A few days later,
Jongno, Seoul
A black sedan slowly made its way from Insadong toward Nakwon Arcade before coming to a stop in front of a large traditional Korean hanok, enclosed by a high wall.
As the car came to a halt, a secretary stepped out from the front passenger seat and opened the rear door. A man, appearing to be in his fifties, emerged.
It was none other than Woo Chun-il, a senior member of the Donggyo-dong faction and a close associate of former Minpyeong Party leader Kim Jae-chun.
For a moment, he gazed at the large wooden nameplate hanging beneath the grand tiled gate. It read "Ojinam (梧珍庵)."
Just then, the heavy hinges creaked, and the main gate swung open on both sides. A middle-aged manager stepped out, flanked by two employees, and bowed deeply.
"Welcome, Assemblyman."
For decades, high-ranking officials, politicians, and business leaders had frequently gathered in secret at such establishments, engaging in behind-the-scenes discussions that shaped the nation's future.
Ojinam itself was well-known as the site where, in 1972, the Director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency met with North Korea's Deputy Premier to negotiate the historic July 4th Joint Communiqué.
Naturally, as a seasoned politician and longtime figure in the heart of power, Assemblyman Woo Chun-il was no stranger to such venues—often visiting the so-called "Three Great Establishments" of political intrigue.
Recognizing the Ojinam manager, whom he had encountered multiple times before, Woo Chun-il greeted him with a smile.
"How have you been?"
"I'm well, sir. Your guest is waiting in the annex. Please, follow me."
The manager led the way, and Woo Chun-il stepped inside the compound, striding confidently forward.
Crossing the courtyard, where an ancient paulownia tree stood with its sprawling branches, he made his way toward the annex.
As the manager slid open the wooden door, Woo Chun-il stepped into a spacious room.
A young man, already waiting inside, rose to greet him.
"I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me despite your busy schedule, sir."
The young man speaking so politely was none other than Park Seok-won.
Woo Chun-il, his graying hair and thick eyebrows giving him an air of authority, observed Seok-won for a moment before extending his hand.
"I'm Woo Chun-il."
With a poised yet respectful demeanor—neither submissive nor arrogant—Seok-won firmly shook his hand.
"I'm Park Seok-won."
Noting the young man's composed manner, Woo Chun-il thought to himself that he seemed quite strong-willed. Gesturing toward the seating area, he spoke.
"Let's sit."
"Of course."
Both settled onto cushions, facing each other across a low wooden table.
"Shall I bring in the food?"
"Let's do that."
At the manager's inquiry, Woo Chun-il responded without hesitation.
Turning his head slightly, he glanced at Seok-won, who gave a small nod in agreement.
"I'll have it prepared right away."
With that, the manager stood up and left the room.
Before long, two young female attendants entered, dressed elegantly in traditional hanbok. They placed a selection of appetizers on the table and then sat beside them, pouring drinks.
Both women appeared to be in their early twenties—youthful and strikingly beautiful, rivaling any television star in their allure.
"Come, let's have a drink."
Woo Chun-il lifted his glass and held it forward.
"Yes, sir."
Seok-won responded, lightly clinking his glass against Woo Chun-il's before downing it in one swift motion.
Then, with a smile, he picked up the pristine white porcelain liquor flask.
"Allow me to pour you a drink."
"Haha, much appreciated."
As Seok-won filled Woo Chun-il's empty glass, the older man took a sip before setting it down.
"Now, you should have one as well, Director Park."
Taking the flask, Woo Chun-il poured liquor into Seok-won's cup, holding it with both hands as a gesture of respect.
"I've heard that the second son of the Daeheung Group is both intelligent and strikingly handsome. Many prominent families in politics and business seem eager to have you as their son-in-law. Now that I see you in person, the rumors might have even understated the truth."
"That's very kind of you to say," Seok-won replied humbly.
"I also heard you've been training in business management at Daeheung Securities."
"That's correct."
"With two such capable sons, Chairman Park must feel quite reassured about the future."
Seok-won responded with a faint, knowing smile.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door before it slid open. Male attendants, dressed in white shirts and bow ties, entered carrying dishes and carefully placed them on the table.
The spread was magnificent—Shinseon-ro (royal hot pot), golden-brown skewered meat glistening with juices, barley-cured croaker, and more than thirty exquisite dishes, all arranged in traditional brass and ceramic tableware, filling the low wooden table.
After watching the table setting for a moment, Woo Chun-il spoke calmly.
"We have matters to discuss privately. You may leave us for now."
"Understood, sir."
The attendants bowed and quietly exited the room.
The attendants quietly refilled their empty glasses before rising and discreetly exiting the room.
Once the sliding door closed, Assemblyman Woo Chun-il picked up his glass, took a sip, and set it down. His voice was noticeably lower as he spoke.
"I've always communicated with Director Gil when dealing with Daeheung Group, so I must admit, I was a little surprised when you reached out to me directly, Director Park."
"I can understand that."
Woo Chun-il fixed his gaze squarely on Seok-won.
"What is it you wanted to discuss?"
Rather than prolonging the conversation with unnecessary pleasantries, he cut straight to the point.
"First, let me clarify—what I want to discuss today has nothing to do with my father or the group."
Woo Chun-il furrowed his thick brows.
He had assumed Seok-won was here to relay a message from Chairman Park Tae-hong. Hearing otherwise, he couldn't help but feel slightly displeased.
"Then why did you ask to meet me?" he asked, irritation creeping into his voice.
Seok-won straightened his posture and replied in a calm yet serious tone.
"I understand you've been quite busy preparing for the new party."
"...."
After two failed presidential bids, former Minpyeong Party leader Kim Jae-chun had withdrawn from politics and left for England. However, he had recently made a shocking return, cutting short his studies abroad to reenter the political arena.
Most had assumed he would naturally return to Minpyeong Party, but instead, he defied expectations by announcing the formation of a new party—sending further ripples through the political landscape.
"There's lingering resentment from the last local elections, and considering that Assemblyman Choi Yong-chan, who currently holds the party leadership, is unlikely to welcome former Representative Kim Jae-chun's return, wouldn't it be better to start fresh rather than stay under one roof and create internal discord?"
When Kim Jae-chun announced his unexpected political comeback, Choi Yong-chan—already engaged in a power struggle with the Donggyo-dong faction—felt the pressure mounting.
Perhaps in a bid to solidify his control, Choi had taken a bold risk by nominating his own people en masse for the nationwide local elections held in June, even at the cost of clashing with the Donggyo-dong faction.
"If the results had been favorable, he could have cemented his leadership within the party. But in the end, it turned out to be his biggest blunder."
The candidates backed by Kim Jae-chun had overwhelmingly won, while those personally endorsed by Choi Yong-chan had suffered heavy defeats.
As a result, not only was Choi's leadership severely weakened, but his relationship with the Donggyo-dong faction had deteriorated beyond repair.
This ultimately led to the decision to form a new party. The name—New Era National Congress—had already been made public, and those familiar with the situation considered the split a foregone conclusion.
However, separate from all that, Woo Chun-il's eyes gleamed with caution at Seok-won's sudden mention of the new party.
Remaining unfazed, Seok-won simply flashed a relaxed smile and slid a bag across the table toward Woo Chun-il.
"Starting a new party requires a lot of resources. I know it's not much, but I've prepared a little something to help."
"...!"
Assemblyman Woo Chun-il widened his eyes and pulled the bag closer. He unfastened the lock and checked its contents.
Inside, stacks of ten-thousand-won bills were neatly bundled, along with a thick pile of ten-million-won bearer deposit certificates.
"This is…"
When he lifted his gaze, Seok-won responded with a gentle smile.
"It's 5 billion won. It's not much, but I hope it can assist you in your endeavors."
"You're saying you're giving this money to us now?"
"Yes."
Woo Chun-il narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He closed the bag and asked,
"Five billion won is no small amount. What do you want in return?"
"Nothing."
Woo Chun-il furrowed his brows.
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"Whether you believe it or not, it's the truth."
Seok-won met his skeptical gaze without hesitation.
"If I truly wanted something in return, wouldn't it make more sense to deliver this bag to the ruling party instead of the New Era National Congress?"
At that, Woo Chun-il let out a bitter chuckle and nodded.
"Well, you have a point."
Even if all the Minpyeong Party lawmakers aligned with the Donggyo-dong faction defected to the new party, they would barely secure around 53 or 54 seats.
That would be enough to push out the old Minpyeong Party and establish themselves as the main opposition party. However, compared to the ruling party, which controlled a majority of the National Assembly seats, they would still be at a severe disadvantage.
In other words, even if someone tried to align with them, there wasn't much to gain.
On the contrary, openly supporting the opposition could invite backlash from the Blue House and the ruling party, resulting in serious political and financial repercussions.
Moreover, since the military regime took power, not a single administration change had occurred in decades. It was no surprise that corporate leaders were reluctant to associate with opposition politicians.
'If it weren't for the IMF crisis—hailed as the greatest national crisis since the Korean War—Kim Jae-chun probably wouldn't have had a real shot at the presidency.'
Given these circumstances, opposition parties like the New Era National Congress were always struggling financially.
'People never forget those who helped them in difficult times.'
Unaware of Seok-won's deeper motives, Woo Chun-il remained silent for a moment, studying him before speaking in a subdued tone.
"You're telling me this wasn't Chairman Park's decision, but your own?"
"Yes."
"We appreciate the support, of course, but aren't you concerned about the potential repercussions?"
"If I were afraid of that, I wouldn't have asked to meet you in the first place."
Seok-won maintained his composed demeanor as he continued speaking.
"I believe that for a government to function properly, the opposition must fulfill its role effectively. That's why I want to offer this support in my own way."
By appealing to Woo Chun-il's pride while also providing a justifiable reason for accepting political funds, Seok-won subtly softened his stance.
'Once the IMF crisis hits, a regime change will be inevitable. Betting on former Representative Kim Jae-chun is the safest move.'
For Seok-won, who already knew the course of future events, this was an obvious decision.
By securing a strong relationship in advance, he could position himself favorably for the large-scale corporate restructuring and financial "Big Deals" that the Blue House would soon implement to overcome the IMF crisis.
'Even if we don't receive special privileges, they won't turn against us after taking our money.'
Considering how TG Group had been forced to relinquish its painstakingly developed semiconductor business, merely avoiding the brutal restructuring and financial shake-ups would be a huge advantage.
"We already had so many expenses piling up with the new party's launch, but thanks to you, we can finally catch our breath."
"I'm glad to be of help."
Woo Chun-il smiled, clearly pleased.
"With bright young men like you, South Korea's future seems promising. I'll be sure to inform the representative about your generous support."
Hearing the response he had aimed for, Seok-won smirked slightly.
"Well then, let's have another drink."
In high spirits, Woo Chun-il raised his glass, and Seok-won lifted his own, lightly clinking them together.