Starbucks Korea will close all 2,160 stores nationwide at 3 p.m. on Monday to run mandatory training on historical awareness and social sensitivity, the company’s first nationwide early closure since 1999.
The move follows the swift suspension of the “Tank Day” promotion that Starbucks Korea launched on 18 May, the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising. The promotion drew widespread criticism for language and imagery seen as insensitive to the events of 1980.
“The program will consist of a brand-value workshop designed to enhance employees’ understanding of historical awareness, social sensitivity, and the values and mission that Starbucks seeks to uphold,” a company official said. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and other senior executives will join the same training session on Wednesday.
