President Lee Criticizes Starbucks' 'Tank Day' Marketing as 'Mockery of Democracy'

President Lee Jae-myung strongly criticized Starbucks Korea on May 18 for its controversial 'Tank Day' marketing campaign, stating it was a "mockery of the sacrifices made by the victims in Gwangju and the bloody struggle of its citizens."

The criticism comes as Starbucks Korea's CEO, Son Jeong-hyun, was abruptly dismissed amid the backlash. President Lee's public condemnation adds to the mounting pressure on the company.

On his social media platform X (formerly Twitter), President Lee wrote, "To have an event called 'Tank Day' on the historic anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising is a mockery of the sacrifices made by the victims and the struggle of the citizens of Gwangju."

He further questioned, "How many innocent lives were lost that day, and how severe is the damage to justice and history? What kind of malice led to such an act? I am outraged by the inhumane behavior of these unscrupulous merchants who deny the values of the South Korean community, basic human rights, and democracy."

President Lee also emphasized that there should be appropriate moral, administrative, legal, and political accountability, asking, "Have they apologized to the victims' families of the May 18 incident?"

Earlier in the day, Shinsegae Group announced the dismissal of CEO Son Jeong-hyun in response to the marketing controversy. Reports indicate that Chairman Jeong Yong-jin personally received updates on the situation before informing Son of his termination.

The controversy erupted when Starbucks Korea used the term 'tank' in conjunction with a promotional event for online tumbler sales, which included the phrase 'tap on the desk.' Critics argued that this language evoked memories of the Gwangju Uprising and the torture and death of activist Park Jong-cheol.

As criticism spread, Starbucks Korea halted the event and removed related posts.