SEOUL, South Korea — Japan’s largest clothing maker Fast Retailing Co. suspended a television commercial in South Korea which angered consumers, the Kookmin Ilbo newspaper reported.
An ad in English promoting Uniqlo’s Fall/Winter collection had Korean subtitles that some believed made reference to a period of war-time sex slaves. The commercial was withdrawn from Uniqlo’s Youtube account and TV networks, the paper said, citing a company official.
It was the management’s decision to suspend the “controversial” commercial from Saturday, the paper quoted the unidentified official as saying. On Friday, Uniqlo denied any intention for the ad to be disparaging.
Uniqlo has been a key target of a Boycott Japan movement by South Korean consumers amid an ongoing trade dispute. The company had more than 180 stores in South Korea as of August 2018. It’s run by FRL Korea Co., a joint venture between Fast Retailing and Korea’s Lotte Shopping Co.
By Kanga Kong; editors: Shamim Adam and Jasmine Ng.
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