Starbucks Korea CEO Fired After Gwangju Uprising ‘Tank Day’ Promotion
Starbucks Korea’s chief executive, Sohn Jeong-hyun, has been removed from his position after a promotional campaign for “Tank Series” coffee tumblers was widely interpreted as a callous reference to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The marketing push, launched on the anniversary of the crackdown, generated significant public backlash and calls for boycotts of the coffee chain.
Controversial Marketing Draws Presidential Censure
The “Tank Day” promotion, featuring tumblers with a “tank” motif, was launched on 18 May, the anniversary of the military’s brutal suppression of pro-democracy protests in Gwangju. Critics immediately linked the imagery to the tanks deployed by the military government of Chun Doo-hwan, which resulted in hundreds of civilian fatalities and numerous documented instances of rape and sexual assault.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung openly criticised the campaign, stating it “insults the victims and the bloody struggle” of Gwangju residents. He expressed outrage at such “inhumane behaviour” from a merchant, arguing it “denies our country’s values of basic human rights and democracy.”
Swift Retraction and Corporate Apology
Starbucks Korea withdrew the promotion within hours of its launch. Shinsegae, the conglomerate holding a majority stake in the coffee chain, issued an apology for “inappropriate marketing” and subsequently fired Mr Sohn. Shinsegae group chairman Chung Yong-jin acknowledged the “inexcusable mistake,” pledging a thorough investigation into the approval processes for the marketing content across all its affiliates.
Beyond the Gwangju reference, some observers also suggested the campaign’s Korean phrase “tak on the table!” echoed a controversial police statement from 1987 regarding the death of a student activist in custody, where police falsely claimed the activist died after an interrogator slapped a table, rather than from torture.
It is important to note that Starbucks Coffee Company, headquartered in the US, no longer has operational involvement in Starbucks Korea, having sold its stake in July 2021. Shinsegae’s subsidiary E-mart owns a 67.5% controlling stake, with the remaining shares held by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC.
