1980 Gwangju Uprising

Starbucks Korea will close all stores early on June 22 for mandatory history and social sensitivity training following backlash over a marketing campaign perceived as mocking victims of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising. Shinsegae Group, which owns a majority stake in Starbucks Korea, canceled the controversial 'Tank Day' promotion and fired the CEO after the campaign used a slogan linked to a 1987 police cover-up of a student activist's torture death.

South Korean Starbucks' boss apologized again for a marketing campaign that sparked backlash for appearing to mock victims of the 1980 military crackdown. The campaign evoked memories of the bloody massacre, leading to public criticism.