Shinsegae Chairman to Issue New Apology Over Starbucks Korea's Controversial Promotion

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin will issue another apology this week, the group said Sunday, amid growing backlash over a promotional event by Starbucks Korea that evoked painful memories of a brutal military crackdown on the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement.

The apology comes amid mounting controversy despite Chung's earlier statement of apology after the coffee chain, operated by Shinsegae affiliate E-Mart, launched an online "Tank Day" promotion on Monday, the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising.

"Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin would like to directly apologize to everyone hurt by Starbucks Korea's inappropriate marketing campaign carried out on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising," the group said in a notice.

Chung will personally announce the apology at Josun Palace hotel in Yeoksam, southern Seoul, at 9 a.m. Tuesday, it added.

The company also plans to announce the results of its internal investigation into the incident.

The marketing campaign, which offered "tank" tumbler sets on discount, was halted within hours of its launch following public criticism over the word "tank," which critics said recalled memories of tanks deployed by the military to clamp down on pro-democracy protesters.

The phrase "Put it on the table with a sound of 'Tak!'" also drew criticism as it was seen by some as evoking the 1987 torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol.

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday strongly criticized the promotion on social media platform X, calling it "inhumane behavior by lowly profiteers" that undermined the country's core values of human rights and democracy.

Just days after the controversy erupted, the coffee chain also came under fire over its 2024 promotional material that allegedly evoked the tragedy of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster, which killed more than 300 people.