Not Letting the Past Hold You Back (3)
As the barrage of camera flashes trying to capture even one more photo of Ho-gyun in the video began to subside, he spoke with a rather serious expression.
"Good afternoon, members of the press. I am Kwon Ho-gyun, head of the Audit Team at the Central Management Headquarters of the QS Group."
Something felt off from the very first sentence. There was no way Ho-gyun hadn't seen the article that went up that morning. Yet after being thoroughly beaten down over the article, he was introducing himself with that title? And in front of so many reporters? What exactly was he trying to do? It was as if he was practically begging them to ask about the article that had come out that morning.
Ho-gyun had walked straight into the deeper part of the net Seong-gyun had cast. Why? Seong-gyun's calculations couldn't begin to guess Ho-gyun's next move.
As expected, the reporters began firing a barrage of questions at Ho-gyun following the camera flashes.
"Did you request this press conference to explain the allegations about Kwon Ho-gyun's past misconduct that Hanbit Ilbo reported two hours ago?"
"I have a similar question. Is the Kwon Ho-gyun mentioned in the article you, or is it someone with the same name?"
"Have you ever used drugs?"
Without giving him a chance to answer the hail of questions, Ho-gyun stepped out from behind the podium that had partially shielded him and stood directly in front of the reporters. He bowed at a ninety-degree angle, then spoke again.
"This morning, while preparing to meet all of you and the citizens watching this conference, I came across the Hanbit Ilbo article and was quite taken aback."
One reporter seized the opening with a sharp voice.
"Does that mean you're acknowledging that the contents of the article accurately reflect your past actions?"
"Yes. The Kwon Ho-gyun mentioned in the Hanbit Ilbo article is me. While some parts of the article are not factual and much of it has been exaggerated, the fact that such an article was published is clearly because I failed to conduct myself properly. I am grateful for this opportunity to apologize to the reporters and the public watching this conference. I deeply apologize to the victims and the citizens for the past actions mentioned in the article."
A heavy silence fell over the previously noisy reporters. Everyone's expectation that he would refute the article point by point had been completely overturned. Taking advantage of the moment, Ho-gyun bowed once more and returned to the podium with the microphone. Then he looked down at the crowd with even a hint of leisure.
One reporter who met Ho-gyun's eyes gathered the courage to shout.
"I'm Song A-reum from Hanbit Ilbo. Are you saying you acknowledge all the contents of the article we published as the person involved? If you wish, we are willing to publish a follow-up article that includes your explanation."
"The article from Hanbit Ilbo has already caused disappointment to far too many people. I have no desire to make the public feel fatigued by refuting it. I will not offer an explanation. Furthermore, if there remains any legal responsibility I must bear, I will not avoid it."
Seong-gyun let out a groan upon hearing Ho-gyun's words. It seemed like a declaration of surrender at first glance, but with that, Ho-gyun had perfectly avoided a verbal battle with the unfavorable reporters. And he had shifted the issue into the legal realm where he held the advantage. Seong-gyun knew it too—there was no legal responsibility Ho-gyun still had to bear for past incidents. Things like drug use were mere suspicions without evidence, some cases had been settled through agreements, and others had expired under the statute of limitations. The QS Group legal team had handled everything, so if there had been any loose ends left to exploit, that would have been far stranger. Ho-gyun was speaking so confidently about legal responsibility precisely because he knew this.
The reporters, momentarily stunned, resumed their questions.
"Did you request today's press conference to deliver this apology?"
"You mentioned that the content of the conference would only be revealed here. What is that content?"
Having effortlessly deflected Seong-gyun's attack, Ho-gyun cast a predatory gaze toward the camera, as if inviting Seong-gyun to watch.
"Through the announcement I am about to make, I believe I can demonstrate that I have moved beyond my past shortcomings and show a more upright image as a lawyer who must uphold justice in this society, and specifically as the head of the Audit Team responsible for preventing unfair practices within the QS Group. I am pleased about that."
It became clear that the purpose of Ho-gyun's press conference today had nothing to do with the Hanbit Ilbo article. A murmur briefly rose among the reporters, as if determining the winners and losers of the debate that had taken place before the conference. And when Ho-gyun spoke into the microphone again, the reporters were shocked.
"I will not tolerate any unfair practices occurring within the QS Group. Even if my own family is involved, I will prioritize fairness above all else and resolve matters in a direction that everyone listening to these words would find appropriate. Today, I stand here to expose the unfair practices of Kwon Seong-gyun, the CEO of QS Electronics."
The shock that spread among the reporters did not stop at the press conference venue. It traveled at the speed of light through cameras, broadcasts, and YouTube straight to the CEO's office at QS Electronics.
Crash. Shatter.
Forgetting he was holding a coffee cup, Seong-gyun shot to his feet and struck the armrest of his chair upon hearing that his own corruption was about to be exposed. The coffee cup shattered and rolled across the floor, soaking the crotch of Seong-gyun's pants with warmth. Looking like a child who had wet himself, Seong-gyun stared at the computer screen where Ho-gyun's words continued, forgetting both his shame and the heat. They say high temperatures have a rather negative effect on male reproductive ability.
* * *
Watching the people gathered before me dance to the tune I had planned in advance always puts me in a good mood, no matter how many times I experience it. This time, the audience consists of reporters, who are second to none in being difficult to handle in South Korea. Moreover, beyond the people I can see right now, thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of others are reacting according to my plan through those cameras over there. How many of them do I know? Chairman Kwon Byung-do, Seong-gyun, and Je-gyun are obviously among them. I hope Kwon So-hee is watching too; after all, it's the storm created by the small flap of her own wings, so she'll probably look it up later.
"Excuse me, did you just say you would expose unfair practices at QS Electronics?"
Though the question came from a reporter, the person who needed to hear the answer was Seong-gyun, so I deliberately looked straight into the camera as I replied.
"Yes. More precisely, it would be the unfair practices of Kwon Seong-gyun, the CEO of QS Electronics."
"If it's CEO Kwon Seong-gyun, isn't he your older brother, Mr. Kwon Ho-gyun?"
"I made it clear just moments ago. Even if it involves my own family, they will not escape the scrutiny of the Audit Team I lead if they are connected to unfair practices. There are no exceptions, even for my own brothers. The position of Audit Team head exists not to protect family, but to prevent corruption within the company."
Whoa. Clap, clap, clap, clap.
If this had been an audience of ordinary citizens rather than reporters, that kind of reaction would have erupted. The live stream comments are probably similar right now. I wish Kwon Seong-gyun wouldn't focus only on me and would check the comments too—how is he watching this?
Still, since the people sitting in front of me were reporters, one of them urged me to continue.
"What specific unfair practices are you referring to?"
Amusingly, it was the reporter from Hanbit Ilbo who had offered me a chance to explain earlier. Song A-reum. She was also the one who had typed the article exposing my past misdeeds. Yet the way her eyes sparkled even while I was about to expose Seong-gyun's unfair practices showed that Hanbit Ilbo simply couldn't resist any QS-related scoop.
"Before I go into the specifics, there are people who need to be brought to this stage."
As soon as I finished speaking, the QS Electronics dealership owners who had been seated on one side of the reporters stood up under staff guidance and lined up behind me on the podium.
"These individuals are the direct victims of the unfair practices by Kwon Seong-gyun, CEO of QS Electronics, which I am about to describe. Approximately two years ago, QS Electronics began collecting 1.5 million won per store from dealership owners under the guise of franchise fees. This was not part of the original franchise agreements, and dealerships that refused to agree faced delayed new product supplies or pressure to terminate their contracts."
By this point, the topic of the press conference had completely shifted from Kwon Ho-gyun's past misbehavior to Kwon Seong-gyun's current abuse of power. Once again, our Song A-reum from Hanbit Ilbo, who knew a lot about QS and was brave enough to ask, raised her hand and inquired.
"So, the people who just came up—are they the franchise owners who were extorted 1.5 million won annually in franchise fees by QS Electronics?"
Oh my. "Extorted," she says. Thank you for using a word I couldn't bring myself to say, coming from the very reporter who had beaten me down.
"Yes, that's correct. I will do everything in my power to ensure that all QS Electronics franchise owners, including those present here, no longer suffer the same damages. I will also do my utmost to provide legal support so that the franchise fees paid so far can be refunded."
This time, another reporter asked with a skeptical look.
"So, are you saying the QS Group headquarters legal team will file a lawsuit against its affiliate, QS Electronics?"
"No. Since QS Group headquarters and QS Electronics share aligned interests, legal support for the victims will be provided at no cost to QS, but through an external law firm. Additionally, we have found numerous indications that, despite internal opposition to the collection of franchise fees at QS Electronics, the decisions appear to have been made under CEO Kwon Seong-gyun's direct authority. This too will be strictly dealt with at the group level."
The external law firm mentioned here was, of course, Seungbaek, where I serve as the representative attorney. With this, I—who now stood in a position representing the entire QS Group—would use Seungbaek to crush Kwon Seong-gyun once more, the man who had dared to cast a net to catch me.
By the time the press conference had reached this point, reporters began leaving their seats one by one with phones pressed to their ears. They were probably reporting Seong-gyun's corruption to their respective news desks rather than Kwon Ho-gyun's past antics.
At that moment, Song A-reum—the reporter who had personally included interviews with the bar owners victimized by the old Kwon Ho-gyun's rampages—raised her hand once more, this time cautiously.
"Um, I would also like to hear directly from the affected franchise owners."
Huh? This was a part I hadn't planned in advance.