South Korean police raid Starbucks Korea headquarters

South Korean police conducted a search of Starbucks Korea's headquarters in Seoul on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation into a marketing campaign that has drawn widespread condemnation for allegedly insulting victims of the country's pro-democracy movement. The raid marked an escalation of a probe that began in May, following public outrage over the chain's "Tank Day" promotion.

The controversy erupted when Starbucks Korea launched the promotion on May 18, offering discounts on a line of beverage tumblers. The date is the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju uprising, a pivotal event in South Korea's democracy movement where military forces, including tanks, suppressed protests, resulting in numerous civilian casualties. Critics, including civic groups and bereaved families, alleged the campaign's name and associated language trivialized the historic protest and defamed the victims, who are revered as martyrs by many South Koreans. The promotion was withdrawn within hours of its launch.

In the wake of the backlash, Starbucks Korea dismissed its chief executive. Shinsegae Group, which holds a controlling stake in the local operator through its E-Mart...