Translation result
[Herald Economy reporter Han Ji-sook] Groups associated with the May 18 movement sent a protest letter to Starbucks’ U.S. headquarters demanding a full investigation into Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” event, which critics say mocked the democratization movement.
On the 1st, the May 18 Memorial Foundation and three public organizations—the Association of the Injured, the Association of Meritorious Persons, and the Bereaved Families Association—sent an English-language letter to Starbucks’ CEO and board calling for a thorough investigation, accountability for those responsible, and an official apology.
In the letter, they said Starbucks Korea ran marketing that placed the tank—the military vehicle used to violently suppress Gwangju citizens in May 1980—front and center ahead of the May 18 anniversary. They described the campaign as a grave historical insult and a violation of human rights that caused deep pain to victims and bereaved families.
The groups noted that while Starbucks globally promotes diversity, human rights, and corporate social responsibility, the historically insensitive actions of its Korean operator, E-Mart (Shinsegae Group), have seriously damaged Starbucks’ international reputation and brand value.
They urged Starbucks’ headquarters not to overlook the matter and demanded a company-level, comprehensive investigation.
The letter requested that headquarters thoroughly probe how Starbucks Korea and local operator E-Mart planned and approved this inhumane and irresponsible marketing, acknowledge the seriousness of the incident, and take visible, responsible steps to remedy it. They also called on the company to impose the strongest possible sanctions on the Korean operator for harming global brand value and undermining trust in the partnership.
The groups further demanded that Starbucks issue an official apology to the Korean public and to the May 18 bereaved families, and establish strict guidelines and oversight to prevent any recurrence of marketing that insults history or violates human rights. They warned that failure to take immediate, responsible action would amount to admitting that the global human-rights standards Starbucks claims have collapsed in the Korean market.
On the 18th, the 46th anniversary of the May 18 Democratization Movement, Starbucks Korea held a “Tank Day” event and used phrases such as “Slap the desk!”—a line that evoked the torture and death of Park Jong-chul—sparking widespread controversy. The backlash moved from online criticism to condemnation within political circles and government agencies. As the outcry grew, Shinsegae Group Chairman Jeong Yong-jin held a press conference and issued a public apology.
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