Not only will consumer trust in South Korea decline
but it will also damage the brand’s image, they argued
May 18-related organizations have sent a formal letter to Starbucks’ U.S. headquarters urging an official response and protest over Starbucks Korea’s ‘Tank Day’ marketing controversy.
On June 1, the so-called May groups—the Memorial Foundation and three public-law organizations (the Association of the Wounded, the Association of Merit, and the Bereaved Families’ Association)—sent an English-language letter to Starbucks’ CEO and board at its U.S. headquarters, strongly demanding a thorough investigation, accountability for those responsible, and a formal apology.
They opened by underscoring that the May 18 Democratic Movement is a symbol of South Korean democracy and a sacred chapter of history listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World register.
They added that, despite that status, Starbucks Korea used the word “tank” in marketing ahead of the May 18 anniversary—evoking the violent suppression carried out under the military dictatorship. The groups described the move as a serious historical insult and a human-rights violation that reopens deep, irreparable wounds for the victims, bereaved families, and the Korean public.
The organizations noted that Starbucks globally presents diversity, human rights, and social responsibility as core values. They argued, however, that the actions of its Korean operator, E‑Mart (part of the Shinsegae Group), have seriously damaged Starbucks’ global brand value and reputation—an issue the headquarters should not and cannot ignore.
They warned that if responsible measures are not taken immediately, it will be evidence that Starbucks’ professed global human-rights standards have broken down in the Korean market. That, they said, could lead to a decline in consumer trust in Korea and inflict reputational damage on the brand worldwide.
© Dailian Co., Ltd. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited
- She must be mortified: Revealing leggings—the real issue was elsewhere
- Samsung Electronics’ market cap tops 2,000 trillion KRW (1.5 trillion USD)…President Lee warns of concentration, says semiconductors are a core industry
- Hanwha Aero explosion leaves seven dead or injured…debate grows over applying the Serious Accidents Punishment Act
- Explosion at Hanwha Aero’s Daejeon plant kills five…suspected during propellant cleaning
- [June 3 pick] Park Hyung-joon: I see the Busan mayoral race has flipped; the outcome depends on consolidating the support base
Most Commented