Controversy Over Korean Insults by DHC Chairman, Major Japanese Cosmetics Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The famous Japanese cosmetics giant DHC is causing controversy for disparaging Zainichi Koreans in a post on its homepage under the name of Chairman Yoshida Yoshiaki.

According to DHC's online sales site on the 16th, a post titled "About the Desperate Lottery" published last month by Chairman Yoshida is posted. In this post, Chairman Yoshida compared health supplement competitor Suntory with his own company, writing, "Almost all the talents featured in Suntory's CF are, for some reason, Koreans (Korea) affiliated Japanese. So on the internet, it seems they are mocked as 'Jontol'."

Jontol is a derogatory term combining 'Jon,' a contemptuous expression for Zainichi Koreans, and 'Tori' from Suntory.

Chairman Yoshida disparaged both the competitor and Zainichi Koreans, saying, "DHC is a purely Japanese company in everything, including the talents it employs."

The controversy spread as it became known that the CEO posted such discriminatory content.

On the same day, protest posts with the message "#DiscriminatoryCompany DHC products will not be purchased" continued on Twitter.

A user with the Twitter ID '@8110_mine' expressed doubt, saying, "I don't know what to make of such remarks from a company representative," and wrote, "I bought health supplements here several months ago and was thinking of buying again soon, but I will stop buying."

This is not the first time DHC has engaged in anti-Korean behavior.

Last year, a right-wing figure appearing on DHC TV, a subsidiary of the company, said about Korea's boycott movement of Japanese products, "Korea is originally a country that heats up quickly and cools down quickly," and "Japan should just quietly watch."

Another guest made a controversial remark about the Statue of Peace, saying, "It has no artistic value," and "Would it be okay if I introduced it as contemporary art and exposed my genitals?"

This broadcast even spread distorted historical statements such as "Japanese unified Hangul, which became the current Hangul."

According to the internet media BuzzFeed Japan, Chairman Yoshida also disparaged Zainichi Koreans and Joseon people as "pseudo-Japanese" in a message posted in February 2016 in the company introduction section of the homepage, writing, "It would be good if they returned to their homeland."