Starbucks Korea sacks CEO over controversial 'Tank Day' promotion
Starbucks Korea has dismissed its CEO following backlash over a promotional campaign linked to a historical massacre. The 'Tank Day' promotion, which coincided with the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising, was criticized for its insensitivity and perceived references to military violence against pro-democracy activists. The company has since apologized and suspended the promotion, pledging to improve its marketing review processes.
- ▪Starbucks Korea's CEO was fired due to a controversial 'Tank Day' promotion.
- ▪The campaign was launched on the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising, a significant event in South Korea's pro-democracy history.
- ▪The promotion sparked outrage and calls for a boycott from the public and government officials.
2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 2 hours. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: centre. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.
- ▪ Starbucks Korea boss loses job after ‘Tank Day’ promotion misfires — South China Morning Post
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| Original publisher | BBC News |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0k2dz4y6gxo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Tue, 19 May 2026 06:03:52 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-19T04:34:57.306Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-19T07:06:02.847Z |
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| Cluster | 2iKlA0Riaymu · 2 stories |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Starbucks Korea sacks CEO over controversial 'Tank Day' promotion11 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKelly NgandJake Kwon,Seoul correspondentGetty ImagesThe campaign referred to a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy activists in 1980Starbucks 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.
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