'd been recording the whole time, Kim Cheol-min said,
"...For now, everything I just heard will be formally reported to Ontel headquarters."
"..."
"See you in court, Managing Director Kim Yoon-sik."