Chapter 149: New Testing Ground (4)

The meeting room held its breath for a moment.

As Edison Harper's sharp question flowed while cutting through the air, everyone's gaze was focused on Chairman Choi Jae-seong.

He closed his eyes for a moment as if he were tired and then opened them slowly.

“Opening of technology... that would be a matter to discuss after trust between both sides is sufficiently built. We have always cooperated transparently. However, technology is like a lifeline that is more sensitive than capital.”

While the translation continued, he organized the documents placed on the table.

“A heart beats when blood circulates. However, if one does not know where the blood comes from, the heart eventually stops. We shall share the structure of those blood vessels, but we have no intention of giving away the heart as a whole.”

As those words ended, the meeting room became quiet.

Joanne Madison raised her head while wearing a faint smile.

Leonard crossed his arms.

At that moment, I turned my head and looked at Chairman Choi Jae-seong.

What was contained in his gaze was not merely admiration.

It approached me as another point to learn.

I was personally experiencing what the weight of diplomatic language was, and how to adjust the state of affairs with a single word.

Choi Jae-seong added a short piece at the end.

“Trust is not a transaction, but something that remains as history. I hope we write that first page together.”

As the light of the translation device flickered and those words were translated, the air inside the meeting room loosened a bit.

The U.S. side officials also nodded their heads.

A balance that each other recognized was created even within the tension.

Director Leonard uncrossed his arms, lowered his gaze to the table, and then carefully spoke.

“Good. I also understood the Chairman's position. It is difficult to reach a conclusion on the issue of technology opening in a short period of time. It would be desirable to determine the direction of this matter through in-depth discussions in the future.”

He was speaking softly, but his intention to buy time was effectively clear.

It was an intention to secure room for internal coordination and additional negotiations by leaving a certain grace period instead of an immediate agreement.

Chairman Choi Jae-seong nodded his head shortly.

However, tension remained on that expression.

He tried to keep that meaning as if he could not back down as much as he had drawn a firm line.

This made it clear that Cheongshin Group's technical capability and infrastructure were not mere industrial assets, but a foundation supporting national competitiveness and technological sovereignty.

The U.S. side took a gesture to strategically ease the atmosphere.

Leonard sent a gaze to the person in charge of the minutes and had them transition to the next agenda.

“We shall take the matters discussed today as a starting point for mutual understanding. Let us coordinate the schedules for follow-up working-level meetings for each item.”

As the translation ended, Joanne Madison leaned her body toward Director Leonard and said something.

Choi Jae-seong slowly leaned his back against the chair and took one deep breath as if catching his breath.

His gaze brushed me for a moment.

Even in that short moment, I observed very interestingly.

This meeting was not a simple business, but it was like a psychological war over the initiative.

The tension inside the meeting room was still not released, but it was a situation where each other stepped back one step and foreshadowed the next round.

After some time for organizing passed, it became the next turn.

“This time, Chairman Kim Moon-ho of Geumcheon Group will speak.”

Chairman Kim Moon-ho leaned his body toward the microphone.

While combing back his silver-gray hair neatly, he adjusted his glasses with a leisurely hand movement and calmly composed his posture.

His name did not merely exist on the list of business figures.

In the medical world and the bio industry, he was called a researcher-turned-manager and was evaluated as a person who practically raised Korea's antibody treatment industry.

A management philosophy that put the ethics of life science before corporate profit was also a sentence symbolizing him.

“First, thank you for providing such a meaningful place.”

His low but deep voice spread throughout the meeting room.

While reading the prepared manuscript, he made the listeners naturally focus with his characteristic calm voice.

“Geumcheon Group has continued research for human health and life for the past 20 years. We consider people more important than technology, and trust is more important than data. I think this place today is a good opportunity to share such values together.”

As his first words ended, the air of the meeting room changed a bit softly.

The tension created in the previous energy debate was temporarily mitigated.

Chairman Kim Moon-ho continued speaking while slowly turning over the documents.

“Currently, Geumcheon Healthcare is proceeding with a joint development project for treatments for rare diseases with major research institutions within the U.S. We wish to discuss measures to further develop that cooperation by one level today.”

As the translation followed, the gazes of the U.S. side officials changed bit by bit.

The words life and medicine were always more realistic than politics.

Chairman Kim Moon-ho caught his breath for a moment and moved his eyes to the front of the meeting room.

His gaze seemed calm but was full of conviction.

“This is what the Geumcheon Group wants to propose.”

He continued speaking while closing the documents.

“It is to jointly establish a next-generation antibody treatment research center by Korea and the U.S. The headquarters will be in Korea, but major clinical stages will be conducted with designated research institutions within the U.S. Through this, each of the two countries will be able to mutually complement the research infrastructure, talent, and data capabilities they possess.”

As those words were delivered through translation, the expressions of the U.S. side officials changed a bit.

Leonard slowly rolled the pen between his fingers, raised his head, and looked at Kim Moon-ho.

Joanne Madison stopped her note-taking and listened intently to the remarks he made.

Kim Moon-ho continued speaking in a soft but firm tone.

“The core of this project is symbiosis, not competition. Right now, the world needs the recovery of the trust system more than the speed of new drug development. I am certain that the country that can create that trust will eventually become the center of the next-generation bio market.”

He stopped speaking for a moment and looked around the meeting room.

“Our Geumcheon Healthcare possesses clinical data accumulated in the field of antibody treatments, and if the U.S. regulatory system and research environment are combined, much faster and more stable development will be possible. We wish to start that first step at this joint research center.”

The light of the translation device flickered quietly.

Joanne Madison looked at Director Leonard, who was sitting next to her, with an expressionless face.

A positive signal was exchanged within that short exchange of gazes.

Kim Moon-ho's proposal was a remark that touched upon the issues of data sharing and technology accessibility, which the U.S. side reacts to most sensitively, while not stimulating political interests.

However, it shone because the way of expression was persuasive rather than sharp.

A silence flowed for a moment, but Director Leonard raised his head while putting the pen down on the desk.

“That is a very interesting proposal, Chairman.”

He spoke while wearing a smile, but his gaze shone sharply.

“However, there is one thing I am curious about. If a joint research center is established, which side will the ownership of the data and results collected during the clinical process belong to? And do you have the intention to provide core clinical data necessary for the FDA approval process so that the U.S. authorities can directly verify it?”

The moment those words were translated, the air inside the meeting room changed.

Chairman Kim Moon-ho wore a quiet smile with his head slightly lowered as if thinking for a moment.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“That is a good question. However, data in life science is not a simple figure. Within it, the trust of numerous patients and the ethics of the research team are melted together.”

He stopped speaking for a moment and looked at the entire meeting room.

“We can share data. However, we cannot export the trust of the patients.”

As the translation ended, the expressions of the U.S. side officials hardened.

Kim Moon-ho continued speaking softly.

“Of course, we are prepared to have the data verified according to the U.S. regulatory system. However, a structure where all data flows to only one side is by no means desirable. In order for the center of the pharmaceutical industry to remain in healing rather than control, both countries must stand on an equal baseline.”

He continued speaking in a soft voice, but he did not back down at all as much as his will.

The inside of the meeting room became quiet again.

Only the sound of someone inhaling could be heard quietly.

Leonard slowly nodded his head.

“As expected, Geumcheon Group's reputation was not created for nothing. Figures who negotiate like this are rare.”

Chairman Kim Moon-ho also slowly nodded his head while wearing a smile.

“I shall take that as a compliment, Director. What Geumcheon Group pursues is not the advantage or disadvantage of negotiation. We have a common goal of life and human existence. I think that before that goal, nationality or calculation should not exist.”

There was an echo in his voice.

“This joint research center will not be a simple investment destination, but it will be an experimental ground where both countries move forward together for the future of humanity. If we can build trust while developing each other's technology, I think that in itself will become the strongest form of alliance.”

As the translation ended, the air inside the meeting room flowed softly.

Even Joanne Madison fell into deep thought while resting her chin on her hand.

She empathized with the conviction Chairman Kim Moon-ho possessed, regardless of profit.

Director Leonard replied while nodding his head.

“Good. Your philosophy is indeed impressive, Chairman. Let us prepare a detailed plan based on the matters discussed today. We shall also coordinate the schedule for follow-up consultations between the FDA and Geumcheon Healthcare.”

At those words, Chairman Kim Moon-ho smiled softly.

“Thank you. I hope this meeting becomes a starting point for creating true common values beyond simple interests.”

He bowed his head and stepped back from the microphone.

This time, the moderator looked at Nexel Bites and RE Electronics and spoke.

“Thank you, Chairman Kim Moon-ho. Next, President Ryu Ji-heon of RE Electronics and Vice Chairman Jeong Han-seo of Nexel Bites will speak.”

The gazes inside the meeting room moved naturally.

As President Ryu Ji-heon looked at Vice Chairman Jeong Han-seo, Vice Chairman Jeong gestured for President Ryu to speak first.

President Ryu Ji-heon grabbed the microphone first.

He first offered a greeting and continued his words.

“I am Ryu Ji-heon. First, I would like to thank everyone for providing such a valuable place.”

His way of speaking was quiet but firm.

RE Electronics was one of the system semiconductor companies representing Korea.

They had cooperated with the U.S. market for a long time and had maintained a stable supply chain in the fields of chips for smart devices and semiconductors for electronic equipment.

“RE Electronics has cooperated closely with the U.S. over the past decades. However, over the past few years, everyone has experienced a situation where the entire industry became unstable as semiconductor supply was excessively concentrated in specific regions.”

He stopped speaking for a moment and slowly looked at the U.S. side officials.

“We wish to set that balance right again through this opportunity. If Korea and the U.S. build a production system that they can trust together, we will be able to create a foundation that does not waver despite any future market fluctuations.”

Over the past few years, a structure had solidified where the U.S. took charge of semiconductor design and Asia took charge of production.

Thanks to that, efficiency became higher, but a disadvantage occurred where it became that much more vulnerable when a crisis situation struck.

Ryu Ji-heon spoke about that part and talked about reducing the imbalance and having both countries create a stable supply system together.