Governor Kim Youngrok Criticizes Shinsegae’s "May 18 Tank Day" Apology as "Crocodile Tears"

“Consistently Avoiding Responsibility with an Excuse-Laden Apology... No Sincerity Found”
“The May 18 History Has Been Legally and Historically Settled... ‘Different Opinions’ Remark Is Shocking”

Kim Youngrok, Governor of South Jeolla Province, strongly criticized Jeong Yongjin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, regarding his public apology over the "May 18 Tank Day" controversy, stating, "There is not even a trace of sincerity to be found."

On May 26, Governor Kim released an official statement, saying, "I cannot contain my dismay after hearing Chairman Jeong Yongjin's public apology," and pointed out, "While he claims to take full responsibility, the investigation results state that there is no clear evidence to prove intent. This is merely an excuse to avoid blame and a superficial evasion of responsibility."

He also raised strong doubts about Shinsegae's internal investigation results.

Kim Youngrok, Governor

Governor Kim criticized, "It is hard to accept the explanation that no one recognized the problem during the four-stage approval process up to the CEO," and added, "The excuse that intent could not be proven because some employees refused to submit their mobile phones is also nonsensical."

He expressed strong regret over the inclusion of the phrase "people may have different opinions" in the apology statement.

He emphasized, "The May 18 Democratization Movement is already a chapter in the history of Korean democracy, having been settled both historically and legally," and said, "A coup d'etat and state violence are unforgivable crimes, while the resistance of the citizens who stood against them is the proud root of Korean democracy."

He went on to directly criticize, "It is shocking to see the expression that people can have different opinions about such an issue."

Governor Kim stated, "There are no longer any citizens who will be deceived by a crocodile tears apology," and urged, "Shinsegae must correct its distorted view of history and offer a sincere apology to the spirits of May."

He also warned, "The company must clearly understand that there is no longer any public tolerance for a corporation that mocks history."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.