South Korean police raid Starbucks HQ over ‘Tank Day’ fiasco
Starbucks Korea caused an uproar when it launched a 'Tank Day' promotion on May 18, touting a new line of capacious tumblers for its coffee beverages.
South Korean police conducted a raid on Starbucks Korea's headquarters on Wednesday, local media reported, following allegations that the company's "Tank Day" advertising campaign disparaged activists killed during the 1980 pro-democracy uprising. "Tank Day" was a promotion launched on May 18, the anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, which saw at least 165 civilians killed by tanks.
Starbucks Korea's operators faced criticism for trivializing the historical protest movement and offending the victims, considered martyrs by many South Koreans. A civic group and bereaved families filed a complaint accusing Shinsegae Group, the firm operating Starbucks Korea, of defaming and insulting the deceased. The investigation is ongoing, with the Seoul police declining further details.
Starbucks Korea has since issued a public apology and shut down all stores nationwide for staff education in June. The company claimed its internal investigation found no intentional wrongdoing, though it admitted limitations, including a lack of surrendered mobile phones. Police investigators are seeking evidence beyond the company's own probe, with the controversy reportedly causing a significant drop in sales.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
