South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin has apologized for a marketing campaign by Starbucks that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a democratic uprising.
South Korea n retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin issued his second apology in two weeks as Starbucks ' local operation faces a backlash over a recent marketing campaign that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a democratic uprising .
The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a 'tank' by declaring May 18 to be 'Tank Day,' the anniversary of a democratic uprising in the southern city of Gwangju that was brutally suppressed by troops, tanks, and helicopters, killing or injuring hundreds. The campaign compounded outrage by using the slogan 'Thwack it on the table!
' which many read as a reference to a notorious 1987 police statement that attempted to cover up the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol. Police claimed that Park died suddenly after investigators 'hit the desk with a thwack.
' The promotion was met with immediate outrage, and within hours, Shinsegae canceled it and fired the chief executive of Starbucks Korea. Police also opened an investigation based on complaints by families of people killed at Gwangju.
Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, bowed three times during a televised statement as he pleaded for forgiveness from the families of democracy activists killed by the country's former military dictatorship and from the broader public. He also asked people not to take out their frustration on staff at Starbucks shops, saying the responsibility lies with management. There were no immediate reports of major incidents at stores.
Chung issued his first apology on May 19, saying in a statement that the campaign caused 'deep pain to the victims and bereaved families of the May 18 Democratization Movement as well as to the public.
' Jeon Sangjin, a senior Shinsegae Group executive, said the company has yet to find conclusive evidence that Starbucks Korea marketing employees intended to mock the pro-democracy movement, an accusation the employees have denied. However, he said some employees refused management requests to hand over their smartphones during a weeklong internal review. Jeon said the company would look at results from the police inquiry and any employee found to have intended to ridicule protesters would be fired.
The anger over the campaign has triggered public calls for boycotts, amplified by government officials, including Interior and Safety Minister Yoon Ho-jung, who said Starbucks products will no longer be used at government events and lamented the chain's 'anti-historical behavior.
' The marketing campaign was widely seen as a mockery of the democratic uprising and the people who fought for democracy in South Korea. The campaign has sparked outrage and calls for boycotts, with many people feeling that the company's actions were inhumane and a denial of the values of the South Korean community, basic human rights, and democracy. The company has apologized and taken steps to address the issue, but the damage has already been done.
The incident has highlighted the importance of respecting the country's history and the sacrifices made by those who fought for democracy
South Korea Starbucks Marketing Campaign Democratic Uprising Chung Yong-Jin
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