• Starbucks Korea will close all stores at 3 p.m. next Monday for staff history training.
• The closure follows backlash over a 'Tank Day' promotion linked to the Gwangju Uprising.
• Starbucks Korea aims to enhance historical awareness and prevent future marketing missteps.

Starbucks Korea has announced it will close all outlets across the country at 3 p.m. on June 22 for staff training focused on historical awareness and social sensitivity. This decision comes in response to a marketing campaign that triggered public outrage due to its connection to the tragic events of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. The promotion, which featured the term “Tank Day” on reusable tumblers, coincided with the anniversary of the military crackdown during the pro-democracy protests, leading to significant backlash from the public, according to SCMP and Channel News Asia.

Shinsegae Group, which operates Starbucks in South Korea, is making efforts to prevent future incidents by implementing a comprehensive training program. All employees will learn about significant historical events and social issues that should be considered in corporate marketing strategies. This initiative marks the first nationwide simultaneous closure of Starbucks Korea stores since the company opened in the nation in 1999, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Additionally, the training sessions will include discussions led by professors from Sungkyunkwan University covering modern history, labor, gender, and human rights. The company also plans to improve its marketing approval processes with a new checklist aimed at ensuring sensitivity to historical events and social issues, reflecting the seriousness with which they are treating the public backlash, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

Starbucks Korea has been heavily criticized following this incident, with reports of sharp declines in sales attributed to the backlash. The group’s chairman has publicly addressed the controversy, indicating a commitment to learning from this mistake and ensuring that it does not happen again, demonstrating a proactive approach to reputation management, according to SCMP and Al Jazeera.