Story perspectives

Starbucks Korea Shuts 2,000 Stores Over Gwangju Tumbler Controversy

6/17/2026

Summary

Starbucks Korea Closure

Starbucks Korea closed 2,000 stores at 3 p.m. on 22 June for training.
The closure followed a “Tank Day” tumbler promotion launched on 18 May referencing the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin and executives will attend a social-sensitivity session on 24 June.
Staff and E-Mart will train on 17 June.
Starbucks Korea says the shutdown will cost 2.1 billion won and reports police have named Chung and former chief executive as suspects.

Summary

Starbucks AI Slogan

President Lee Jae Myung posted on X that the “Tank Day” campaign is inhumane and disgraceful.
Starbucks Korea’s marketing team created the slogan “tak on the table!” using an artificial-intelligence suggestion tool.
The slogan references a 1987 police statement about a student activist’s death.
Investigations into the 1980 Gwangju Uprising confirmed military troops committed rape and sexual assault against civilians, an event that later sparked the 1987 pro-democracy movement.

History

Historical Context

The 1980 Gwangju uprising sparked a wave of student activism that culminated in the June Democratic Struggle of 1987, when over 1 million demonstrators, including the injured student Lee Han-yeol, forced Chun Doo-hwan’s regime to adopt a direct presidential election with 89 % voter turnout. Today, Starbucks Korea’s AI-generated “Tank Day” ad revives that protest memory, prompting President Lee Jae-myung’s criticism and corporate sensitivity training.

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Starbucks Korea Closure

Starbucks Korea closed 2,000 stores at 3 p.m. on 22 June for training.
The closure followed a “Tank Day” tumbler promotion launched on 18 May referencing the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
Shinsegae chairman Chung Yong-jin and executives will attend a social-sensitivity session on 24 June.
Staff and E-Mart will train on 17 June.
Starbucks Korea says the shutdown will cost 2.1 billion won and reports police have named Chung and former chief executive as suspects.

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