Starbucks Korea to Close Stores for History Lessons After ‘Tank Day’ Backlash

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Seoul: Starbucks stores in South Korea will close for half a day next week to let staff to attend mandatory history education classes in response to the company's controversial ‘Tank Day’ campaign, which prompted widespread controversy.

The controversy started after Starbucks Korea launched a promotion for its ‘Tank’ tumbler series on May 18, the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, during which military forces mercilessly suppressed pro-democracy protesters. Many South Koreans saw the campaign as disrespectful to a difficult period in the country's history.

Campaign slogans that seemed to repeat terms connected to the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chul in 1987 drew more criticism. Boycotts, strikes, and demands for reimbursement of prepaid Starbucks balances resulted in public outrage.

The controversy led to the CEO of Starbucks Korea being fired, Shinsegae Group, the parent business, publicly apologising, and various government institutions distancing themselves. The company claims that the education sessions and retail closures are intended to stop such incidents from occurring anymore.