21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 41

December 1st, 2017 09:30

Seoul Kangnam-Ku Korea Pharmaceuticals Headquarters press conference room.

Attention from press agencies worldwide was aimed at Korea Pharmaceuticals. The press conference for the release of the new HIV cure called HIV-Killer was announced. It was the first time a pharmaceutical company garnered so much attention internationally. Having bought out Sin-oh pharmaceuticals 6 months ago, they released both the cancer cure ‘Godsend’ and the baldness treatment New life-X and New life-Y. Their rise in the top 3 pharmaceutical companies in sales also contributed to all the attention.

The fact that they were announcing another product that could cure HIV completely called HIV-Killer made all the press agencies from around the world gather; this seemed to have been the first time to happen since the Pyeong Yang terrorist attack. A moment later, C.E.O Lee Sang-pil of Korean Pharmaceuticals stepped into the room with the sound of 500 hundred shutters from reporters and he stepped on the podium.

“Hello everyone. I would like to thank all the reporters from both inside and outside of Korea for attending this conference. This new product HIV-Killer has managed to cure 100% of the 50 participants in 5 months, and it was approved by both the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the U.S FDA. I have called this press conference not to just announce the product being released, but to also offer the medicine free of charge under the request of the Korean government due to humanitarian reasons. In response, Korean Pharmaceuticals will cooperate with the Korean government to begin offering the treatment for free and survey needs; the first nations to receive it will be nations from Africa. Also...”

After the announcements were made for 10 minutes, the press conference room became hectic from all the reporters trying to ask questions first.

“I will try to answer all your questions, so please settle down and raise your hands. Yes, the reporter there, please ask your question.”

“Hello, I am Sonia from New York Times.”

“Hello, Miss Sonia.”

“The global market for treating HIV in 2017 has been known to be 18 billion dollars. Despite being a public enterprise, it must be a huge loss in profits when giving up profits this large to provide the treatment for free. How did your corporation come to this decision?”

“You are right. A corporation must seek profit, and 18 billion dollars is a large sum that amounts to 20 trillion won in Korean currency. However, as everyone here knows, HIV is most prevalent within developing nations. Since most, people cannot afford the cure, they will likely die in pain without receiving any treatment. Even if we are a profit-driven organization, we have pondered whether we should operate our business by profiting from people who are suffering. Additionally, the president has requested us to offer the treatment for free as well. Would that be a sufficient answer for you, Miss Sonia?”

“Yes, thank you.”

As C.E.O Lee Sang-pil answered the first question, he noticed a reporter waving both of his arms. Pointing to him, he said, “Next question will be from the man in the middle, please.”

“I am David from BBC news. Korean Pharmaceuticals has brought out treatments for diseases that seemed uncurable like HIV and cancer, making a wave in the pharmaceutical industry within just 6 months. Could you tell us about any other new medicines that will be released in the future?”

“We will continue to develop and research new treatments, but it seems we will be ready in May of next year to announce a product.”

“What kind of medicine will it be?”

“I’m sorry, but I believe it is too early to discuss the topic. I will take the next question.”

“Hello. I am Inokino from the Asahi newspaper. As reporter David from BBC has said, Korea Pharmaceuticals have been producing new medicine that can quickly cure symptoms. Sin-oh Pharmaceuticals, Korea Pharmaceuticals mother company, was only a 3-million dollar company that produced medicine for hyperlipidemia and other small diseases. How did a corporation like this make such revolutionary new medicine?”

“Hahaha, it looks like you did your research before coming here.”

Normally, C.E.O Lee Sang-pil disliked Japanese people so much that he would not even look at them. Seemingly a bit upset from the reporter’s tone, he answered with an awkward look on his face, “The Korean Pharmaceuticals company already received aid from the government 5 years ago to research new medicine before buying out Sin-oh pharmaceuticals. I can’t say much more because it is confidential information.”

As the press conference came to an end, its contents spread to the world immediately. The news about the treatment for HIV being offered for free made many patients and their families cry tears of joy, and many leaders from across the globe sent a letter of thanks to President Suh Hyun-woo.

* * *

January 1st, 2018 09:30

Korea

Due to the Pyeong Yang terrorist bombing, the threat of war in the Korean peninsula and its effects on politics and the economy had put the nation on the brink of national bankruptcy. However, the 19th Korean government had pushed for reforms, reopened the corruption cases, and put those responsible under heavy punishment to rekindle the unity of its citizens.

The new government also underwent auditing and reclaiming all the properties of the criminals to satisfy the national budget. With cooperation from small and middle-sized corporations, the newly founded Ministry of Next-generation Technology had been vigilantly creating products with technology developed from the 17th Fighter Wing underground research facility. Thus, the Korean economy was slowly recovering from the brink of collapse.

The economic growth rate of Korea was at 5% for the third quarter of 2017, which showed a significant difference from the 2% for the second quarter. The fourth quarter finished at 7%. At the head of the high economic growth rate was Korea Pharmaceuticals. After their first sale of the cancer treatment and their continued release of new medicine, they had released an androgen based balding treatment that became a big hit and made 25 billion dollars in total profits and 17 billion in sales.

The Korean government’s budget in 2018 was at 391.7 billion dollars, and they now had an extra 27 billion dollars from the profits made by Korean Pharmaceuticals from the 3~4 quarters.

Through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the government placed 12 billion dollars towards the Ministry of National Welfare’s budget and pushed for a policy dubbed elderly welfare fund that would give 500 dollars to those over 65 years of age. Another 10 billion dollars went to the Ministry of Defense to aid the 17th Fighter Wing’s budget. The rest of the 5 billion dollars were used to aid the construction of the Olympus base that was expected to complete this fall.

* * *

January 2nd, 2018 13:30

Seoul Kangnam-Ku The Ministry of Next-generation Technology conference room.

The 17th Fighter Wing underground research facility’s plasma superprotonic generator completed the three-month test run and was already commercially being used by the 17th Fighter Wing to supply power.

Given that, the Korean government planned to have 5 plasma superprotonic generators be built by 2017 and gathered all the executives from the Korean electric power corporation to discuss plans and policies.

“We have called the executives here today to discuss the 5 plasma superprotonic generators to be built across the nation. We have called you here to discuss the matter with the Korean electric power corporation.”

Director Sung Dae-Hyun from the Ministry of Next-generation Technology corporation aid department spoke up.

“A plasma superprotonic generator?” Never having heard the term before, executive director Yoo Gi-tae from the Korean electric power corporation asked with a curious look on his face. Director Sung Dae-Hyun signaled to Manager Lee Hyun-jin sitting next to him. Manager Lee Hyun-jin handed a couple of files to the executives from the Korean electric power corporation.

“These are the files that related to the plasma superprotonic generator so please take a look.”

Director Sung Dae-Hyun gave the executives from the Korean electric power corporation some time to read over the files before continuing his explanation.

“The plasma superprotonic generator is a next-generation generator developed from a research facility under the Ministry of Next-generation Technology. At the moment, a generator capable of producing 1.2GW of power is being used commercially. Starting this year, we are planning to build 10 power plants with the capacity to generate 8GW.”

Director Oh Jin-ho of the Seoul district headquarters, who was slowly reading the files, asked with wide eyes.

“Wait, if you say 10 powerplants with the capacity to generate 8GW, wouldn’t that equal 80GW? Doesn’t that much power surpass the current demand for power in the entire nation? If so, then what are we going to do with our nuclear powerplants and the standard plants?”

“That is why we called for this meeting director, Oh Jin-ho.”

“All right then. Does that mean that the plasma generator will be run by our corporation?”

“No. What I am saying is government policy, so please pay attention. From this year forward, we will build plasma superprotonic powerplants one by one that will be run by a newly founded Plasma generation department. When all 10 plants are completed, then the standard nuclear power plants and coal power plants will also shut down.”

“W-wait. Director Sung, are you suggesting for our Korean electric power corporation to just die out?”

Executive director Yoo Gi-tae seemed to be upset, stuttering his words as he glared at director Sung Dae-Hyun.

“Please listen to everything I have to say. How much foreign investment is in the Korean electric power corporation?”

“It is at about 33%.”

“‘So that means 33% of the profits each year go to foreign investors, right?”

“Don’t investors already have such an obvious right?”

“Yes, that is their right. That is why the government is trying to prevent money from leaking to foreign countries and planning to supply free power to all citizens starting in 2019. The Korean electricity power corporation will only be supplied with power from the plasma generation department and using the current infrastructure to supply power to industries and homes just to maintain upkeep.”

“Then what will happen to our profit structure?”

“The cost for the infrastructure and maintenance will be handled and given by the government.”

“So you simply want us to just supply the power given to us and maintain it? I believe foreign investors would sue this kind of plan in an international court.”

“Yes, I am also aware of that. There is a solution for that part, so no need to worry.”

“What? This is nonsense.”

“Isn’t the electricity power corporation a public enterprise run by the government that operates for the nation and people? Executive director Yoo, how are you only concerned about the shareholders and your company?”

As Director Sung Dae-Hyun bellowed, executive director Yoo Gi-tae could not come up with an appropriate response. He closed his mouth and stifled his boiling anger.