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Starbucks Korea Head Fired After Promotion Sparks Public Uproar
By Reuters | 18 May, 2026

Food conglomerate Shinsegae Group fired the head of Starbucks Korea after a promotion campaign was deemed to evoke tragedies during democracy protests.

A Starbucks logo is seen at a Starbucks coffee shop in Seoul, South Korea, March 7, 2016. Picture taken March 7, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

South Korea's food conglomerate Shinsegae Group has fired the head of Starbucks Korea after a promotion campaign sparked public uproar on the anniversary of pro-democracy protests.

• Shinsegae, the South Korean licensee of the U.S. coffee chain, said in 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 website apologising for the promotion.

• President Lee Jae Myung said on X that he was "enraged" and demanded the company apologise to families of people killed during the uprising.

(Reporting by Heejin Kim; Editing by Sam Holmes)