UNIQLO Busan Beomil Branch Faces Boycott Movement on Opening Day

Anti-Japan Civic Group Declares Boycott at Busan Beomil-dong Store Opened on the 25th
Previously Withdrew from 9 Domestic Stores in August

Uniqlo Seoul Gangnam Store. In August, the Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo closed nine stores in South Korea. On the 25th, the Uniqlo Beomil Store opened in Dong-gu, Busan, but anti-Japanese civic groups in the Busan area immediately launched a boycott campaign. [Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The Japanese mid-range fashion retail brand Uniqlo faced another boycott on the day it opened a store.

On the 25th, as Uniqlo Beomil Branch in Dong-gu, Busan opened, anti-Japanese civic groups in the Busan area launched a boycott, demanding Japan's apology and compensation.

The Special Committee for the Establishment of the Forced Laborers' Statue under the Busan Movement Headquarters for Eradicating Deep-rooted Evils and Social Reform held a press conference around 10 a.m. in front of the Uniqlo store, condemning Japan's historical distortion and demanding apology and compensation. They also conducted one-person protests and carried out a boycott against Uniqlo.

Uniqlo Beomil Branch was completed at the end of last year, but after long agreements with the surrounding commercial district, it opened on this day.

The committee strongly condemned Uniqlo for opening a store in Dong-gu, Busan, where the Anti-Japanese Street and the Statue of a Girl exist. The committee stated, “Uniqlo, a Japanese company, provoked nationwide outrage last year during the height of the boycott movement with disparaging remarks and advertisements distorting history,” and criticized, “Instead of reflecting on and apologizing for the past, they are trying to use the Beomil Branch as a stepping stone for a new leap forward.”

A representative of the civic group said, “In a situation where small and medium-sized self-employed businesses are struggling due to the impact of COVID-19, opening a large store only shows a focus on making money,” and added, “Dong-gu is a place with Anti-Japanese Street and the Statue of a Girl, so the entry of a large Japanese company store can only be seen as a lack of willingness to reflect on historical distortion.”

The civic group also began a one-person protest boycott from 9:30 a.m. on the same day, holding placards with messages such as “We do not go” and “We do not buy.” They plan to hold a series of one-person protests until night.