The Shadow Power of the Ministry of Information and Communication (1)
"What exactly are you trying to do with me right now?"
Those were the first words out of Im Yu-jin's mouth the moment she stepped into my office, escorted by Cha Ye-na. Even I couldn't help but be taken aback. Did she really have no idea she had been hired as a parachute candidate?
"Please, have a seat."
Odd. She didn't argue this time and simply pulled out a chair to sit at our meeting table. Perhaps she had been taught that standing and talking back to Professor Im Su-chan of Hankook University was unacceptable.
With a scrape, I pulled out my own chair and sat across from her. Before I could speak, Im Yu-jin fixed me with a sharp glare and fired off her next words.
"You're the head of the audit team at QS Group headquarters? Why are you doing this to me? My father is about to become a minister. Do you really think you'll get away with this?"
Hmm? For a moment, I was confused. Was I somehow beneath Im Yu-jin? Applying her own logic: the heads of conglomerates like JB or QS received treatment on par with the Prime Minister. Even though I hadn't yet taken the chairman's seat, I was the son of Chairman Kwon Byung-do and the team leader of the audit division at the main headquarters. That put me at least at ministerial level—higher than the daughter of someone who might become a minister. In terms of corporate rank, I was a headquarters team leader while she was a rank-and-file employee at a subsidiary. Hardly comparable.
Since it wasn't my job to educate her on basic manners, I decided to shake the tree she was leaning on to move the conversation forward quickly.
"Is your father Professor Im Su-chan of Hankook University, the one nominated as the next Minister of Information and Communication?"
Im Yu-jin finally flashed a smug smile, as if to say, Now you recognize who I am?
"You know him well. So why did you drag me to this strange place just to lecture me?"
She clearly didn't appreciate my consideration in meeting her away from the QS Telecom building to avoid drawing attention that could affect her father's confirmation hearing. I sighed. It was time to give this sheltered young lady a glimpse of reality.
"I am someone who could knock your father, Professor Im Su-chan, out of the running for Minister of Information and Communication."
"What? How could you possibly remove my father from a position the President nominated and the country approved?"
Ha. I hadn't expected to hear this kind of tantrum again—the kind I used to hear from petty criminals in the prosecutor's office or from that scoundrel Ho-gyun after I quit.
"The reason I can remove Professor Im Su-chan from the minister's seat is because of you, Im Yu-jin."
"What? What does that have to do with my father becoming minister?"
"You must know that the only reason you're working at QS Telecom is because of your father's influence."
I had assumed Im Yu-jin already knew this. But her eyes widened in genuine surprise.
"What? What are you talking about? I joined as an intern and was converted to full-time after a year."
She stared straight at me, her eyes sparkling with self-righteous confidence. This woman—this girl—truly had no idea how she had kept her position despite her incompetence.
"You're aware that none of your fellow interns were converted to full-time positions, correct?"
"Yes. Five of us started as interns at QS Telecom together. Three, including me, were converted. Isn't it normal for more than half to make it through that process?"
It seemed neither Professor Im Su-chan nor Shin Ho-jung had explained the full story to her. I had no choice but to speak on behalf of Hwang Sang-hyun.
"Do you know that one of the interns who was passed over in your place was a man named Hwang Sang-hyun?"
"Sang-hyun? Yes. I heard he wasn't hired full-time because he lacked ability or didn't work hard enough during his internship. Why does that matter?"
"Do you know what work Hwang Sang-hyun did while he was at QS Telecom?"
"No. Why would I need to know what other employees were doing?"
Crack.
"You mean to say you have no idea what your fellow intern—your study partner and direct competitor for full-time employment—was doing?"
"No. I don't know."
"Listen carefully. The smartphone usage classes for seniors that Hwang Sang-hyun planned and executed became a nationwide sensation. As a result, QS Telecom's subscription rate among those over sixty surged dramatically. What exactly did you do during your internship at QS Telecom?"
"I just did whatever I was told... you know, making copies and fetching coffee."
Im Yu-jin trailed off, finally realizing how ridiculous her own words sounded. I drove the final nail in.
"QS Group did not hire you full-time because we were short on staff to make copies and fetch coffee. President Shin Ho-jung of QS Telecom was a former student of your father, Professor Im Su-chan. Thanks to that connection, you were converted to full-time while Hwang Sang-hyun—who had achieved real results—was passed over."
Im Yu-jin tried one last desperate defense.
"But Hwang Sang-hyun wasn't the only one who failed. There was another person besides him who didn't make it because they performed worse than me, right?"
"Do you really not know what that other person did during their internship?"
"No. I don't. What did they do?"
"They discovered a technical conflict between two applications that automatically install on new QS Telecom subscribers' phones. The R&D Business Team 3, which you belong to, has been working to fix it. That person would have been a perfect fit for your team."
Only then did Im Yu-jin seem to grasp just how incompetent she was.
"Then why was I hired full-time? Because I asked my dad? Because my boyfriend at the time said he preferred career women?"
"Your dating history is none of my concern. I don't know how precious a daughter you are at home, but after hearing that, Professor Im Su-chan pressured his former student, the president of QS Telecom. That is the only reason you are still employed at QS Group."
"Then... if... wait. Earlier you said my father might not become minister because of me...?"
I nodded at Im Yu-jin, who finally seemed to be following the conversation.
"That's right. If this fact becomes public, Professor Im Su-chan will face nationwide crossfire at his confirmation hearing and be forced to withdraw. I'm not even sure he would be able to keep his professorship, let alone become minister."
Tears finally welled up in Im Yu-jin's eyes.
"It's because of me, isn't it?"
"Yes. I've been telling you since you first walked in that it's because of you."
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
"What do I do? If I submit my resignation right now, there won't be a problem with my father becoming minister, right?"
"No. Whether you resign or not, if this matter leaks before the hearing, Professor Im Su-chan will not become minister."
Im Yu-jin's usual arrogance finally faded. She grabbed my hand across the table, tears streaming down her face.
"Then what should I do? Please, tell me."
Thud.
I pulled my hand away immediately—I had no desire to hold hands with someone like her any longer—and continued.
"First, feel genuine remorse toward the two colleagues who outperformed you in both ability and results but lost their full-time positions because of you. As for the resignation you mentioned, I would prefer you submit it. QS Group cannot continue with someone like you."
"Understood. I'm truly sorry to Sang-hyun and Bo-jun. I'll submit my resignation tomorrow—no, today. Should I go back to the company and write it right now?"
Whew. This woman lacked not only professional competence but even the most basic political sense expected of the daughter of a ministerial candidate.
"It would be better if you resigned at a time that appears completely unrelated to your father's appointment—roughly a year from now. In the meantime, Hwang Sang-hyun will be hired full-time. Please behave yourself while the two of you are working at the company together."
"Yes. I understand. I'll do as you say."
"Also, this matter should have been discussed with Professor Im Su-chan from the beginning, not you. But he hasn't been answering my calls. The confirmation hearing is next week, so I would like to meet him as soon as possible."
"As soon as possible... how soon?"
"Lunch has already passed, so meeting him this evening would be ideal."
Im Yu-jin pulled out her phone at lightning speed and dialed.
"Dad?"
Remarkably, it had been exactly two hours since I revealed my identity and affiliation to Professor Im Su-chan. Our soon-to-be Minister of Information and Communication had ignored my calls and messages like they were nutritional supplements, yet he answered his daughter's call immediately. His love for his daughter must be extraordinary. That explained why he had pressured his former student into making an unfair hire decades later.
* * *
After the emotional phone call between father and daughter, I was finally able to meet Professor Im Su-chan that evening. I was waiting for him at a high-end Korean barbecue restaurant when the sliding door opened.
Scrape.
A man entered the private room. Since there was only one table, it wasn't hard to guess who he was. Professor Im Su-chan, the ministerial candidate, bowed deeply at the entrance—far more politely than either his student or his daughter had.
"Good evening. I'm Im Su-chan."
Unlike his student or daughter, his manners upon first meeting were impeccable. I considered standing to greet him but realized there was no need for such excessive courtesy on my part.
"Yes. Please, come in."
At my simple greeting, Im Su-chan took the seat across from me. The table still held only basic side dishes and drinks—no meat yet. He glanced at my empty glass and quickly reached for the handle of the liquor bottle modeled after Goryeo celadon.
"Since you're my inadequate daughter's superior at the company, allow me to pour you a drink first. I apologize for missing your call this morning. I was having lunch with several senior members of the ruling party."