Post by : Badri Ariffin

South Korean police raided the national headquarters of Starbucks Korea on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that an advertising campaign insulted people killed during the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising.

A spokesperson for Shinsegae Group, which operates Starbucks Korea, confirmed that investigators carried out the raid but declined to provide additional details. Seoul police also confirmed that the investigation is continuing but did not comment further on the case.

'Tank Day' Promotion Triggered Public Backlash

The controversy began after Starbucks Korea introduced a promotional campaign called "Tank Day" on May 18 to advertise a new range of large tumblers for coffee drinks.

The date coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising, when at least 165 civilians were killed after a military dictatorship deployed tanks onto the streets.

Many people in South Korea viewed the campaign as disrespectful to those who lost their lives during the historic movement. The victims are widely remembered as martyrs of the country's democracy movement.

Complaint Filed by Civic Group and Families

Following the backlash, a civic group and families of the victims filed a legal complaint against members of the Shinsegae Group.

The complaint accuses the company's leadership of defaming and insulting those who were killed during the uprising and their surviving relatives.

Among those named in the complaint are Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and Son Jung-hyun, the former Chief Executive Officer of Starbucks Korea, who later resigned after the controversy.

The campaign also reportedly included references to phrases that officials had previously used to reject allegations that a student activist had been tortured to death.

Company Issued Public Apology

The controversy led Starbucks Korea to issue a public apology.

In June, the company also temporarily closed all of its more than 2,000 stores across South Korea for staff education related to the incident.

Shinsegae Group has previously stated that its internal investigation found no evidence that the campaign was intentionally designed to offend anyone.

However, the company acknowledged that its internal review had limitations because the executive responsible for planning the campaign refused to hand over their mobile phone during the audit.

Police Continue to Gather Evidence

According to Yonhap News Agency and national broadcaster KBS, police investigators are searching for evidence that was not included in the company's internal investigation.

Authorities have not announced when the investigation will be completed.

Sales Declined After the -Controversy

The Shinsegae Group said the "Tank Day" controversy resulted in a sharp drop in Starbucks Korea's sales during the early stages of the public backlash.

According to data from local analytics company IGAWorks, Starbucks' estimated credit and debit card payment volume fell by 17 percent between May and June.

South Korea remains Starbucks' third-largest market after the United States, where the company was founded, and China.

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