Brewed Controversy: Starbucks Korea Fires CEO Over 'Tank Day' Promotion

Mon Jun 01 2026 17:13:38 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Starbucks Korea faced severe backlash after launching a promotion deemed insensitive, leading to the sacking of its CEO. The 'Tank Day' campaign stirred historical tensions related to the Gwangju Uprising.

Starbucks Korea's CEO, Sohn Jeong-hyun, has been dismissed following public outrage over a new promotion dubbed 'Tank Day,' which some interpreted as an allusion to a tragic incident involving military violence during the Gwangju Uprising. Launched on May 15, the promotion sparked calls for a boycott and severe criticism, culminating in its swift cancellation and an apology from the company. The incident underscores the sensitivity surrounding South Korea's democratic history and the implications of corporate marketing decisions.

Starbucks Korea's chief executive has been sacked over a campaign perceived as referring to a bloody historical incident.

Launched on Monday, the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising crackdown, the 'Tank Day' coffee tumbler promotion sparked calls to boycott Starbucks Korea and prompted a harsh rebuke from President Lee Jae Myung.

Many felt the 'tank' motif referenced vehicles deployed by the military government in May 1980 to crush pro-democracy protesters.

Starbucks Korea rolled back the promotion hours after it launched. Shinsegae, the conglomerate that owns the majority stake in the coffee chain, apologised for 'inappropriate marketing' and fired the chain's chief executive Sohn Jeong-hyun.

The promotion, which used the English words 'Tank Day', was for their Tank Series drink tumblers touted to have 'spacious volume' for a large amount of coffee.

According to local reports, Starbucks initially clarified that the Tank Series was one of several series of tumblers it was rolling out in a campaign running from 15 to 26 May.

'We sincerely apologise for causing inconvenience and concern to our customers due to this,' the company said. 'We have immediately suspended the event and will review and improve our internal processes to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.'

Users on social media expressed their disbelief and anger at the promotion, with many demanding a boycott of both Starbucks Korea and Shinsegae.

The backlash was intensified by President Lee's criticism, who stated that the campaign 'insults the victims and the bloody struggle' associated with the Gwangju Uprising.

Reports estimate that hundreds of demonstrators were killed in the southern city of Gwangju on May 18, 1980. Following the incident, the struggle for democracy in South Korea gained momentum, culminating in significant political changes in the years that followed.

Shinsegae's group chairman Chung Yong-jin condemned the Starbucks campaign as 'an inexcusable mistake' and pledged to investigate the involvement of company procedures in the event.

Starbucks no longer holds any direct operational control in South Korea, having sold off its stakes in 2021. Currently, Shinsegae controls the majority of Starbucks Korea, with additional ownership by Singapore's GIC sovereign fund.