Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group which owns a majority stake in Starbucks Korea, issued a second apology on Tuesday over a marketing campaign widely seen as mocking victims of the 1980 Gwangju massacre. Bowing three times in a televised statement, he pleaded for forgiveness from the families of democracy activists killed by the former military dictatorship and from the public.
The controversy began when Starbucks Korea promoted a large tumbler called a 'tank' by designating May 18 as 'Tank Day' — the anniversary of the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju that was brutally suppressed by troops, tanks and helicopters, killing hundreds. The campaign also used the slogan 'Thwack it on the table!', which many interpreted as a reference to a 1987 police statement that attempted to cover up the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol.
The promotion sparked immediate outrage, leading Shinsegae to cancel it within hours and fire the CEO of Starbucks Korea. Police have opened an investigation based on complaints from families of those killed in Gwangju. Chung said he took the matter seriously and asked the public not to direct frustration at Starbucks staff, stating that management bore responsibility.
Senior Shinsegae executive Jeon Sangjin said the company had not found conclusive evidence that marketing employees intended to mock the pro-democracy movement, though some employees refused to hand over smartphones during an internal review. He added that any employee found to have intended to ridicule protesters would be fired.
The backlash has prompted calls for boycotts, amplified by government officials. Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung said Starbucks products would no longer be used at government events, criticising the chain's 'anti-historical behaviour'. President Lee Jae Myung described the campaign as 'inhumane and disgraceful behaviour by cheap profiteers who deny the values of the South Korean community, basic human rights and democracy'.
