The Korea Disease Control Agency (KDCA) has issued an official apology after using a mooncake emoji, a traditional Chinese snack, in a message related to the Chuseok holiday. The error sparked controversy as the agency sought to communicate health and safety guidelines for the holiday.
According to a post on the KDCA's official Instagram account, the agency sent a KakaoTalk message titled "A Bountiful Chuseok, Stay Healthy" on September 24. However, it was later discovered that the mooncake emoji was incorrectly used in the message title, leading to public criticism.
In response, the KDCA explained that the emoji was automatically suggested when entering keywords related to Chuseok, and they failed to verify its appropriateness before using it. They clarified that there was no intention to promote any specific country or culture, as the emoji was mistakenly interpreted as a representation of traditional Korean food.
The agency stated, "Regardless of the reason, we sincerely apologize for causing concern to the public by not thoroughly checking the detailed names and meanings of the emojis used." They also promised to strengthen pre-publication review processes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Recent months have seen an increase in public institutions addressing social media errors directly through official channels. Earlier this year, the National Police Agency faced backlash for mistakenly posting a sunset photo instead of a sunrise to commemorate the New Year, prompting an immediate apology on their Instagram account.
In March, the Jeju Youth Center issued an apology after posting a short video that depicted inappropriate behavior. Additionally, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport acknowledged a lack of thorough review after using an image resembling Tokyo Station in a video commemorating the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation.
A public relations official noted, "While social media communication by public institutions can foster closer connections with citizens, as seen in the KDCA's mooncake incident, overlooking small details can lead to a decline in trust and damage public sentiment. Prompt apologies through the affected channels have become a standard crisis management approach, but establishing a rigorous pre-publication review system is essential."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.