[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] An employee at a Starbucks store in Ireland was ordered to pay 12,000 euros (about 16 million KRW) in compensation after drawing "slanted eyes" on a drink ordered by an Asian customer.
On the 17th (local time), according to the British BBC, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in Ireland ordered the Starbucks store in the Tallaght district of Dublin to compensate Suchabade Polly, a Thai-Irish person.
Polly, a Thai immigrant, ordered a green tea latte at the Starbucks store on the 12th and found "slanted eyes" drawn on the paper cup when the drink was served.
Although he gave the store employee his name abbreviation when ordering, the drink had "slanted eyes" drawn instead of the name he provided, a term commonly used to demean Asians.
He filed a complaint with the anti-discrimination organization WRC, expressing feelings of insult and discomfort. Born in Thailand, he moved to Ireland with his parents during childhood and acquired citizenship.
The WRC stated, "It is clear that the visual depiction of the complainant is related to his race," and criticized it as "offensive and unimaginative, like a 19th-century satirical cartoon."
Starbucks explained, "The employee at the store did not intend to cause insult or discomfort," and added, "Even after reviewing the CCTV footage, the atmosphere appeared amicable."
They continued, "We deeply regret the WRC's decision," but also stated, "We have a zero-tolerance policy toward any discrimination and will ensure that such incidents do not recur."
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