Starbucks tumblers and cups lay on the ground during a rally criticizing Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" promotional event outside a store in Gwangju on Thursday. Photo by Yonhap
Civil servant unions have called on their members to boycott Starbucks Korea over a promotional event that evoked painful memories of a brutal military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement, officials said Friday.
The Korean Government Employees' Union sent notices to its branches nationwide Thursday asking its members to boycott the coffee franchise, taking issue with the "Tank Day" event that coincided with the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising.
The marketing campaign, which offered "tank" tumbler sets on discount, was scrapped within hours of its launch following public criticism over the word "tank," which evoked memories of the military deploying tanks to clamp down on pro-democracy protesters.
Its promotional material also featured the phrase, "Put it on the table with a sound of 'Tak!'" The word "Tak" sparked backlash, as it reminded people of student activist Park Jong-chol, who died in 1987 after being tortured.
