Shinsegae Explains: "The Tank Was Inspired by a Water Tank... The Siren Also Has Nothing to Do with the Sewol Ferry Disaster"

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[Financial News] As Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a public apology on the 26th over the Starbucks 'Tank Day' controversy, Shinsegae Group moved to clarify the various allegations spreading online, saying they were "not true."
Jeon Sang-jin, executive vice president in charge of management at Shinsegae Group, announced the results of an internal investigation into Starbucks' 'May 18' marketing campaign that day. He said all of the allegations raised recently on online communities and social networking services (SNS) regarding the Starbucks 'tank tumbler' were false.
Earlier, online users claimed that Starbucks' 'tank tumbler' evoked military tanks used by martial law troops. Some even alleged that the product's 503 ml capacity referred to former President Park Geun-hye's prison number.
The controversy also grew over Starbucks' release of the 'Siren Classic Mug' on April 16 last year, the 10th anniversary of the Sewol ferry sinking. Some internet users said the product was inappropriate, arguing that 'Siren' refers to a mythical being that lures sailors to their deaths.
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At the briefing, Jeon said the company had confirmed an official statement from the overseas manufacturer that the product was designed with inspiration from an actual water tank. He explained that the tank tumbler design had nothing to do with any political meaning.
He also addressed the controversy over the 503 ml capacity.
Jeon said, "The claim that it resembles a specific person's prison number is not true." He added, "The product has been sold since 2023 not only in Korea but also in Australia, Thailand, and other countries. In Japan and Slovakia, among others, 17 ounces (oz) are also listed as 503 ml."
Shinsegae also said the claim that the release date overlapped with the Sewol ferry disaster was a coincidence. The company explained, "The April 16 release date for the mini tank was finalized to match the brand day schedule of the event vendor." It added, "Starbucks Korea initially proposed April 20, but during scheduling adjustments, the event vendor notified us that the date would be the 16th."
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter