Starbucks Korea Faces Backlash Over ‘Tank Day’ Campaign Controversy

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:00]South Korea's interior ministry will stop offering Starbucks vouchers after backlash over a tank day campaign linked to the 1980 Gwangju uprising.

[00:00:09]Critics accused Starbucks Korea of trivializing a painful chapter in the country's democratic history when military forces used tanks against pro-democracy protesters.

[00:00:19]The controversy triggered boycott calls, political criticism, and public outrage.

[00:00:25]Starbucks Korea's parent company apologized and removed its local CEO following the growing backlash.