Starbucks Korea chief apologizes for ad campaign evoking 1980 massacre

South Korean retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, issued his second apology in two weeks on Tuesday as Starbucks' local operation faces backlash over a recent marketing campaign.

The campaign was widely perceived as mocking victims of a bloody military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters that occurred in 1980. Shinsegae Group owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea.

The controversy centers on promotional material that observers said evoked imagery and themes associated with the 1980 incident, a significant event in South Korean history. The campaign drew criticism from the public and media outlets, prompting the company to respond with successive apologies from leadership.

Chung's second apology came after initial criticism of the marketing effort. The repeated apologies indicate the severity of the public reaction to the campaign and the company's effort to address concerns raised by consumers and observers who found the promotional material offensive.

Starbucks Korea's parent company has not announced changes to the campaign or additional remedial measures beyond the apologies issued by Chung.