IWSF – Ch 272

Ronald examined the board, then spoke with an expression of utter disbelief.

“It’s barely visible. How on earth did you find this?”

If I hadn’t had oracle, I wouldn’t have even imagined something like this existed.

“We were lucky.”

In fact, the issue of backdoors in Chinese products had already surfaced several times before. However, each time they brushed it off, claiming it was just a security vulnerability, not an intentionally planted backdoor.

But due to these concerns, some government agencies, including in the United States, stopped using Chinese-made electronics altogether and excluded them from bidding processes.

“This is quite solid evidence, I’d say.”

“Even more so if it’s found in other places besides ours.”

In truth, we don’t know exactly what role this chip plays. Even if we presented it directly to them, they would obviously deny it, claiming ignorance.

But what if it’s found in other places as well? And what if the one raising the issue isn’t just a company, but the US government? Then they wouldn’t be able to get away with it as easily as before.

I spoke persuasively, “China has been forcing technology transfers from global companies, including American ones, and stealing intellectual property at will. If we continue to let them be, there’s no telling what else they might do.”

Nations prioritize their own interests above all else. No matter how close my personal relationship with the President might be, the US won’t easily act unless it benefits them. Therefore, this matter needs to be beneficial not just to us, but to the US as well.

Since the end of the Cold War, the world has been reorganized around the US. The US has led the world in all aspects: military, economy, culture, diplomacy, etc. The only country that has challenged this world order is China.

Based on its vast landmass and population of 1.5 billion, China has been closely chasing the US, and has now grown to the point where it’s called a G2 nation.

From the US perspective, while they may tolerate China being in the number two spot, they won’t let them stand shoulder to shoulder with the US or surpass them.

Ronald, who had been lost in thought for a while, looked at me and said,

“You look ready to go. We can leave right away, then.”

“Yes?”

Where are we going?

He stood up and said,

“Let’s go to the White House press briefing room.”

Taekgyu clicked his tongue and said in a low voice,

“Look at that decisiveness.”

***

The press briefing room in the West Wing of the White House.

It’s a place that people all over the world have seen at least once. Official announcements from the White House are made here, and broadcast worldwide through the news.

Going through a passage next to the press briefing room, there was a narrow space where reporters gathered. Despite the late hour, many journalists from various news outlets were still there, looking for anything newsworthy.

One reporter came in carrying coffee and snacks, and everyone stopped what they were doing to chat over coffee.

“I heard Kang Jin-hoo is in the US right now.”

“What’s he doing here without a word?”

“I heard from a correspondent in China that he met with the Chinese Minister of Commerce and Zhou Auto representatives in Macau.”

“Ah! I heard about that too. But is it really true that Zhou Auto copied Karos’s technology?”

“Well, it’s not like it’s the first time something like this has happened. Even if we protest to China, they’ll just scoff at us.”

“What does Kang Jin-hoo plan to do?”

“Since the technology is already leaked, won’t he have no choice but to partner with Zhou Auto?”

“But if they actually partner, they’ll keep getting pressured to transfer technology.”

Even while talking, everyone was busily organizing their thoughts.

‘If I play this right, it could become a news article….’

But at that moment, someone shouted,

“The President will be making a major announcement himself in 30 minutes!”

“What?”

At those words, the reporters all put down their coffee and grabbed their laptops, rushing to the press briefing room. The empty seats quickly filled up with journalists.

Soon after, Ronald entered the press conference hall.

Looking back, he had made several shocking announcements in this very place. If I had to pick one, it would be the moment the Big One happened.

Just as Ronald was about to announce his resignation, the White House shook violently, and he declared that the Big One had arrived.

The reporters who were present at that time still haven’t forgotten that event. Perhaps it was the most dramatic scene in 21st-century American history.

Ronald looked around at the reporters and said,

“I’m going to make a major announcement now. Before the announcement, I have invited a very important guest to this place.”

Then, a young Asian man entered.

The reporters were astonished the moment they saw him. It was none other than Kang Jin-hoo, CEO of OTK Company. This was his first time in the White House press briefing room.

Reporters quickly tapped on their laptops, uploading news articles.

Ronald stepped aside, and Kang Jin-hoo stood in front of the microphone.

“Hello, everyone. I am Kang Jin-hoo.”

He gave a brief greeting and immediately got to the point.

“As I have already stated, Zhou Auto is suspected of copying a significant portion of Karos’s technology. I have fully discussed this issue with the President, and we have both agreed on its seriousness.”

A reporter asked a question.

“Do you have evidence?”

Surprisingly, Kang Jin-hoo nodded.

“During the process of investigating the leak route, we discovered a spy chip in a server. This server is manufactured by SuperNano, and we suspect that data was stolen through it.”

At those words, the reporters were in shock.

“Wait, hold on. Are you saying that SuperNano intentionally planted a backdoor?”

“It’s not certain, but we suspect it happened during the distribution process rather than the production process. The problem is that not only us, but also Npple, Gooble, AMZ, Facenote, and other companies and government offices in the US and around the world are using these servers. We suspect that those places also have spy chips. If that’s true, important information and data from American companies may have been leaked indiscriminately.”

Then Ronald spoke.

“The United States will immediately begin an investigation into China’s technology theft, patent infringement, and intellectual property theft. If China does not cooperate with this, the United States will have no choice but to take extraordinary measures to protect the interests of the nation and its people.”

Reporters raised their hands, asking questions.

“Do you think China will comply?”

“What are these ‘extraordinary measures’ you just mentioned?”

Ronald raised both hands and said,

“China has violated trade regulations and stolen our technologies. I don’t know what previous presidents might have done, but I will no longer tolerate these unfair practices. The extraordinary measures I mentioned are comprehensive sanctions on Chinese products. If necessary, I am willing to ban the import of Chinese products and impose large-scale tariffs!”

This announcement was immediately broadcast to the world through the media.

***

After the press conference, as Taekgyu and I were driving back to the hotel, my phone rang. The caller was Vice-Chairman Wang Yichang.

As soon as I answered, he snapped angrily.

[What exactly are you trying to do right now?]

I could hear an interpreter relaying his words from beside him, as if he was on speakerphone.

I said calmly,

“Didn’t I tell you before? If you apologized and compensated us, it would end well. I am sincerely sorry that things have come to this.”

[What? Are you even serious right now?]

“The saying ‘pengduisuk’ comes to mind.”

If you boil the head, the ears will naturally cook too. If we can’t touch Zhou Auto, we’ll touch China itself.

He shouted as if in anger.

[So you’re saying you’re turning all of China into your enemy?]

“You should ask the US that, not me.”

[Do you think China will just stand by and do nothing?]

“Then what are you going to do?”

I returned the words he had said to me before.

“You said that when a small country goes against a large country, it invites disaster, right? Make a wise decision.”

[What…?]

Without listening any further, I hung up the phone.

If he’s sorry, he’ll call again.

***

China was thrown into chaos by the White House announcement.

As soon as the announcement went out, SuperNano’s stock price plummeted by more than 50 percent, and a market cap of $800 million vanished into thin air.

The Chinese government immediately issued a statement denying the allegations.

“Kang Jin-hoo’s announcement is an absurd slander! China respects patents and intellectual property rights more than any other country. Backdoors or technology theft are impossible.”

The general atmosphere was one of ridicule.

– China respects intellectual property rights?

– ㅋㅋㅋ I just burst out laughing.

– I thought they only gave us fine dust, but they’re giving us a good laugh too.

– LOL Kang Jin-hoo is seriously pissed. Slapping China in the back of the head.

– Kang Jin-hoo VS China? The scale is insane.

– Who will win?

– Has anyone who messed with Kang Jin-hoo ever ended up well?

– Everyone who made Kang Jin-hoo their enemy became ruined.

– For example, President Gak-ha?

– But is this spy chip real? It’s not like a 007 movie, is it even possible to steal information like that?

– It’s possible. Backdoors were found in Chinese-made CCTV and smartphones before. That’s why the FBI and CIA warned against using Chinese smartphones and telecommunications equipment.

– Doesn’t our CL Telecom use Wayhua telecommunications equipment?

– ㅋㅋ Wayhua. A company created by a People’s Liberation Army officer with Chinese government support. If they wanted to, eavesdropping and stealing information is nothing to them.

– Ah, damn it. My computer motherboard is SuperNano ㅠㅠ

– Yep. Your personal information is all stolen. Even your porn list on your hard drive.

– Don’t worry. Anyway, Korean personal information was already all passed to China in the recent RiteCard hacking incident. It’s already all been stolen, there’s no more information to steal.

The US was also in an uproar.

The US is extremely sensitive about personal information. So much so that Npple even refused to cooperate with a request to unlock a terrorist’s Enphone.

If a Chinese company intentionally inserted spy chips into servers and stole information from companies and Americans through them, it’s an act that can never be overlooked.

Consumer protests poured in, and Npple, Gooble, AMZ, Facenote, and others immediately began inspecting their servers and data centers.

In less than three days, the results were out.

Cass Sunstein, Director of the FBI, announced the investigation results. He presented several boards as evidence in front of the media and said,

“CEO Kang Jin-hoo’s claims have been proven to be true. Spy chips were also found in SuperNano servers at Npple, Gooble, etc. It appears they were inserted after the production process, and we are currently expanding the scope of the investigation.”