Starbucks Coffee. (Yonhap)
Starbucks’ global headquarters issued an apology in connection with a May 18 “Tank Day” promotional event by Starbucks Korea.Reuters reported on Tuesday that a spokesperson for Starbucks Global had issued an email stating, “We sincerely apologize to the people of Gwangju, to those impacted by this tragedy, and to our customers and communities.”“Leadership accountability actions have been taken, and a thorough investigation is underway,” the message read.“We are implementing stronger internal controls, review standards, and company-wide training to ensure this does not happen again,” it continued.The situation erupted after Starbucks Korea introduced a “Tank Day” campaign to promote sales of its “Tank” tumblers on May 18, the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising and massacre in 1980. The slogans used by the company for its tumblers included “Set it on your desk with a thunk!”The situation led to fierce criticism and boycott campaigns by internet users and others over its treatment of the events of May 1980 in Gwangju, where the military junta sent tanks and soldiers in a bloody suppression of democratization protests.The Reuters article noted that hundreds of people were estimated to have died or disappeared in the Chun Doo-hwan regime’s suppression of demonstrations during the Gwangju Democratization Movement in May 1980.It also reported that the use of the phrase “set it on your desk with a thunk” evoked parallels with the attempt to downplay or cover up the 1987 death from torture of student activist Park Jong-cheol. At the time, police claimed that Park had “just dropped dead when an investigator slammed their fist on the desk with a thunk.”The growing controversy led the Shinsegae Group to dismiss CEO Son Jung-hyun at the SCK Company, which operates Starbucks Korea. In explaining the dismissal, the group said Starbucks Korea had “engaged in inappropriate marketing.” Starbucks Korea suspended the campaign in question and posted an apology on its homepage.The chairperson of the Shinsegae Group, Chung Yong-jin, also offered an apology to the Korean public.“On behalf of the group, I bow my head in apology over the profound hurt caused to the spirits of the May 18 Democratization Movement, the surviving family members [of victims], and the South Korean public,” he wrote. He also described the situation as an “indefensible oversight that made light of the suffering and sacrifices of those who dedicated themselves to democracy in this country.”Meanwhile, the controversy has escalated into a boycott campaign.Reuters reported that the Starbucks Korea apology had received over 2,800 comments, most of them critical. Some users posted confirmation shots showing they had received full reimbursement of their prepaid card balances and canceled their app memberships. Others posted videos showing the destruction of Starbucks items such as tumblers and mugs.SCK Company, which operates Starbucks Korea, is jointly owned by E-Mart (67.5%) and the Singapore-based sovereign wealth fund GIC (32.5%). The brand’s operation is based on a licensing contract with Samsung Global, which sold off its entire stake in 2021.By Kim Won-chul, Washington correspondentPlease direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]
