Civil Servant Unions Join Starbucks Boycott over 'Tank Day' Event
Yun said the ministry will stop using Starbucks Korea products after a promotion drew criticism for evoking the 1980 Gwangju crackdown.
- On Thursday, Interior Minister Yun Ho-jung announced his ministry will stop using Starbucks Korea products, expressing "deep regret" over the company's "ahistorical" marketing campaign that made light of South Korea's democratic history.
- Starbucks Korea faced public backlash after launching a "Tank Day" promotion on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising, using terms that evoked the military crackdown and the death of activist Park Jong-chol in 1987.
- The Korean Government Employees' Union urged members to boycott the franchise, while Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin apologized for the campaign's impact and Shinsegae Group fired the local chief executive this week.
- Investigations are underway as the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency reviews a defamation complaint against executives, while the Justice Ministry audits whether the Supreme Prosecutors Office purchased franchise products since January this year.
- Government officials emphasize that commercializing democratic history is unacceptable; Yun wrote, "Democracy was built on top of the sacrifice and devotion of many citizens," signaling stricter monitoring of corporate conduct going forward.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Civil servant unions join Starbucks boycott over 'Tank Day' event
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.
Channel News Asia
GMA Filipino NewsSouth Korean ministry to shun Starbucks vouchers in 'Tank Day' campaign backlash
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
South Korean ministry to shun Starbucks vouchers in โTank Dayโ campaign backlash
By Joyce Lee SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) โ South Koreaโs Interior Minister said his ministry would stop offering products from companies that โmake lightโ of the countryโs democratic history, after a public outcry over a Starbucks Korea marketing campaign that evoked โa brutal 1980 military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. The coffee chain launched its โTank โDayโ campaign on the same day as the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising, whenโฆ
Minister of the Interior and Safety Yoon Ho-joong stated on X (formerly Twitter) on the 21st, โI express deep regret over the anti-historical behavior of Starbucks Korea that has recently caused controversy.โ Starbucks sparked controversy by holding a โ5ยท18 Tank Dayโ event on the anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement. Minister Yoon expressed his regret following President Lee Jae-myungโs criticism at a Cabinet meeting the previous dโฆ
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources are Center, 36% of the sources lean Right
Factualityย
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
