Starbucks Korea shuts all of its stores early on Monday to carry out mandatory training for employees on historical awareness and social sensitivity, following public backlash over a promotional campaign. The company says the training is designed to improve employees’ understanding of history and social values and to reinforce the company’s mission and brand values. Starbucks Korea, operated by E-Mart Inc., a unit of Shinsegae Group, suspends operations nationwide at 3 p.m.; outlets across the country close early, and the move is described as unprecedented since Starbucks entered South Korea in 1999.
The controversy centers on Starbucks Korea’s “Tank Day” promotion launched online on May 18, the anniversary of South Korea’s 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising. Critics and some politicians said elements of the promotion evoked or mocked aspects of the uprising and related events, prompting the campaign to be suspended within hours. Multiple outlets report widespread criticism and a customer boycott, with public apologies issued afterward by Starbucks Korea and by Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin. Some reporting also says senior executives participate in the training and that employees receive education through materials including videos.
