SEOUL - Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin said Tuesday he would like to "ask for forgiveness" over the controversial promotional event by Starbucks Korea that evoked painful memories of a brutal military crackdown against the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement.
"I take very seriously the fact that many people have felt deep pain and anger due to Starbucks Korea's inappropriate marketing," the retail company chief said at a press conference held in southern Seoul.
"I sincerely bow my head in apology and ask for your forgiveness."
Chung said he will not make any excuses and vowed to take full responsibility for the incident, mentioning those who may have been hurt by the event, including the bereaved family members of the uprising victims and people of Gwangju.
"While individual views may differ, I believe we all share the same desire to build a better Republic of Korea and leave a better world for future generations," he added, mentioning South Korea by its official name.
In an effort to regain public trust, Chung said he will "fundamentally" inspect internal systems and risk management processes, as well as raise standards related to social responsibility.
"Members of Shinsegae group will make better efforts, learn with a humble attitude, listen more and take our responsibilities even more seriously," Chung said.
Chung bowed multiple times during the press conference, which lasted around five minutes.
The apology came 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 last Monday, the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising.
It also marks the first time that Chung has made a formal public apology, since being appointed to his current post in March 2024.
Shinsegae Group said its internal investigation was unable to find evidence that the controversial marketing event was intentionally planned.
"This was partly due to procedural and legal limitations of our internal probe, such as employees involved refusing to submit their smartphones," a group representative said.
Three among five people who planned the "Tank Day" campaign refused to submit their smartphones, citing privacy issues, the official added.
Shinsegae Group plans to closely cooperate with a police investigation, the official said. It will also immediately dismiss and take legal actions against employees if they are later found to have planned the event with malicious intent.
The executive noted that the incident revealed a lack of "social and historical sensitivity within Starbucks Korea," as the event underwent layers of approvals, including those from the coffee chain's CEO, but no one took issue with the contentious slogan.
The phrase "Put it down with a tak sound!" used in the campaign, however, was not reviewed by the coffee chain's leadership, the official added. The slogan came under fire as the word "tak" was also used in a controversial statement from police in 1987, regarding the death of a student activist in custody.
The executive, however, refuted online suspicions that the "tank" motif was alluding to the vehicles deployed by the military government, saying they were inspired by "water tanks" and were produced by a foreign manufacturer.
Shinsegae is also communicating closely and sharing related information with Starbucks' U.S. headquarters, the representative said, adding that the company saw a significant drop in sales, following the incident.
Civic groups related to the May 18 uprising slammed Chung, saying his latest apology "lacks sincerity."
"It felt superficial and came across as an attempt to evade responsibility," said the head of a civic group representing contributors of the democratic movement in Gwangju.
"While he vowed to take responsibility, there were no details on how he will be doing so," the official added. "Their explanation on prevention measures and facts was also insufficient."
