Musinsa again apologized for an ad mocking the May 18 pro-democracy movement that President Lee Jae-myung criticized. The ad was posted in 2019.
Musinsa said in a statement on the 20th, "While we were watching with a heavy heart the recent controversy over a corporation's disparagement of history, we recognized that Musinsa's grave wrongdoing from seven years ago was being brought up again," and stated accordingly.
Musinsa said, "In July 2019, Musinsa quoted wording that evoked the torture and death of pro-democracy activist Park Jong-cheol and used it for social media (SNS) marketing," adding, "We committed a grave wrongdoing that should never have happened, which damaged the will of the martyr who sacrificed for democratization and the value of democracy."
Earlier that day, President Lee, following the controversy over Starbucks' "Tank Day," cited Musinsa's 2019 ad that mocked the May 18 pro-democracy movement, saying, "It is an ad that insults and mocks the torture and death of activist Park Jong-cheol and the June Democratic Uprising that began from it," and added, "Money may be the devil, but how can someone wearing a human mask do this?"
In the Musinsa card news that President Lee shared, alongside a photo of slipper-style socks, the phrase reads, "When we slapped the quick-dry desk, it went 'ugh' and dried." It used "We slapped the desk and he went 'ugh' and died," which was the National Police Headquarters' announcement at the time of the 1987 torture and death of Park Jong-cheol. Musinsa issued an apology when a boycott began at the time.
Musinsa said, "Even now, seven years later, we deeply acknowledge that the wound left by the lack of internal processes and rash judgment at the time is by no means light," adding, "Once again, we sincerely apologize to activist Park Jong-cheol and his bereaved family members, all related parties including the Park Jong-cheol Memorial Foundation, and everyone who was disappointed in Musinsa."
Musinsa said that after the incident, it has conducted history education for executives and employees and strengthened the review process for marketing content and promotional materials. Cho Man-ho, CEO of Musinsa, has personally been a member of the Park Jong-cheol Memorial Foundation for seven years.
Musinsa added, "The painful mistake from seven years ago remains a grave lesson that must never be forgotten," and "So that the reflection and resolve from that time do not fade with time, Musinsa will continue to face customers with a correct understanding of history and a responsible attitude."
Recently, Starbucks sparked controversy by running a "Tank Day" campaign to promote tumbler products to coincide with the May 18 Democratization Movement anniversary. That was because it used phrases such as "Tank Day" and "A slap on the desk!" which respectively evoked the deployment of tanks by martial-law forces during the May 18 Democratization Movement and the torture and death of Park Jong-cheol.
As criticism mounted, Starbucks halted the campaign and posted an apology. SCK Company CEO Son Jung-hyun, who operates Starbucks Korea, and the executive in charge who planned and oversaw the event were also dismissed. The previous day, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a public apology, and Starbucks' global headquarters also apologized.