Shinsegae Group Chairman apologizes, confirms ongoing internal investigation into Starbucks Korea
Published: 26 May. 2026, 09:39
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- KIM MIN-YOUNG
- [email protected]
![Chung Yong-jin, the chairman of Shinsegae Group, apologizes over the Starbucks Korea ″Tank Day″ controversy at the Josun Palace hotel in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on May 26. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2026/05/26/aeabb22c-ca08-4a02-812d-7c01319f849e.jpg)
Chung Yong-jin, the chairman of Shinsegae Group, apologizes over the Starbucks Korea ″Tank Day″ controversy at the Josun Palace hotel in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, on May 26. [YONHAP]
Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin held a press conference on Tuesday morning to personally apologize for Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” promotion, launched on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, which triggered national backlash and led to the firing of Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun.
Chung spoke at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the grand hall on the third floor of the Josun Palace hotel. The chairman expressed his remorse for the controversy and confirmed that Shinsegae Group is conducting an ongoing internal investigation into the incident.
“To the families of those who took part in the May 18 democratic uprising who have felt profound pain and disappointment because of this incident, to the citizens of Gwangju and to all the people of Korea, I sincerely bow my head in apology as chairman of Shinsegae Group and ask for your forgiveness,” said Chung.
“I ask for your understanding regarding the delay in announcing the results of the investigation, as we wanted to thoroughly determine the facts and provide a detailed explanation of what occurred. I take very seriously the fact that many people have experienced deep pain and anger as a result of Starbucks Korea’s inappropriate marketing campaign.”
The Tank Day tumbler promotion launched at 10 a.m. on May 18. “Tank” is used in far-right online communities as a nickname for Chun Doo Hwan, the former Korean military dictator whose crackdown during the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement left hundreds dead.
The promotional materials also used “Tak! on the desk!” The phrase recalls the infamous police statement issued after student activist Park Jong-cheol’s death by torture. “Tak” is Korean onomatopoeia used to describe a sharp sound, often from one object hitting another, similar to the English language’s “bang.”
Consumers posted videos destroying Starbucks tumblers, Emart shares fell 5.5 percent and President Lee Jae Myung called the campaign the act of “low-grade money grubbers.”
BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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