[6.3 Election] Min Hyungbae: "'5.18 Tank Day' Was No Mistake... Starbucks Must Pay the Price for Insulting Gwangju"

"Disclose the Planning and Decision-Making Process"
Demand for Accountability from Shinsegae

"US Headquarters Must Not Ignore the Issue"
Call for Review of Starbucks License Revocation

Regarding the controversy over Starbucks Korea's "5·18 Tank Day" marketing, Min Hyungbae, the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for the integrated special mayor of Jeonnam and Gwangju, has announced a strong response, stating, "I will make sure they pay the price for insulting Gwangju."

On May 20, Min posted on his Facebook, "Starbucks Korea's '5·18 Tank Day' marketing is not a mistake," asserting, "It is an inevitable disaster caused by a corporate culture that is arrogant before history and the repeated exploitation of far-right themes."

Min Hyungbae, candidate for the integrated special mayor of Jeonnam and Gwangju for the Democratic Party of Korea. Photo by Song Bohyun

Min especially targeted Chung Yongjin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, criticizing, "Having flaunted anti-communist games and Illbe-inspired mockery, now that public outrage has escalated into a boycott, he is merely trying to cut ties by dismissing the CEO and the responsible executive." He continued, "A verbal apology is not enough," presenting two demands.

Min argued, "Shinsegae Group must transparently disclose the planning and decision-making process behind the '5·18 marketing'," adding, "They must reveal to the public who proposed it, who approved it, and who turned a blind eye." He further stated, "The Starbucks U.S. headquarters must no longer allow 'anti-human rights and anti-democratic' marketing to go unchecked in Korea," and called for "substantive action, including a review of revoking the brand license." He emphasized, "As the Democratic Party of Korea candidate for the integrated special mayor of Jeonnam and Gwangju, we will take every legal action available," and added, "We will hold Starbucks Korea legally accountable."

This controversy erupted when Starbucks Korea held a "Tank Day" event on May 18, the 46th anniversary of the 5·18 Democratization Movement. Starbucks sold items such as the "Tank Duo Set" and "Color Tank Tumbler Set," and even used the phrase "Tak on the desk" in its promotional material, further fueling the controversy.

Criticism spread throughout the Gwangju region and online communities, with many pointing out that it evoked the image of the martial law army's suppression and military forces during the 5·18 period. Some also noted that the phrase "Tak on the desk" recalled the infamous police statement from the 1987 death of democracy activist Park Jongcheol: "He died after we hit the desk and he gasped."

As the controversy grew, Chung Yongjin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, issued an apology on May 19, saying, "It was inappropriate marketing that should never have happened and cannot be tolerated," and added, "I deeply apologize to the spirits of those lost in the 5·18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, their bereaved families, and the people of Korea." Major international media outlets, including the BBC and The Guardian, gave prominent coverage to the controversy and the dismissal of Starbucks Korea's CEO.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.