Unlike the first presidents' meeting Seong-ho had attended, today's session showed many empty seats scattered throughout the room. Most belonged to companies that had vanished through sale, merger, or liquidation — their number now exceeding twenty. The presidents still seated looked at the empty chairs and couldn't help wondering whether their own futures were equally precarious. They held their seats for now, but no one felt certain they'd still be there at the next meeting. Because of this, the mood in the room sat heavier than it ever had before.

"Have you all been to some funeral I don't know about?"

Chairman Tak-hyeon, sensing the mood, looked around at the presidents. "Or is there trouble at home for all of you? Why the long faces?"

"Not at all."

Vice-Chairman Mun-jong stepped in on the presidents' behalf. "With the economy giving cause for concern right now, I think everyone's faces have darkened out of worry."

Whether Mun-jong's excuse landed or not, Tak-hyeon nodded. "Well, there's certainly cause for concern. Hey, Head Kim."

Tak-hyeon called to Seong-ho, who — thanks to the empty seats — now sat closer to the front than at the last meeting. "Before we start, give us a short briefing on the current situation, and then we'll begin."

At Tak-hyeon's instruction, Seong-ho rose and began speaking to the assembled presidents about Korea's current economic situation.

"Since Dubo Group's bankruptcy at the start of this year, the domino collapse of companies has continued without pause. The Bumi Group went bankrupt following Dubo, and Seongro Group is currently in a bankruptcy grace period awaiting sale. SL Foods and Padopa Department Store have also gone under, and Haechi Group has entered final insolvency and is awaiting court-supervised rehabilitation. And not long ago…"

Seong-ho glanced briefly at Tak-hyeon and Chief Do-beom Hwang, standing behind him, then continued.

"Rumors of Doa Motors' insolvency have surfaced."

"Doa Motors? Even Doa Motors is going under?"

"Doa Motors is failing?"

The presidents stirred. Seong-ho had just rattled off six failed companies' names in short order, from Dubo to Haechi. But except for Dubo, which had ranked…