South Korean police raided the national headquarters of Starbucks Korea on Wednesday, marking a significant development in the investigation into a controversial marketing campaign that incited nationwide protests and boycotts. A spokesperson for the Shinsegae Group, the operator of Starbucks in the country, confirmed the law enforcement action, noting that the raid was part of an ongoing probe into whether company executives intentionally trivialized a historical massacre.
The controversy centers on a promotional event held this past May, during which Starbucks advertised large to-go cups referred to as “tank tumblers.” Critics and the public took issue with the campaign for appearing to label the Gwangju Uprising as “tank day.” The Gwangju Uprising, which occurred on May 18, 1980, saw the ruling military junta violently suppress pro-democracy demonstrations in the city of Gwangju. Historical records indicate that at least 165 civilians were killed when the military deployed tanks to crush the protest movement. Furthermore, the promotional event was perceived to echo government statements from that era that denied the state-sanctioned torture and death of a student protest leader.
The public outcry was immediate, resulting in significant protests and boycotts against the coffee chain. South Korea represents the company's third-largest market, trailing only the United States and China. The fallout from the event reached the highest levels of government, with President Lee Jae Myung expressing public outrage. Following the incident, Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin and Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun both resigned from their respective positions after issuing public apologies. Police investigators told the Yonhap news agency that they are currently searching for evidence to determine if executives knowingly trivialized the 1980 massacre during the planning and execution of the campaign.
