Business · Seoul

Starbucks Korea closes all stores early for history training after 'Tank Day' furore evokes 1980 massacre

Starbucks Korea will shut all its more than 2,000 outlets at 3 p.m. on June 22 for a company-wide history and social sensitivity training, the first such closure since the chain arrived in 1999. The move follows a public furore over a 'Tank Day' tumbler promotion that evoked the 1980 Gwangju massacre.

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In brief

Seoul · South Korea
How it came to this
  1. 18 May'Tank Day' tumbler promotion launches on anniversary of Gwangju Uprising.
  2. 17 JunHeadquarters staff and E‑Mart executives undergo historical awareness and social sensitivity training.
  3. 22 JunAll stores close at 3 p.m. for three‑hour employee training session, the first simultaneous early closure since 1999.
  4. 24 JunChairman Chung Yong‑jin and affiliate CEOs attend a separate training session.

Backlash over 'Tank Day' promotion

Starbucks Korea's 'Tank Day' tumbler campaign, launched on the May 18 anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, sparked immediate outrage. The promotion's name and date reference evoked the military crackdown ordered by then-dictator Chun Doo-hwan, which killed hundreds of pro-democracy protesters by some estimates. Shinsegae Group said the campaign was developed with AI assistance and that staff only realised its problematic nature after the public reaction. Sales saw a "very significant" drop, and President Lee Jae-myung condemned the campaign as making a mockery of activists.

“outraged by this inhumane and shameful conduct”

Lee Jae-myung, president of South Korea

Company response: mass training

In an unprecedented move, Starbucks Korea will close all its stores nationwide at 3 p.m. on June 22 for a three-hour training session. This is the first early closure across the entire chain since it opened in South Korea in 1999. The training covers historical awareness of modern Korean history and social sensitivity on issues like gender, labour, human rights and hate speech, led by professors from Sungkyunkwan University. Some airport stores may stay open.

“The move is intended to take the incident as a lesson and prevent similar cases from recurring.”

Shinsegae Group

Leadership and procedural changes

Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun was already dismissed over the debacle. Now, Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin and affiliate CEOs will attend their own training on June 24. Headquarters staff and E-Mart executives train earlier, on June 17. The company also plans to overhaul its marketing approval process, introducing a social-sensitivity checklist covering history, politics, disasters, military topics, gender and other areas.

“unintentional but never should have happened”

Starbucks Global Headquarters

Broader context

The Gwangju Uprising was a pivotal event in South Korea's democratisation, leading to free elections in 1987. The trauma remains raw, with official death tolls at over 200 but activist estimates exceeding 2,000. Starbucks's misstep highlights the risks companies face when handling sensitive historical anniversaries in the region.

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