veterans minister-Starbucks Korea
Veterans ministry to step up screening of false info related to May 18 uprising amid Starbucks marketing debacle
SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul has expressed "deep regret" over a controversial marketing campaign by Starbucks Korea and vowed to step up screening for false information associated with the country's pro-democracy movement in 1980.
"As the veterans minister, I express deep regret and serious concern over the controversy caused by Starbucks Korea's 'Tank Day' promotion held on the anniversary of the May 18 Gwangju uprising," Kwon wrote on social media Thursday.
Starbucks Korea came under intense public scrutiny this week after it launched an online "Tank Day" promotion, which drew public backlash for evoking painful memories of a bloody military crackdown on the May 18 Gwangju uprising.
Kwon also said the veterans ministry will seek to establish a culture where all people, including businesses, can develop a "mature" and "proper" sense of history. He also pledged to strengthen monitoring efforts and take corrective measures of information related to the Gwangju uprising.
The campaign drew heavy criticism as the word "tank" evoked memories of the military deploying tanks to clamp down on pro-democracy protesters.
Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul speaks at a future veterans policy forum in Seoul on April 30, 2026, in this file photo provided by the ministry. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
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