South Korean ministry to shun Starbucks vouchers in 'Tank Day' campaign backlash
· CNA · JoinRead a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
SEOUL: South Korea's Interior Minister said his ministry would stop offering products from companies that "make light" of the country's democratic history, after a public outcry over a Starbucks Korea marketing campaign that evoked a brutal 1980 military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
The coffee chain launched its "Tank Day" campaign on the same day as the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising, when the then-military government sent in troops and tanks to suppress mass rallies for democracy.
"Conduct that makes light of that history or consumes it as commercial material is an issue that can never be taken lightly," Yun Ho-jung wrote on X late on Thursday (May 21), expressing deep regret over what he called Starbucks Korea's "anti-historical conduct" and saying the Ministry of the Interior and Safety would no longer offer products from companies that made light of the history and value of democracy or used it as commercial material.
Shinsegae Group, the coffee chain's South Korean licensee, fired Starbucks' local chief executive this week over the campaign, saying it was inappropriate.
CNA Games
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
Show More
Show Less
When asked for comment about the vouchers, Shinsegae referred to Tuesday's public apology by Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin.
Government agencies, including the Interior Ministry, usually offer gift vouchers such as coffee coupons to people who join surveys, contests and public participation events, Yun said.
He urged other organisations and the public to follow his ministry's example.
The Interior Ministry oversees government administration, and disaster and safety management.
Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oheul also criticised Starbucks in an X post late on Thursday, saying his ministry would strengthen monitoring to prevent the spread of false information related to the uprising.
Hundreds of people are estimated to have died or gone missing when the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan cracked down on the protests in Gwangju.
Many details remain unconfirmed, including who gave the order to open fire.
Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin acknowledged the pain the campaign had caused in his apology this week.
"I deeply bow in apology as the representative of the group," Chung said.
The marketing "deeply hurt the public, the bereaved families, and the victims of the May 18 demonstration."
The uproar has also prompted boycott calls from consumers on social media platforms and complaints filed to the police against Chung, according to Seoul police.
Starbucks is the leading food and beverage chain in South Korea in terms of the estimated number of customers in the six months to February, according to data firm WISEAPP.
Newsletter
Week in Review
Subscribe to our Chief Editor’s Week in Review
Our chief editor shares analysis and picks of the week's biggest news every Saturday.
Newsletter
Morning Brief
Subscribe to CNA’s Morning Brief
An automated curation of our top stories to start your day.
Sign up for our newsletters
Get our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inbox
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app