South Korean police raid headquarters of Starbucks Korea following the company's controversial 'Tank Day' marketing campaign

2026, August 5

South Korea

South Korean police have raided the headquarters of Starbucks Korea in Seoul as part of a criminal investigation into the company's controversial 'Tank Day' marketing campaign, which triggered widespread public outrage earlier this year.

The controversy began on May 18, 2026, when Starbucks Korea promoted a new line of large coffee tumblers using the slogan 'Tank Day.' The promotion coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, during which military forces used tanks and other heavy weapons to suppress pro-democracy protesters. Hundreds of civilians were killed, and the event remains one of South Korea's most sensitive historical tragedies.

Critics said the campaign's name and related promotional phrases appeared to trivialize the massacre and insult its victims and their families. Civic organizations and relatives of those killed subsequently filed criminal complaints against executives of Starbucks Korea's parent company, Shinsegae Group, alleging offenses including insult and defamation.

During today's raid, investigators sought internal documents and communications to determine:

How the campaign was conceived and approved.

Whether anyone knowingly ignored the historical significance of May 18.

Whether criminal liability exists for those involved in planning the promotion.

The fallout has already been significant. Starbucks Korea:

Issued a public apology.

Replaced its chief executive.

Temporarily closed all 2,000+ stores nationwide in June so employees could receive history and social-sensitivity training.

Reportedly experienced a sharp decline in sales following the boycott.

Shinsegae Group has maintained that its internal investigation found no evidence of intentional wrongdoing, while acknowledging that its review was incomplete because some employees declined to surrender their mobile phones for examination. The police investigation is aimed at independently determining whether criminal offenses were committed.