Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 1521 Opportunities for Small Merchants (Third update, please subscribe)

The Ocean Hotel is the most upscale hotel in Seoul.

On this day, a man in a white suit came to the hotel front desk.

As soon as he arrived at the front desk, Ma Zhiwei quietly slipped a 500 won bill to the front desk manager.

"Excuse me, is President Rudolph from SEA here?"

As he spoke, he placed his hands on the desk at the front desk and drummed his fingers on it.

"Who are you?"

The front desk manager looked alert. Under normal circumstances, he would have told the other party the answer directly, but President Rudolph was a very distinguished guest.

"I'm Ma Zhiwei, the general manager of Weida Clothing."

"Did you bring your business card?"

"Ah, business cards. Of course I brought them."

Ma Zhiwei took out his business card and handed it over, saying:
"Chairman Lu and I have been friends since we were in Chang'an. I heard that he had come to Seoul, so I came to see him specially."

At the same time, Ma Zhiwei took out a banknote and a business card and handed them over. As a businessman, he was well aware of the saying that money can make anything possible, especially in South Korea. Spending one thousand won would definitely bring success. Not to mention meeting President Rudolph, he could even enter the Blue House.

The person at the front desk still expressed doubts to him. But in the end, he was defeated by this smiling face (1000 won bill) and helped him report it.

The front desk manager picked up the phone, hung up after a while, and said to him,

"I'm sorry, Mr. Ma, President Lu said that because you don't have an appointment and his schedule is already arranged, he will be out soon. So he doesn't have time to see you."

Faced with such an answer, Ma Guowei was a little at a loss, but hearing that Rudolph was about to go out rekindled hope in his heart. If he wanted to go out, he could wait here.

He asked the front desk manager:

"Will he pass by here?"

The front desk manager, who was unwilling to take advantage of others, nodded.

"Then let me wait here for a while."

He sat on the sofa at the side and waited there.

After a while, Rudolph came down accompanied by his secretary. When they walked out of the elevator and were about to go out, Ma Guowei walked over.

"Hello, President Lu, I am Ma Guowei from Chang'an."

Although he didn't know Ma Guowei, Rudolf still nodded and said, "I've met a compatriot here."

"So you are Mr. Ma, what can I do for you?"

While speaking, Rudolf looked at his watch, as if to remind the other party that his time was very tight.

However, he was also embarrassed to drive away the compatriot who came to visit him. After all, they were all compatriots in Korea, and the other party must have something important to find here.

So he said,
"Then I'll give you twenty minutes! I have to go to the Blue House later."

Then Rudolph led him to the reception room next to the lobby.

After sitting opposite each other, Rudolf immediately said,
"Mr. Ma, it seems we don't know each other."

"Yes, President Lu, we didn't know each other before. I saw in the newspaper that you went to Seoul to inspect the expressway. I have been in Korea for so many years and I know Korea very well, so I took the initiative to come here to tell you something to prevent you from being deceived by Korea."

As a businessman, Ma Guowei is very good at seizing opportunities. Just like now, he did not say that he came here to seek help from the other party, but told the other party that I am here to provide you with help.

"Oh. Really? How can you say that you were deceived by South Korea?"

"Even if the Koreans were to build a highway, they would definitely falsify the data and exaggerate their market."

Having been in Korea for so many years, Ma Guowei knows Korea very well. Korea is originally a weak country, and now the economy is in a very bad state.

"...So unless they are cheating, there is no need to build the highway at all."

After reaching this conclusion, he also cited a lot of figures to prove it.

"In short, according to the report, it is simply unrealistic to build expressways in South Korea."

Although he had come to this conclusion, after hearing what Ma Guowei said, Rudolph still looked at him seriously and asked.

"So what? Are you saying we shouldn't provide loans to South Korea to build highways?"

"no no."

Ma Guowei shook his head repeatedly.

"I'm here to remind you, President, not to be deceived by South Korea."

Because Ma Guowei emphasized the word "South Korea" this time, Rudolph was able to understand the meaning of his words.

"Korea? You mean Korea, not Koreans, right?"

"Yes, President Lu."

Ma Guowei immediately explained, "I am talking about South Korea. I am referring to the illusion of South Korea. The poverty and backwardness we see now are, in fact, all illusions!"

"Oh?"

Rudolph looked at Ma Guowei in front of him with some curiosity and said.

“Why is it an illusion?”

“President Lu’s illusion is very simple. Let me give you the simplest example.

Compared with many Southeast Asian countries, South Korea's advantages are very obvious, and their biggest advantage lies in education.

Whether in the Japanese colonial era or now, South Korea has basically achieved universal compulsory education. Even during the most difficult period of the war on the peninsula, South Korea still implemented compulsory education.

All children, whether in urban or rural areas, must go to school to learn.”

Looking at Rudolph in front of him, Ma Guowei continued.

"South Koreans' GDP per capita is less than $100, while the Philippines' GDP per capita is $400.

Not to mention the Philippines, even compared to some African countries, South Korea is extremely poor.”

This is not an exaggeration. South Korea is definitely the most backward and poor country in the world today, with a GDP of only 30 billion US dollars.

This poor and backward country cannot even be ranked in Asia, let alone Africa.

After saying this number, Ma Guowei continued.

"This is undoubtedly a very abnormal thing. Mr. President, you have been to many places and know more about countries around the world than I do. When have you ever seen a country with a higher level of education but is actually poorer?"

Guowei's question made Rudolph frown, and he said.

"This is really very abnormal."

If it were people from other countries, they might not necessarily understand the meaning of education, but Rudolf, who is of German descent, is very clear about the meaning of education.

A country with a better education level cannot remain poor forever.

“The reason for the abnormality is very simple. Not only has the war on the peninsula reduced the entire South Korea to ruins, but the pressure from the North has also forced South Korea to use its limited foreign aid for national defense.

Moreover, during the Japanese colonial era, the principle of northern industry and southern agriculture was established based on the resource characteristics of the north and south. Therefore, South Korea is basically an agricultural country.

They have neither the resources nor the funds to develop industry, so the country is so poor. "

After explaining the reasons for South Korea's backwardness, Ma Guowei said in an extremely affirmative tone.

"But I don't believe that a more educated country will remain poorer, as it has been in the past few years.

With the stabilization of the political situation and the efforts of the reformist government, South Korea's economy has improved significantly. I believe that in the near future, perhaps in three to five years, South Korea is likely to surpass the Philippines. "

Then Ma Guowei continued to explain his views to the president in front of him.

"That's why I came here to remind you. Don't be fooled by South Korea's illusion. South Korea's current poverty is just an illusion."

After Ma Guowei finished speaking, Rudolph looked at him for a while before speaking:
"In the past few days, many Koreans have tried to convince me, to prove to me that Korea will have a bright future, to explain to me that Korea needs this highway and that it is very feasible to build this highway.

But all the data tell me that there is no need for South Korea to build highways, at least not in the next five years.

Even if they gave me many reasons, they couldn’t convince me.”

Not only did they give him a lot of reasons, they also sent him some reasons, such as money, such as women. In short, those Koreans were willing to give everything in exchange for his confession.

But Rudolph had his own persistence in his heart, so he kept persisting.

Rudolph paused for a moment, then continued.

"But today you told me from another perspective - I was probably deceived by South Korea's illusion."

When he said this, Rudolf looked out the window. The streets of Seoul outside the window were still chaotic, without any sense of a modern city. But looking at the people outside the window, Rudolf had another idea in his mind:
"Now I am basically sure of one thing - maybe I was really blinded by the data."

Then Rudolph looked directly at Ma Guowei in front of him and asked:
"But I'm curious, Mr. Ma, why did you come here to fight for this highway for South Korea?"

“I’m not for the Koreans.”

Ma Guowei said bluntly.

"Mr. President, the reason I came here to see you is because I hope to become a contractor for the highway."

When he said this, Ma Guowei looked directly at President Lu in front of him, and then he said:

“This is also the fundamental reason why I don’t want you to be deceived by South Korea.

Many countries are now deceived by South Korea's extreme poverty. It is precisely because everyone is deceived by this illusion that they do not realize that the return on investment in South Korea now is far greater than the investment in the future.

Why would we miss this opportunity in this case?"

Then Ma Zhiwei looked directly at President Lu in front of him, waiting for his decision...

(End of this chapter)