SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin on Tuesday issued his second apology in two weeks as Starbucks鈥� local operation faces a backlash over a recent marketing campaign that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a on pro-democracy protesters in 1980.
Chung, 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.
The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a 鈥渢ank鈥� by declaring May 18 to be 鈥淭ank Day.鈥� That’s 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 鈥淭hwack it on the table!,鈥� 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 鈥渉it the desk with a thwack.鈥�
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.
鈥淚 take it very seriously the fact that many people felt deep pain and anger because of Starbucks Korea鈥檚 inappropriate marketing campaign,鈥� Chung said Tuesday.
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 鈥渄eep pain to the victims and bereaved families of the May 18 Democratization Movement as well as to the public.鈥�
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鈥檚 鈥渁nti-historical behavior.鈥�
President said on X last week that the campaign displayed 鈥渋nhumane and disgraceful behavior by cheap profiteers who deny the values of the South Korean community, basic human rights and democracy.鈥�
The crackdown in Gwangju came months after General seized power in a coup in late 1979. Government records show about 200 people died in Gwangju, but activists say the true death toll was much higher. Chun鈥檚 government also imprisoned tens of thousands, saying it was rooting out social evils.
Public anger over Chun鈥檚 dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections, which is widely seen as the start of South Korea鈥檚 transition to democracy.
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