By Joyce Lee
SEOUL, May 22 (Reuters) – South Korea’s Interior Minister said his ministry would stop offering products from companies that “make light” of the country’s democratic history, after a public outcry over a Starbucks Korea marketing campaign that evoked a brutal 1980 military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
The coffee chain launched its “Tank Day” campaign on the same day as the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising, when the then military government sent in troops and tanks to suppress mass rallies for democracy.
“Conduct that makes light of that history or consumes it as commercial material is an issue that can never be taken lightly,” Yun Ho-jung wrote on X late on Thursday, expressing deep regret over what he called Starbucks Korea’s “anti-historical conduct” and saying the Ministry of the Interior and Safety would no longer offer products from companies that made light of the history and value of democracy or used it as commercial material.
Shinsegae Group, the coffee chain’s South Korean licensee, fired Starbucks’ local chief executive this week over the campaign, saying it was inappropriate.
When asked for comment about the vouchers, Shinsegae referred to Tuesday’s public apology by Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin.
Government agencies, including the Interior Ministry, usually offer gift vouchers such as coffee coupons to people who join surveys, contests and public participation events, Yun said.
He urged other organisations and the public to follow his ministry’s example.
The Interior Ministry oversees government administration, and disaster and safety management.
Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oheul also criticised Starbucks in an X post late on Thursday, saying his ministry would strengthen monitoring to prevent the spread of false information related to the uprising.
Hundreds of people are estimated to have died or gone missing when the military dictatorship of Chun Doo-hwan cracked down on the protests in Gwangju. Many details remain unconfirmed, including who gave the order to open fire.
Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin acknowledged the pain the campaign had caused in his apology this week.
“I deeply bow in apology as the representative of the group,” Chung said. The marketing “deeply hurt the public, the bereaved families, and the victims of the May 18 demonstration.”
The uproar has also prompted boycott calls from consumers on social media platforms, and complaints filed to the police against Chung, according to Seoul police.
Starbucks is the leading food and beverage chain in South Korea in terms of the estimated number of customers in the six months to February, according to data firm WISEAPP.
(Reporting by Joyce Lee and Kyu-seok Shim; Editing by Ed Davies and Kate Mayberry)
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