I Became a Scoundrel of a Chaebol Family
Chapter 252

Of course, despite its city-state status, it doesn’t quite exist as a separate entity from South Korea. It moves in the same direction as led by the South Korean government, enjoying a degree of autonomy within the larger framework.

Politically, Incheon is strongly affiliated with South Korea. The current mayor, Choi Cheol-kyu, is a member of the Equality Freedom Constitution Party, which is the ruling party of South Korea. Other parties in Incheon are generally either aligned with or satellite parties of the national ruling party.

Naturally, the perspective of the South Korean president and the parliament on Incheon significantly influences the city's politics.

The reason for making Incheon an autonomous city, despite the complications, is primarily due to the voting rights of mainland Chinese. Despite South Korea's blatant discrimination against mainland Chinese, North Koreans, and South Koreans, it couldn’t indefinitely block the voting rights demands of the mainland Chinese.

There was a need to somewhat accommodate their demands, hence local election rights were granted in Incheon under several conditions.

However, the South Korean government is extremely cautious about allowing the expansion of voting rights for mainland Chinese to other cities, branding Incheon as 'special' for this reason, thereby separating its conditions from the rest of South Korea.

Thus, today's Incheon was born.

...

A burly man, whose bulk resembled a mountain, had three cigarettes in his mouth at once. Behind him, two flags were framed on the wall, one a Taegukgi (the South Korean national flag) and the other symbolizing Incheon, with large flags positioned on either side.

A giant screen on the left wall displayed various real-time graphs of Incheon’s metrics:

These figures far exceed the South Korean average but the pitfalls of averages are strongly evident here. If median values are considered, the actual income for an ordinary person is around KRW 40 million per year, and even that is subject to about 30-40% in taxes including basic income tax, mandatory insurance, national and city pensions, urban defense tax, and technology and science development tax. Thankfully, one silver lining(?) is the cancellation of mandatory health insurance due to budget issues.

But if one gets injured or falls ill, bankruptcy is just a step away unless they remain healthy.

Despite these troubling metrics indicating extreme wealth concentration in the hands of a few, the man showed little interest in them.

"Is this really an invitation?" Mayor Choi Cheol-kyu frowned, puffing out smoke. The invitation he received felt different from usual.

"An invite that says do not touch my employees, don't flirt with my secretary, and all these unnecessary footnotes—have you seen this much?" It’s an invitation for the mayor of Incheon to attend a party. Yet, the invitation is almost filled with prohibitions.

It’s an absurd situation to behold. However, ignoring it isn’t easy either, as the inviter is currently a hot topic in Incheon.

The rogue young master of the Koryo Group, recently adored by chairpersons and vice-chairpersons, wielding unchecked power. Born a troublemaker and a drug user, now powered by authority, what wouldn’t he do? From nonsensical abuse of power to possessiveness bordering on obsession, he’s infuriating the entire city.

If it stopped there, it might be better, but he’s overstepped by assaulting a district chief openly and now seems intent on turning a councilwoman into his woman and causing havoc across the police and prosecution services, even trying to establish a bizarre entity like a permanent special prosecution office.

He is clearly stepping into the legislative and judicial spheres of Incheon, and now by inviting the mayor, it seems he’s reaching into the administrative as well.

"I’ve hated it since he started talking about eradicating sexual corruption. This is ridiculous."

The damage he has caused isn’t minor. The dirty side of the thriving Kanghwa Enter industry has been exposed, causing a massive economic ripple. The near cessation of celebrity sexual hospitality is just a side note.

Now, a huge artificial island has been illegally planted in front of the port, causing a surge in complaints and reducing the cargo throughput of Incheon Port by about 2.1%.

The list of grievances could go on for a month, not just a day. All these inconveniences and nuisances are flying towards him in various forms.

"Please, just remove that artificial island. It’s too dangerous to navigate every time." "Do something about that guy. Aren’t you the mayor?" "Why can’t the mayor, who controls 300,000 troops and all the administration of Incheon, handle one guy?" "At least negotiate."

With such complaints flooding in several times a day, it’s infuriating to receive such an audacious invitation from the very person responsible.

"Shouldn’t you provide appropriate hospitality if you want to invite someone?"

He’s at the peak of his youth, wielding his power recklessly, thinking everything will go his way.

But that’s not how it works. Even Go Young-man, the chairman, can’t have everything his way. After all, South Korea is a place where over 400 million people coexist.

Incheon is, after all, a city allowed autonomy. As long as Choi Cheol-kyu is the mayor, this city will not roll according {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} to the whims of a reckless young master.

"Since ignoring it isn't an option..."

Choi Cheol-kyu communicated with his party first. The ruling party of South Korea, the 'Equality Freedom Constitution Party,' respected Mayor Choi's stance, but only to the extent that it did not unduly provoke the Koryo Group.

Choi Cheol-kyu had no intention of agitating them needlessly. In fact, he was considering cooperating with Go Muyeol to a reasonable extent. However, he was clear that he would not be dragged along unilaterally.

This time was no different. There was absolutely no plan to indulge in foolish acts like outright insulting or humiliating. He would simply and politely decline Go Muyeol's invitation, along with other council members from his party.

"If I'm too busy to attend, what can they really say?"

Besides, the mayoral by-election in Namdong District was coming up soon. Kim Eun-ji, a member of the opposition 'Better Future Party' and representative for Namdong, had thrown her hat into the ring for the mayoral race. Given that Go Muyeol, who had drastically pushed Namdong Industrial Complex to prominence and popularity, was openly supporting her, there was a real risk of losing the mayorship to the opposition party.

Originally, the mayor of Namdong was not from the 'Equality Freedom Constitution Party'. However, losing the position to the progressive 'Innovation Party', supported by a few extremists, versus losing to the competing 'Better Future Party', was the difference between sky and earth.

Even if Go Muyeol supported the candidate, it meant nothing without proper contestation.

Essentially, it was genuinely a busy season—a perfect excuse.

"Life is a series of negotiations. You can't just dictate terms."

++++

The so-called 'Incheon Grand Banquet,' a lavish party inviting influential figures from Incheon, was just days away. Invitations had been sent out far and wide, and rumors had been sufficiently spread.

Preparations were meticulously underway, to the extent that secretaries were groaning under the pressure as they nearly rebuilt the entire super yacht.

Amidst this, word had somehow reached his family, who responded generously without him even asking.

"I would like to come myself, but that seems unlikely. However, always remember, I am always thinking of you... As a token, I will send Hye-young in my place. You can treat her as if she were me."

"Thank you, Min-young."

Firstly, Min-young. She had decided to send Kang Hye-young, her chief secretary.

It might sound trivial just saying 'Kang Hye-young,' but she is the chief secretary. Although Soo-ah is also a chief secretary, comparing her to Kang Hye-young doesn't really hold up, as Soo-ah serves me, merely a young master of the owner family with no official position within the Koryo Group.

It's an exaggeration, but I might as well be a nobody.

But Min-young is the vice-chairwoman of the Koryo Group. The chief secretary to such a woman is a completely different level of being.

Of course, I have had my way with such a woman several times...