Chapter 276

Chapter 276

I stayed in the US to do business during the trade war.

The TS Company plant, established jointly by OTK Company and Seoseong SB, has started the first production. It started producing OTK batteries for electric vehicles in earnest.

Professor Homin Kim came to the United States to tour the factory.

“welcome.”

“Thanks to you, I’ve been to all of America.”

“You originally studied in America.”

“At that time, I was mostly in school. I haven’t been able to see Massachusetts properly.”

The bodyguards followed Professor Ho-min Kim. He scratched his head as he watched the people following him.

“But do you even need to do this?”

I said with a smile.

“You don’t know.”

You can’t be fooled by the world’s attention, but there’s nothing wrong with being careful.

Chinese companies have offered all kinds of conditions to take Professor Ho-min Kim. Some even offered billions of dollars in salary.

However, the patent for the OTK battery belongs to the research institute, and he has a stake in the research institute. There is no reason to move to another country in the yard where enormous wealth is already guaranteed.

Still, it was not without results, so we succeeded in pulling out a few researchers. Professor Ho-min Kim gladly accepted their resignation, and said that he could come back at any time.

In the meantime, Chinese companies have taken many researchers and engineers from Korea in a similar way. For the first few years, he receives various kinds of treatment at two or three times his annual salary.

In the meantime, Chinese companies are gradually taking away his technology and know-how. After you’ve confided everything you know, the person is no longer useful.

It doesn’t even make anything new.

As the saying goes, if you transplant a tangerine tree from the south to the north, it will open up tangja. Even if you have achieved good results in one company, it may not be the case if you move to another.

In the first place, it would be difficult to demonstrate the proper capabilities in a place where the corporate culture is different and communication is not good.

Although not one or two people are only being used and kicked out, researchers continue to travel to China. Immediate profits are also profits, and that may be the reason why they are treated poorly in Korea.

Me and Taek-gyu toured the factory together with Daryl, Chairman Im Jin-yong, and Professor Kim Ho-min.

Professor Homin Kim said while looking at the mass-produced batteries.

“Isn’t China going to copy this too?”

I nodded.

“of course. Do not worry.”

If I don’t go crazy, I won’t be able to afford it for a while

* * *

When it became known that I was in the United States, I was flooded with requests for interviews. From what happened after Big One to this trade war, there are many things you want to ask.

I declined all interview requests.

Instead, we rented a charter plane with Taek-gyu and headed to California.

The view of Silicon Valley from the sky was shocking.

When the Big One tsunami struck, San Francisco and Silicon Valley were completely submerged, and San Francisco Bay was connected to the sea.

The water that filled the city ran out, but what remained was a ruined city. The Golden Gate Bridge, which symbolized San Francisco, was cut off and submerged in the sea.

I’ve seen it a lot through photos and videos, but seeing it with my own eyes, I can feel just how amazing things have happened here.

Still, what makes this scene not so terrifying is that many people have survived.

As long as you are alive, there is hope.

Restoration work was already in full swing in the less damaged outlying areas. Heavy machinery moved busily and cleared debris.

In the next year or two, large-scale construction and infrastructure projects will take place here.

And it will be a new opportunity for us.

* * *

I put on my comfy attire and hat, and walked into the California Institute of Technology.

It was on vacation, so the campus was quiet. I had a book in my hand that I bought at a nearby bookstore.

It is a hot new book that was published recently and is titled ‘After the Big One’. The author is Professor Kiran Mohan.

It is a kind of memoir that contains the circumstances before, during, and after Big One happened.

The book was translated into 14 languages and published simultaneously around the world, and immediately became a bestseller in every bookstore.

After Big One, Professor Kiran Mohan became the most popular person. He also appeared on the cover of Time magazine and was named one of America’s 10 Most Influential Intellectuals. Tens of millions of dollars of donations were collected to express gratitude, but Professor Mohan did not receive the money and donated all of it to the Big One damage fund.

Geology is not a very popular subject. This is because, unlike other departments that guarantee employment in global IT companies, this is because the department does not offer jobs that well.

But now it has changed. Interest in geology exploded due to Big One, and the competition for freshmen this year recorded an all-time high.

Everyone has wanted to listen to Professor Kiran Mohan’s lecture at least once, and it is said that lectures are always full.

I came here today because the publication anniversary of ‘After the Big One’ is held.

Originally, it was going to be held in the auditorium, but the number of participants was too high, so we hastily moved to the gym.

If the California governor and senators were in attendance, I’d say it all.

The publication commemorative party was in full swing, and as many local officials and politicians attended, the organizers and bodyguards guarded the entrance.

As I approached, the guard, who was standing there, said:

“Can you show me the invitation?”

“I don’t have an invitation, can I just come in?”

Then the facilitator said firmly.

“no. Because the inside is already full.”

“Still, I came here from afar to say hello to the professor… … .”

“Just go back.”

As he blinked, the bodyguards approached this way.

I took off the hat I was holding on to. The host and bodyguards were shocked when they saw my face.

“Ugh! Come on, Jinhu Kang?”

“If you say no, I will wait here until the event is over.”

At my words, they all shook their heads.

“Oh, no. You can come in.”

“really?”

“No, of course. What are you doing? Come on, open the door.”

“Thank you.”

I went into the gym.

The inside was crowded. Not only the prepared seats but also the aisles were full of people. Students, politicians, locals, CEOs of companies headquartered in Silicon Valley, survivors of the Big One, etc.

It was truly a gathering of people from all walks of life.

The reporters gathered at one side worked hard to take videos and photos.

Among them was Professor Kiran Mohan holding a microphone. There was no place to sit, so I stood at the back of the second floor and watched the publication ceremony.

One person asked if it was Q&A time.

“Will Big One happen again in the future?”

“No one can predict that. Although science has advanced, there is so much we don’t know about the Earth. So, the weather forecast from the U.S. Meteorological Administration is always wrong.”

Laughter erupted from all over the place.

“One thing is certain, if that happens again, we will definitely find a way. Even now, research to predict or prevent earthquakes is being actively conducted. If a similar situation arises next time, I believe we will be able to handle it better then. Now the budget has increased significantly.”

He laughed again at those words.

This time, an Asian who appeared to be a student took over the microphone.

“What would have happened if Kang Jin-hoo wasn’t there?”

“I do not know. Hmm, I’m curious as to how it turned out. More people would have lost their lives, and maybe it could have been me or you.”

Professor Mohan was no longer able to speak, and so were the others.

There was silence in the gym for a while.

Prof. Mohan raised his head as if trying to say it again, and at that moment our eyes met. Maybe you didn’t find me?

Thinking so, Professor Mohan opened his mouth wide in surprise.

“Uh, how are you here… … ?”

Then everyone’s eyes turned to me.

I had to take off the hat I was wearing.

Then the people shouted in astonishment.

“It’s after Gangjin!”

“What? Really?”

“That’s right after Gangjin!”

“Nonsense!”

“Five! Oh My God!”

They all took out their phones and took pictures.

The people sitting in the aisle got out of the way on their own, and I went downstairs.

We greeted each other warmly and hugged each other. We haven’t known each other for a while, but it felt like meeting an old comrade that we had broken up with, perhaps because we had gone through hard times together.

“How have you been?”

Professor Mohan said with a happy expression on his face.

“Why did you come without a word?”

“Professor, there is a publication anniversary party, so you have to be able to stay still. I’m here to congratulate you.”

“Then why didn’t you contact me beforehand?”

“I want to surprise you.”

Professor Mohan said, pointing at me.

“As everyone knows, this is Jinhoo Kang. Please applaud.”

clap clap!

People jumped up and clapped in unison.

“From now on, if you have any questions, you can ask them here. Actually, I’ve been holding on to it since before, but I’ll go to the bathroom for a while.

“Yes?”

Professor Mohan handed me the microphone and then left the gym. While he was away, I had to answer questions from all directions one by one.

The publication celebration ended with great success, and the article was published in media all over the world.

* * *

China has warned that US unilateralism is undermining the world trade order, but emphasized US-China cooperation in a statement by Foreign Minister Changi.(Read more @ wuxiax.com)

“Cooperating benefits everyone, fighting hurts everyone. The essence of bilateral relations is win-win cooperation. Cooperation between the two major markets, Central America, is the way to benefit the world. China stands ready to resolve conflicts with the United States and build trust and respect for each other.”

But Ronald scoffed and declared tariffs on the remaining $250 billion of Chinese exports as scheduled.

“The United States has no reason to end its trade war with China hastily. We will continue to do this until China changes its existing unfair practices. China forced foreign companies to transfer technology, infringed patents, stole intellectual property rights, and even planted spy chips on servers and stole technology through backdoors. And even now, they are still engaged in theft and robbery. America has been brutally trampled and raped.”

Ronald told reporters.

“America will not tolerate it any longer. We will also review sanctions against all companies that do business with Chinese companies listed on the sanctions list. Those companies will be restricted from doing business with the United States in the future.”

The reporters were left speechless by the powerful measures beyond their imagination.

How many global companies do not do business with US companies?

In effect, it was a Secondary Boycott (secondary sanctions), which was equivalent to ordering the world not to do business with Chinese companies at all.

“This is an unavoidable measure to keep America safe.”

After the shock passed, the reporters all asked questions at once.

“Are there any fears that American companies will become isolated?”

“How will China react?”

“Do you think other countries will join?”

Ronald raised his hands and said sarcastically.

“America is not stupid. We will only deal with companies and countries that abide by the rules. Do you want to do business with the US? Then just follow our rules. Don’t do it if you don’t like it. Aren’t we whining about making a deal?”

* * *

I met Commerce Manager Li Suwei and Vice Chairman Wang Yichang at a hotel in Detroit. They both looked worse than when they met before.

I made my own tea for them from afar.

“It’s the boy tea that you gave me as a gift before. It’s good to drink.”

Neither of them touched the car.

I put the teacup on the table and sat down.

“You said you would regret it last time, but why did you come back to me?”

Li Suwei, Director of Commerce, asked me.

“What do you want?”

Instead of answering, I looked at Vice Chairman Wang Yi-chang and said.

“I ask you again. Can you really say that Zhou Cha did not copy Karos technology?”

“… … .”