Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Chapter 655: End of Year Promotions (2) – Part 2

While having lunch with Director Kim and the chief research officer, Gun-Ho asked, “Do we have any candidates to be promoted during our end of year promotions in Dyeon Korea?”

Director Kim responded while having his fish, “No, we don’t. Most of our mid-level managers are new hires. The only people who we could consider to give promotion are the manager in the maintenance team and Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae who is interpreting for Mr. Adam Castler.”

“The maintenance team’s manager and Interpreter Myeong-Joon Chae?”

“The maintenance team’s manager is maintaining our machines from no. 1 to no. 18. He is the only one who knows how to dismantle and assemble the machines to repair and maintain them at Dyeon Korea. Director Jong-Suk Park highly spoke of him about his competency at work. He is holding a low-level manager position right now, and we can promote him to a mid-level manager.”

“Hmm.”

“As for Mr. Myeon-Joon Chae, he is taking a dual position right now. He does interpretation work for Vice President Adam Castler, and he also works in the trading team. Ever since we formed our sales company in China and India, his workload at the trading team increased. We can promote him to an assistant manager in the trading team.”

“How old is Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae?”

“He is 31 years old, and will soon turn 32. Holding an assistant manager position at the age of 32 is just fine, not so fast or slow.”

“Alright. I guess we will promote the maintenance team’s manager and Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae.”

“Thank you, sir. We still have time until the day of the promotion announcement. So, once I go back to work after lunch, I will ask Mr. Adam Castler and Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo to go and see you, sir.”

“Mr. Adam Castler and Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo? For what?”

“I will ask Mr. Adam Castler to make a recommendation for Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae’s promotion to you since he has been doing a great job in interpreting for him while keeping his position at the trading team. That way, Mr. Adam Castler officially becomes the person who recommended Myeong-Joon Chae’s promotion to the president, and Myeong-Joon Chae will work harder in interpreting for Mr. Adam Caster knowing that Mr. Adam Castler recognized his hard work.”

“Hmm.”

“Same thing for Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo. I will ask him to make a recommendation to promote the maintenance team’s manager. That way, it will be easier for Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo to ask the maintenance team’s manager to do some work for him later on because Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo is the one who helped him to get a promotion.”

Gun-Ho nodded his head.

“I got your point.”

Gun-Ho turned to the Chief research officer and said, “I understand that you are holding a one-year temporary position now. If you are okay with it, I want to extend your position for one more year. You are healthy enough to work for one more year, right?”

The chief research officer dropped his chopsticks when he received the unexpected offer from Gun-Ho. And, he said as he was picking up his chopsticks, “I would love to, sir.”

Director Kim chipped in, “Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo is working busily in a dual position as the plant manager and the deputy chief research officer. If the chief research officer stays in the research center, he will feel less burdened and less pressured, especially when he knows that he can always go to the chief research officer for advice. Also, having a chief research officer at the research center, with fully gray hair, would give a good impression to the public. What do you think, brother?”

The three men laughed out loud.

Gun-Ho came back to his office after lunch. He was dozing off when someone knocked on the door. It was Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo.

“Sir, I’d like to discuss something with you.”

“Sure. Please have a seat,” Gun-Ho said as he sipped a glass of water.

Manager Yoo carefully sat on the sofa.

“We will have the end of year promotions soon. I’d like to make a recommendation.”

“Please go on.”

“The manager in the maintenance team—Mr. Yong-Bok Ahn—used to be in the senior manager position with his previous employer. He does all the maintenance work for the machines that were brought in from Lymondell Dyeon. When we warm up the machines every morning, he walks around the production site and checks each machine’s temperature. He handles all the repairs and maintenance of those machines by himself.”

“I see.”

“We don’t have anyone else at Dyeon Korea, who can dismantle and assemble those machines.”

“Hmm, is that right?”

“I’m not his direct manager, but I’d like to make a recommendation for his promotion. Maybe I’m not in a position to make this sort of recommendation for him, but if you could consider his promotion, I would really appreciate it, sir.”

“I don’t know who is doing a good job or not at the production site, and I do expect the senior managers or directors to make a recommendation about employees’ promotion. Manager Ahn seems to work hard whenever I stop by the production site. Since you strongly recommend his promotion, Mr. Manager Yoo, I will definitely discuss it with other executive officers.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Manager Yoo walked out of Gun-Ho’s office after giving a bow to Gun-Ho.

‘It sounds like Director Kim told Manager Yoo what to say when he talks to me.’

After a while, Mr. Adam Castler entered Gun-Ho’s office. He was with Interpreter Myeong-Joon Chae.

“I was told that you had a dental appointment earlier. Are you okay?”

“I had a problem with one of my wisdom teeth. I’m fine now.”

Gun-Ho caught the word ‘wisdom tooth’ when Mr. Adam Castler talked about his dental appointment, and he asked Interpreter Myeong-Joon Chae, “So, the tooth is called ‘wisdom tooth’ in English, right?”

“That’s correct, sir.”

“Hmm, in Korea, we call that tooth ‘love tooth’ while Americans call it ‘wisdom tooth.’ That’s interesting. One thing for sure is that the tooth is precious for the people in both countries.”

When Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae interpreted what Gun-Ho just said, Mr. Adam Castler laughed out loud.

Mr. Adam Castler then said something seriously in a low voice. Myeong-Joon Chae blushed and hesitated to interpret it.

“What is it?” Gun-Ho asked.

“Umm... Um... sir, he said that my workload at the trading team has increased lately since we expanded our market to India and China, and also, I do a lot of interpretation work...”

“And?”

The interpreter blushed and couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Just say it! I don’t have all day. It’s okay,” Gun-Ho pushed him a bit.

“Um, sir, Mr. Adam Castler is requesting to add me to the promotion candidates’ list for our end of year promotions...”

“Hmm. Of course, I should promote the people who have been doing a great job and working hard. Please tell Mr. Adam Caster this. I’ve heard of Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae’s high workload. I will have to take into consideration other executive officers’ opinions on this. So, please give me some time to discuss it with others. However, we will favorably consider his promotion, especially because the recommendation came from Mr. Vice President Adam Castler. Your words about him will play a critical role in making a decision about his promotion. Mr. Chae, please interpret this for Mr. Adam Castler.”

Once Myeon-Joon Chae interpreted what Gun-Ho just said for Mr. Adam Castler, Mr. Adam Castler stood up from his seat and extended his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake, and he said, “I will look forward to hearing from you, boss.”

Myeong-Joon Chae gave a 90-degree bow to Gun-Ho while blushing and walked out of the office after Mr. Adam Castler.

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< From the author>

I referred to Financial Supervisory Service’s data found in DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval, and Transfer System) in presenting the numbers related to the company—DAS Corporation.