Starbucks Korea's chief executive has been dismissed following a promotional campaign that was widely perceived as referencing a historical incident. The "Tank Day" coffee tumbler promotion, launched on Monday, coincided with the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising crackdown.
The campaign prompted calls for a boycott of Starbucks Korea and drew criticism from President Lee Jae Myung. Many interpreted the "tank" motif as a reference to military vehicles deployed in May 1980 to suppress pro-democracy demonstrators.
Starbucks Korea withdrew the promotion hours after its launch. Shinsegae, the conglomerate holding a majority stake in the coffee chain, issued an apology for "inappropriate marketing" and subsequently terminated the chain's chief executive, Sohn Jeong-hyun.
Promotion Details and Public Reaction
The promotion, which utilized the English phrase "Tank Day," featured tumblers from its "Tank Series," advertised for their "spacious volume" suitable for a large amount of coffee. Local reports indicated that Starbucks initially clarified the "Tank Series" was one of several tumbler series scheduled for release between May 15 and May 26.
The company stated, "We sincerely apologize 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." Social media users called for boycotts of both Starbucks Korea and Shinsegae.
Political and Historical Context
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung criticized the campaign, stating it "insults the victims and the bloody struggle" of Gwangju residents.
South Korean 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."
The Gwangju Uprising on May 18, 1980, reportedly resulted in hundreds of deaths. Subsequent investigations confirmed that troops under the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan committed rape and sexual assault. The event is annually commemorated as a significant day for democracy in South Korea and has been depicted in various media as a national trauma.
Some observers in South Korea suggested the Starbucks Korea campaign also referenced the 1987 pro-democracy movement. Promotional materials for the tumbler included the Korean phrase "tak on the table!" which sounds like an object being slapped on a table. "Tak" was also used in a 1987 police statement regarding the death of a student activist, where police claimed the activist collapsed after an interrogator forcefully slapped a table, despite the activist having died from torture.
Chung Yong-jin, Shinsegae's group chairman, described the Starbucks campaign as "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 processes 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 holds involvement in Starbucks' operations in South Korea, having sold its stakes in July 2021. Shinsegae's subsidiary E-mart owns a 67.5% controlling stake in Starbucks Korea, with Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC holding the remaining share.
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