Starbucks South Korea Staff to Attend History Lesson Following 'Tank Day' Promotion Controversy
Starbucks stores across South Korea will temporarily close next week for staff to attend a history lesson. This measure comes after a promotional campaign last month, dubbed 'Tank Day,' sparked public uproar. The promotion coincided with May 18, the 46th anniversary of the Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, and was perceived to evoke a deadly 1980 military crackdown.
Starbucks Korea has announced that its stores across South Korea will close for half a day next week. The closures are intended to allow staff to attend a history lesson.
The decision follows significant public backlash last month over a promotional campaign. Starbucks Korea, which operates more than 2,000 stores nationwide, had launched a 'Tank Day' promotion.
This particular promotion drew criticism for appearing to evoke a deadly military crackdown that occurred during a 1980 pro-democracy uprising. The date of the reusable cup promotion, May 18, coincided with the 46th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising.
According to the South China Morning Post, the company initiated these history lessons in response to the controversy.
