Free Web NovelThe situation with Seo Jaehun began to move quickly.
The warrant validity review requested by the Ilseong Group Legal Affairs Office was dismissed by the court.
Jang Geunseok tried multiple times to arrange a meeting with the judge assigned to the review, but the judge refused every request.
With not even a single hearing held, the judge issued a summary dismissal.
Koryeo Daily published articles about the case every single day, and other media outlets followed suit with their own pieces on Seo Jaehun.
In the midst of this, the prosecution’s first interrogation of Seo Jaehun began.
Seo Jaehun denied every charge.
In contrast, Han Jiho testified that he alone was responsible, and none of it had been ordered by Seo Jaehun.
The prosecution presented evidence such as the recorded files delivered by Lee Seokmin and Patrick’s blood found on Seo Jaehun’s clothing.
Even so, Han Jiho’s statement did not change.
But the evidence was overwhelming.
The documents that Lee Seokmin brought during his witness interview were devastating for Seo Jaehun.
Lee Seokmin testified not only about embezzlement and breach of trust, but also about the detailed circumstances of the disappearance cases he had helped cover up.
Although Seo Jaehun had been arrested, ironically, the stock prices of Ilseong Group’s subsidiaries rose.
This was because management control of Ilseong Electronics had shifted to Mirae Investment, and a wave of shareholder meetings was replacing board members across multiple subsidiaries.
Owner risk had been swallowed whole by the corporate governance war.
Not long ago, Song Chanhyuk contacted me through his lawyer—he wanted to see me.
To meet him, I headed to the special attorney meeting room at Seongdong Detention Center.
Not long after my arrival, Song Chanhyuk entered.
The correctional officer seated him, greeted me briefly, and departed.
“You asked to see me?”
It had not even been a month since his arrest, yet Song Chanhyuk already looked worn down.
“Yes, President Kim.”
He glanced at the lawyer sitting beside him.
“You, step outside.”
At his words, the lawyer rose.
“Call me when you are done.”
“Ah, if you have cigarettes, leave them. Let Assemblyman Song smoke one. I quit long ago and do not have any on me.”
The lawyer placed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter on the table and left.
“Go ahead. Have one.”
“Thank you.”
Song Chanhyuk pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a long drag.
I pushed the paper cup toward him.
“How is life in detention?”
He gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
“It is no environment for a person to live in.”
“I see. Then why did you ask to see me? I admit, the sudden request surprised me.”
Song Chanwoo had faithfully obeyed my instructions.
He immediately convened a family meeting and passed the resolution to abandon Song Chanhyuk.
There had been opposition, of course, but when he said I demanded it, everyone fell silent.
As a result, they filed charges against Song Chanhyuk for embezzlement, breach of trust, and various other illegal acts he had committed during his time as Vice President of Daehyeon Heavy Industries.
It had taken less than a week for the charges to be filed and for him to be arrested.
Yet not a single line of news had been published.
Thanks to that, very few people knew that Song Chanhyuk was currently incarcerated.
Some individuals knew, but unless mainstream media covered the case, the public would never find out.
There were several reasons for keeping this quiet.
First, it would allow the opposition to frame it as political retaliation.
I did not want to burden Yoon Changho, who was now running the transition committee.
Second, I had promised Song Chanwoo.
He did not want the matter of abandoning a family member exposed to the press.
Although he had filed the charges himself on my command, the guilt was clearly weighing on him.
“I was wrong. I apologize.”
After stubbing out his cigarette, Song Chanhyuk bowed his head.
“For what? Why are you apologizing?”
“There is plenty to apologize for. I ignored your warnings and jumped into the presidential race. I even tried to unite with Heo Taemin. I knew full well that it would harm President-elect Yoon Changho, who had prepared with you for years.”
“Are you upset because you ended up being the only one arrested? Do not worry. Heo Taemin will soon be joining you for violating the Illegal Political Funds Act. You will have company.”
I had no intention of letting Heo Taemin off the hook.
Seo Jaehun’s illegal election funds—over ten billion won—had been funneled to him.
Those documents were already in the hands of the prosecution thanks to Lee Seokmin.
Once Yoon Changho officially took office, we had agreed to begin the summons and investigation immediately.
“No. I am not upset. This is all my fault. You warned me many times, did you not? Not to harbor unnecessary ambition... When the election ended and I saw the results, I finally understood. Public approval ratings are meaningless. I had simply gone mad.”
Had he truly let everything go?
Was it really possible for someone to change this completely, all at once?
Or was there something he wanted?
“What is it you want me to do for you?”
He shook his head with a faint smile.
“Nothing. I only wanted to apologize.”
“······.”
“There is nothing to do here but think. At first, I felt wronged. I asked myself what grave sin I had committed to deserve being thrown in here. I told myself I ran for president because the people wanted it...”
His sense of injustice was understandable.
In my previous life too, his approval ratings had been high. Even now they were high—but that had been the afterglow of the World Cup.
His mistake was believing that would automatically translate into votes.
If Yoon Changho did not exist, maybe I would have supported him.
Then, perhaps, he might have become president.
“I suppose one could think that way.”
“But after a day or two, my thoughts changed. I realized it was all a bubble. All my greed. I saw what my father went through—the treatment he received during the election, and the retaliation afterward. I was there helping with the campaign, suffering through every moment. How could I have forgotten that?”
I ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) nodded slightly at his voice filled with self-reproach.
He had been at Chairman Song Youngju’s side for the entire presidential campaign.
Perhaps that was why he had wanted it even more.
“So I wanted to apologize. What I did with Heo Taemin was an obstacle to your plans, President Kim. And on top of that, I coveted the Daehyeon Group my father left behind.”
People often said a person changes right before death.
Still suspicious, I looked at him again.
“You truly want nothing?”
“Yes. I told my family to leave Korea and go to France. When I get out, I will leave for Europe as well. If nothing significant happens, I will never return to Korea. So I hope that because of me, neither Daehyeon Group nor my family will be harmed.”
He said all he needed to say, then fiddled with the cigarette pack.
“If you want, have another.”
“Then I will.”
While he smoked, I organized my thoughts.
‘If he has reflected this much... he may still be useful.’
But even if I used him, I had no intention of letting him stay in Korea.
Still—he had influence in FIFA. Helping him take something there might not be a bad idea.
He finished smoking and crushed the cigarette in the paper cup.
I finished my thoughts and spoke.
“I will believe that everything you have said is sincere.”
“It is sincere.”
He seemed to have reflected deeply. I nodded, satisfied.
“Good. I will see to it that you receive a suspended sentence in the first trial.” ƒгeewёbnovel.com
But he did not look pleased.
“That is not why I apologized.”
“I know. I am doing this because I need you. If you have reflected this much, then I think we can work together at least once.”
“Work together······?”
He asked, puzzled.
“Yes. Even if your first trial results in a suspended sentence, you will lose your seat in the National Assembly.”
“I am aware.”
“Before that happens, have your lawyer submit your resignation letter to the National Assembly. Then, the moment you are released on a suspended sentence, leave Korea. And of course, resign as President of the Korea Football Association. Hand it to one of your relatives.”
At the mention of resigning from the National Assembly, he nodded silently.
But when I told him to give up the Korea Football Association, his face darkened.
This man truly loved football.
Even better for me. I smiled.
“And once you go to Europe, prepare to run for President of FIFA. I will provide full support.”
“FIFA President? There are still four years left in the term. Besides, Sepp Blatter has already seized complete control of FIFA. Just recently, Secretary General Michel Zen-Ruffinen lost the power struggle and resigned.”
“I know. Right after the World Cup, President Blatter announced he would dismiss him, so Zen-Ruffinen resigned first.”
Blatter had fired a warning shot at the executive committee members who had opposed him.
If they challenged him again, he would expel them from FIFA like he had expelled Zen-Ruffinen.
As time passed, Blatter built an iron fortress around his kingdom called FIFA.
Before that happened, using Song Chanhyuk to place FIFA in my hands sounded amusing.
“And you want me to run against him? Lennart Johansson of UEFA and Issa Hayatou of the African Football Confederation both lost to him by huge margins in two elections. How can someone from a small Asian country—a football backwater—win where the UEFA President has already failed?”
His voice lacked confidence.
I answered firmly.
“You never know until you try. I will push you with everything I have. So when you leave detention, settle in Europe and secure the support of Chairman Johansson and Chairman Hayatou. I will handle the funding. And the justification is excellent, is it not? You supported Johansson in 1998 and Hayatou in 2002. We can ask them to support Chairman Song this time.”
He let out a thoughtful hum.
“There is still plenty of time. The trial is in about a month. Think about it until then.”
“I understand. ······But why make me such an offer?”
“Well. Because it sounds fun? If you take control of FIFA, the outcome would be an interesting picture.” ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
“Fun?”
He stared at me, dumbfounded.
“Since I acquired an English football club, my eyes naturally shifted toward FIFA. The World Cup made it even clearer. Creating something from nothing takes time. But with your experience, you could cut that time in half.”
Half of it was for fun. Half was sincere.
Since FIFA’s founding in 1904, Europe had monopolized its leadership.
Its only non-European president had been Joao Havelange, but even he came from Brazil—the strongest football nation in the world.
If an Asian—specifically a Korean—became President of FIFA, what would happen?
And if that president was someone I created, the entertainment value would be enormous.
“I accept your apology. Think it over carefully.”
I rose from my seat and extended my hand.
Song Chanhyuk stood and shook it.
“I apologize once more.”
“That is enough. No need to keep apologizing. It is already over. I will be going now. I will call your lawyer in.”
I lightly waved and turned to leave. Before stepping out, I paused with my hand on the door handle.
“Ah, I nearly forgot. The FIFA President does not necessarily need to finish his term before an election is held. A major scandal could spark a resignation movement.”
Leaving that remark behind, I turned the handle.
