Starbucks Korea Sales Drop Sharply After 'Tank Day' Campaign

Retail tycoon Chung Yong-jin, chairman of the Shinsegae Group which owns Starbucks Korea, issued a second apology in two weeks on Tuesday as the public outcry over the coffee chain's "Tank Day" marketing campaign fails to subside. The group is seeing a drop in sales over the campaign that appeared to reference a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980.

Korea sees 'very significant drop in sales' amid controversy, according to France 24 reporting. The decline follows sustained public criticism of the campaign's imagery and messaging.

Yong-jin released the apology statement on Tuesday, marking the second such statement within a 14-day period. The Shinsegae Group owns Starbucks Korea and oversees its domestic operations. The controversy centers on the "Tank Day" promotion and its perceived connection to the 1980 events.

No further details on the scale of the sales decline or the duration of the campaign were provided in the reporting.