Starbucks Korea has dismissed its chief executive, Sohn Jeong-hyun, following a controversial coffee tumbler promotion. The campaign, launched on Monday, was perceived by many as referencing a bloody historical incident in South Korea.
The "Tank Day" promotion, which featured tumblers touted for their "spacious volume," coincided with the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising crackdown. Critics interpreted the "tank" motif as a reference to military vehicles deployed in May 1980 to suppress pro-democracy protesters.
The promotion quickly led to calls for a boycott of Starbucks Korea and drew a harsh rebuke from President Lee Jae Myung. Starbucks Korea rolled back the campaign hours after its launch. Shinsegae, the conglomerate holding the majority stake in the coffee chain, issued an apology for "inappropriate marketing" and subsequently fired Sohn Jeong-hyun.
Controversial Marketing Campaign
Starbucks initially clarified that the "Tank Series" was part of a broader tumbler campaign scheduled from May 15 to May 26. The company stated, "We sincerely apologise for causing inconvenience and concern to our customers due to this. We have immediately suspended the event and will review and improve our internal processes to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future."
President Lee Jae Myung criticized the campaign, stating it "insults the victims and the bloody struggle" of Gwangju residents. He further commented, "I am outraged by such a low-class merchant's inhumane behaviour, which denies our country's values of basic human rights and democracy."
Local reports indicate that hundreds of demonstrators were killed in Gwangju on May 18, 1980. Subsequent investigations confirmed that troops under the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan committed rape and sexual assault during the crackdown. The Gwangju Uprising is annually commemorated as a significant day for democracy in South Korea.
Corporate Response and Ownership
Some observers also suggested the Starbucks Korea campaign referenced the 1987 pro-democracy movement.
Some observers also suggested the Starbucks Korea campaign referenced the 1987 pro-democracy movement. Promotional material for the tumbler included the Korean phrase "tak on the table!", which sounds similar to a word used in a controversial police statement regarding a student activist's death in 1987.
Shinsegae's group chairman, Chung Yong-jin, called the Starbucks campaign "an inexcusable mistake that trivialised the suffering and sacrifices of all those who have dedicated themselves to the democracy of this country." He pledged to "thoroughly investigate" the approval procedures for the event and "re-examine the review process" for marketing content across all Shinsegae affiliates.
Starbucks Coffee Company, headquartered in the U.S., no longer has operational involvement in Starbucks South Korea. Shinsegae's subsidiary E-mart owns a 67.5% controlling stake, with Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC holding the remaining share.
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