President Lee Jae-myung has publicly criticized Starbucks Korea over allegations surrounding its past "Siren Event." This comes amid controversy over the company's "Tank Day" marketing campaign, with some netizens raising questions about an event held on April 16.
On May 23, President Lee expressed his concerns on social media platform X, stating, "To hold a Siren Event on the anniversary of the Sewol ferry disaster (April 16) is something I hope is not true. It is an act that cannot be done with a human heart."
He shared a screenshot of a Facebook post by Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Jin-wook, who criticized the use of the siren, a figure associated with the Starbucks logo, for an event on such a significant date. Jeong described it as an "outrageous act" to use a siren, which in mythology lured sailors to their doom, on the anniversary of the tragedy.
President Lee further stated, "This is not a matter of a minor online community but a major corporation's official event. There is nothing more to say. While the bereaved families are suffering and the nation is in mourning, starting an event that mocks the victims and ridicules the public is unacceptable."
He also referenced the earlier controversy surrounding the Tank Day event, asserting that it is difficult to view the incident as accidental, as it mocked the Gwangju Democratization Movement and martyr Park Jong-cheol.
He concluded, "There will be a national reckoning for those who habitually demean victims of state violence and disasters for profit. What they are doing is not just poor business practice but a heinous act of moral depravity."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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