Chapter 232
At 9:30 a.m., a sea of people crowded in front of Minwoo Party headquarters. As announced in advance, today was the day the party would issue its official stance on Lee Jung-chan.
The chill of encroaching winter had arrived in earnest, and Yun Se-yeon rubbed her hands together amid the throng of reporters. She'd pitched her tent early that morning to snag a front-row spot, and before she knew it, she'd dozed off and time had slipped away.
Now, finally scanning the crowd for familiar faces, Yun Se-yeon wandered around.
"Yun, reporter!"
Reporters from various newspapers and broadcasters waved at her.
"Hey there!"
They poured hot cocoa from their thermoses and handed it to her.
"No time's been this hectic, seriously. You're swamped too, right, Yun?"
"Busy, yeah, but no real payoff. You gotta have tips coming in to make it worthwhile. I'm just poking around everywhere, wondering where to jab next, but coming up empty."
"Hah!"
A middle-aged reporter puffing a cigarette burst out laughing at Yun Se-yeon's words.
"You're tight with that lawyer, aren't you? Word's spreading like wildfire that he's deeply involved in this case."
"That lawyer? Who's that supposed to be?"
"Come on, not this again. Yun, if you keep playing dumb like that, it's gonna piss people off."
A rookie reporter tagging along with a senior shot her a glare. Of course, she knew they meant Lawyer Cha Juhan. And just as they said, she knew he was intimately tied to this incident.
But what did it matter? Ever since Reporter Choi Jonghyeon started breaking stories on air, every exclusive went straight to him first. She was reduced to sucking her thumb and feeding info to Cha Juhan instead!
"Heard Lee Se-hwa's been meeting with Lawyer Cha Juhan?"
The reporter who'd given her the cocoa broached the topic casually. Yun Se-yeon had heard the rumor too. But she hadn't pressed Cha Juhan for details. He was as tight-lipped as they come; no point asking.
When she'd first caught wind of it, she'd dismissed it as nonsense. The pairing was too unlikely. Cha Juhan didn't seem hungry for politics. If he were glory-seeking, he'd have begged her to splash all those dramatic cases she'd handed him on the front page by now. And she wouldn't have refused.
Even if the rumors were true, it wouldn't be that strange. Lee Se-hwa and Cha Juhan. An odd couple on the surface, but they had every reason to cross paths. Kang Minjae, who trailed Cha Juhan like a shadow—or more like the poop trailing a goldfish—was the grandson of former President Kang Gwanung, after all. And the suspiciously timed promotion of Park Younggi, Western District Prosecutors' chief and one of Kang Gwanung's prized pupils, to Central District Prosecutors' third deputy chief? The media hadn't breathed Kang Gwanung's name yet, and Park's appointment was still called "unexpected." But among grizzled reporters, the whispers were already circulating.
"You really don't know, Yun?"
"Nah, no clue. Just scraps I've picked up here and there, like you guys."
In truth, she'd grilled Choi Jonghyeon about it several times to verify, but he hadn't breathed a word—either he truly didn't know or he knew and wouldn't spill.
"Cha Juhan, famous for dodging reporters, makes an exception for you in private."
"Ugh, I said I don't know! I wanna know too! He only says what he wants—how am I supposed to pry it out?"
The rumor that Lee Se-hwa was cozying up to Cha Juhan probably leaked from her camp. Cha Juhan was a hot commodity now. Sure, known mainly as a sharp lawyer for the moment, but already, folks everywhere were eyeing his strategic genius.
At minimum, no one in this business would be unfamiliar with his name. Especially in politics, where his knack for shaping public perception shone brightest. He had an uncanny sense of how people would view an issue and knew how to steer the narrative his way. The virtue politicians craved most—and possessed least.
Lee Se-hwa had clearly marked her territory first: hands off, he's mine.
"Yun, you hooking up with Cha Juhan?"
"Hooking up? What do you mean?"
"You know, man-woman stuff."
"How the hell would I know?"
Yun Se-yeon replied indifferently. But just imagining Cha Juhan with some woman made cold sweat break out. She shook her head side to side to banish the awkward mental image.
"Sneak in, seduce him, shake loose some dirt. Men are all the same, right? Even the stone walls crack for a pretty girl."
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah, you're cute."
"Thanks, but..."
"Have some confidence!"
"Attorney Cha's not my type. I like gentle guys. And someone that ridiculously handsome and brilliant? Kinda turns me off."
"Who said date him for real? Just pump him for info!"
Watching the reporters rant, Yun Se-yeon suddenly pictured a familiar face.
"...Attorney Cha's got a wife."
"Huh? A wife? What, he's married?"
"Not exactly..."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"There's this person."
You've heard of him. Kang Minjae, Cha Juhan's clingy sidekick...
"The press conference will begin shortly in Conference Room 3 on the first floor!"
At that moment, the party doors swung open, and a loud voice announced entry. Yun Se-yeon quickly glued herself to the line.
"Hey, I was here first!"
[...Our Minwoo Party Ethics Committee has urged former Representative Lee Jung-chan to step down as party leader and leave the party. Former Representative Lee has expressed his intent to resign as leader but refused to leave the party. Accordingly, Minwoo Party has voted to expel him definitively. Minwoo Party has grown alongside the birth of the Republic of Korea, as the people's steadfast ally...]
Clunk.
Hearing Kang Jongmyeong's voice echo from the office TV, Kang Minjae dropped the plastic cup he was holding. Oh Yanghun, the office manager, should've jumped at the sound and picked it up for him—but even he couldn't tear his eyes from the screen. They were glued to it, hanging on every syllable, as if being sucked in.
I picked up Kang Minjae's cup in their stead. Should've spat the orange juice he'd been sipping right back into it.
"L-Lee Jung-chan... expelled? Out of nowhere?"
Kang Minjae was stammering. No wonder—the info I'd shared with them only went as far as Lee Jung-chan agreeing with Kang Jongmyeong to step down as leader. I hadn't hidden anything. After Yun Se-yeon tipped me off, the window I'd had to act was from then until this very morning—barely a day and a half.
In that time, I had to ensure Lee Jung-chan got no shot at redemption from Minwoo Party.
"Did you know, sir? That they'd expel Lee Jung-chan?"
Oh Yanghun, visibly rattled, turned to me.
"I learned Kang Jongmyeong had made that call for sure just now, from the broadcast."
"So you knew the rest? Why didn't you tell us?"
I sighed at Kang Minjae's question.
"Not quite. Kang Jongmyeong laid the groundwork to expel him, but whether it worked? I just confirmed it now. That's why I couldn't say ahead, and time was tight anyway."
"What move did he pull?"
"Nothing major..."
"Zhuge Liang's overkill. You'd probably think it's lame if you heard."
Lee Se-hwa's eyes sparkled as she awaited my words, but it really wasn't anything brilliant.
"A new scandal's about to hit Lee Jung-chan soon."
"New scandal? There's more to drop? His second son's lies already blew up, and the eldest got nailed for taking sex bribes in that Jo Hyun-seok case. I haven't heard squat."
Lee Se-hwa tilted her head.
"Not some massive crime. But it'll rile up the public."
"That's scarier for politicians like us."
She was right. A blatant crime might even be preferable if it wasn't too extreme. It fades with time, and you can finagle light punishment with the judiciary. But once the public turns on you? Good luck clawing back.
That's why image mattered, and why Lee Jung-chan had dragged his sons into it.
"So, what is it?"
"A recording of Lee Jung-chan's voice. Mocking how Koreans are genetically dumb, so it'll blow over quick—just bide time for the next shot, and suckers will fall for it again."
"That's his usual spiel. I've heard it straight from him."
On the surface, no big deal. In a society where distrust of politicians ran deep, who’d bat an eye? But hearing it in his own voice? Different story.
Without the Myeonghwa Pharma scandal and Lee Se-hyeong's mess, no station would've touched it. But now, with his sordid past endlessly unspooling, broadcasters were starving for fresh angles on Lee Jung-chan. Especially when they were just parroting the same old corruption beats.
No mercy for a politician whose presidential bid was dead in the water.
"Hmm. In this climate, it'll make waves."
"If Minwoo clings to him, they'll get painted as viewing the public the same way. Kang Jongmyeong, already terrified of losing votes, won't stand for that. If the media holds off on airing it, he'll cut the tail to save himself."
And the last chance for that tail-cutting? Day after tomorrow. Minwoo supporters were already demanding expulsion. Settling for resignation might've led to a mild statement at the presser, eyeing Lee Jung-chan's voters for the election.
Attacking him then would've been suicide. But drop the tape, and even his diehards peel off. Expel him after? Too late—Minwoo would've already shown favoritism, earning backlash across the board.
"Lee Jung-chan called Koreans genetically dumb? Even though he's Korean? Ridiculous."
Kang Minjae shrugged in disbelief after hearing the story. Having lived in the States a bit, his gestures were expressive.
"Right? Blew my mind too."
"Where'd you get the recording? Wiretap?"
"Nah. Just something I heard floating around."
"So when does it drop? Can't wait. News is better than drama these days—I'm hyped like it's the next episode. Gotta catch it when it breaks."
"It won't."
I stood from the sofa.
Kang Minjae stared up blankly, uncomprehending.
"...Why not? You used it to pressure Kang Jongmyeong, right?"
"Never existed in the first place."
"What?!"
Even the silent Oh Yanghun yelped.
"...So Kang Jongmyeong fell for a nonexistent tape?"
"Yep. Lee Se-hwa too."
"Why buy it without hearing it?"
"It's Lee Jung-chan's go-to line. 'Koreans are genetically dumb, wait it out and they'll bite again.' Kang Jongmyeong's heard it firsthand, so he figured the guy finally got caught on tape mouthing off."
For some reason, Lee Jung-chan's voice from that distant-future recording file—procured by Choi Jonghyeon and played for me—echoed vividly in my ears. Shame we couldn't drop the real thing. But with or without it, Lee Jung-chan for president? Fat chance in this Korea of mine.