Chapter 3493
Chapter 3493
Chapter 3493
Li Yi's attitude towards labor export suddenly made a 180-degree turn. Although it surprised everyone in the Executive Committee, the senior officials of Hai Han were obviously happy to see such a change in attitude.
Today, Hai Han's overseas territories are constantly expanding. Organizing large-scale immigration from the country to these overseas colonies is not only expensive, but the actual number of immigrants recruited is far from enough to meet the local demand for labor.
Organizing human resources from vassal states to participate in infrastructure construction in overseas colonies has relatively low labor costs, and most of them are young and strong people, with higher labor efficiency than immigrants sent from the country.
It’s just that Li Li was unwilling to fully cooperate in this regard before, and Hai Han was not in a position to suppress him over such a small matter. Now that Li Li has changed his mind, the Executive Committee is of course willing to cooperate with North Korea.
Since Li Yi ascended the throne, under the instruction of Hai Han, the use of Hai Han Mandarin and Chinese characters has been fully implemented in Korea. Even culture and education basically use Hai Han's textbooks and teaching methods. The differences between young Korean workers and Han people are not too great, and they can adapt to Hai Han's living environment relatively easily.
Regardless of whether Li Yi wanted to use labor exports to open up foreign trade channels or use this method to further win over Hai Han, as long as he could provide the large number of laborers needed by Hai Han, other conditions could be discussed.
Sure enough, after this statement was praised by the Executive Committee, Li Yi immediately put forward his own request: "My dear king, I hope that all North Korean workers used by your country outside the mainland must be exported through Seoul."
Obviously, Li Yi also knew that his direct competitor was not other countries, but his younger brother Li Hao in the north.
Li Yi was well aware that he could not completely cut off the exchanges between Pyongyang and Hai Han, so he took the initiative to limit the conditions outside Hai Han’s mainland. In this way, he could at least monopolize the channels for transporting labor to Hai Han’s overseas territories.
Compared to the domestic area with relatively abundant human resources, it is obvious that the overseas territories far away from Hai Han’s mainland are the places with the greatest demand for labor. The fact that Li Yi made such a request also shows his meticulous thinking.
Tao Donglai saw through his thoughts and said with a smile: "I can agree to your request, but the number of workers provided by Seoul must make up for Pyongyang's share."
Li Li did not mention Pyongyang, but he kept mentioning Pyongyang. In this case, Tao Donglai simply said it clearly and did not hide the cooperative relationship between Hai Han and the Pyongyang authorities. If Li Li wanted to kick Pyongyang out of the monopoly of this business, he had to show enough sincerity.
Now that things have come to this, Li Yi has no room for regret and has to go ahead even if he has to bite the bullet.
After Li Yi agreed to Tao Donglai's request, he learned from the other party that the number of laborers exported by the Pyongyang authorities to Hai Han every year was no less than 50,000. This was definitely not a small number for the small Pyongyang court with a population of only two million.
However, Tao Donglai deliberately omitted the question of how many of the laborers provided by the Pyongyang authorities went to Hai Han mainland and how many were sent to overseas regions. It was obvious that he wanted Li Yi to provide laborers to be sent overseas according to this standard.
Although the southern region under Li Yi's jurisdiction has a larger population, organizing tens of thousands of people to work abroad every year is by no means an easy task.
Taking away tens of thousands of young and strong men from the country is not a trivial matter that can be done casually. You have to know that the total number of armed forces under Li Yi is only about 100,000. After such a toss, the source of domestic conscription will be greatly affected in the future.
Of course, the first to be affected may not be military conscription, but production activities, especially agricultural production, which requires a large amount of labor. After this, there may be a sharp drop in food production, which will in turn cause fluctuations in food prices and lead to social unrest.
Although the possible consequences would be serious, there was no turning back. Li Li knew that if he showed any hesitation, he might lose this rare opportunity. He immediately patted his chest and assured the Executive Committee that the number of laborers exported to Hai Han's overseas territories would not be less than 50,000 per year.
Tao Donglai did not let him go after hearing this, but instead raised the bar again: "The standard of 50,000 people per year is more suitable for Pyongyang, but it is still too few for you. I think 100,000 people is about right."
"One... one hundred thousand... this..."
Li Yi wanted to reject Tao Donglai's excessive request immediately, but he couldn't say it. He could only say tactfully that he also had great difficulties: "Master Tao, if so many people are withdrawn, there will be no labor force to grow crops in the country, and there will be a famine!"
Tao Donglai said: "This is simple. We can estimate how much food 100,000 people can grow based on data from previous years. We will arrange to export the corresponding amount to your country to ensure that there is enough food supply in the market."
This seemed to be very kind and thoughtful for Li Li. But Li Li secretly complained in his heart. This was not for his own benefit, but to take advantage of this opportunity to control the North Korean food market.
If North Korea's own food supply is insufficient and it needs to import large quantities of food from Hai Han every year to maintain its supply, wouldn't that be another handle for Hai Han to use against it?
Moreover, importing grain requires a large amount of funds, which is equivalent to immediately handing back part of the money earned from Hai Han through labor export to Hai Han.
Li Yi had realized by now that his attempt to play tricks on the old foxes in the Hai Han Executive Committee was simply a waste of time. They had already prepared a series of traps for him to fall into.
But is it okay to not drill this set? Li Yi knew the answer very well. If there was a choice, it would not be Hai Han's style.
Li Yi even had a suspicion at this point that Zheng Za had received instructions from Hai Han beforehand and deliberately promoted the various benefits of labor export during the meeting, but kept silent about Hai Han's various demands in order to drag himself into the water.
But now that things have come to this, what else can be done? Li Yi can only follow the Executive Committee's instructions and continue to handle this matter.
When Li Yi came out of the Executive Committee, he was a little dazed.
Several things that needed to be done were accomplished, but it didn't seem like Hai Han gained any advantage. Instead, some troubles that were not easy to resolve arose.
After returning to his residence, Li Bai asked him about his meeting with the Executive Committee, and Li Yi said that everything went well.
But Li Bai was a little unsure: "If everything is going well, why does my father look unhappy?"
Li Yi frowned and said, "Yeah, we talked very well, but I still feel like something is wrong."
At this moment, he did not quite understand whether this meeting with the Executive Committee had achieved the goal or he had become a lamb delivered to the door.