In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

Chapter 873 Samsung Surrenders, Lin Haoran's Korean Go Game
Lee Byung-taek knew that the agreement to be signed would completely change the future trajectory of Samsung.

On the surface, Samsung remains the same closed conglomerate purely controlled by the Lee family, which reigns supreme in South Korea.

However, it has been infused with Lin's capital and influence, and a noose woven from interests and constraints has been put around its neck.

From then on, on the road to pursuing world-class dreams, there was an incredibly powerful yet awe-inspiring partner and regulator.

Humiliation?
of course.

Painful?
Needless to say.

But in order for Samsung to become stronger, to continue to develop, and to have the opportunity to realize its dream of becoming a semiconductor powerhouse, he, Lee Byung-taek, had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill wrapped in sugar.

At this moment, Li Bingze was unwilling to stay in this humiliating place any longer; he just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

After seeing off Li Bingze, who looked heavy-footed and aged ten years in an instant, Lin Haoran sat back down on the sofa, a smile involuntarily appearing on his face.

Not long after, Ma Shimin came in.

Clearly, seeing Lee Byung-taek leave, he was eager to know the outcome of his boss's negotiations with Samsung Chairman Lee.

When Lin Haoran recounted the entire negotiation process and Li Bingze's complete surrender to Ma Shimin, Ma Shimin was dumbfounded.

It took him a while to come to his senses. He couldn't help but take a deep breath, and his gaze toward Lin Haoran was filled with shock and awe.

As the president of Hongkong Land Group, Simon Murray naturally knew the status of Samsung Group in South Korea.

It can be said that Samsung is one of the giants standing at the top of South Korea, with its tentacles reaching into every aspect of the South Korean economy, from daily consumer goods to heavy manufacturing, from finance and insurance to the promising semiconductor industry, its influence is far-reaching.

Even Hong Kong's top tycoons often have to show deference to local giants like Samsung in South Korea, seeking cooperation rather than confrontation.

But what about the boss?
Instead of backing down, they struck with overwhelming force, precisely targeting the opponent's most vulnerable point: the semiconductor strategy that had just begun and into which countless efforts had been poured.

Even more unbelievable is that he actually forced Lee Byung-taek, the godfather of the South Korean business world, to sign such a humiliating treaty!
"Boss, you're practically putting Lee Byung-taek's dignity and Samsung's future on the chopping block and slowly cutting them with the dullest knife!" Ma Shimin's voice was filled with disbelief and astonishment.

"Being forced to agree to give up 20% of the shares for $2 million is not just taking advantage of someone's misfortune; it's a disgrace to a business tycoon!"

And those binding terms—he actually agreed to them all?

Lin Haoran picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and said calmly, "It's not that he wanted to agree, it's that he had no choice."

When he realized that I could simultaneously cut off the three lifelines supporting his semiconductor plan in the United States, Japan, and Europe, he understood that if he didn't agree, Samsung's semiconductor dream might be immediately aborted, and even the entire group's internationalization path would be blocked.

I agreed. Although the cost was heavy, at least the dream was still there, the road could still be traveled, and it might even be smoother because of the added value I provided.

He's an extremely realistic and extremely ambitious person; he'll do the math.

Ma Shimin nodded slowly. After all, he was a veteran who had been in the business world for many years, and he quickly understood the key to it.

This is not just a victory of business negotiation skills, but an absolute crushing of information, strength, and psychology.

The boss exploited Samsung's fatal weaknesses—its early stage, its heavy reliance on external resources, and its misjudgment of Lin Haoran's hidden strength—and launched a series of incredibly precise attacks.

"In this way, we have not only solved the problems of convenience stores in South Korea."

Ma Shimin's eyes lit up as he quickly assessed the strategic value of the deal: "We've essentially reserved a core seat on South Korea's rocket, which is about to take off, at minimal cost!"
Through this 20% equity stake and the associated agreements, all subsidiaries under the Galaxy Strategic Committee will be able to continuously share in the future growth dividends of Samsung and the development opportunities of the South Korean economy!

Moreover, with Samsung's full cooperation in South Korea, all our businesses will find it much easier to enter the Korean market!

“That’s right.” Lin Haoran gave him an approving look. “This is what I always say: the best way to solve a problem is not to eliminate it, but to turn it into an opportunity, or even turn the opponent who created the problem into an asset.”

Ma Shimin wholeheartedly agreed, and he admired his boss's strategic vision immensely.

This goes beyond ordinary business competition; it's more like playing a grand game that encompasses the nation, industry, and capital.

"Then boss, I'll immediately assemble a team to conduct more detailed negotiations with Samsung's negotiation team. As for Mr. Suzuki Toshifumi, please inform him!" Ma Shimin said impatiently.

"Okay, go ahead. I'll call Mr. Suzuki Toshifumi in a bit," Lin Haoran said, waving his hand.

"Boss, is Samsung's future really that promising? Is it worth your attention?" After Ma Shimin left the office, Liu Xiaoli asked Lin Haoran curiously while massaging his shoulders.

"Prospects? Absolutely!" Lin Haoran laughed.

From beginning to end, he never intended to completely destroy Samsung.

Even if Samsung is prevented from developing in the semiconductor direction, so what?

Developing semiconductors is a national policy of the South Korean government, a strategic direction that the entire nation is committed to promoting.

Even if Lin Haoran manages to stop Samsung this time, tomorrow Hyundai, LG, Daewoo and other conglomerates will step in, and the South Korean government will spare no expense to support another company to do the same thing.

Rather than allowing a completely uncontrollable opponent, or even one who might be hostile to Lin Haoran, to rise to power, it would be better to bind Samsung, the most promising and impressive opponent, to his own chariot from the very beginning.

In Lin Haoran's previous life, Samsung was a true world-class behemoth.

With a market capitalization that has long hovered among the top ten globally, and ranking first in the world in multiple fields such as semiconductors, display panels, and smartphones, it is the absolute pillar of the South Korean economy, and its influence even extends beyond commerce, penetrating deep into the nation's lifeline.

Given the opportunity to "mark" or even influence such a behemoth destined to grow, how could Lin Haoran possibly let it go?

"Xiaoli, look at Li Bingze." Lin Haoran relaxed his body, enjoying the comfortable pressure from his shoulders and neck. "He's not young, but his ambition is bigger than the sky."

He saw semiconductors as the future and dared to gamble the entire future of Samsung. Such vision and courage are top-notch in the South Korean market.

Moreover, he is patient and pragmatic enough. Even with such humiliating conditions today, didn't he ultimately swallow them?
Because he knew that only by staying alive could he hope to turn things around, and only by obtaining access to the international market could he possibly realize his dreams.

Liu Xiaoli nodded.

"Such a person can be troublesome if he becomes an enemy, but if he becomes a stakeholder, he can be a very powerful vanguard."

We contribute money, influence, and future supply chain cooperation opportunities in exchange for becoming the second-largest shareholder of Samsung, a future giant; for Samsung's full access to its resources in South Korea; and for continued observation and potential influence over Samsung's semiconductor development.

"In the long run, this investment will yield an astonishing return," Lin Haoran continued calmly.

Liu Xiaoli said thoughtfully, "So, boss, you're not just getting revenge, you're investing in the future?"

"You could say that," Lin Haoran nodded. "Revenge is just a side effect. The real purpose is to lay a deep-seated chess piece in South Korea, one of the four Asian Tigers that is about to take off."

The more successful Samsung becomes, the more valuable I will be as a pawn. Moreover, through Samsung, we can more easily extend our reach into various industries in South Korea, including real estate, finance, retail, consumer goods, and even future electronics and communications.

With the full cooperation of Samsung, a local powerhouse, our expansion in South Korea will be much more efficient.

He paused, his tone carrying a deeper meaning: "More importantly, through this incident, I gave Li Bingze a lesson he will never forget, and also planted a seed of awe and dependence on me in his heart."

As long as I outlive him and have more influence, Samsung will always remember who helped it in its most vulnerable time, and who held the reins.

Liu Xiaoli suddenly realized something, and at the same time, a chill ran down her spine.

The boss's calculations were incredibly deep and far-reaching; he saw almost every step ten or twenty years into the future.

"What about our own semiconductor plan? Will it conflict with Samsung's?" She recalled the ambitious three-year plan that Lin Haoran and Ma Shimin had discussed before.

"conflict?"

Lin Haoran smiled and said, "Not in the short term. In the early stages, we are focusing on design, equipment, and some core materials. Samsung will definitely start with memory chips, which are relatively mature but still have high capital and technological barriers."

“In the longer term, if Samsung really grows into a semiconductor giant, and we also succeed…” Lin Haoran’s gaze became profound, “then it might be a relationship of both cooperation and competition.”

But by then, we were already a major shareholder, had a seat on the board of directors, understood its technology and market strategies, and could even influence it through the supply chain.

We have a higher perspective, allowing us to both attack and defend; this is the benefit of planning ahead.

Most importantly, Lin Haoran knew that the semiconductor market was simply too large for any single company to monopolize.

In its previous life, even a small category like processors had giants such as Nvidia, Samsung, SK Hynix, Intel, Broadcom, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Micron, and AMD.

In the field of memory chips, there are also many strong players such as Kioxia, Micron, and Western Digital.

The entire semiconductor industry chain is extremely long, from upstream EDA software and IP cores, to materials and equipment, and then to design, manufacturing, packaging and testing. Any one of these segments is enough to support several giants. It is a vast ecosystem that can accommodate multiple players and even requires division of labor and cooperation to make continuous progress.

Therefore, if Samsung can develop its semiconductor business as it did in its previous life, it would be a good thing rather than a bad thing for it.

After all, Samsung in the future will truly be a behemoth, with the entire Samsung Group's market value exceeding three trillion RMB.

It can be said that the Samsung Group will occupy an absolutely core position in the South Korean economy in the future, with its revenue scale and overall economic influence being extremely large.

Now, he has successfully negotiated a 20% investment agreement with Samsung's founder, which means he will occupy a pivotal position in this three-trillion-dollar business empire in the future.

This is not just a financial investment, but a strategic positioning.

Most importantly, he only contributed $2 million, a negligible sum compared to his current wealth.

Moreover, this will also facilitate his businesses' large-scale expansion into South Korea in the future.

South Koreans have always been somewhat xenophobic, and foreign companies entering the South Korean market will indeed find it difficult to compete with domestic companies unless they have a significant advantage.

However, with Samsung's backing, Lin Haoran's various companies will have no obstacles in South Korea.

Samsung's deep-rooted influence in South Korean politics and business, its profound understanding of the local market, and its unparalleled distribution network will all serve as accelerators and lubricants for the Lin Group's expansion in South Korea.

Imagine if, when JL Land wanted to develop a high-end office building or commercial complex in the heart of Seoul, Samsung would step in to coordinate land, approvals, and local partners.

When Langwei's daily chemical and food brands enter South Korean supermarkets and convenience stores, they receive priority recommendations and displays due to Samsung's channel resources.

When Hengsheng Group's financial products sought out wealthy clients in South Korea, they were backed and introduced by Samsung's wealth management division.

Even in the future, when Lin Haoran's telecommunications, media, and technology companies enter the South Korean market, Samsung can become the most ideal local ally and strategic partner.

This comprehensive "escort" is worth far more than $2 million.

It saves time, trial and error costs, and political risks, in exchange for rapid market share gains and quick brand recognition.

After all, South Korea in the future is not a small market, but a developed country with more than 50 million people!
A developed country with a population of over 50 million will see its consumption power, market size, and industrial support rapidly increase over the next few decades.

Securing a position early means being able to share in the greatest benefits of this country's rapid development.

Even if Samsung cannot fully cooperate in every detail, as long as Samsung shows a cooperative attitude, or even just makes a statement at a crucial moment, it will be enough to clear most of the invisible obstacles on the road for Lin Haoran's companies to enter the South Korean market.

South Korea's deeply entrenched interest groups, protectionist bureaucracy, and potential business rivals all have to think twice before acting when faced with the label of "Samsung partner."

This is both a deterrent and a pass.

"Boss, you've thought so far ahead!" Liu Xiaoli said admiringly.

Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran laughed and said, "More importantly, through this deep partnership with Samsung, we have actually connected a 'diversion valve' that we can control to the main artery of the South Korean economy."

We can all benefit from the future economic development dividends, industrial upgrading opportunities, and even resources brought about by preferential national policies in South Korea through Samsung.

This is the real deal: dividing the spoils on the spot.

"Moreover, Li Bingze is an ambitious but also realistic person. He is currently forced to bow his head due to the situation, but he must be holding back his anger and thinking that he will have a chance to turn the tables in the future."

But as long as we remain stronger than him and continue to provide him with what he needs—access to international markets, clues to key technologies, and even pressure to resist competition from other domestic conglomerates—he will gradually get used to this dependent relationship and may even actively maintain it.

That's human nature; it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.

Once he's tasted the benefits of having powerful backers, he'll find it difficult to adapt when he's forced to return to working alone and facing setbacks.

Lin Haoran today can indeed be considered a "towering tree".

Liu Xiaoli listened intently and couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss, you have such a keen understanding of people's hearts and interests!"

Lin Haoran smiled but didn't reply.

Although he had never been involved in the business world in his previous life, he had been involved on various internet platforms and had seen all sorts of complex matters, which greatly broadened his horizons.

In this life, he stood at a higher starting point and put his knowledge into practice, gaining a deeper understanding of the integration of humanity and business.

In essence, business strategy is about accurately grasping and skillfully guiding human nature and the pursuit of interests.

It's fortunate that Samsung doesn't yet have the same global standing it will have in the future; otherwise, Lin Haoran would have had a real hard time controlling the other party.

The fact that Samsung was able to grow into one of the world's top ten companies two or three decades later is enough to show how accurate and successful its future planning and development strategy was.

Starting with trade and food processing, then seizing the opportunity presented by the South Korean government's push for heavy industry in the 1960s to enter the fertilizer and petrochemical sectors, and then making astute moves into electronics and semiconductors in the 1970s and 1980s, each step has been at a crucial juncture in South Korea's economic transformation and national strategy.

This profound insight into national will and industry trends, coupled with bold bets, is the core gene that enabled Samsung to eventually grow into a behemoth.

Now, just as Samsung has taken the most crucial step in its grand strategy—entering the semiconductor industry—Lin Haoran has forcefully intervened in its future with a precise and ruthless strike.

With just $2 million and a promise of some influence, he secured a crucial position for himself on the future Samsung ship, second only to the Lee family, and obtained a portion of the "steering wheel" that would influence its course.

This is not just a victory in business negotiations, but also a preemptive intervention in the future global industrial landscape.

Most importantly, this opportunity to expand was offered to them by Samsung.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to seize such a good opportunity.

In a good mood, Lin Haoran chatted with Liu Xiaoli for a while, then personally made a phone call to Suzuki Toshifumi in Japan, telling the Southern Company president about the results of his negotiations with Li Bingze.

Upon hearing the news, Toshifumi Suzuki was utterly shocked.

How long has it been since Samsung started targeting 711-Eleven and Lawson convenience stores?
Unexpectedly, the boss resolved the matter so decisively, and in such a unique way.

Not only did they resolve the crisis, but they also turned Samsung, a local power, into a partner and even a shareholder, all while using humiliating tactics to force Samsung into submission.

Suzuki Toshifumi felt that among the business tycoons he knew, only the boss could achieve this level of success.

Working for a boss like this means a bright future!

"Boss, your methods are truly astounding." On the other end of the phone, Toshifumi Suzuki's tone was full of admiration and a hint of lingering fear.

He asked himself if he were facing pressure from Samsung, he probably wouldn't be able to resolve the issue so cleanly and decisively, and would most likely be forced to concede some of his profits.

Not to mention the enormous strategic benefits that could be gained from it.

Although Toshifumi Suzuki is skilled at managing businesses, when faced with such a challenge, without strong capital and global influence as a backing, it is difficult to compete with a local giant like Samsung by relying solely on business skills.

"In this way, the development of our two convenience store brands in South Korea will be free of obstacles, and we may even be able to achieve extraordinary expansion by leveraging Samsung's channels," Toshifumi Suzuki said excitedly.

Today, South Korea's store growth rate is second only to Japan's.

He discovered that South Korea and Japan have many similarities.

Therefore, Toshifumi Suzuki is paying more and more attention to the South Korean market. In his future plans, the two convenience store brands under Nambang Company will have more than 10,000 chain stores in South Korea, or even more!
Don't be fooled by the fact that there are only a little over a thousand companies now. At the current rate of development, Toshifumi Suzuki believes that the goal will be achieved in a few years!

The conditions negotiated by boss Lin Haoran undoubtedly paved the most solid road for the realization of this grand goal.

With the full cooperation of Samsung, a local powerhouse, problems such as store location selection, administrative approvals, and local labor will be easily solved.

They can even leverage Samsung's vast workforce and supplier network in South Korea to quickly establish a stable customer base and an efficient local supply chain.

“Mr. Suzuki, this is just the beginning,” Lin Haoran said with a smile. “Samsung has only obtained franchise rights for certain regions; the core supply chain, operating standards, and brand control remain in our hands.”

In the future, we need to leverage Samsung's local advantages in South Korea to rapidly expand our network, but at the same time, we must ensure that our standards and profits are not eroded.

Regarding the specific details of the agency agreement, I will have Mr. Ma Shimin focus on these aspects during negotiations with Samsung. Your Southern Company should also send a core team to participate to ensure that the business terms align with our long-term interests.

"Yes! I will immediately arrange for my most capable team to fly to Hong Kong to assist Mr. Ma Shimin!" Suzuki Toshifumi replied immediately, his respect for this young boss deepening even further.

The boss is not only skilled in capital operations and strategic maneuvering, but also has meticulous control over specific business operations.

(End of this chapter)