Shinsegae Group Chair Chung Yong-jin apologizes over Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" marketing promotion at Josun Palace in Seoul on Tuesday. (Yoon Chang-bin/The Korea Herald) Starbucks Korea is facing one of the biggest crises in its history after a marketing campaign triggered accusations that it mocked South Korea’s historic democratization movements and victims of state violence.The controversy has sparked nationwide backlash, executive dismissals, police complaints and renewed scrutiny over the ownership structure between Emart, a core retail unit of Shinsegae Group, and Starbucks’ US headquarters.What happened? May 18: Starbucks Korea launches a promotional campaign for its “Tank” tumblers, using phrases like "Tank Day" and "Slam on the desk."
May 18: Criticism erupts among online communities as the phrases were interpreted as evoking military suppression by the military government in the 1980s. “Tank Day” evoked the military tanks used during the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, while “Slam on the desk” reminded of the dictatorship-era's attempt to cover up the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chul in 1987. Starbucks Korea pulled the campaign quickly and fired CEO Seon Jeong-hyun. President Lee Jae Myung chastized the marketing.
