"Starbucks Boycott" vs "Trust Brother Yongjin": 'Melgong' Controversy Escalates into Consumer Conflict

Jeong Yong-jin's Anti-Communism Sparks Boycott of Starbucks and Shinsegae Affiliates
Following Yoon Seok-yeol, Na Kyung-won and Kim Yeon-joo Join the 'Anti-Communism' Relay
Democratic Party: "Far-Right Alliance of Established Cartel Benefiting from Color Politics"
"Going! Buying!" Voices Opposing the Boycott Also Emerge

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] "We go! We boycott!", "Let's have a boycott movement! We won't go!"

Interest is focused on whether the 'Myeolgong' controversy sparked by Chung Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae, will spread to a boycott movement against Emart, Starbucks, and others. On the other hand, some voices oppose the boycott movement, leading to a so-called 'consumer conflict' surrounding Myeolgong.

On the morning of the 11th, Vice Chairman Chung posted images related to the boycott movement against himself and Shinsegae Group affiliates, which were being shared online, on his Instagram. He added, "Please refer to this for your work." The images Chung shared appear to imitate the 'No Japan' posters from the 2019 Japan boycott movement.

These images essentially contain messages encouraging a boycott of Shinsegae and are spreading mainly through online communities. Among some netizens, strong condemnations continue, posting lists of Shinsegae affiliates such as Emart, Starbucks, and No Brand, urging people not to use them.

One netizen said, "Starbucks? Just don't go," raising their voice, "Let's go to other stores." Another netizen pointed out, "You can say 'Myeolgong,' but it seems like you have forgotten your position," adding, "A lot of employees' livelihoods are at stake, aren't they?"

Jung Yong-jin, Vice Chairman of Shinsegae. Photo by Shinsegae Group

Meanwhile, opposing voices against the boycott movement have also emerged in other communities. At 1:10 a.m. on the same day, a post titled "I trust Yongjin hyung! Boycott Myeolgong!!" was uploaded on FM Korea. The author encouraged the use and consumption of Shinsegae affiliates such as Starbucks, saying, "If you have experienced the Yeonpyeong Island shelling and the West Sea battle in your 30s, you should support Myeolgong."

The Myeolgong controversy began last November when Vice Chairman Chung posted a message saying, "I hate communists." As the post became an issue, Chung continued to post content related to Myeolgong. The controversy particularly escalated on the 6th when Chung posted on his Instagram an article featuring a photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping with hashtags such as 'Myeolgong,' 'Air Defense and Counterintelligence,' and 'Victory and Unification.'

Earlier, on the 5th, Chung posted a photo of a hangover cure with the caption, "I will survive until the end #Myeolgong!" but the post was deleted for violating guidelines on violence and incitement. In response, Chung publicly objected, saying, "I hate communism," and "Why is this considered violent incitement?"

Subsequently, on the 8th, Yoon Seok-youl, the People Power Party's presidential candidate, visited Emart and posted a photo on his Facebook purchasing anchovies and beans, which reminded people of Myeolgong, spreading the controversy into the political sphere.

Following this, former lawmaker Na Kyung-won also posted a photo on her social media showing anchovies and beans in a cart at Emart. She wrote, "At Emart, I bought anchovies, medicinal beans, Jajusigan (chocolate bar), and even late-night snack soup tteokbokki," adding, "The only countries where 'I hate communists' is controversial must be communist countries. Myeolgong! Freedom!"

Kim Jin-tae, former lawmaker and chair of the People Power Party's Lee Jae-myung Corruption National Verification Special Committee, and Kim Yeon-ju, the party's full-time deputy spokesperson, also joined in. Kim Jin-tae wrote on social media, "It seems noisy because Vice Chairman Chung said Myeolgong," calling him "an amazing person."

He added, "Candidate Yoon bought anchovies and beans at Emart. I want to shout once in a while too," and wrote, "How about a 'Myeolgong campaign' together?" Deputy spokesperson Kim also posted a video shopping at Emart on social media, writing, "Dalpa Myeolgong for the weekend."

Yoon Seok-yeol, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, is shopping at the Emart Isu branch located in Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 8th. Photo by People Power Party Election Committee

In response, the Democratic Party launched a full-scale offensive on the 10th, calling it "an extreme right-wing alliance of the entrenched cartel that benefited from color politics," and "a regressive game of the times."

Song Young-gil, leader of the Democratic Party, presided over a Central Election Committee meeting at the party headquarters that morning and urged, "Candidate Yoon is not Lee Jun-seok's avatar; he should show autonomy by expressing his own voice, presenting his national philosophy and pledges, and debating with Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party candidate."

Kim Yong-min, a Supreme Council member, said, "Myeolgong means eradicating all communists, which is different from anti-communism," and added, "Candidate Yoon holding Yeosu anchovies is like a rotten apple."

Meanwhile, Vice Chairman Chung announced that he would no longer use the word Myeolgong after Shinsegae's stock price on the Korea Exchange fell 6.80% compared to the previous trading day.

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