The Famous Millionaire

As a politician, Mr. Chung had been sick and tired of corrupt politics for a long time. As he had no power to change the corrupt political system on his own, he just shut his mouth until now.

Hyunwoo wanted politicians like Mr. Chung to open their mouths and speak out against it.

Hyunwoo asked quietly, “I guess there are a few clean and honest politicians like you, Mr. Chung.”

“I feel more ashamed if you say so. I’ve tried to be clean, but it’s not that easy. The specialty of corrupt politicians is to divide their fellow politicians.”

Hyunwoo could understand what he was talking about.

In fact, Mr. Chung had little power at the National Assembly. He was a young and first-term lawmaker, so he had no strong power base.

How could a politician like him fight with political big shots like Chulmo Kim or Jungmin Hwang? If a politician like him wanted to survive, he had no choice but to support them.

That’s why he couldn’t no matter how hard he tried to be clean and honest in politics.

“Isn’t it true that there are more politicians like you in the National Assembly? I mean more clean politicians than corrupt ones.”

Mr. Chung nodded at his question and said,

“I think so. But even if they want to be clean, they are being contaminated by veteran politicians like Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang. Of course, there are some politicians who were corrupt from the beginning.”

“Is there any way I can help clean politicians? If I can be of any help in expelling dirty politicians and cultivating clean politicians, won’t it help our politicians create a clean political climate?

Of course, I can’t do it overnight, but if we all join hands and make the efforts together, our political climate will be cleaner over time,” said Hyunwoo.

Mr. Chung let out a deep sigh because he knew how tough it was.

Hyunwoo asked again, “I don’t know anything about politics. Please show me how to create a clean political climate. I’ll do my best to make it come true.”

“How do I know the right method? You have lots of money, but I don’t. I have no money and no power, to say the least. I think congressman Wonju Ha can answer your question.”

At that moment, Hyunwoo’s eyes opened wide with surprise.

“Oh, Mr. Wonju Ha!”

Ha was also a veteran politician like Hwang. As a fifth-term lawmaker, he was also a big shot in the ruling party. Originally, Chulmo Kim was the most powerful lawmaker in the ruling party, but as he was involved in the sex scandal, he lost power. Instead, Mr. Ha emerged to replace him. In other words, Ha was the only one in the ruling party to challenge Kim’s power.

But the general public’s image of Ha was not good.

Mr. Chung made Hyunwoo think twice about Ha’s bad reputation.

“Actually, it was Chulmo Kim who fabricated Mr. Ha’s image badly. Mr. Ha is a clean and upright politician. He is also very competent and excellent in sizing up the political situation.”

Mr. Chung briefed Hyunwoo about Ha.

Ha was born to a rich family and attended top schools. He became a businessman and increased his fortune by double even before he turned 40, but he gave up his business all of a sudden and entered politics.

The reason he did so was simple. When the politicians harassed him by endlessly requesting political funds, he himself decided to become a politician to purify corrupt politics.

But Ha didn’t know how tough the task was.

Veteran politicians, who had thrived in a corrupt political climate for long, tried their best to get rid of Ha, and Ha used up his fortune to challenge them.

That’s why Ha was one of the five poorest politicians, even though he was a five-term politician. The fact that he was still powerful in the ruling party meant that he had fine political skills.

Hyunwoo asked Mr. Chung a favor.

“Can I meet Mr. Wonju Ha?”

“Not a problem. Actually, Congressman Jungsang Kim is on close terms with Mr. Ha. If you ask Mr. Kim, you could meet Mr. Ha easily. Let me call Mr. Kim about this first.”

“Thanks.”

Mr. Kim gladly accepted Hyunwoo’s request.

Arranging a meeting with Mr. Ha, he asked Hyunwoo never to mention money.

“Don’t raise the topic of money. That’s the topic he hates most. If you want to donate political funds, you can do so officially within the legal limit.”

“Got it.”

Finally, he met Mr. Ha in a quiet Korean restaurant in the vicinity of Kyonggi Province.

Ha looked much younger than Hyunwoo saw him on TV. Though he was 70 years old, he looked in his early 60s.

They broke the ice by talking about various topics that were popular these days. Ha praised Hyunwoo highly, saying he was the best businessman in Korea who could develop the economy for the next 50 years.

And then they brought up the main topic.

Mr. Ha first took up the topic and said, “It looks like you’re having a hard time these days.”

“I am, sir. I even started to feel sick and tired of doing business. Sometimes, I want to give up all my business and live like an ordinary citizen.”

“Oh, no! The greater you become, the more responsibility you are supposed to bear. You’re such a big shot in the business world.”

“I’m flattered. I was just lucky enough to make some money. You’re the big star in Korean politics.”

“Not at all.”

Both praised each other while trying to be humble at the same time.

Waiting for an appropriate moment, Hyunwoo brought up a sensitive topic.

“To be honest, you and I are eminent persons. And we have more responsibility in that respect, I think.”

“You bet.”

“That’s why I’m saying this to you. Don’t you think you have some important role in politics while I have one in the economic circles?”

At that moment, Ha’s eyes sparkled sharply.

“For example…?”

Hyunwoo hesitated for a moment. Though he wanted to speak out right away, what he would propose was very risky, too.

But he decided to trust Mr. Ha.

Breathing in deeply, Hyungoo said confidently,

“Let me revive the Korean economy. Would you revive Korean politics? I don’t think politicians like Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang should exercise such a big influence in the National Assembly.”

Ha’s face blushed momentarily. Clearing his throat, however, Ha looked around as if

Jungsang Kim and Chulwoo Chung were nearby listening.

But Hyunwoo didn’t care. He looked Ha in the eye as if he wanted the lawmaker to read his mind.

Ha slowly began to nod his head and said, “You have a very high social status, and many people here and abroad are watching you closely. So, you should be very careful about what you want to say. I think you know my point.”

Hyunwoo remained silent. As Hyunwoo already opened his heart to him, it’s time for Ha to respond.

And Ha was aware of that, too.

“I understand it’s very hard for someone like you to make any political remarks. Despite that, you opened your heart to me. So, let me tell you what I think frankly.”

Only then did Hyunwoo make a faint smile.

Ha continued, “If I sum up my long political life, I would say it’s a fight against corruption.”

Hyunwoo heard about that, too.

Those he fought against were not only Chulmo Kim and Jungmin Hwang but also many other corrupt politicians in the past. Accordingly, he caused constant friction with many politicians along the way.

It was a miracle that he survived despite his lifelong political fight.

But that was all. He closed his remarks after a long sigh.

“Looking back, I have fought futile fights. I can’t light a dark room with just one matchstick.”

“Why just one matchstick?”

Only then did Hyunwoo break the silence and speak his mind.

Ha looked at Chulwoo Chung and Jungsang Kim as if he understood Hyunwoo’s message.

But he didn’t look good.

Hyunwoo said, “You can’t necessarily light a dark room by sacrificing yourself alone. You need a matchstick to light a candle, but one matchstick is enough to ignite an explosion to destroy the earth.”

Ha looked at Hyunwoo and said, “Could you explain plainly, so I can understand better?”

“There are many bombs we have to explode in the National Assembly. Instead of light the National Assembly by sacrificing yourself, don’t you think it’s much more effective to light the Assembly by exploding such bombs?”

“Do you mean corrupt politicians by that?”

“Yes. Just like Assemblyman Chumo Kim was outed because of the revelation of his sex scandal, I think one matchstick is enough to expel corrupt politicians if we can succeed in revealing their dirty schemes.”

Ha let out a deep sigh, “I know what you mean. But that’s too radical. If you do it, lots of politicians involved will be affected as well. You can’t deal with the aftereffects of that.”

“I can. We should. If you keep silent because you’re scared, our politics will never change.”

Ha agonized over the thought.

Most likely he might have been pondering over the repercussions of that.

He could easily imagine what would happen once that happened. After all, the clean politics campaign would run vapid with the exit of only a few powerless politicians.

But Ha felt he could expect something different this time.

It was because of Hyunwoo’s unusual courage.

The rival of these corrupt politicians was not the people who played into the hands of the corrupt press manipulated by them, but Hyunwoo Jang, the best businessman that the world was watching.

If Hyunwoo launched the campaign with a firm determination, he could achieve something. And with the help of Ha and some other young like-minded politicians, there could be real progress in creating a clean political climate.

Expelling the corrupt politicians all at once.

When he imagined that, Ha exclaimed before he knew.

“I wish that day could come…”

“That can happen. We have to make that happen, so we can survive,” said Hyunwoo confidently.

Only then did Ha looked at him with a determined expression.

“Good. Let’s do it.”