Starbucks' US headquarters has apologized to May 18 civic groups over the "Tank Day" marketing controversy, calling it "inappropriate marketing that should never have happened," the May 18 Memorial Foundation said Sunday.
In a written reply to the foundation, Starbucks headquarters said it "apologizes for the historical significance of the May 18 Democratization Movement and the pain of its victims," adding that the demands from May 18 organizations had been reported to senior management.
Three legally recognized May 18 groups — the Association of Wounded Persons, the Association of Contributors and the Association of Bereaved Families — along with the foundation sent a letter of protest to Starbucks headquarters on June 1, calling for a corporate-level investigation, a formal apology and responsible follow-up measures.
On May 29, the groups also asked the National Pension Service — the second-largest shareholder of E-mart, which is Starbucks Korea's largest shareholder — to consider exercising its shareholder rights.
The National Pension Service replied on June 2 that it would "review the proposal," the foundation said.
The foundation also said that after it demanded companies and advertising agencies pull their ads from Ilbe, a far-right online community where posts distorting the May 18 uprising had appeared, all such advertisements had been taken down.
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