SEOUL — Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun are facing formal criminal complaints charging them with insult and defamation. The legal escalation follows a severe public backlash over a highly controversial marketing promotion launched by Starbucks Korea.
According to police and civic groups on Wednesday, the civic organization People’s Solidarity for Social Progress filed a formal complaint against Chairman Chung and former CEO Son with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
Controversy Surrounding Historical Trauma
The controversy erupted when Starbucks Korea launched a promotion on its official mobile application featuring its "Tank Tumbler" series. The marketing campaign featured the phrases "Tank Day" and "Thump on the Desk! (Chaesang-e Tak!)".
What ignited public fury was the timing and choice of words. The promotion was rolled out precisely on May 18, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Critics pointed out that "Tank Day" vividly evokes the military junta’s brutal deployment of tanks against civilian pro-democracy protesters in Gwangju in 1980. Furthermore, the phrase "Thump on the Desk!" is widely recognized as a direct reference to the notorious 1987 police cover-up phrase used after the torture and death of student activist Bak Jong-cheol, which sparked the June Democratic Struggle.
The civic group argued in its complaint that these marketing choices insulted and defamed the victims of the May 18 movement, their bereaved families, and the citizens of Gwangju.
"The company has caused severe social turmoil through highly inappropriate marketing that treats deep historical scars lightly," the civic group stated, urging investigative authorities to launch a thorough probe.
Additional Complaints Filed in Gwangju
The legal backlash intensified as regional victims' groups in Gwangju took separate legal action. Five pro-democracy activists, including Hwang Il-bong, the former head of the May 18 Democratization Movement Injured Association, filed a joint complaint with the Gwangju Nambu Police Station.
Their complaint targets four individuals, including Chairman Chung, former CEO Son, and the marketing managers directly responsible for the campaign. The charges include insult and violations of the Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement, which penalizes the distortion or desecration of the historical event.
During a press conference held in front of the police station, the victims' representatives expressed deep resentment over the commercialization of national tragedies.
Desecration of History: The activists stated that the historic democratic movement was degraded into an object of ridicule for commercial gain.
Accountability: They emphasized that utilizing historical trauma as a promotional tool severely undermines the core values of democracy.
Call for Investigation: The group demanded a comprehensive investigation spanning from the low-level event planners to the topmost executive management to ensure absolute accountability.
Corporate Apology and Repercussions
As the public outcry rapidly grew, Starbucks Korea immediately pulled the controversial promotional content from its application and issued an official apology.
Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin also addressed the issue directly, releasing a statement acknowledging the gravity of the oversight.
"This was an completely unacceptable and highly inappropriate marketing campaign," Chung stated, promising that the group would implement rigorous oversight measures to ensure such an incident never occurs again.
Despite the corporate apologies, the controversy is expected to linger as police begin reviewing the criminal complaints against the top business executives.
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