South Korean Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul has called for sanctions against Starbucks Korea, stating that its recent “Tank Day” marketing campaign, widely perceived as referencing the May 18 Gwangju democratization movement, was a deliberate company-level scheme, not an individual oversight. The minister emphasized his belief that the coffee giant’s South Korean operator should face clear criticism and penalties for the controversial promotion.
Starbucks Korea, operated by E-Mart (a subsidiary of retail giant Shinsegae), has faced intense public scrutiny since launching its online “Tank Day” promotion last week. Many interpret the phrase as an insensitive allusion to the brutal military crackdown on the 1980 pro-democracy movement in Gwangju, which saw tanks deployed against protestors. This controversy has led to a significant public backlash, including calls for a nationwide boycott of Starbucks.
Amidst the public outcry, a ministry official confirmed plans to review an existing agreement with Starbucks Korea that provides university scholarships to descendants of independence fighters. The ministry will consider public sentiment and other factors before deciding on the continuation of this 100 million won (US$66,500) annual scholarship program, which supports 50 students from 2024 to 2026. The veterans minister had previously pledged to intensify efforts to screen for false information related to the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy movement, located approximately 279 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
The impact of the controversial event was immediate, with Starbucks Korea reporting a sales plunge of over 26 percent within a single week. In a rare public appearance, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued an apology for the incident earlier this week, seeking “forgiveness” from the public.
In a separate development, Veterans Minister Kwon also highlighted the ongoing efforts to locate the remains of the revered independence fighter Ahn Jung-geun (1879-1910). Ahn, who was executed in 1910 for the assassination of Ito Hirobumi, Japan’s resident-general in Korea, in Harbin, China, is believed to be buried near Lushun Prison in the northern Chinese port city of Dalian. Despite his will requesting his remains be returned to Korea after national independence, their exact location remains unknown.
The ministry is actively tracking the death records of three Japanese individuals who were executed on the same day as Ahn, seeking potential clues. “We have requested the South Korean ambassador to Japan for his cooperation in this matter,” Minister Kwon stated. President Lee Jae Myung had previously sought cooperation from Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to China in January to aid in the excavation of Ahn Jung-geun’s remains.
