President Lee Jae Myung attends a meeting with his senior secretaries at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap) President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday ordered officials to mobilize every available means to punish acts that glorify state violence or insult its victims, denouncing them as “poisonous mushrooms” that must be rooted out.Lee’s remarks came after Starbucks Korea drew criticism for marketing that some say belittled the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising against the oppressive military government of Chun Doo-hwan.“Malicious fake news, such as claims of North Korean military involvement, ... and acts that glorify state violence or insult its victims, must be strongly punished by mobilizing every available means,” Lee said during a weekly meeting with senior aides and secretaries.“It is important to pursue a just integration in which wrongdoings are faced directly rather than merely patching over the past appropriately and, on that foundation, reflection and responsibility follow.”Lee went on to say that “since such efforts have been insufficient, poisonous mushrooms that glorify state violence and mock and insult victims are growing in some parts of our society.”“These must be completely rooted out,” Lee reiterated during the meeting.Starbucks Korea launched a promotional campaign tied to May 18 that included phrases such as “Tank Day” and “Slam on the desk,” wording critics said trivialized the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement — a milestone in Korea’s democratization.The phrase “tank” drew outrage because of its association with the military suppression of civilians during the 1980 pro-democracy movement against the military government.The expression “Slam on the desk” was also condemned for evoking one of the most notorious cover-up statements by Chun’s government: that student activist Park Jong-chul had died after investigators “hit the desk and he suddenly collapsed.”The incident quickly revived scrutiny of similar controversies in corporate marketing.Fashion platform Musinsa faced backlash in 2019 after using the phrase “hit the desk and it dried instantly” in a social media advertisement promoting quick-dry socks, drawing accusations that it mocked Park’s death.Lee had already lashed out at both cases in separate X posts earlier this week. Following Lee’s posts, Shinsegae Group Chair Chung Yong-jin issued a formal apology Tuesday over Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” marketing campaign, while Musinsa again released an apology statement over its past controversy.Speaking at the meeting, Lee also called for legislation to be swiftly finalized that would fundamentally exclude statutes of limitations for state violence crimes, as well as time limits on civil claims for damages.Additionally, Lee also instructed officials to swiftly overhaul a state-level compensation and reparations system for victims while expediting the revocation of state honors awarded to those involved in acts of state violence.“As everyone knows, Nazi war crimes are still being held accountable to this day, and compensation is still being made for damage,” Lee said.Lee described state violence as “a grave, anti-human and anti-social crime in which authority entrusted by the sovereign people to ensure citizens’ safety and better lives instead tramples on the people’s human rights and lives.”“Considering the harm and lasting impact it has on our community, it is not just to treat it on the same level as ordinary crimes.”