The Former Chaebol Heir Excels as President

Chapter 44: Elected Candidate (1)

After receiving the certificate of election as a Member of the National Assembly, I made my rounds offering greetings — visiting markets, senior citizens’ centers, and residential neighborhoods to express my gratitude.

It took a full week just to deliver the thank-you greetings.

― Don't forget the common people.

― Resolve local issues.

― Do politics beyond your party.

― Don't lose your original intention.

― This was the first time I voted for your party. I’ll be watching.

Each constituent had something different to say.

The Daehwa Supermarket Lady, holding my hand silently with teary eyes. The Ddoli Stationery Owner, patting my shoulder in encouragement.

I engraved their words in my heart.

The day of the first-term Members’ Workshop.

I stepped on the red carpet laid out and entered the Members’ Office Building.

“Cheonmyeong!”

As I turned around, Ryu Jong-min greeted me with a bright smile, dressed in a suit.

“Jong-min, fancy seeing you here.”

“Let’s talk for a moment before we go in. We still have time, right?”

“Sure.”

We received coffee from a National Assembly Secretariat staffer and moved to a corner.

“Amazing. How did you beat a three-term lawmaker so overwhelmingly?”

“Jangganghuran-chujeonrang.”

“Haha. No one can beat a kid who studied at a village school. What does it mean?”

“It means the rear waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves. That three-term lawmaker had grown complacent in his ways.”

“I hope I’ll be pushed out after three terms too.”

For him, it wouldn’t be easy to hold on to his given constituency, so that was a natural wish.

I would defend my constituency and make it to a third term without fail.

Then, I would pursue my next dream.

“Things are looking good, right? Despite the tough race, we got a majority.”

“The atmosphere is lively, yet there's a bit of stiffness. I heard your side is more horizontal in structure—how is it?”

“I’m not sure yet. Just trying to recognize all the faces is overwhelming.”

“Have you hired your staff?”

“I hired two myself, and the rest were recommended by the party. Since experienced personnel are necessary, I had to follow the party’s lead. Oh, I also get to choose one intern.”

Ahn Jin-su had agreed to work as my Policy Advisor, and for my personal secretary, I hired the man in his fifties who had assisted during the campaign.

He was taciturn, an excellent driver, and wise.

Ryu Jong-min looked at me with envy.

“So you get to do the hiring. I just went with what the party gave me, and they told me we’ll revisit it after two years.”

“Guess that’s how it is for first-timers.”

“That too, but there’s something else.”

Ryu Jong-min held back his words.

I didn’t need to know the inner workings of the opposing party.

It was time to go in.

“Let’s go. With this many people, it’ll take time just to memorize faces.”

“Yeah, let’s.”

The workshop began with lectures.

Legislative activities, support systems, even public office ethics.

After the lectures, we moved to the banquet hall.

A banquet hall with round tables neatly arranged.

I sat with five other first-term lawmakers from our party.

Aside from one young man elected through proportional representation, I was the youngest.

“Let’s have a toast.”

The eldest man raised his glass.

He, too, had been elected through proportional representation.

We toasted with champagne glasses tinged with red.

With 149 out of 300 Members of Parliament being first-timers, the banquet hall was bustling.

The man who proposed the toast looked at me and said,

“Representative Kang, I enjoyed watching your bold contest. I’m planning to run next time as well, so please share your secret.”

“If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll gladly do so.”

“Thank you.”

My eyes turned to Lee Ga-gyeong, the human rights lawyer sitting across.

Assigned the fifth spot on the proportional representation list, she was known for her advocacy for workers’ rights.

Neat features, gentle tone, a shy demeanor.

How did she fight corporations looking like that?

My curiosity was piqued.

“Representative Lee, in what area have you been active? One of my friends works at the judiciary as a labor law attorney.”

“Really? May I ask their name?”

“Hyeon Se-ung.”

“He’s the former judge-turned-attorney, right?”

Her eyes gleamed.

“I heard he served as a judge for seven years.”

“Ah, so it was him.”

“He and I went to the same high school.”

“There aren’t many labor law attorneys, so it’s a small world. I’ve done joint litigation with Attorney Hyeon Se-ung, so I know him well.”

Just the fact that she knew Hyeon Se-ung sparked a sense of internal closeness.

“I’ve been working for about ten years on unpaid wages and wrongful dismissals.”

“That’s no easy task. I respect that.”

“Once someone steps into this field, it’s hard to step back. Our country still strongly tends to treat workers as disposable.”

I chatted with her about this and that.

As I stood up to move to the next seat, I felt a touch on my shoulder.

It was Ryu Jong-min.

“You should greet our party’s lawmakers too. Your classmate Dohun is here.”

“You two became close?”

“We’re the same age.”

“Let’s go.”

Even if they were from the opposing party, it was good to familiarize myself with their faces.

I moved a few tables over.

“Hello, I’m Kang Cheonmyeong. I look forward to working with you.”

I bowed my head to the first-term Members of the Korea Unification Party.

A man with greying hair stood up and extended his hand.

“I asked Representative Ryu to bring you over. Nice to meet you. I’m Cheon Myeong-hun.”

“Hello, it’s an honor to meet you.”

“Haha. The honor is mine. I’m curious about how you so easily defeated our party’s three-term lawmaker. I’ll need to pick a constituency next time too, so I’d appreciate any advice.”

“If I can be of any help.”

It was a formal greeting.

There was no reason for me to help the opposing party.

I greeted the others briefly and sat next to Wang Dohun.

I asked him,

“Have you been assigned an office?”

“Room 305. You?”

“Room 510.”

I didn’t miss the bitter look on Wang Dohun’s face.

The royal floors of the Members’ Office Building were from the sixth to the eighth. Naturally, the powerful lawmakers used those floors, and hearing that I was on a lower floor must have triggered his jealousy.

Wang Dohun pretended to be nonchalant.

“Did you finish hiring your staff?”

“Just need to pick an intern. You?”

“I’ve got my whole team. Lots of experienced people, so it’s reassuring. Being the ruling party definitely comes with perks. We won the election, too.”

That condescending look.

Strangely, I was relieved that he hadn’t changed.

“I’ll give you that.”

“The presidential election this year will probably turn out the same.”

“Let’s work well together. Compete on legislation, cooperate now and then.”

“Sure thing.”

Wang Dohun acted as though bestowing favor like a king.

Some people are naturally gifted at rubbing others the wrong way.

“Representative Kang, would you like a glass of champagne?”

“Thank you.”

I accepted the champagne poured by Cheon Myeong-hun.

He was an economist who adhered to neoliberalism. He argued that without economic freedom, there could be no political freedom and emphasized a small government.

Perhaps because he knew I was a businessman, he seemed to be seeking agreement.

“My views are a bit different. Let’s talk more if the opportunity arises. It was a pleasure meeting you.”

“Leaving already? Just when the conversation was getting good. What a shame.”

“I hope to see you again.”

I bowed to the first-term Members of the Korea Unification Party and returned to my seat. Then I went around the tables of my own party members, and the banquet concluded.

“Cheonmyeong, want to grab some soju with Dohun?”

“Let’s do it another time.”

I turned down Ryu Jong-min’s suggestion.

I wasn’t thrilled about Wang Dohun joining, but more importantly, I had a significant appointment that evening.

A high-end restaurant in Seocho-dong.

In the room at the very end, I sat face-to-face with Kwon Hyeok-min.

We had met at Somangwon, where I taught during volunteer work, and he used to call me teacher.

“It must have been over ten years since I last saw you.”

“Time really flies. Are you back in Seoul now?”

“Yes. I was assigned to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office as a Prosecutorial Researcher and arrived today. I wanted to congratulate you on your election and see you.”

Kwon Hyeok-min had worked at a trading company before taking the bar exam.

I later learned that Somangwon, where he grew up, had been selected for redevelopment and was forced to relocate.

Somangwon, which had operated under a ten-year contract for use of state-owned land.

Although five years remained on the contract, Kwon Hyeok-min explained that it had crumbled under the developers’ lobbying.

‘I tried to stop it, but I had no choice. The hired thugs came in and destroyed everything. They even dragged the director by the hair in front of the children. I will find those bastards and bring them to justice.’

That was why he became a prosecutor.

A simple reason — to catch bad guys.

“You had a rough time in the provinces.”

“If you don’t have connections, getting shuffled around is a given.”

“Your sense of justice is admirable.”

“The director always told us — with the blade you hold, you must cook and bring joy, not harm people. I always keep those words in mind.”

Those words had been her last.

After sending the children to other care facilities, the director had fallen ill and passed away five years ago.

That too, I had heard from Kwon Hyeok-min.

“What kind of work will you be doing now?”

“I’ll likely assist with prosecutorial affairs. Not as the Prosecutor General’s secretary, though. It’s late, but congratulations on your election.”

“Thanks.”

“I always believed you were destined for something great. From the moment I met you, your aura was no joke.”

“Haha. Is that so?”

“I still remember how you always took the lead. You’re like a benefactor to me.”

“You made it this far through your own effort. I’m proud of you.”

I poured him a drink and asked,

“Are you planning to stay in prosecution?”

“Even if I don’t make it to Chief Prosecutor, I should at least reach Deputy Chief Prosecutor. I’d like to leave behind at least one record before I take off the uniform.”

“That’s a good mindset.”

“You must be very busy, right?”

“Honestly, I don’t know anything yet. Feels like I’ve been thrown into a maze. I’ll just take it one step at a time and learn as I go. Haha.”

“You’ll do great. Please become an excellent politician.”

I clinked glasses with him.

“I’ll do my best.”

“I believe in you. When I put my hopes in you, they come true.”

“That’s a bit of pressure. How’s the culture in the prosecution these days? You’ve heard of the six punishments saying, right?”

“You know that too, sir?”

‘Sell the house and punish the family, feed and punish the prisoners, count and punish the guards, beat and punish the detectives, summon and punish the prosecutors, and delay and punish the judges.’ I read it in a novel.

Kwon Hyeok-min wore a bitter expression.

“Lately, even prosecutors get delayed and punished. They stash cases in cabinets and bring them out when convenient.”

“That’s unchecked power. The unity of prosecutors still holds strong?”

“Even if a prosecutor submits an indictment opinion, if someone higher up says no, then that’s it. I insisted on truth and justice a few times and got reassigned to different district offices.”

As expected, Kwon Hyeok-min had integrity.

That’s why I liked him.

“The prosecution needs someone like you. If you get ousted for pushing back, just become a lawyer. I could even help you find a post in a corporation.”

“Haha. Then I’ll push back with all I’ve got.”

We emptied and refilled our glasses once more.

Kwon Hyeok-min glanced at me, then cautiously spoke.

“Sir.”

“If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

“I got some information. It concerns you.”

“Me?”

“That company you used to run, NetinKorea.”

“What about it?”

Kwon Hyeok-min lowered his voice.

“They say Criminal Division 3 has been investigating it since two months ago.”

“Criminal Division 3?”

“Judging by the timing, it seems to be because of the election. Did you perhaps do something wrong?”

Criminal Division 3.

That name came to me immediately.

Oh Man-seok.

That bastard works there.

Crazy gorilla bastard!