Starbucks' South Korean operation announced Monday that it will close all of its stores nationwide early on June 22 for mandatory history and social sensitivity training. The move comes as the company faces backlash from a marketing campaign widely perceived as mocking victims of a brutal military crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1980.
Training Details
Shinsegae Group, which owns a 67.5% stake in Starbucks Korea, stated that group executives and employees at Starbucks Korea's headquarters will attend training led by history and sociology professors on Wednesday. All Starbucks stores nationwide will close at 3 p.m. next Monday so employees can watch a recording of the session, according to a Shinsegae statement.
Marketing Controversy
The coffee chain triggered an uproar when it attempted to promote a series of stainless-steel tumblers called "SS Tank" by declaring May 18 to be "Tank Day." The date marks the anniversary of the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, which was violently suppressed by Seoul's military government at the time. Troops, tanks, and helicopters were deployed, leaving hundreds dead or injured.
The campaign further fueled outrage by using the slogan "Thwack it on the table!" Many interpreted this as a reference to a notorious 1987 police statement that attempted to cover up the torture death of student activist Park Jong-chol. Authorities had falsely claimed Park died after investigators "hit the desk with a thwack."
Immediate Actions
Following the immediate backlash, Shinsegae canceled the promotion within hours and fired the chief executive of Starbucks Korea. Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin later issued a nationally televised apology as police opened an investigation after complaints from relatives of the victims of the Gwangju crackdown. Chung will undergo separate training with the chief executives of Shinsegae affiliates on June 24.
Shinsegae stated that the decision to close all Starbucks stores early for the first time since the chain's 1999 launch in South Korea and require companywide training demonstrates "how seriously it views the marketing controversy and its determination to prevent a recurrence."
Historical Context
The crackdown in Gwangju occurred months after General Chun Doo-hwan seized power in a coup in late 1979. Government records indicate about 200 people died in Gwangju, but activists claim the true death toll was much higher. Chun's government also imprisoned tens of thousands, citing the need to root out social evils.
Public anger over Chun's dictatorship led to massive nationwide protests in 1987, forcing him to accept a constitutional revision introducing direct presidential elections. This event is widely seen as the start of South Korea's transition to democracy.
