Chapter 276: The Land Full of Vitality (4)
Finally, the autonomous state received its first paynt for selling the minerals that were produced by the pyrite mine near the Koryoin village.
The profit was 1.2 million dollars even after paying the business tax to the Kazakh governnt. It seed that the mine could easily make ten million dollars a year. It was the minimum profit they had estimated even if the bulk freighters might not sail during the winter due to the frozen Volga-Don Canal. However, the actual profit would be more.
The autonomous state’s finances would get better through this.
“This is much more than I expected. I feel like I’m still dreaming.”
Kim Chun smiled as he looked at the docunts.
Youngho was delighted too. He had never expected to make such a huge profit from the mine.
“This is why Russian mine owners would not let go of the mining industry.”
“Those robbers are still refusing to pay taxes. Kazakhstan would have beco an advanced country already if not for them.”
Since Kim Chun’s family had been living in Kazakhstan for generations, his hostility toward Russians who dominated Kazakhstan’s economy was understandable. However, it was unlikely for Kazakhstan to beco an advanced country just because Russians were not there.
The two were still excited to see a huge amount of money though. They made large amounts of profit for trading raw minerals while only doing the separation process. If they could also do the slting process, they would make a few tis more. The only problem was that water was needed to build a factory. They only have a small amount of underground water that they used for their workers.
“Boss. What if we build a slting factory near the Arirang River?”
The branch river in the autonomous state was now called the Arirang River by the residents. It seed like Kim Chun had a similar idea with Youngho.
“That’s out of our abilities now. Also, we are already contracted with H Corporation now. It’s not possible.”
Youngho had a contract with H Corporation to provide them minerals for five years; he could not change or break it. Also, the real reason why they could not build a slting factory was because the correct amount of deposits was still unknown to them. They should only build a slting factory once they had secured deposits that would at least last for twenty years.
“What a waste. We could’ve made much more money if we could sell minerals on our own.”
“We can decide if we need to make changes after a year. Then, we’ll be able to know the total amount of deposits. If we confirm that there’s an unlimited amount of resource deposits, we can negotiate with H Corporation to build a joint slting factory.”
Even a small slting factory would cost an unimaginable amount of money.
Iron manufacturing and slting businesses were usually led by global corporations that had deep pockets. Youngho could try to start this business, but he could not give up everything else to start this business.
“H Corporation has a steel manufacturing factory in Korea. Do you think they’ll build an additional factory here?”
“Well, the corporation has enough money and experience. Building a slting factory of nonferrous tals would not be an overwhelming deal for them. The only concern I have is that I’m not sure if they’ll invest such huge amount in Kazakhstan. This country’s still not stabilized yet.”
Kazakhstan was having a hard ti due to the recent decrease in oil’s price, and Russia’s economic recession. Russia’s influence on Kazakhstan’s economy was not small. Youngho was not sure if H Corporation would still be willing to make a large investnt in a country that was not generally stable.
“We cannot start a business without enough power to defend it. If the Kazakh governnt decided to take the business, we’ll have no chance.”
“All of this is caused by Russia. Russia had ruined Kazakhstan once and for all.”
He blad Russia for everything, but any ethnic minority would relate to him.
“Do you think Kazakhstan’s the only one? Our people’s history is no different.”
“I hope the Arirang Autonomous State doesn’t get such a disadvantage. At least we need to have the strength to keep the peace in our state.”
“That’s the reason why I try to keep my distance from politics. If you excel from the crowd, you’ll beco the target. The current president will keep us protected but when he’s gone, we’ll beco a target to many powerful politicians.”
“...”
“You know it’s not all hopeless. If we make Kazakhstan famous in the global community through our own influence, it’ll be beneficial for both. The Vatican Palace is not treated as an inconvenience by Italy because the palace attracts tourists and global attention.”
The autonomous state should look like a harmless city to the governnt. The future of the state would be unforeseeable if the state turned into an uncomfortable entity.
***
Youngho told him a pessimistic story because he feared that Kim Chun would rush into things, but the autonomous state’s future was not too dark. It was because of the Koryoins who were in the mainstream of Kazakhstan. They were the best donors and supporters of the autonomous state.
In fact, Youngho was contacted by one of them because that particular person wanted to visit the autonomous state. His na was Alexey Choi who was the current vice minister of the Departnt of Health.
“I don’t know what to say. It’s such an honor to et you, vice minister. You traveled so far even though you’re so busy. I should’ve gone to Astana instead.”
“I couldn’t make soone whom the president favors so much travel too far.”
His warm smile was just like a common Korean gentleman’s.
It seed like his family had not been involved in interracial marriage since he looked like a normal Asian. Although he could not articulate Korean perfectly, his Korean was fluent. When a family lived in a foreign country for generations, it was natural to forget their mother tongue. It was quite amazing to hear from him since his family had been living in Kazakhstan for three generations already.
“Favors? No, he just thinks of as his grandson.”
“It’s not easy to make a friend out of a foreign president. Our Koryoins feel very proud of you. You’ve done sothing that no one could have done. You made an autonomous state and nad it Arirang. This ans a lot to us.”
Youngho blushed.
He did not have a strong sense of duty to na the state like that. He just used the na because it was an easy na, but Koryoins did not look at it that way.
“Well, since you’ve traveled so far, I should treat you in Korean style. The majority of the autonomous state is Serbian people but Korean cultures are everywhere.”
“Not forgetting where your roots ca from is a good thing. Koryoins here had never forgotten about Korea. Although the north and south are divided now, Korea is still our ho.”
Koryoins must have felt bitter to see their hotown having a war and be divided into two countries. His words were well representing his heart.
Youngho set up a table to drink and treat Alexey Choi.
Since he was the vice minister of the Departnt of Health, Dr. Kim Dong-sung also joined at the table. As they began to exchange drinks with fresh raw sashimi on the table as a snack, Alexey Choi began to tell the reason for his visit.
“You’d know this already but Kazakhstan’s techniques for dical treatnt lags behind other nations. Even Kazakhs prefer to have surgeries overseas. So, I visited the autonomous state to ask for help.”
“If there’s anything we can help you with we will do so, but we only have forty dical personnel. We’re still at the beginning stage.”
“Hahaha... I’m not talking about such kind of voluntary work. Don’t you wish for the state to beco more successful?”
Of course, he wanted the state to be successful since he had invested almost everything he had for the state.
“I just want a peaceful state where common people could live together.”
“Mr. Lee. It’s impossible now for the Arirang Autonomous State to beco a common state. The state is now in the center of Kazakh high officials’ attention.”
“...”
“Well, their attention has good intentions behind it though. People told that the autonomous state is setting a good example for Kazakhstan to follow.”
“I’m being extra cautious to not outshine the other cities and states too much. Honestly, I’m not a big fan of unnecessary attention.”
“What if your state becos a good role model, not a subject of competition?”
Alexey’s visit could be a turning point for the autonomous state. It could change the state’s uncertain future.
It was because of the elite Korean dical personnel.
He wanted to adopt Korea’s dical system to Kazakhstan. However, he suggested making a large dical institution in the autonomous state where future dical personnel of Kazakhstan could be trained since there were only about forty of them.
A state that was strong and rich could beco a subject of jealousy, but a state that raised talented people would beco a place of people’s admiration. The autonomous state could be the center of Central Asia’s dical education.
“I didn’t share this idea to the minister yet because I wanted to listen to your opinion and your dical team’s as well. I truly hope that the state nad Arirang would exist for a long ti and beco a place that all Kazakhs will love. Moreover, the state is the hope of all Koryoins scattered around Central Asia.”
Alexey Choi’s words were impressive. Youngho could feel that he really ant what he said.
“I see what you’re saying. We’ve also been preparing to train the next generation of dical teams although in a rather small-scale. We only targeted the students of the autonomous state but I guess we should expand our circle.”
“That’s great. I will take this to the minister, and see how this can be supported at the governntal level.”
“Vice-minister, if we receive the governnt’s support, we won’t be free from the governnt’s interference. We’ll see if we can budget this out on our own.”
Establishing a dical institution could cost a ton of money. However, the state would not be free from the governnt’s influence as soon as it received money from it. If the governnt requested to build the institution in a more developed city where there were more social infrastructures, their plans for building a dical institution in their state could be taken away from them. Even more, so of their dical team might leave the autonomous state to transfer to that new institution in that more developed city. Youngho would refuse to do that no matter what.
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