Starbucks Korea to Close All 2,160 Stores Early on June 22 for Employee Training

M. on June 22 to conduct employee training on historical awareness and social sensitivity. The closures mark the first time the chain has suspended operations early nationwide since it opened its first outlet in 1999, Yonhap reported.

The training follows public criticism of an online "Tank Day" promotion launched on May 18. '" The promotion was suspended within hours. "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 participate in the same training program on Wednesday. , a unit of Shinsegae Group. The promotion drew criticism because the word "tank" evoked the military's suppression of pro-democracy demonstrators during the 1980 Gwangju uprising, and the word "Tak" reminded some of student activist Park Jong-cheol, whose death under police torture in 1987 became a symbol of South Korea's democratization movement.

A file photo of the Starbucks logo in Seoul was taken June 1, 2026.