Starbucks Korea raided by police after ‘Tank Day’ campaign sparks public outrage
Coffee chain has faced backlash over marketing promotion tied to anniversary of Gwangju massacre South Korean police have raided the headquarters of Starbucks Korea as part of an investigation into a marketing campaign accused of trivialising the country’s 1980s pro-democracy movement. Investigators searched the building in southern Seoul on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday. No further details…
Starbucks Korea came under police investigation following a controversial marketing campaign dubbed "Tank Day". The company launched a line of stainless-steel tumblers and declared May 18 as "Tank Day", marking the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju massacre. The event saw South Korean police storm the company's headquarters in southern Seoul on Tuesday, just days after the backlash.
The 1980 Gwangju uprising was a pivotal moment in South Korea's transition to democracy. Pro-democracy demonstrators were brutally suppressed by the military-backed government, with official records indicating around 200 people were killed. The campaign's slogan, "Thwack it on the table!", was seen as a reference to a notorious claim made by police in 1987, stating that student activist Park Jong-chul died after investigators "thwacked the desk" during an interrogation. This was a cover-up, as Park had died by torture.
Starbucks Korea temporarily halted all operations nationwide on June 22 for mandatory training in history and social awareness. The crisis prompted the Shinsegae Group, which owns 67.5% of Starbucks Korea, to cancel the promotion and dismiss the company's CEO within hours. The Shinsegae chairman, Chung Yong-jin, later issued a televised apology.
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