Starbucks Korea boss loses job after ‘Tank Day’ promotion misfires

Shinsegae, the South Korean licensee of ‌the US coffee chain, said in a statement on Monday that chairman Chung Yong-jin sacked Sohn Jeong-hyun, the head of Starbucks Korea, for carrying out “inappropriate marketing”.

Hours earlier the South Korean coffee chain launched ⁠a “Tank Day” promotion, which South Koreans saw as a ‌reminder of military tanks ramming protesters who fought against dictatorship in 1980s.

The promotion offered ‌discounts to customers who bought tumblers. The campaign used ⁠wording ⁠that recalled a former South Korean official’s explanation for the death of a ‌student protester in 1987, who was found to have been tortured.

South ‌Korea ‌marked Democratisation Movement Day on Monday, the anniversary of ‌the student-led Gwangju uprising. Hundreds, and possibly thousands, are ⁠believed to have been killed when citizens rose up against ⁠military dictator Chun Doo-hwan on May 18, 1980.

Starbucks Korea posted a statement on its website ‌apologising for the promotion.