Lee Slams Starbucks Again for 'Siren Event' on Sewol Ferry Anniversary

Lee Jae-myung, a prominent opposition leader, has sharply criticized Starbucks Korea for an event held on the anniversary of the Sewol Ferry disaster. The "Siren Mug Event," which coincided with the memorial day for the tragic ferry sinking, drew strong condemnation from Lee, who described it as an act that "no human being could possibly do."

This marks the second time in quick succession that Lee has targeted the coffee giant. He previously denounced a "Tank Day" event related to the Gwangju Uprising. On his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Lee expressed his dismay, writing, "A Siren event on the anniversary of the Sewol Ferry disaster... I sincerely hope this is not true."

Lee shared a post from Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Jin-wook, who elaborated on the criticism. Jeong argued that using the mythical siren, known for luring sailors to their deaths, in an event on April 16th, the date of the Sewol disaster, was an "unpardonable evil act." Lee echoed this sentiment, adding, "I have nothing more to say if this is a major corporation's official event, not some Ilbe archive." He accused the company of insulting the victims and mocking the public while they were grieving.