South Korean Police Probe Starbucks Executive Over ‘Tank Day’ Incident
SEOUL — South Korean police have questioned a Starbucks operator executive in connection with a promotional campaign that caused public outrage for evoking a deadly 1980 crackdown, the group confirmed to AFP on Thursday.
Starbucks Korea, which operates more than 2,000 stores under a licensing agreement with Shinsegae Group, launched a “Tank Day” reusable cup promotion last month. The date May 18 marked the 46th anniversary of the Gwangju uprising, in which at least 165 civilians were killed, though many believe the actual death toll is much higher.
Shinsegae fired its Korea chief executive the day the scandal broke, and chairman Chung Yong‑jin later bowed in apology. A civic group filed a complaint against Chung and other executives, alleging violations of a 2016 law that prohibits the dissemination of false information about the 1980 pro‑democracy crackdown, along with claims of defamation and insult.
Police questioned Yang Jong‑hwan, head of Shinsegae’s audit team, as a witness on Wednesday, according to a company spokesman. Shinsegae said it hopes the facts will be “clarified swiftly and transparently.”
Starbucks stores across South Korea will close for half a day next Monday for staff to attend a history lesson about the crackdown. The chairman and other executives will sit for a similar lesson two days later.
South Korea is Starbucks’ third largest market after the United States and China. The controversy sparked protests in Seoul and Gwangju and led to a “sharp decline in sales” in the early days of the scandal, according to the operator. President Lee Jae Myung expressed outrage at what he called “inhumane and disgraceful conduct.”
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