The Public Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency conducted a search at Starbucks Korea’s headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 5th, as part of an ongoing inquiry related to a complaint and criminal report claiming that Starbucks’ “5/18 Tank Day” event offended those who played a role in the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising. This is the first search and seizure carried out by the police 76 days into the investigation.
The police reportedly secured a search warrant from the court related to charges of insult. In June, the police had sought warrants for insult, defamation, and violations under the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in 1980 Special Act, but prosecutors dismissed the last two charges, noting they were “difficult to accept.” The police also requested a warrant to search Shinsegae Group, the parent company of Starbucks Korea, but the court did not grant it.
The controversy began in May when Starbucks used phrases such as “Tank Day” and “탁 책상에” (a wordplay involving a desk and the sound of a tank) during a promotional campaign. Opponents contended that the event distorted history by undermining the Gwangju Democratic Uprising of 1980. Others claimed the terms brought back memories of the military’s tank deployment during the uprising and the death of activist Park Jong-chul due to torture. President Lee Jae Myung intensified the reaction, labeling it an “inhumane and despicable act by low-quality merchants,” transforming the issue into a political topic ahead of the June 3 local elections. Some political analysts believe this had a negative effect on the ruling party in the Seoul mayoral race.
Throughout this process, the Shinsegae Group carried out an internal review. Nevertheless, three Starbucks Korea staff members responsible for promotions reportedly declined to hand over their mobile devices. Additionally, the audit team was unable to access internal messaging records from the event’s planning stage because the storage period had expired. A police representative mentioned, “The objective was to obtain previous internal messaging records and employees’ mobile phones that the Shinsegae Group could not verify.”
The police’s search on the 5th reportedly involved the mobile phone of former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jung-hyun. This has sparked rumors that the police are looking into whether senior Starbucks officials or leaders from Shinsegae Group knew about or were involved in the incident. The police had previously called Yang Jong-hwan, head of Shinsegae Group’s audit team, for questioning as a witness.
In reply, Jang Dong-hyeok, leader of the People Power Party, posted on Facebook, “As soon as the Lee Jae Myung administration gained complete control, the police initiated a ‘reciprocal investigation’ on their own. The Lee Jae Myung administration is intent on taking away the ‘freedom to have a cup of coffee.’” Some members of the opposition and legal professionals commented, “The police broadened the investigation after two months, causing further debate.” A legal professional stated, “Although the ‘Tank Day’ event was an inappropriate promotion, Starbucks maintained there was no intention to offend. The police’s delayed and forced investigation has led to doubts about their true intentions.”
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