[imText1]A bald robust countryman who lived with a wealthy salary as the lord in a village of Hapcheon, Gyeongsang province, leaves his job to live like a couple in exile at a Buddhist temple in the remote valleys of Gangwon province. With 290,000won (approx. US $300) left in his bank account he leaves for this mundane lifestyle with plans to live richly off the bank’s interest forever. As he leaves, he boasts of how well the country had developed and how proud he was of the Republic of Korea.
While even I lived a glorified and stolid life, in yet another half of the country it is amazing how words cannot describe the ignorance and ludicrous stories that exist.
“Blocking the Korean peninsula with cement?”
Once, there was a time in South Korea when 100,000 cement block apartments were rapidly built. As a result there was a great shortage of cement so cheap cement and even sand were chaotically imported from China and without knowing the insides would decay, unstable apartments were instantaneously built. Here, I got the alluring idea to begin an import business.
On a consultation visit to Pyongyang, I heard that 20,000 tons of cement had been delegated to a marine committee. Without hesitation, I signed a contract. The marine committee wanted to sell the cement as they were in need of fast cash. As the country was short of funds, each company and department was allotted a certain amount of goods with the freedom to use it to one’s own advantage.
The price of cement? 1 ton would set me back US$25. The conditions were that I would be supplied with ‘Jumbo bags’ which were either 1 ton or 1.5 tons. At the time, 1 ton in China cost US$26~$28. Considering that it cost US$1.20 in freight charges to import a ‘Jumbo bag’ from China to Pyongyang, in the end it equated to the same.
I made a contract with a Korean cement tradesman and ordered jumbo bags from China, waiting to inform the importers for the suitable date of arrival. 1 month passed and still no news.
The contracted Korean cement tradesman began to demand answers as there had been no change to the situation. Stifled, I went to Pyongyang. The marine committee said that the cement had been confirmed and that I could be reassured.
However, two days later I heard some irrational and inconceivable news. A spokesperson from the central authorities said, cement going to the South was completely prohibited. The reason was that, “The South is importing cement to reinforce the walls of the Korean peninsula. Terminate the contract!”
It was a special order from higher authority. There was nothing I could do. I was stuck in a dead end.
Exclusive orders “Not for sale, indefinitely!”
I was so stupefied, that I drew a rough ‘Korean map’ on a piece of paper and ruled a thick line explaining the use of the cement was for the 1988 Olympic highway stretching from Gwangju city, South Jeolla province to Hamyang in South Gyeongsang province, not to reinforce the Korean peninsula.
“From now on, listen to my words very carefully. The road between Gwangju, South Jeolla province to Hamyang in South Gyeongsang province is unnecessary. Do you even know why the road was constructed in cement and not asphalt? The director of the Korea Cement Industrial Association was Chun Doo Hwan’s wife’s uncle. At the time, even after exporting, there was so much cement piling up that President Chun Doo Hwan and the association director negotiated an ingenious plan to use the excess cement by constructing a road from Gwangju to Hamyang! That way the profuse cement was exasperated, factories continued to operate and the cement industry boomed once again.”
I said, “The concrete wall on the Korean peninsula was constructed during the reign of Park Chung Hee, why would another wall be built? Don’t say such ludicrous things.”
Irrespective of what I said, it was still useless.
“If the cement is going to be used for South Chosun construction, then we cannot by any means sell it to you. These are orders from the authority.”
It was impossible. What could I do? Ignorant people.. Impenetrable people..
There are many cases where a tradesman has to repurchase one’s goods at a higher cost having sold the good to another. This is trade! It was still useless. Words do not simply register to a mule’s ears..
In the end, my cement import trade business ended in disgrace. I forfeited my initial contract fee with China for contracting 1.5 ton cement jumbo bags and about $10,000 in losses.
