Following conventional logic, Lee Boo-jin's thinking isn't wrong.
The Li Family can control the entire Samsung Group with less than 10% of the capital precisely because they've fortified Samsung internally, making it an impenetrable fortress, leaving Chairman Gu unable to influence their decision-making for the group.
Even now, with the Future Foundation taking 31.5% of the shares, it doesn't affect the current structure.
Lee Kun-hee sighed and said, "How could I not know something even you understand?"
After speaking, he gently clapped his hands, and the estate's butler pushed a small cart, slowly entering the conference hall.
On the small cart were neatly stacked documents, possibly numbering in the tens of thousands.
"What is this?"
Lee Jae-yong looked at Lee Kun-hee in confusion.
"This is a copy of the stock acquisition documents delivered to our home by the Future Foundation today. Since 1991, the Future Foundation has been purchasing the equity held by the major shareholders of our Samsung Group. As of today, they have acquired 56.8% of the shares, combined with the previously stored 31.5%, which means the Future Foundation actually holds 88.3% of our Samsung Group's shares. Now, do you still think my words about returning to the original owner are exaggerated?"
After the butler pushed the documents into the conference hall, he left immediately, and everyone in the Li Family in the hall was chilled to the bone, not knowing what to say.
This news utterly shattered their perception of the world.
They thought that their family was the largest chaebol clan in Goryeo, but reality gave them a harsh slap. If this news got out, their so-called chaebol clan would become the world's largest working-class family.
At this thought, Lee Jae-yong's face was full of unwillingness.
He had been competing with his sister for so many years, nearly succeeding, only for this incident to occur.
"Father, what on earth is the background of this Future Foundation?"
Upon hearing his son's question, Lee Kun-hee's face reflected a sense of nostalgia, and he began to explain slowly.
"Regarding the Future Foundation, perhaps only your grandfather knows some details. I only learned some basic information about this foundation after inheriting Samsung.
This is a foundation with a long tradition and immense financial power. The more than $250 billion market value of Samsung is nothing to them. They are even an entity the Beautiful Country's Federal Reserve respects. If you compare the Samsung Group with the Future Foundation, the difference is like that between a broken ship and Noah's Ark."
Lee Jae-yong, completely incredulous, said, "There's actually such a level of foundation in this world?"
You must know that Samsung was 12th in the global Fortune 500 this year, and his father was ranked 60th on the Forbes billionaire list. Even in international society, their Li Family is undoubtedly an inescapable chaebol clan, yet to hear from his father, they could only be likened to a broken ship?
"Perhaps residing in a place like Goryeo for too long has blinded you, or maybe it's because the entire Goryeo people have mythologized our Li Family too much, causing you to lack reverence. Hopefully, through this incident, you realize that this world is far more than what you see."
These words were not just said to Lee Jae-yong but were also a lesson for everyone sitting below.
After a long silence, it was ultimately Lee Boo-jin who asked the question everyone wanted to know.
"Father, if, as you say, there's no need for the Future Foundation to tell us so much. They only need to inform us to pull out the 31.5% of shares kept in trust. Holding so many shares of the group, they could even delist to consolidate stocks and oust our Li Family from Samsung.
But why have they done nothing now except to disclose this information to us?"
Lee Kun-hee was also pleased as he glanced at his eldest daughter and continued, "Initially, I was as puzzled as you, but on your way home, I received an electronic file, and it was this file that clarified the Future Foundation's motives."
"?"
Everyone couldn't help but look at Lee Kun-hee with curiosity.
Lee Kun-hee also pushed the computer beside him towards them.
On a brand new Samsung laptop, there was a bare folder icon. After Lee Kun-hee clicked it twice, a screen appeared.
The image was none other than the handsome face of Gu Bai.
Beneath the file, there was a brief English introduction.
"Gu Bai, Hua Country, Current Heir of the Future Foundation."
After everyone finished reading, the just-turned-17-year-old Lee Yeon-hyun looked at Gu Bai in the photo and suddenly remarked, "Such a handsome oppa..."
In such a serious setting, this sudden statement drew the gaze of her aunt, father, brother, and even grandfather toward her. Knowing she had misspoken, Lee Yeon-hyun quickly lowered her head, speaking no more.
It must be said, just an ordinary photo, akin to an ID picture, yet this face indeed surprised everyone.
What girl doesn't feel youthful infatuation, especially a mere 17-year-old like Lee Yeon-hyun? Even Lee Kun-hee smiled understandingly at his granddaughter.
Looking at Gu Bai's face on the computer, Lee Boo-jin turned to Lee Kun-hee and asked, "Father, who is this?"
"This is the heir to the Future Foundation. I now suspect that the Future Foundation is consolidating our Samsung Group's equity to transfer it to his hands, paving the way for Gu Bai to smoothly inherit the Future Foundation."
"Future Foundation heir..."
Lee Jae-yong murmured softly.
His grandfather, the founder of Samsung, had always been like a god in Lee Jae-yong's mind. Now, from his father's words, he learned even his grandfather only had partial knowledge of the Future Foundation, prompting him to endlessly speculate on the foundation's mystery.
As for this heir, he was extremely envious.
With 88.3% of Samsung's shares alone, Gu Bai could become the world's richest man on the surface. His father said the Future Foundation gave so many shares to Gu Bai just to pave the way for him to inherit the Future Foundation. How large is this Future Foundation?
The more Lee Jae-yong thought, the more terrified he became.
"Hua Country?"
Lee Boo-jin noticed the crucial information beneath Gu Bai's details.
"Yes, Hua Country. I've already sent someone to look into Gu Bai's basic information; there should be a conclusion soon."
"Hua Country has only developed for such a short time, yet someone appears with such deep roots, it's unimaginable..."
Facing Lee Boo-jin's sentiment, Lee Kun-hee shook his head with a smile, "Even if this heir came from Europe, I would be a bit confused. But because he comes from Hua Country, I am not doubting at all.
Hua Country, this mysterious nation, could stand atop in a few decades, deserving of attention.
A nation with a lineage unbroken for thousands of years will always have some powerful and secretive families, and this Gu Bai is likely this generation's heir of such a family. You must know, how long is Europe's actual civilized history, yet it has many strong chaebol clans, let alone Hua Country."
At their level, they've already stood at the pinnacle of this planet.
There's naturally no such thing as the Goryeo universe origin theory because the more they know, the more they revere.
Don't look at how they strut around in Goryeo; placed before those truly ancient families, they are nothing.
According to the World Bank, real estate is approximately 1000 trillion US Dollars, cash 200 trillion US Dollars, yet visible wealth only accounts for about 55%. Where has the remaining wealth gone? Ordinary people would never find the answer, no matter how hard they try.
"Then, father, should we prepare in advance, or perhaps send someone to Hua Country to probe a bit?"
Upon hearing Lee Boo-jin's words, Lee Kun-hee immediately frowned and refused, "No, we just need to quietly wait for the Future Foundation to provide us with a solution, or rather, we just need to wait for Gu Bai to act.
Because no matter what, Samsung will always need our Li Family. As long as Samsung remains in Goryeo, no one will underestimate our Li Family's influence. Although to the Goryeo Government, we are a tumor, it remains an internal matter of Goryeo, and even if the Future Foundation wants to reclaim Samsung's shares, they must rely on our Li Family, so you needn't worry."
In the end, it was still Lee Kun-hee, who analyzed the situation clearly in just a few words.
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