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Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issues a public apology regarding the controversy surrounding Starbucks' 'Tank Day' event on May 26. / Photo courtesy of Jung Moon-kyung

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a formal public apology on May 26 regarding the controversy surrounding Starbucks Korea's 'Tank Day' promotional event, stating, "I sincerely bow my head in apology and beg for your forgiveness."

During a press conference held at Josun Palace in Gangnam District, Seoul, Chung offered a deep, personal apology to the bereaved families of the May 18 Democratization Movement and democracy activist Park Jong-chol, as well as to the citizens of Gwangju and the general public. The unprecedented direct intervention by the group's top leader comes as a marketing blunder by a single brand snowballed into a major corporate risk for the entire conglomerate, triggering widespread consumer boycotts and highly adverse public sentiment.

"Whatever the reason, the responsibility for causing emotional distress to the public is by no means light," Chung said during the conference. "I will offer no excuses. Full accountability for this incident lies with me, and it is entirely my fault." Addressing the criticism that the internal investigation and subsequent apology had been delayed, he explained, "The timeline was extended solely to ensure a thorough fact-finding mission so that we could provide a detailed account of exactly what transpired."

In particular, Chung expressed deep concern over the secondary fallout affecting frontline workers who continue to carry out their daily duties, pleading with the public to direct their criticism away from the workforce.

"Across the nation, countless Starbucks Korea partners and store employees are working silently from early morning until late at night," Chung emphasized. "These individuals are merely diligent workers doing their utmost to serve every single customer. The blame rests entirely with the organization and the executive management, including myself. I earnestly ask the public to view our store staff with a warmer and more understanding perspective."

The Shinsegae Group plans to use this press conference as a turning point to initiate a comprehensive internal overhaul. "Every member of the Shinsegae Group, myself included, will use this crisis to learn to act with greater humility and carry a heavier sense of responsibility," Chung noted. "We will fundamentally audit our internal operational compliance and risk management systems from the ground up, while drastically raising our baseline standards for corporate social responsibility."

Chung added, "Today's apology is not the end of our efforts, but rather the beginning. We will demonstrate substantial changes through actions rather than mere rhetoric, starting completely fresh to rebuild the trust we have lost with the public."

The controversy erupted earlier when Starbucks Korea deployed highly inappropriate phrases such as 'Tank Day' and 'A Tap on the Desk' during a promotional event held on May 18, the official memorial day of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. Although Shinsegae Group immediately terminated SCK Company CEO Son Jung-hyun alongside other responsible executives, and the corporate headquarters of Starbucks in the United States subsequently issued a statement of regret, public backlash persisted over what critics described as a fundamental deficit in historical awareness and internal vetting protocols across the conglomerate.

                                                                                                      Jung Moon-kyung