Starbucks Korea to Close All Stores for Historical Education After 'Tank Day' Promotion Sparks Outrage

(Yonhap News Agency, Seoul, May 15) — Starbucks, the global coffee chain giant, announced today that all its stores in South Korea will suspend operations for half a day next week, allowing employees to attend historical education sessions, after a recent promotional campaign sparked widespread controversy.

Starbucks Korea, which operates over 2,000 stores in the country, faced intense public backlash last month for its 'Tank Day' promotional event, criticized for evoking memories of the 1980 armed suppression of a pro-democracy movement.

The eco-friendly reusable cup promotion was scheduled for May 18, coinciding with the 46th anniversary of the 'Gwangju Uprising,' a pro-democratization movement. Official records state that 165 civilians died during the crackdown, though many believe the actual death toll is far higher.

South Korea is Starbucks’ third-largest market globally, following only the United States and China.

Shinsegae Group, which holds the franchise rights for Starbucks Korea, dismissed the country’s CEO and issued a public apology on the day the scandal broke.

Today, Shinsegae Group announced that all Starbucks Korea employees will undergo 'education on historical awareness and social sensitivity' through video materials.

All stores nationwide will close at 3:00 PM on the 22nd for a three-hour training session and will not reopen for business. This marks the first time since Starbucks entered the Korean market in 1999 that all stores have simultaneously suspended operations.

A Shinsegae Group representative told AFP that only a few stores located in airports will remain open.

The group confirmed it has identified a series of oversights that led to the campaign, including officials approving design documents without proper review. (Translated by: Li Pei-Shan) 1150615