Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Police in South Korea have raided the headquarters of Starbucks Korea as part of an investigation into a controversial advertising campaign that sparked widespread public outrage, AzerNEWS reports.

According to local media, the search and seizure were linked to the company's "Tank Day" promotion, which coincided with the anniversary of the May 18, 1980, Gwangju Democratic Uprising. Critics argued that the campaign was insensitive and disrespected the memory of those who were killed during the military crackdown.

The promotion offered discounts on sets of Tank glasses and featured the slogan: "Put it on the table with a 'So!' sound." Many South Koreans viewed the word "Tank" as an obvious reference to the military vehicles used during the suppression of the Gwangju uprising.

The slogan also drew criticism because the word "So" was associated by some with Park Jong-chul, the student activist whose death under police torture in 1987 became a powerful symbol of South Korea's pro-democracy movement.

The controversy intensified after a civic organization filed a complaint against Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin, accusing him of insulting the victims of the Gwangju uprising and their families. E-Mart, one of Shinsegae's largest subsidiaries, is the majority shareholder of Starbucks Korea.

Following the public backlash, Starbucks Korea dismissed the executive responsible for the campaign, while Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a public apology. The incident has reignited debate in South Korea about corporate responsibility and the importance of treating the country's democratic history with sensitivity and respect.