Taobao sparks outrage by selling items featuring Korean dictator s face

SEOUL - A Chinese online shopping platform has sparked controversy in South Korea for selling merchandise featuring a portrait of former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan, prompting backlash from activists.

South Korean civic activist Seo Kyoung-duk on May 20 demanded that Taobao, a major e-commerce platform operated by China’s Alibaba Group, suspend the vendor from selling the items.

“Taobao is selling a wide range of products featuring the former president’s face, from short-sleeved T-shirts and hoodies to bags,” Professor Seo from Sungshin Women’s University wrote on Facebook. “The image used is from his inauguration, following the bloody crackdown on the May 18 pro-democracy movement.”

Prof Seo also criticised the design of the products, which include the words “The South Face”, a play on the brand The North Face, implying Mr Chun represents the face of the country.

In an e-mail sent to Taobao, Prof Seo urged the company to stop selling the items, saying: “Selling such products deeply hurts the families of the victims. At the very least, you should know what is appropriate to sell and what is not.”

“It is unacceptable to mock the painful history of another country, especially for profit,” he added. “The Chinese must realise that actions like this will only lead to global isolation.”

This is not the first time that Chinese nationals’ use of Chun’s image has stirred controversy. In February, Chinese fans displayed photos of Chun during an AFC Champions League Elite match between Gwangju FC and Shandong Taishan.

That month, a Chinese TikToker posted a video in which they roamed the streets of Gwangju while impersonating the former dictator.

Gwangju has become a symbol of the Korean democratic movement, due to the many deaths and injuries that occurred under Mr Chun’s bloody crackdown on the Gwangju Democratic Uprising.

Mr Chun led a