{"id":201,"date":"2026-05-26T15:39:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201"},"modified":"2026-05-26T15:39:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T15:39:58","slug":"south-korean-starbucks-boss-apologizes-for-ad-campaign-that-evoked-massacre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201","title":{"rendered":"South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign that evoked massacre"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<p>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin on Tuesday issued his second apology in two weeks as Starbucks\u2019 local operation faces a backlash over a recent marketing campaign that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a <span>bloody military crackdown<\/span> on pro-democracy protesters in 1980.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=193\">A rare public trial opens in Paris child abuse case as parents seek a national wake-up call<\/a><\/p><p>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\u2019s former military dictatorship and from the broader public. <\/p><div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<bsp-figure>\n<template>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, speaks in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Lee Jin-man)\" class=\"wp-image-198\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4366b4ad3140a1b79b58b7e5989b52d6-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4366b4ad3140a1b79b58b7e5989b52d6-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4366b4ad3140a1b79b58b7e5989b52d6-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4366b4ad3140a1b79b58b7e5989b52d6.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<div><\/div><div>\n<bsp-page-actions>\n<div>\n<!--            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=ap%20news\">-->\n<!--            <\/a>-->\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n                    Share\n                    <svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-copy-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-copy-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-print-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-print-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-page-actions>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/template>\n<\/bsp-figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><p>The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a \u201ctank\u201d by declaring May 18 to be \u201cTank Day.\u201d That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The campaign compounded outrage by using the slogan \u201cThwack it on the table!,\u201d 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 \u201chit the desk with a thwack.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<!-- AP \"Read More\" embed (place mid-article) -->\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cI take it very seriously the fact that many people felt deep pain and anger because of Starbucks Korea\u2019s inappropriate marketing campaign,\u201d Chung said Tuesday.<\/p><p>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.<\/p><div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<bsp-figure>\n<template>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, speaks in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Lee Jin-man)\" class=\"wp-image-199\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/77dcc8aad39c8f4f4de8fd6eb1bab13f-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/77dcc8aad39c8f4f4de8fd6eb1bab13f-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/77dcc8aad39c8f4f4de8fd6eb1bab13f-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/77dcc8aad39c8f4f4de8fd6eb1bab13f.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<div><\/div><div>\n<bsp-page-actions>\n<div>\n<!--            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=ap%20news\">-->\n<!--            <\/a>-->\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n                    Share\n                    <svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-copy-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-copy-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-print-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-print-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-page-actions>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/template>\n<\/bsp-figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><p>Chung issued his first apology on May 19, saying in a statement that the campaign caused \u201cdeep pain to the victims and bereaved families of the May 18 Democratization Movement as well as to the public.\u201d<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=191\">Cash-strapped Syrians living in tent settlements struggle to return home after Assad\u2019s fall<\/a><\/p>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<p>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. <\/p><p>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.<\/p><p>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\u2019s \u201canti-historical behavior.\u201d<\/p><div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<bsp-figure>\n<template>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A sign for Starbucks is displayed in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. (AP Photo\/Lee Jin-man)\" class=\"wp-image-200\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3c70676b8b7e1274482485121eec9c4e-768x512.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3c70676b8b7e1274482485121eec9c4e-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3c70676b8b7e1274482485121eec9c4e-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/3c70676b8b7e1274482485121eec9c4e.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<div><\/div><div>\n<bsp-page-actions>\n<div>\n<!--            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=ap%20news\">-->\n<!--            <\/a>-->\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n                    Share\n                    <svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-copy-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-copy-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<bsp-print-link>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-print-link>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg><\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div>\n<svg>\n<\/svg>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-page-actions>\n<\/div>\n<\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/template>\n<\/bsp-figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><p>President <span>Lee Jae Myung<\/span> said on X last week that the campaign displayed \u201cinhumane and disgraceful behavior by cheap profiteers who deny the values of the South Korean community, basic human rights and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The crackdown in Gwangju came months after General <span>Chun Doo-hwan<\/span> 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\u2019s government also imprisoned tens of thousands, saying it was rooting out social evils.<\/p><p>Public anger over Chun\u2019s 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\u2019s transition to democracy.<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=189\">4 dead, 5 injured in a crash between a train and a school bus in Belgium<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin has apologized for a second time in two weeks as Starbucks\u2019 local operation faces a backlash over a recent marketing campaign that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980. The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a \u201ctank\u201d by declaring May 18 to be \u201cTank Day.\u201d That\u2019s 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. Chung bowed three times as he asked for forgiveness on Tuesday, and asked people not to take out their frustration on Starbucks staff, saying the responsibility lies with management.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":194,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign that evoked massacre - Top Moving Pros<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign that evoked massacre - Top Moving Pros\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin has apologized for a second time in two weeks as Starbucks\u2019 local operation faces a backlash over a recent marketing campaign that was widely perceived as mocking victims of a bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980. The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a \u201ctank\u201d by declaring May 18 to be \u201cTank Day.\u201d That\u2019s 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. 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The coffee chain sparked public outrage when it attempted to promote a large size of tumbler it calls a \u201ctank\u201d by declaring May 18 to be \u201cTank Day.\u201d That\u2019s 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. Chung bowed three times as he asked for forgiveness on Tuesday, and asked people not to take out their frustration on Starbucks staff, saying the responsibility lies with management.","og_url":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201","og_site_name":"Top Moving Pros","article_published_time":"2026-05-26T15:39:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4366b4ad3140a1b79b58b7e5989b52d6.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d120f8ae15027244cf4e8ea553e290f8"},"headline":"South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign that evoked massacre","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:39:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201"},"wordCount":625,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f3cd488cd87a9a30c43a3d34ce9a3954-scaled.jpg","articleSection":["World News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201","url":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201","name":"South Korean Starbucks boss apologizes for ad campaign that evoked massacre - Top Moving Pros","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f3cd488cd87a9a30c43a3d34ce9a3954-scaled.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-26T15:39:58+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d120f8ae15027244cf4e8ea553e290f8"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=201#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f3cd488cd87a9a30c43a3d34ce9a3954-scaled.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/f3cd488cd87a9a30c43a3d34ce9a3954-scaled.jpg","width":2560,"height":1707,"caption":"Chung Yong-jin, a chairman of Shinsegae Group, bows to apologize in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 26, 2026. 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