This Is How I Became a Chaebol - Chapter 542
Only Ranovel
542: I need a promotion
When I was surprised to hear that there was already a prototype, one of the researchers handed me a report detailing ETRI’s optical communication development history.
The report was amazing from the first page.
Research results on the optical communication system began to emerge in 1978, and in September 1979, a 45Mbps optical communication experiment was successfully conducted by multiplexing voice signals between the central telephone office in Seoul and the Gwanghwamun telephone office.
Afterwards, the transmission capability of color TV signals was confirmed, and an optical relay device and amplitude modulation system were also developed.
The optical communication system installed 12km away from the Guro-Anyang telephone office that Director Chae mentioned was not a prototype but closer to verification of a commercialized system.
If the data transmission speed is 90Mbps, isn’t it double the existing rate? It may not be comparable to the gigabit transmission speed of the 21st century, but in this era, just delivering financial data and TV news has a huge effect.
“Does the optical communication system depicted here also have an expansion concept?”
“of course. Technical verification is a priority, but this is a technology that uses a data synchronous multiplexing method. Conceptually, if we can make custom semiconductors for each circuit, it will not be difficult to secure a capacity of about 6 times the existing 90Mbps.”
“What level of communication is possible at 540Mbps… 6 times the existing speed?”
“It is a high-capacity system that can simultaneously transmit 8064 lines of voice signals through one pair of optical fibers. “If we commercialize it to that extent, not only long-distance calls but also cable TV broadcasting will be possible.”
Director Chae calculated while stroking his chin and blurted out the words as if it was nothing.
Dude, if you have that kind of skill now, you should spend money on it. What are you doing!
I had goosebumps all over my body.
When it comes to new technologies in our country, there is not much difference from advanced countries.
No, as I put more time and passion into it, it seemed like there were even more advanced ideas.
We must make the technologies that ETRI is testing for commercialization and the ideas we only have into our own.
It would be a big deal if such S-class technology were left to naive researchers in the 1980s and then lost to another country.
“Chief Seo Jong-wook.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
When I called out to the manager with a stern expression, he froze and stood in front of me.
“Manager Seo, you need to get promoted.”
“Yes?”
I saw him for the first time today, but seeing him dispatched like this and coordinating work made it clear that he was a veteran of mainstream communications. It seemed like the mainstream should take the lead in this matter.
We will have to prevent drafts, cut down on development costs, and ensure thorough information security.
“Collaborate with ETRI to submit an international standard for data synchronous multiplexing technology. “At the headquarters level, we will attract AT&T as an ally.”
“oh! All right.”
“And please submit everything that can be patented, including equipment development, IC development, data transmission method, relay method, etc.”
“I understand what you mean. “We will secure the technological standard by submitting every single item as a patent.”
That’s it. AT&T will lead the optical communication protocol, but if we provide the technical background, the optical communication market will become Korea’s future asset.
“Director Chae, Daese Group will build a patent barrier, so we ask for your active cooperation. “Just collecting the royalties will be a significant help in raising ETRI’s research funds.”
“Self-funding research through royalties… something like that…”
“Is there a law that says ETRI cannot become Bell Labs? “How unfair would it be if someone stole ETRI’s technology and became rich?”
“That should never happen!”
“Of course, researchers who develop profitable technologies should become rich. “Daesae will help you.”
“This… is unexpected.”
“Chairman, are you saying that if we do well, we can become rich like popular executives?”
“Sure. Imagine if a huge corporation like AT&T paid royalties. Would that be a penny or two?”
“Waaah! ”
The researchers cheered loudly at my words.
Is there a law that says researchers at national research institutes should be paid poorly?
If you have developed a technology that makes money, you should become rich.
Passion pay must disappear, and researchers who only pretend to do research must disappear.
Creating such a culture is an appropriate reward.
If ETRI makes money, I will naturally make money too. Which company will produce the equipment and parts that best comply with ETRI’s technical regulations and perform the most appropriate construction?
“Are you all ready to become rich?”
“Yesss!”
“hurray! Long live the mainstream!”
“Ha ha ha ha ha.”
Even though Chief Yeom Won-cheol was not present, cheers for national independence erupted from somewhere.
Is it because employees from Daejin Communications and Daeje Research Institute have joined?
Anyway, now that this is out of the way, I think we should set up a communications-related research team at the Trend Research Institute.
Even if mainstream telecommunications were to be converted into public corporations in the future, it seemed that the technology development capabilities would have to be acquired separately.
It was surprising that our country’s IT technology started so early.
If I provide appropriate support, the speed of development will be tremendous.
***
A week later,
“Director Bain, did you say work coordination was completed this quickly?”
“Yes that’s right. Since the Chairman visited ETRI, the telecommunications industry has been turned upside down. “It could be said that a national agreement has been reached to bring Korean communication technology to international standards.”
“It occurred to me that communication technology could make money.”
“Yes that’s right.”
This can be said to be both an advantage and a disadvantage of our country’s economic development. Everyone’s passion explodes like a volcano, and technological progress is very fast, but the resulting change in perception cannot keep up.
We just assume that advanced technology always comes first in developed countries and that we have to chase after them.
So, even though they developed a new technology, they did not apply for a patent and did not even think about making it an international standard.
“It’s okay now that we have a direction. “Let’s take a look at the coordination of work.”
“Yes, here is the report. I think it would be a good idea for Daesae Telecom to handle the relay system, Geumyang to handle the subscription system, Suseong Electronics to handle the operation and maintenance system, Dongyang Electronics to handle the switch system, and Dongho Electric to handle the power supply system. “The chairman’s final review is required.”
“If the working-level staff has agreed this way, proceed as is.”
Although I do not know much about the workings of the telecommunications industry, it was a satisfactory coordination since the main telecommunications company was in charge of the most important area.
I wonder if those in power who value performance would have been able to negotiate on their own. He would have done his best to bring about the most difficult and profitable work.
“And, Chairman… I’m a little embarrassed too, but ETRI sent a prototype directly to our headquarters.”
“What prototype are you talking about? “I visited last week and saw everything.”
“It is said that the research team was very disappointed that they only looked at the TDX and optical communication sectors and did not visit the public telephone research team. “The president, who provided the research funds, sent me a prototype saying you must see it.”
“Haha, it looks like you wanted to show off to me.”
It seems that the public telephone research team couldn’t just sit still since Daesae offered to file an international patent application and negotiate royalties.
Anyway, are you saying that the public telephone was developed in just half a year?
“Okay, tell them to bring it in.”
“Yes, Chairman. Please come in, Manager Seo.”
“This is Manager Seo Jong-wook of Major News Agency. “I requested a visit to the headquarters to demonstrate the automatic public telephone, also known as DDD (Direct Distance Dialing) phone.”
“Come in. “Come on.”
As he was reporting at the door like a soldier, I motioned for him to come in.
I thought ETRI employees would come in person, but they sent Seo Jong-wook, manager of Major Telecommunications, via messenger.
Of course, it was only natural that we would have collaborated on the public phone project.
“Thank you, Chairman.”
Suddenly, a table with a phone on it was brought in, and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
The silver public phone that I saw when I was a student was up there.
What kind of era is this?
Are you saying this has already been developed?
I was so curious that I patted the DDD pay phone. I was sure it was a phone that accepted 10 won, 50 won, and 100 won coins.
“I’m surprised that this phone has already been made… no, a prototype has come out so early.”
“I think collaboration with our mainstream communications developers was key.”
“Oh yeah? In what way?”
“Since most of the developers at mainstream communications are not experts in mechanical components, we attempted a new approach: programming control logic using the CPU. “I am sure that Korea is the only public phone that uses CPU as a control element.”
Oh, now I see that public telephones were developed by major telecommunications companies.
It didn’t look good for ETRI to report. This is our mainstream work.
“How did you implement the circuit?”
“If you look inside, the circuit was designed using an Intel 8048 CPU and a control program in machine language was inserted into 2Kbyte ROM. “The coin sorter connected to the coin slot is an improvement over the existing module.”
They were all semiconductors made by major foundries.
The time was approaching when semiconductors replaced steel and were called the rice of industry.
“The internal structure is very simple. “The price will be very affordable.”
“yes! “If mass-produced, the factory price of 500,000 won will be sufficient.”
I heard that the existing public telephone that was imported was 1.5 million won, but it is 1/3 the price. That’s awesome.
The import substitution effect alone will save hundreds of billions of won. There are still 15 years left until the full-fledged mobile communication era begins.
“Have you verified its reliability?”
“Yes, it has undergone a 500-hour accelerated reliability evaluation and the estimated failure rate is 0.2%, which is 1% compared to existing phones. In particular, it has a self-diagnosis function, so even if a breakdown occurs, a repairman can take immediate action.”
When Manager Seo pressed the phone button as if entering a password, the word GOOD flashed on the balance display window.
“That function probably doesn’t exist on foreign pay phones.”
“of course. “If such a system is inserted into a TDX or optical communications repeater, it will be of great help in maintenance and operation.”
“You probably submitted it as a patent, right?”
“Yes that’s right.”
Manager Seo Jong-wook responded with an excited expression.
It seems to be Manager Seo’s patent.
He’s good at his work and has great ideas, and he’s confirmed to be the next manager. good night.
“Please consult with headquarters and try to procure phones from Korea Telecommunications Corporation. “I think we can mass produce this.”
“Make a phone call and demonstrate…”
“There’s no way I couldn’t do something so basic. Hurry up. “We have started laying phone lines in Sejong City, so we need to deliver them before bringing in foreign phones.”
“Yes, I will hurry.”
“Director Bain, tell Director Kim Bok-soon. “It means that a hit product has been discovered among the export items of a major industry.”
“I will tell you that.”
A better quality public phone has been developed at 1/3 the price of the existing one, but is there a law that says it can only be used domestically?
It should be spread all over the world, regardless of whether it is North America, Europe, or Southeast Asia.
In three months, I think we should hold this public phone promotion event in Baden-Baden, where the Olympic bid is being held.
To prove that Korea has become a developing country and a middle-income country, the most effective way is to show technological progress.
“Whew, in a situation like this, it would be the icing on the cake to win overseas orders from a major foundry. Why are negotiations with IBM so slow?”
It was so slow that I wondered if I should step forward.
Even if the CPUs for IBM PCs were purchased from mainstream foundries, a complete virtuous cycle would have occurred.
“Chairman, IBM wants to sign a contract, but they say they don’t have a justification for giving volume to the mainstream foundry.”
“What does that mean? “Parts costs will be reduced by a good 15%.”
“When the Reagan administration took office, computer technology was listed as a national strategic technology and began to be managed. “Even if our major foundry has a stake in Intel and is already exporting CPUs to the U.S., it seems very difficult to overcome the regulations.”
Oh my, it looks like there were government regulations when doing business with IBM.
Since all of our Kwi Nyeon Gang of Five are from the heavy industry, information on IT and semiconductors is bound to be relatively dark.
“Isn’t there a strategy the secretary’s office has in mind? “It’s something worth trying.”
I said this, but I am saying that I will step forward. Bill Vane, who understood what I meant, continued his speech with a brighter expression.
“We need to establish a small North American joint venture with IBM and sell some IBM PCs in Korea. “Only then will we be able to take on IBM’s volume in the name of resolving trade imbalance.”
“Didn’t we already decide to open the computer market at the Korea-US summit? Besides, how many companies in our country have purchased IBM computers and they still say that?”
“The logic is that there should be a confirmation of purchase not only for mid-sized corporate computers, but also for PCs, i.e. personal computers, that IBM will soon release. “And that’s on the scale of hundreds of units every year.”
Of course, I have to buy hundreds of them.
No matter how much the United States is a consumer-oriented country, does it make sense to say that the United States will only sell its own products and not import them?
Moreover, the IBM PC is a huge hit worldwide.
And isn’t this a time when the production of clone products (imitation products) is not a big problem internationally for assembly products such as computers?
In other words, even if a product that imitates the architecture of the IBM PC is produced, there will be no problem in launching it in the domestic market, and by imitating it, the level of domestic computer technology will naturally improve.
“Surely, our government is preventing that?”
“Yes, as we have declared this year to be the year of the information industry, our goal is to develop domestically produced computers under the leadership of the government. The government’s policy is that the opening of the PC market should be postponed due to fierce internal competition among companies such as Suseong Electronics, Geumyangsa, Sambu Computer, and Korea Computer. “Market opening is limited to medium-sized computers and above.”
If you listen to this, just as we are trying to break into IBM, IBM is also trying to break into our country’s PC market using the US government’s regulations as an excuse.
For some reason, progress in negotiations has been painfully slow. Both countries had their own ulterior motives.
“It’s surprising that IBM is greedy for our country’s market. “It won’t be a very big market.”
“I think we’re ultimately targeting the Japanese market. “Because the Reagan administration issued an executive order prohibiting the semiconductor and computer industries from directly investing in Japan, it is highly likely that IBM shifted to a strategy of targeting Japan by establishing an Asian branch in Korea.”
“If that’s what you mean, IBM will eventually join forces with us to establish a Korean branch. Just like we established a U.S. branch through a joint venture with IBM.”
“Yes, IBM will be our customer as long as we confirm each other’s business.”
I guess I should visit the Blue House.
In order to achieve proper results in the Year of the Information Industry, IBM’s entry should be welcomed rather than blocked. Moreover, it seems like it could be used as an excuse to keep Japan’s semiconductor industry in check.