Police in South Korea have raided the headquarters of Starbucks Korea as part of an investigation into the company’s controversial “Tank Day” promotion, which sparked public outrage earlier this year.
The promotion, launched on May 18, advertised a new range of large tumblers. The date coincides with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, during which military forces used tanks to suppress protests, killing at least 165 civilians.
Families of victims and a civic group accused the company of insulting those who died in the uprising and filed a criminal complaint against Shinsegae Group executives, including chairman Chung Yong jin and former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jun hyun.
A Shinsegae spokesperson confirmed the police raid but declined to provide further details. Police also said the investigation remains ongoing.
The controversy prompted Starbucks Korea to issue a public apology and temporarily close its more than 2,000 stores nationwide for staff education. Shinsegae has maintained there was no intentional wrongdoing, though it acknowledged shortcomings in its internal review.
The scandal also affected business, with payment data showing an estimated 17% decline in Starbucks Korea card transactions between May and June.
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