Every effort was being made to build the EV infrastructure.
Not only were local governments and politicians being mobilized, but Taewoo Group's assets were being fully leveraged as well.
"Chairman, negotiations with Taewoo Oil have also concluded. We'll install EV charging stations at all gas stations owned by Taewoo Oil or set up chargers there."
"And what about highway rest stops? To enable long-distance EV travel, charging stations must also be installed at highway rest areas."
Without chargers at rest stops, long-distance driving was impossible.
EVs couldn't be limited to city driving; every rest stop needed charging facilities.
"For rest stops operated by the Korea Expressway Corporation, they must comply once the government issues a directive. Over 80% of rest stop buildings are managed by the corporation, so there's no major issue. The only concern is private rest stops, where we're currently negotiating with the companies that operate them."
"Private highway rest stops are determined through public bids, correct? How long are the contracts?"
"They're five-year contracts."
"If negotiations don't go smoothly, Taewoo Group should just win all the bids in the next public auction."
If necessary, money could push the deal through. Even spending heavily on highway rest stop bids wouldn't be a loss.
Highway rest stops were considered a goldmine; at minimum, the investment could be recouped.
"We'll proceed that way. We're also in talks with rest stops along national roads. In that case, Taewoo Group will need to provide full support."
"Of course, since large corporations don't operate these national road rest stops, it's natural for us to support them."
"We're also negotiating with large parking lots. We'll install EV chargers at major private parking lots, especially near key tourist sites."
Building the infrastructure was no easy task.
In essence, money was being poured into the project.
Even if government subsidies eased the burden, that wouldn't be feasible until at least next year. For now, the project had to be funded entirely by Taewoo Group's own resources.
"If the funds from Taewoo Motors and Kia Motors aren't enough, you can also use the group's internal reserves."
"The funds from the two automotive subsidiaries are sufficient. If there's a shortfall, we'll use Taewoo Oil's resources."
"I'll contact Aramco on our side."
Taewoo Oil was a joint venture between Taewoo Group and Aramco.
So we couldn't freely allocate funds without Aramco's approval.
Aramco mainly produced oil. Naturally, one might assume they'd oppose EVs.
But surprisingly, Aramco was very interested in the electric vehicle business.
Saudi Arabia, aware that oil wealth wouldn't last forever, was always seeking future growth engines.
"It's surprising that Aramco is favorable toward EVs. They immediately approved installing EV charging stations at Taewoo Oil-owned gas stations, and they even indicated willingness to partially cover installation costs."
"They're trying to reduce dependency on crude oil exports. They're desperate to find a new growth engine."
Aramco could be considered the world's top company.
It earned nearly 200 trillion KRW in operating profit annually.
Of course, calling it merely a company is an understatement—Saudi Arabia owned 100% of the shares, so it could be seen as part of the state itself.
If we could receive support from Aramco?
We could accelerate global EV infrastructure deployment by several stages.
"I'll need to visit Saudi Arabia next month. Schedule it."
"We've already received a message from Saudi Arabia that they're waiting for your visit. We'll arrange the schedule as soon as possible."
Before heading to Saudi Arabia for the business trip, I visited the Taewoo Group IT security team for the first time.
I confirmed that the cryptography experts I had brought in to develop Bitcoin were all present.
"Professor Hal Finney, you're here as well?"
"Oh? Chairman, what brings you here?"
"Shouldn't you be teaching your students at IIT? Why are you at the IT team?"
"I spend my free time, after teaching students, developing an unbreakable hacking defense system here. Using cryptography, we're building walls that can't be penetrated."
Professor Hal Finney looked genuinely pleased.
He was the very person who had conceived the idea of Bitcoin and possessed extraordinary skills in cryptography and mathematics.
"My apologies for not paying closer attention to this."
"No need. I heard through Team Leader Chun that you'd receive additional manpower and financial support. That alone is more than enough."
Next to Professor Finney, many other cryptography experts were also present.
The Bitcoin project had been fully completed, with no real need for further adjustments, so they were spending their time in the IT team.
"How is the project with the pharmaceutical company going?"
"We assist them only when they request help. It doesn't take much time, so the team works on internal IT projects during their free hours."
I saw in Professor Finney the same sense of enjoyment I had seen in Chun Min-jeong.
Just as Chun Min-jeong treated game development and tournament preparations like a hobby, Professor Finney enjoyed developing the anti-hacking system.
"We'll continue supporting you fully. If you need more staff, we'll provide them. If you recommend capable students, we can hire them at any time."
"I didn't realize you were so invested in security. May I expand the IT security team a little more? Of course, I'm neither the IT team leader nor the department head, so I'm not sure if I have that authority."
Titles didn't matter.
Professor Hal Finney had already proven his abilities, and if he wished, I could grant him any position at any time.
"How about serving as an advisor for the IT team? And you can expand the team as much as you like. The importance of IT security will only grow over time. If we invest now, we can prevent major incidents before they occur, don't you think?"
"Then I'll organize the IT team to suit my standards. I'd like to try building a Pentagon-level IT security system. Honestly, from a corporate standpoint, it's probably overkill and very costly—are you okay with that?"
"Taewoo Group has the scale to make that kind of investment. Don't worry—just proceed with the IT security project."
I entrusted the IT team to Professor Hal Finney and the other cryptography experts.
Most of them were also IT specialists, so Taewoo Group was about to have a truly next-level IT security system.
***
I arrived at Riyadh Airport in Saudi Arabia on a private jet.
Thanks to my connections with the Saudi royal family, I was able to bypass immigration and step directly outside. A vehicle sent by the royal family was waiting at the airport, and dozens of security personnel escorted my car, guiding me to the residence of Governor Abdulaziz, father of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
"It's been a while. I apologize for not visiting more often," I said.
"Seeing you like this is more than enough. And I've been well informed of your activities. I hear you acquired AIG and now GM as well. I've watched you grow since you were young—it's truly impressive," Governor Abdulaziz showered me with praise.
Being complimented by the third in line to the throne, and soon-to-be second, felt gratifying.
"I couldn't come empty-handed, so I prepared a modest gift."
"Haha, what gift could there be between us?"
"I brought 500,000 doses of Tamiflu. I apologize for not being able to bring more."
"Haha, these days, acquiring Tamiflu is as difficult as catching a star in the sky. This is more valuable than any gift I've ever received. Let's discuss the details inside. And Mohammed has been waiting eagerly for you."
Mohammed bin Salman. I couldn't keep the future ruler of Saudi Arabia waiting.
I quickly followed Governor Abdulaziz inside, where Mohammed, now an adult, greeted me with an awkward smile.
"I heard you started your political work assisting the governor. You've been accomplishing big things right after graduating from college," he said.
"You flatter me. I'm merely trying not to be a burden," I replied.
We exchanged formal greetings. In our younger years, we had been informal and casual, but now, with so many eyes watching, we had to show utmost respect.
"Please, have a seat. I understand you've come regarding Taewoo Oil. Speak freely," said Abdulaziz.
"Taewoo Group is focusing on the electric vehicle business. Both Taewoo Motors and Kia Motors are already producing EVs, and we plan to continue expanding production in the future," I explained.
"So you believe EVs will become commercially viable. Hence, you're considering installing EV charging stations at the Taewoo Oil gas stations," he said.
Governor Abdulaziz showed significant interest in electric vehicles. As the governor of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, his influence was unquestionable.
I went on to explain the vision for EVs in detail.
"EVs may not completely replace internal combustion engine vehicles, but we anticipate they will capture a substantial market share. To dominate the EV market, we must make bold investments now."
"That's an excellent approach. Whether a country or a company, those who prepare for future opportunities in advance are the ones who survive," he said.
"I am confident that EVs will be welcomed not just in Korea, but also in the U.S., Europe, China, and across the world," I added.
Abdulaziz paused thoughtfully, consulting quietly with his son and aide, Mohammed bin Salman, before turning back to me.
"Honestly, I don't value EVs that highly. But since this is your project, I cannot ignore it. From what I know, every business you've led has succeeded," he said.
"Chairman Kim has successfully pioneered the smartphone, which everyone said was impossible. EVs could become the next revolutionary product," Mohammed interjected, supporting my point.
And he wasn't wrong. Electric vehicles had the potential to shock the world as much as smartphones had.
"If the infrastructure is properly established, the EV market can grow rapidly."
"You're asking for support in building infrastructure?" Abdulaziz asked.
"Not just unilateral support—I'm asking you to become a business partner in this venture," I clarified.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then Taewoo Group will proceed alone. We could pour all of the company's retained earnings into the project and temporarily halt new ventures—it would be sufficient to achieve our goals."
No matter how wealthy Taewoo Group was, it could not compare to Saudi Arabia.
There's a saying: never flaunt your wealth in front of oil tycoons. That's also why global rich lists often exclude oil magnates.
"This is a very compelling proposal. I like it. I'll accept your offer," Abdulaziz said.
"Thank you," I replied.
"Not so fast to be thankful. I haven't yet told you what kind of support I can provide for building the EV infrastructure," he added, wearing a knowing smile.
An oil tycoon with a smile like that?
It was highly likely that he would invest far more than we had anticipated.