On May 19, 2023, Chung Yong-jin, chairman of South Korea's Shinsegae Group, issued a public apology following a marketing controversy involving Starbucks Korea. The company faced backlash for its 'Tank Day' promotion, which was intended to highlight the Tank Series travel tumblers. However, the campaign coincided with the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising, a significant pro-democracy movement in 1980, and evoked painful memories of military vehicles used during the crackdown on demonstrators. In response to the outrage, Starbucks Korea quickly canceled the promotion and issued an apology. President Lee Jae Myung also criticized the campaign on social media. Chung expressed deep regret and acknowledged the group's responsibility, stating, 'I bow my head in deep apology.' He promised a complete overhaul of the decision-making process to prevent future incidents. Additionally, Starbucks Korea's CEO, Sohn Jeong-hyun, was terminated as part of the fallout. The U.S. headquarters of Starbucks also apologized, emphasizing that the incident was unintentional but unacceptable. Since 1999, Shinsegae has operated Starbucks Korea and is its largest shareholder.