America: My Time

Chapter 1241 John's Guidance

Chapter 1231 John's Guidance
"It's all done so easily, isn't that a bit too crazy?" As she walked out of Daewoo Group, Lee Boo-jin was somewhat incredulous. John had managed to complete the acquisition so easily, using every trick in the book, directly targeting Daewoo Group's weaknesses and striking right at Kim Woo-joong's Achilles' heel.

"How difficult do you think it will be? In this acquisition, Kim Woo-jung and his Daewoo Group have always been at a disadvantage, while I have always maintained the initiative. If he had any sense, he would have made the right choice. Do you think that just because he doesn't want to sell, I can't get it? It just takes a little more time and a few more tactics, and the price I pay will be much lower. He will pay a heavy price, which is something I don't want to see, and something I don't want to do!"

Although John spoke calmly, it struck Lee Boo-jin like a thunderbolt. This was business warfare; there was no mercy to speak of, only naked self-interest. In the face of profit, everything could be compromised.

Lee Boo-jin understood that what John said was true. If things went to the worst, Kim Woo-joong and the Daewoo Group would pay a heavy price, and the Koreans would also pay a heavy price. At that time, Kim Woo-joong would be hated by all the Korean conglomerates and would become the target of everyone's hatred. If it really came to that, the fate of the Daewoo Group and Kim Woo-joong would be predictable.

Seeing Lee Boo-jin's surprised expression, John shook his head again and said, "Don't worry about all this. The business world is all about naked interests. I've already given them enough face, and I've also given the Korean government enough face. Let's see if they know what's good for them. If they continue to be arrogant and conceited, then the consequences will be more than they can bear! Let's go. Don't waste time here. There's no need to deal with this anymore. This matter won't cause any more problems."

Faced with John's confidence, Lee Boo-jin sighed. This was the aura of a big shot, the overwhelming power. In the face of absolute power, no matter how unwilling Kim Woo-jung and Daewoo Group were, they had to compromise. No matter what the South Korean government thought, they had to accept their fate. In the face of absolute power, they had no way out.

"Where do we go next?" Lee Boo-jin asked. With the Daewoo Group matter resolved, she felt relieved. This matter had been putting pressure on her, but now that pressure had finally disappeared!
"I need to go to the TV station to find out about Phoenix Media's situation here. They've run into some serious problems in Hong Kong, and I don't want to see the same thing happen here! We must keep the power of the media firmly in our own hands. We can't afford any problems, or it could easily create hidden dangers for ourselves. Do you understand?"

Lee Boo-jin nodded thoughtfully and said, "Is it about controlling the discourse?"

"Yes, it's about controlling the narrative. As long as we control the narrative, we can launch attacks against the enemy. I don't want to see any problems with Phoenix Group on the Korean side. Neither the TV station, nor the film company or the agency can have any issues. You must pay attention to this! Think about what happened to Soros and Oil Capital this time, and see how they were criticized by everyone. You should understand the importance of the narrative. We may not use it, but we cannot be without it!"

“I understand, but as Phoenix Group expands and develops, it has also encountered considerable resistance here.”

"I know, and that's precisely why I chose to go to the TV station. I wanted to tell those guys not to play dirty tricks, or they won't be able to bear the consequences!"

John and Lee Boo-jin's every move was under the watchful eyes of the Koreans and Soros and his ilk. When they learned that John had gone to Daewoo Group, they naturally understood why. However, they hadn't expected John and Lee Boo-jin to emerge from Daewoo Group so soon, with smiles on their faces. Clearly, the acquisition had been finalized, something many hadn't anticipated, leaving them with an incredibly heavy heart!

Everything went too smoothly, which wasn't the outcome they wanted. These guys would have preferred more time for John and Kim Woo-joong to negotiate, giving them more time to prepare. Unfortunately, their hopes were dashed; Kim Woo-joong compromised immediately, without even a thought of resistance! "This is the staff's lunch? You know why I don't like coming to Korea? Even if I have time, I don't want to come here—it's because the food is terrible. Look at this—it's all pickled vegetables and more pickled vegetables. To get them to work hard, you have to give them something in return. We don't need to skimp on this. Once you officially take over, start making changes. This will make it easier for you to gain their approval, and it's a way to achieve more with less money!" After seeing the TV station staff's meals, John shook his head, sighed, and began to instruct Lee Boo-jin.

"I understand, I will pay attention." At this moment, Lee Boo-jin nodded to indicate that she understood. In fact, this situation is the same in major companies in Japan. No one cares about the employees' conditions, let alone their meals!
“You should go and see what the shipyards and car factories are like. Do you know why Bentley Motors was able to develop and get its factories on track so quickly in such a short time? It’s because of the changes in the food and a few perks. We can’t raise wages arbitrarily, after all, we can’t become the target of everyone’s criticism, we can’t go against the entire industry, but we can make changes in living conditions and benefits! Next, you will take over retail and clothing, and you will be in charge of the benefits for all the factories and enterprises in South Korea.”

Upon hearing this, Lee Boo-jin nodded thoughtfully. Since she controlled the retail, clothing and cosmetics companies, she could naturally make some arrangements regarding meals and benefits. Moreover, with this entry point, she could gradually gain some influence in those factories and gradually understand the situation there.
"Alright, some things you can just keep to yourself. You don't need to say them out loud. How far you can go depends on your own abilities. I won't interfere!" John waved his hand, indicating that Lee Boo-jin didn't need to say anything.

After a brief pause, John continued, "If the TV stations are like this, you can imagine what it's like at the talent agencies and film companies. You need to be careful. Do you think that putting pressure on the South Korean government at this time could create a loophole in terms of meat, grain, and fruit supplies?"

As a world-class grain trader with vast land holdings and livestock farms, John naturally wanted to get involved in the Korean market. Participating in it would be a good opportunity for him. Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and Japan were no longer problems; John had his sights set on South Korea, one of the world's three largest grain importers!

"It's not impossible. Compared to the acquisition of the three major companies by Daewoo Group, this is a small matter. As long as it doesn't involve food security, I believe it's not a big deal. After all, South Korea needs to import a large amount of food every year!"

Upon hearing Lee Boo-jin's answer, John nodded. South Korea opened up meat imports in July of this year, but with quantity restrictions. John wanted to open a loophole and seize market share!

John then said, “Okay, you’ll handle this. I’ll make the arrangements for the farm. Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Americas won’t be a problem! Don’t feel burdened. Now that you’ve taken over retail, you need to manage the distribution channels for these products. And you need to be prepared for the factories! A financial crisis is about to hit the whole of Asia. You need to seize the opportunity and expand across the board. Funding won’t be a problem.”

John's plan was to expand across Asia, even at the cost of reduced profits in the financial markets. This was the best opportunity, and if he missed it, he would have to pay a much higher price to expand again. Compared to reaping profits in the financial markets, John preferred to make acquisitions in the real economy.

Given South Korea's current precarious situation, this is the perfect time for acquisitions. Just look at the reactions of Kim Woo-jung and Daewoo Group to understand the immense pressure these South Korean conglomerates are under. Now is the ideal time to acquire their retail businesses. Yes, John has his eye on Hyundai Department Stores. When the financial crisis hits, such department stores will naturally be impacted, presenting the best acquisition opportunity. Compared to continuing to acquire South Korean factories, which would face resistance, department store acquisitions will be problem-free! Of course, there's also real estate; during a financial crisis, this is the best time to plunder, which also expands retail operations—a win-win situation!
This expansion isn't limited to South Korea; it's a nationwide strategy across Asia. Retail is just the beginning; other acquisitions, hotel and shopping mall expansions, and more will follow. This is a golden opportunity; don't miss it, or you might not get another chance.

Faced with John's arrangements, Lee Boo-jin was overwhelmed with emotion. She realized how thorough John's preparations were; these arrangements showed that everything had been planned in advance, just waiting for this opportune moment. It truly proved the saying, "Opportunity favors the prepared mind." With such thorough preparation, what couldn't be accomplished? If she couldn't even handle something like this, she would be incredibly foolish and incompetent.

(End of this chapter)