"I Should Go to Starbucks Tomorrow"... Opposition Party's Absurd Social Media Post Fans Controversy Over 'Tank Day'

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[Financial News] A controversy is growing after the People Power Party Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party posted on its official social media account what appeared to be a message supporting Starbucks Korea, which is facing public outrage over allegations that it disparaged the May 18 Democratic Uprising. As criticism intensified, the provincial party deleted the post and issued an official apology, but the opposition has strongly pushed back and called for those responsible to resign.
According to political circles on the 20th, a post reading, "I should stop by Starbucks tomorrow before heading to work," appeared early the previous morning on the People Power Party Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party's official social media account. It was posted shortly after Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, and Starbucks Korea released a public apology over the controversy surrounding the 'Tank Day' event held on the anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising.
At a time when consumers were expanding a boycott movement against Starbucks, the official party account appeared to send a message encouraging people to use the coffee chain.
Adding to the backlash, an account belonging to Kim Sun-min, the People Power Party candidate for mayor of Geoje, commented, "I should go and eat a sandwich," and the provincial party account replied, "Then tomorrow morning will be a sandwich," further fueling the controversy. Both accounts are reportedly managed by people in their 20s from the MZ generation.
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As online criticism poured in, with users asking whether the party was deliberately mocking and ridiculing the May 18 controversy, the People Power Party Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party deleted the related posts and comments and moved to contain the fallout.
In its official apology, the provincial party said, "This post was a clear mistake that failed to fully consider the historical significance of the May 18 Democratic Uprising and the pain of the victims and those who made sacrifices for it." It added, "We bow our heads and sincerely apologize to the bereaved families and to the public for causing concern." The party also said, "We will review the entire process of post creation and management more carefully to prevent similar cases from happening again."
The Kim camp, which had posted the supportive comment, also explained that it was written by a campaign staff member rather than the candidate himself, and said it was not intended to refer to any specific historical event.
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The Democratic Party of Korea's Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party immediately issued a statement and sharply criticized the People Power Party's conduct.
The Democratic Party said, "The insult and endorsement of the May 18 Democratic Uprising on the official social media account of the People Power Party Chungcheongbuk-do Provincial Party is an act that directly denies our history." It added, "Hiding behind the pathetic excuse of saying sorry is a clear act of secondary harm and a social crime that drives another nail into the hearts of the victims and their families."
It also strongly urged the party to "offer a sincere apology to the victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising, their families, and the people of Chungcheongbuk-do, and for Um Tae-young, the provincial party committee chairman, and the social media manager to resign immediately."
Meanwhile, Starbucks Korea held a tumbler promotion on the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratic Uprising on the 18th, using phrases such as "Tank Day" and "Desk Bang." The campaign drew accusations of disparagement because it evoked the military's tank crackdown and the torture death case of Park Jong-chul in 1987. Despite a public apology from Shinsegae Group, the company is now facing a fierce boycott.
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moon@fnnews.com Moon Young-jin Reporter