Shinsegae Group Chairman Jung Yong-jin fired the CEO of Starbucks Korea following a controversial marketing campaign launched on May 18, 2024 [1].
The dismissal follows accusations that the company mocked one of South Korea's most sensitive historical traumas. The timing and imagery of the promotion triggered a national backlash, drawing condemnation from high-ranking government officials and labor organizations.
Starbucks Korea launched a "Tank Day" promotion on May 18 [1], the anniversary of the Gwangju democratization movement. The campaign involved selling "Tank Series" tumblers featuring the slogan "Tank Day" and the phrase “책상에 탁!” [1]. Critics said the wording and imagery disparaged the 5·18 Gwangju movement and the 1987 torture-death case of Park Jong-cheol [1].
President Lee Jae-myung criticized the event, calling it "막장 행태" (a scandalous act) [1]. The Mart Industrial Labor Union also said that the incident cannot be viewed in isolation from far-right forces in Korean society [1].
In response to the outcry, the company halted the event and posted two public apology statements on its website [2]. Jung Yong-jin later announced the immediate removal of the representative, saying, "I have summarily dismissed the representative of Starbucks Korea" [1].
The Gwangju democratization movement is a pivotal event in South Korean history, marking a struggle against military dictatorship. The use of "tank" imagery on the anniversary of the massacre—where tanks were used by the military to suppress protesters—was viewed by many as an intentional or negligent provocation [1].
“"I have summarily dismissed the representative of Starbucks Korea"”
This incident underscores the volatility of corporate branding in South Korea when it intersects with historical memory. By launching a 'Tank Day' promotion on the anniversary of the Gwangju massacre, Starbucks Korea crossed a cultural red line, transforming a product launch into a political liability that necessitated the immediate removal of its top executive to appease public anger.
