“Hello, this is Teolbo. Humbly, today as always!”
The Republic of Korea’s largest current affairs channel, “News Factory.”
Its host, Kim Teolbo, was acknowledged by all as the ruling party’s loudest megaphone, and for the past twenty years he had enjoyed the steady love of progressives.
His uninhibited talk and varied content were more than enough to overpower the existing media. He criticized not only conservative channels but all established media as legacy media. And now that WebTube politics had become mainstream, his influence could only grow by the day.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Well, no, we did broadcast yesterday, but having this gentleman here somehow makes it feel like it’s been a long time. It was truly difficult to get him on the show. Today’s guest on NewFac, former Minister of Education Park Hyeonseop!”
As Park Hyeonseop was introduced, cheers erupted around them.
Park Hyeonseop, one of the ruling party’s most promising hidden dragons, was tremendously popular. The previous president’s ruthless oppression and his unjust imprisonment had turned his supporters into warriors.
With a solid base of support behind him, he had already emerged as a leading next-generation contender within the ruling party. Now, only one final task remained.
The nomination authority for the next election, which would allow him to place his own supporting forces.
“We can’t skip the greetings, can we? Haha. How have you been, Minister Park?”
“As for me, I always spend my nights worrying about the country.”
“Oh dear. No wonder your dark circles have gotten worse.”
“These are difficult times. Our stock market has climbed so high, but the economy for ordinary people is still struggling. Now, beyond the polarization of wealth, even the stock market is polarized... I have a lot on my mind.”
“And that’s why you’ve been reading so many books lately?”
“Yes. The book I’ve been reading recently is Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Amid the ever-widening gap between labor income and financial income, it has made me reflect in many ways on what we should be doing, and whether we’re doing well right now.”
Was it because the factional fighting within the party had recently grown severe? Park Hyeonseop’s words sounded meaningful.
He seemed to be subtly downplaying the current administration’s greatest achievement, the stock market boom, and his tone carried a hint of negativity toward financial income.
“Yes, good. Well, since we’re on the subject, let’s get right to the main point.”
“Yes.”
“The Blue House finally launched the National Growth Fund last week. But once the portfolio was actually revealed, many people expressed disappointment. Of course, it’s not that it’s bad, but it feels a little lacking? What do you think, Minister Park?”
Host Teolbo sent Park Hyeonseop a look.
Today was, in truth, a very important day. It was the day Park Hyeonseop would begin his march toward the presidency, and begin differentiating himself from the incumbent president.
“Yes, well, I heard about it in passing too. There seem to be many voices concerned about the returns, since the proportion of semiconductors is lower than expected.”
“Yes. Perhaps that’s why people in the securities industry say it would have been hard to sell out if not for the tax benefits. Some are even recommending direct investment to individual investors. What are your thoughts, Minister?”
“To be honest, I find it a little disappointing too. Haha.”
Park Hyeonseop’s eyes changed completely.
“What’s most disappointing is that there was an obvious correct answer, and they missed it.”
“There was a correct answer?”
“Those who know will know, but what was the most successful government fund in history? Was it not the Materials, Parts, and Equipment Fund? The current market conditions are far brighter than they were back then, so I can’t help feeling disappointed that this may fall short of the people’s expectations.”
“Ah, that came up at just the right time. The Materials, Parts, and Equipment Fund. It was created under our previous administration, so at the time, Minister, you were...?”
“I was the Minister of Education. Heoheo.”
“Then did you also give a lot of advice on that fund’s portfolio?”
“Rather than advice, we respected the opinions of experts as much as possible. When we trusted them and left it to them like that, they repaid us with excellent returns, as expected.”
As the meaningful remarks continued, the WebTube comment section became pandemonium.
-Hey Park Hyeonseop! Don’t downplay the current government’s achievements!
-Did he say anything wrong? The semiconductor proportion is tiny, so even experts are telling people to invest directly lol
-Yup~ Your government only got KOSPI to briefly touch 3,000 thanks to zero interest rates, this government got KOSPI to 6,000 with high rates^^
-Did Kim Sangcheol invent semiconductors? lol
-Then were there no semiconductors back then?
Amid the overheated atmosphere, Kim Teolbo stepped in to mediate public opinion.
“Heoheo. Is it because it’s election season? Why are there so many Daehan Party supporters here today? Everyone, don’t fall for the trolling. We must not fight among ourselves. We’re one team.”
After things had been settled for the moment, he turned his head.
“Minister Park. Since the topic has come up, I’d like to ask.”
“Yes.”
“The general election is coming soon, and then the presidential election after that... But no one has said anything yet, so confusion within the party seems to be continuing. Daehan Party supporters are taking advantage of that and constantly trying to drive wedges between us.”
“That happens every election season.”
Kim Teolbo asked with a sinister look in his eyes.
“In that case, Minister Park. Could we hear something a little more concrete about your next move?”
*
“Minister Park, I need to see you!”
Lee Chanho, who had arrived at the Minguk Party headquarters, spoke to Park Hyeonseop with a face full of rage.
The aides around Minister Park watched the situation carefully. They knew why the prime minister was flying into such a fury.
But unlike the reaction of those aides, Minister Park’s face remained calm.
“Oh my. What brings you here? The prime minister visiting without even an appointment.”
“We need to talk!”
“Go ahead.”
“Just the two of us!”
Damn it, there was no way this would pass quietly. There would surely be a major fight today.
When Minister Park gave them a look, the aides withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the room.
“Now it’s just the two of us. Please speak.”
“What are your intentions?”
“What intentions?”
“That answer you gave on NewFac yesterday!”
“Was there anything problematic about it? I praised the current government’s greatest achievement, the stock market boom, and said we would continue it under the next administration.”
Bang!
“Do you think people don’t know when you call it praise on the surface but subtly tear it down underneath?”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“The motto of this National Fund is shared growth. The reason the proportion of semiconductors is low is to use the money earned from the semiconductor boom to find our next source of growth! But how can the ruling party! The ruling party, which should be supporting the government more than anyone else! How can you stand there and talk about returns this and returns that?”
“Oh dear. You misunderstood. I, too, fully sympathize with the government’s intent. But since some have raised concerns about returns, I merely expressed my opinion on that point.”
“Is that so? If you were president, you wouldn’t have structured the portfolio that way, back during the Materials, Parts, and Equipment Fund you left everything to the experts—what I heard was you belittling the current government and elevating yourself. Were my ears wrong?”
“Prime Minister... yes, your ears were wrong. I had no such intention whatsoever.”
“Minister Park!”
“Prime Minister Lee!”
But Park Hyeonseop, too, had no intention of quietly backing down today.
Today, this matter had to be brought to an end.
“Let me ask you something instead. Does President Kim really intend to seek another term?”
“What?”
“He’s at the end of his term. It’s time for him to step down. Then he should put down power, put down party control, and lend strength to a new person within the party, shouldn’t he?”
“So that’s what this was after all. Is the reason you keep acting like the opposition within the ruling party because of the nomination authority?”
“Since you ask directly, I’ll answer directly. Yes, it is. Let’s elect a new party leader now, and let the next nominations be filled with the people that person needs. The presidential election is not far away. If we muddle through, we’ll lose power again after five years, just like the previous administration.”
It had not yet been widely reported in the news, but the current factional conflict within the Minguk Party was at the level of a civil war.
And fights within a family were always more frightening. With nominations ahead, lawmakers were digging up one another’s weaknesses, ready to stab at any moment. They were no longer family, but half-siblings fighting over an inheritance.
“Now the pieces fit. So you’ve been egging on Chairman Jeong all this time to keep provoking the Blue House?”
“The president keeps interfering in party affairs, doesn’t he? Heoheo.”
“He has never done that! If he had, would he have had you pardoned at the start of his term? Minister Park, you should at least observe the bare minimum of decency!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll repay that favor later.”
“What?”
“I’ll guarantee the president’s final years after he leaves office. Even after he retires, the prosecutors won’t be dancing with knives.”
The strength slowly drained from Lee Chanho’s hands.
It was phrased as though meant to reassure him, but in truth, it was closer to a threat. It meant that he had a firm grip on the president’s weakness, so they should not get any funny ideas.
Between someone who had already paid for his crimes and been pardoned, and someone who had not even set foot in a detention center yet, it was obvious who would win if they fought.
Minister Park already seemed to have the president in the palm of his hand.
“So... what will you do if you get hold of the nomination authority? Are you going to slaughter all the pro-Blue House lines close to the current president and plant your own faction?”
“Don’t worry too much. It will be less severe than the last nomination massacre.”
“What?”
“The president was the one who crushed anyone who wasn’t part of his faction, wasn’t he? Even so, I’ll be far more democratic than that. Heoheo.”
After saying that, Minister Park approached Lee Chanho.
“And Prime Minister. I’m saying this out of consideration, but you should start thinking about your future too.”
“My future?”
“What will you do once President Kim Sangcheol leaves office? Will you gather forces opposed to me and stand against me again? Don’t do that. It’s time you decided on your own path as well.”
Minister Park smiled at Lee Chanho, who was glaring at him in silence.
“I’ve sent my intentions several times, but I don’t know why you keep refusing. Still, my offer remains valid.”
“...”
“Become the mayor of Seoul. I’ve discussed everything with Mayor Choe Sangdong. Once his term ends, he has agreed to yield the Seoul mayoralty to you.”
“...”
“It’s a position others are desperate to have, so why do you reject it, Prime Minister? And wasn’t becoming mayor of Seoul your final dream?”
Lee Chanho’s fist clenched with force.
The reason he had spent the past twenty years in politics as an outsider was precisely the Seoul mayoral election. He had fought through a fierce primary and faced the opposing candidate, only to lose by an exceedingly narrow margin of one percent.
But who would have thought it would become the grave of his political life... Of all people, his opponent had been MB, who had used up a lifetime’s worth of luck during his time as Seoul mayor. The transfer system and Cheonggyecheon restoration, which Lee Chanho had fiercely opposed, became the greatest achievements of Seoul city government.
“I will fulfill the dream you couldn’t achieve twenty years ago, Prime Minister. Help me as the mayor of Seoul.”
“...”
“I think I’ve done enough for you to understand. Please convey my intentions to the Blue House as well. Heoheo.”