Starbucks Korea CEO Fired Over ‘Tank Day’ Campaign Backlash
Starbucks Korea sacked its chief executive Monday after a tumbler promotion launched on the anniversary of a deadly military crackdown drew fierce public condemnation, BBC Business reported Tuesday.
A Promotion That Hit a Raw Nerve
The campaign, branded “Tank Day,” advertised a line of large-capacity drink tumblers. It went live on 18 May, the exact anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. That date marks one of South Korea’s most painful chapters. Hundreds of pro-democracy demonstrators were killed when military forces under dictator Chun Doo-hwan moved to suppress protests in the southern city. Many South Koreans immediately associated the “tank” imagery with the armored vehicles deployed that day.
The backlash was swift and severe. Social media users called for boycotts of both Starbucks Korea and its parent conglomerate Shinsegae. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung posted on X, writing that the campaign “insults the victims and the bloody struggle” of Gwangju residents. He called it an act of “inhumane behaviour” that denied the country’s core democratic values.
CEO Ousted, Apologies Issued
Shinsegae subsidiary E-mart holds a 67.5% controlling stake in Starbucks Korea. The remaining share belongs to Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. US-based Starbucks Coffee Company divested its stake in the Korean operation in July 2021 and no longer controls its management.
Shinsegae moved quickly. It pulled the promotion within hours, apologised for “inappropriate marketing,” and dismissed CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun. Group chairman Chung Yong-jin described the campaign as “an inexcusable mistake” and pledged a full review of internal approval procedures across all Shinsegae affiliates. US headquarters also issued a statement, acknowledging the incident “should never have happened” and expressing regret for the pain caused to those who honor Gwangju’s victims.
The Weight of May 18
The Gwangju Uprising carries enormous symbolic weight in South Korea. Subsequent investigations confirmed that soldiers committed widespread atrocities during the crackdown. The event became a galvanizing force for democracy activists over the following decade. A mass movement in June 1987 ultimately brought down Chun’s military regime. Each year, 18 May is observed as a national day of democratic remembrance.
Adding further sensitivity, promotional material for the tumblers used a Korean phrase phonetically close to a word linked to a 1987 police cover-up surrounding the torture death of a student activist. Critics argued the campaign compounded an already grievous error.
Shinsegae said it would thoroughly re-examine its marketing review processes to prevent similar controversies from recurring.
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