Leverage Investment
The moment you dabble in it carelessly, you're on a direct path to financial ruin.
Leverage investing involves borrowing other people's money to invest, so naturally, if you incur losses, you'll find yourself drowning in debt.
"Sir, aside from the risks, there are also significant restrictions on futures trading in Korea right now."
"Then you should go to the U.S. Mr. Hwang Jung-han, submit your resignation within this month and head to the U.S. to establish a corporation."
"Y-You're telling me to resign?"
For an ordinary office worker, nothing is more terrifying than being forced out of a job.
But for a dedicated investment team, it shouldn't be that scary.
It's not as if they're being kicked out with nowhere to go—the next job is already secured.
Not to mention, they're being handed a massive bonus. What is there to be afraid of?
"What are you so worried about? If things don't work out with me, I'll make sure you can rejoin Taewoo Securities. Do you have any idea who I am? Who's my grandfather?"
"You're Chairman Kim Tae-jung's grandson."
"Exactly. Getting you rehired is nothing. I'll even arrange for a promotion when you return. So don't worry, just submit your resignation first thing tomorrow."
"I-I'll put my trust in you, sir."
"Don't trust me—trust the money. This time, you received a 300-million-won bonus, but if our next investment succeeds, the numbers will be on a completely different scale."
The power of money is undeniable.
Just moments ago, Team Leader Han's hands were trembling at the thought of quitting. But now, they had stopped shaking.
"I'll submit my resignation first thing tomorrow."
"By the way, how proficient is your English?"
"I scored a perfect mark on the English section of the Taewoo Group entrance exam."
His grandfather placed great importance on globalization.
Naturally, language proficiency was a key requirement for entering Taewoo Group. Employees of Taewoo Securities, an elite division, were particularly fluent in English.
"Don't be frugal—hire the best lawyers and set up a flawless investment company."
"I will establish the company under your name, sir."
"No, use a shell company instead."
"Understood. I'll structure the company in a way that makes it difficult to trace the real owner."
There were only four months left before the Gulf War erupted.
I wanted to oversee everything myself, but with college entrance exams approaching, I didn't have the time. Sending my most trusted man, Team Leader Han, to the U.S. was the only option.
"Once the company is established, start trading futures as practice. By August, you need to have a solid grasp of it."
"I'll proceed cautiously to ensure we don't incur any losses."
"The rest of the team will stay in Korea to support Team Leader Han remotely."
I'd love to send everyone to the U.S. together.
But establishing an investment company is just the beginning.
We still needed access to the systems and intelligence network of Taewoo Securities, so the rest of the team had to remain in Korea.
Well, that wouldn't last long.
If our investments in the Gulf War went well, the U.S. investment firm would soon develop a system as large—or even larger—than Taewoo Securities itself.
The Iran-Iraq war put a halt to the Middle East construction boom
Now that the war was over, my grandfather personally traveled to Saudi Arabia to resume his Middle East construction ventures. I stayed close by his side as we entered the grand banquet hall.
"How does it feel? Can you sense the power of the Saudi royal family? If you stay confined to tiny Korea, you'll never witness a spectacle like this."
"It's overwhelmingly extravagant. They say oil is black gold, and it really seems like they have more money than they know what to do with."
"Haha, so you already know about black gold? My smart little one has been studying hard."
The banquet hall was the epitome of luxury.
Even though this wasn't an official royal banquet, but merely an event hosted at a prince's palace, it still showcased the immense wealth of the Saudi dynasty.
How many people in the world would ever get to attend such a gathering?
Since the 1980s, my grandfather had been deeply involved in Saudi Arabia's construction industry, earning him the privilege to be here.
"Wait here for a bit. I need to go greet some people."
"Go ahead. I'll behave and just observe."
My grandfather left my side and made his rounds, shaking hands with various dignitaries.
Among them were even the brothers of the Saudi king—a testament to just how extensive my grandfather's connections were.
But what did it matter?
During the financial crisis, none of those connections had been of any help.
With my grandfather momentarily away, I seized the opportunity to scan the room carefully, assessing the guests.
The reason I had come all the way to Saudi Arabia was to land a big fish.
And after diligently surveying the hall, I finally spotted one—an absolute giant.
I approached a small child, who looked young enough that he probably hadn't even started school yet, and casually struck up a conversation in English.
"Hi, I'm Kim Min-jae from Korea."
"Oh! Hello, I'm Mohammed."
Mohammed bin Salman.
In twenty years, he would become the crown prince.
A man who would one day be called "Mr. Everything."
A man who would, quite literally, have the power to do anything.
For now, he was just a little boy, not even old enough for elementary school.
"Do you want to play together?"
"Really? What are we going to play?
"I brought some toys. Let's play together!"
I had prepared for this day, bringing a variety of toys all the way from Korea.
Toys carefully chosen to match the interests of a five-year-old, who was always eager to play—everything from yoyos to robots.
It took less than twenty minutes to completely capture Mohammed's heart.
"Wow! This is amazing!"
"Let me show you something else."
I kept pulling out more toys from my stuffed pockets.
Watching this scene unfold, both my grandfather and Mohammed's father looked on with satisfaction.
"Mohammed seems to be having a great time with you."
His father, Salman, spoke to me.
Salman—my true target for today.
It would take at least twenty years for Mohammed bin Salman to become crown prince, but his father, Salman, was only a few years away from that position.
The current crown prince would pass away unexpectedly at a young age.
As a result, Salman would rise to the position earlier than expected, eventually becoming king.
If I could establish a connection with him now, it might prove invaluable during future crises—such as the financial crisis.
"Mohammed is really smart. It's so much fun playing with him."
"You're a very kind boy. I'll leave Mohammed in your care today."
I had successfully made an impression on the future crown prince.
But just making an impression wasn't enough.
I had already devised a way to ensure he became a lasting connection.
"By the way, that person seems suspicious. Earlier, when I stepped outside the banquet hall with Mohammed for a moment, I saw him put something that looked like jewels into a vacuum cleaner."
"What do you mean? Tell me in detail."
The infamous Saudi royal jewel theft.
A Thai janitor had once stolen 100 kilograms of royal jewels by stuffing them into a vacuum cleaner bag and fleeing to Thailand.
This incident would cause a rift between Saudi Arabia and Thailand for thirty years.
If I could prevent this theft from happening, I would secure a deep connection with the Saudi royal family.
This was precisely why I had come to Saudi Arabia.
Solving the jewel theft case would put the Saudi royal family in my debt.
"I saw it with my own eyes. That janitor stole the jewels."
"Are you certain? Accusing an innocent person is a serious matter."
Would I make such a claim without reason?
It was all written in his personal record—that's why I could say it with confidence.
[Personal Record]
Name: Kriangkrai Techamong
Affiliation: Palace Janitor
Notable Information: Stole royal jewels, has yet to dispose of them.
I checked the information once again.
Then, with a firmer voice, I turned to Salman and spoke with conviction.
"I'm certain. Please check the vacuum cleaner bag right now."
"Hmm... Very well. We'll verify it first. But if you falsely accused an innocent man, be prepared for the consequences."
Salman's expression turned sharp.
He glared at me for a moment before signaling to his guards. They immediately restrained the janitor and began dismantling the vacuum cleaner.
Clatter—
Various jewels spilled out onto the floor.
What an audacious thief. Or perhaps, he had been bold enough to avoid getting caught until now.
Salman's face shifted from disbelief to anger as murmurs filled the hall.
A short while later, Salman approached me again.
Though furious that such an incident had occurred within the palace, he forced a smile as he addressed me.
"Thank you. If not for you, the royal family's jewels might have been lost."
"As Mohammed's friend, I only did what I should."
"Mohammed has made a wonderful friend. Remember this—whenever you find yourself in need, the Saudi royal family will always be there to help you."
I had caught a big fish!
With this, I had effortlessly secured a shield—the backing of the Saudi royal family.
* * *
On the flight back to Korea.
My grandfather was beaming throughout the entire journey.
"My dear boy, I don't know how you manage to be so amazing. Thanks to you, we secured twice the amount of construction deals we originally negotiated!"
"I was just playing with Mohammed."
"With a little more effort, Taewoo Construction could surpass Hyundai Construction and take the No. 1 spot in contracts. Hahaha, all thanks to you!"
My grandfather had always been obsessed with being number one.
Some might even call it an inferiority complex.
Unlike other conglomerate families, he had built Taewoo Group from the ground up, starting as a mere employee.
Never content with what he had, he constantly made bold investments, growing Taewoo Group to the point where, by the time of the financial crisis, it had risen to the second-largest conglomerate in the country.
But so what?
When the financial crisis hits, this group will be torn aparts, leaving nothing behind.
Instead of expanding outward, it was more important to strengthen the foundation.
But my grandfather was completely addicted to globalization.
Trying to reason with someone addicted to something was futile.
No matter how much I tried to dissuade him, he wasn't ready to listen.
And who would dare to give unsolicited advice to the man who built the third-largest conglomerate in the country?
So, the only choice left was for me to help from within.
To do that, I needed to finish my education as quickly as possible.
Aging wasn't something I could control, but obtaining a college degree was something I could speed up with effort.
"Don't talk to me until we land in Korea. I need to study."
"Alright, my boy. Study hard."
I pulled out my SAT prep book.
In my previous life, I had enrolled at Korea University, but I had considered studying abroad.
Because of that, I had already prepared for the SAT before.
And when it comes to exam preparation, the key is solving past questions.
In other words, I had already seen next year's SAT questions before.
Of course, I didn't remember all of them.
So, I needed to study as much as possible to sharpen my faded memories.
* * *
August began
For the past four months, I had not stopped studying for even a moment.
I read books while eating, while in the bathroom, and even right before falling asleep.
Seeing me like this, my grandfather worried.
But honestly, it wasn't that difficult.
I had been smart enough to get into Korea University in my past life, and now I had the best teachers in the country giving me hours of lectures.
That alone gave me a strong sense of accomplishment.
But today, I finally put my books down.
Because the Gulf War starts tomorrow.
With practiced ease, I dialed an international call.
A moment later, Team Leader Han picked up with a nervous voice.
"You've placed all the bets on the oil price surge, right?"
"Yes, as you instructed, I leveraged as much as possible and bet on the oil surge. We've already lost 300 million won in just 10 minutes."
"Take today off and just relax."
"We've bet 200 million dollars! That's over 140 billion won!"
"Wait, 200 million dollars is only 140 billion won? Wow, the exchange rate is amazing. And why are you worried? You've done well so far."
In the late 1990s, the exchange rate was just 716 won per dollar.
Every penny counts while the dollar is still cheap.
Japan's Nikkei Index had plummeted 30% in just five months, and thanks to that, I now had over 140 billion won in capital.
But this was nothing more than a practice round.
The real game was the Gulf War.
"Young master, we're talking about 200 million dollars!"
"It doesn't matter if we lose it all. We'll just earn it back."
"…Understood. We'll keep monitoring the situation for now."
TL/n -
The term "Saudi royal jewelry theft" most notably refers to the 1989 incident known as the "Blue Diamond Affair," which significantly strained diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand for over three decades.
Overview of the Blue Diamond Affair
In 1989, Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai worker employed at the palace of Prince Faisal bin Fahd in Saudi Arabia, stole approximately 91 kilograms (200 pounds) of jewelry and valuable gems. Among the stolen items was a rare 50-carat blue diamond. Kriangkrai shipped the jewels to his home in Lampang Province, Thailand, where he sold them at a fraction of their value.
The Thai police investigation led to Kriangkrai's arrest and the recovery of some stolen jewelry. However, when the items were returned to Saudi Arabia, authorities discovered that many were fake, and the prized blue diamond was missing. This revelation fueled suspicions that Thai officials had appropriated the jewels, leading to a series of unresolved crimes, including the murders of Saudi diplomats and a businessman in Bangkok.
Diplomatic Fallout and Resolution
The affair severely damaged relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Saudi Arabia reduced the number of Thai workers permitted in the kingdom, leading to significant economic losses for Thailand. For over 30 years, diplomatic ties remained strained. However, in January 2022, both nations agreed to restore full diplomatic relations, marking a historic step toward reconciliation.
Recent Developments
On November 24, 2023, Chalor Kerdthes, the former Thai police commissioner convicted in connection with the Blue Diamond Affair, passed away at the age of 85. Chalor had been implicated in the abduction and murder of a gem dealer's wife and son during the investigation into the stolen jewels.