Starbucks Korea CEO fired over promotion that evoked military crackdown

Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun has been fired following a marketing campaign that sparked outrage for referencing the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. The campaign, which used the terms "Tank Day" and "5/18" to promote new tumblers, was criticized for evoking the military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung condemned the campaign for mocking the activists' struggle. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin personally ordered the CEO's dismissal after an internal investigation, stating the action was to prevent similar incidents. The company acknowledged the promotional materials were not thoroughly reviewed internally before launch. Another executive involved in the campaign will also be fired.

Starbucks Korea's chief executive, Sohn Jeong-hyun, has been fired following a controversial "Tank Day" promotion for drink tumblers. Launched on the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising crackdown, the campaign was perceived by many as referencing the military vehicles used to suppress pro-democracy protesters in May 1980. This led to calls for a boycott and criticism from President Lee Jae Myung. Starbucks Korea quickly withdrew the promotion and apologized for "inappropriate marketing." Shinsegae, the majority stakeholder, subsequently fired the CEO. Starbucks' US headquarters also issued an apology, acknowledging the incident should not have occurred.

The head of Starbucks Korea, Sohn Jeong-hyun, has been fired by Shinsegae Group, the company that manages the coffee chain in South Korea. This decision followed public outrage over a marketing campaign called "Tank Day," launched on Monday. The campaign promoted a line of tumblers with the tagline "put it on the table with a sound of 'Tak!'" Critics condemned the promotion for evoking painful memories of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a brutal military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, and for the phrase "tak" potentially referencing a controversial police explanation for a student protester's death. Shinsegae Group cited "inappropriate marketing" as the reason for Sohn's dismissal.

Starbucks Korea's CEO, Son Jung-hyun, has been fired following a promotional event that sparked outrage and boycott calls in South Korea. The "Tank Day" campaign, launched on May 18th, coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju democratization movement and used slogans that evoked the violent crackdown by the military regime. The promotion also included a phrase referencing a notorious cover-up of a student activist's torture death. Starbucks Korea apologized and pulled the campaign, with Shinsegae Group, the majority owner, dismissing the CEO and the executive responsible. The controversy has also drawn criticism from political figures and labor unions regarding the company's marketing and historical insensitivity.