Starbucks in South Korea is set to close all its branches for half a day next week to enable staff to attend a mandatory history lesson. The unprecedented measure comes in response to a significant public backlash over a recent promotional campaign that was widely perceived to evoke a deadly military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.
The coffee chain faced extensive criticism after it introduced a 'Tank Day' reusable cup promotion on the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising. This historical event in 1980 saw at least 165 civilians killed by the military, though many believe the true figure to be considerably higher. Shinsegae Group, which operates Starbucks under a licensing agreement in South Korea, swiftly fired the country's chief executive on the day the scandal erupted. The group's chairman, Chung Yong-jin, is also expected to participate in the training.
All Starbucks Korea stores will close at 3:00 PM local time (6:00 AM GMT) next Monday for three hours, not reopening until the following day. During this period, employees will 'receive education in historical awareness and social sensitivity through watching videos', according to the company. This marks the first nationwide early closure for Starbucks Korea since its establishment in the country in 1999.
The controversial 'Tank Day' promotion was linked to the chain's 'Tank Series' of drink tumblers, marketed for their 'spacious volume'. Starbucks Korea initially clarified that the 'Tank Series' was part of a broader tumbler campaign running from 15th to 26th May and apologised 'for causing inconvenience and concern to our customers due to this'. However, the damage was already done, with South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung expressing outrage over 'this inhumane and disgraceful conduct' on social media, leading to protests outside stores and a reported significant drop in sales following boycott calls.
Further investigations into the 1980 Gwangju Uprising later confirmed that troops deployed by the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan also committed rape and sexual assault. The uprising is a pivotal moment in South Korean history, widely credited with setting the nation on its path toward democracy and serving as a rallying cry for activists, culminating in a movement in June 1987 that ultimately toppled Chun's regime. Some in South Korea also claim the Starbucks campaign inadvertently referenced the 1987 movement, particularly through promotional material for the tumbler which used the phrase 'tak on the table!' – a word that reportedly sounds like an object being slapped on a table and was also used in a controversial police statement in 1987 regarding the death of a student activist in custody. Shinsegae Group stated that marketers chose the slogan with the help of an AI tool.