韩国警方因名誉诽谤指控对星巴克韩国总部进行了突击搜查[1]。这一行动源于星巴克5月推出的"坦克日"咖啡杯套宣传活动，该活动时间恰逢1980年光州起义纪念日，宣传材料使用了"tak on the table!"的短语，模仿物体拍打表面的声音[1]。由于1980年光州起义期间数百人据信被军事独裁者全斗换的部队杀害，这一活动被认为影射军方镇压民主示威者的坦克，引发大规模抵制运动[1]。
面对民间团体提交的刑事投诉，星巴克最终撤销了该活动并为"不适当的营销"道歉[1]。星巴克母公司Shinsegae集团称内部调查结论为无意之举，规划团队未察觉历史关联，高层也未发现[1]。随后，星巴克在6月关闭全国门店半天，让员工参加历史课程，并解雇了首席执行官[1]。韩国总统李在明批评该活动"侮辱光州受害者和血腥斗争"，政府随之宣布抵制星巴克[1]。Shinsegae表示这场争议导致星巴克在韩国销售严重下滑，韩国是该咖啡连锁的最大市场之一[1]。
South Korean police have conducted a raid on Starbucks Korea's headquarters following defamation allegations related to a controversial marketing campaign [1]. The coffee chain had launched a promotional coffee cup sleeve campaign dubbed "Tank Day" in May, timed to coincide with the commemoration of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a date widely associated with military crackdowns on pro-democracy demonstrators [1]. The campaign's promotional materials featured the phrase "tak on the table," mimicking the sound of objects striking a surface—language critics argued was an implicit reference to the tanks deployed by military dictator Chun Doo-hwan's forces during the uprising, when hundreds of people were believed to have been killed [1].
The controversy prompted a significant backlash and civil groups filed criminal complaints demanding an investigation [1]. Shinsegae Group, the parent company overseeing Starbucks operations in Korea, claimed an internal investigation concluded the campaign was an unintended mistake, with the planning team having failed to recognize the historical connection and senior management equally unaware [1]. The company ultimately withdrew the campaign and issued an apology for what it characterized as "inappropriate marketing" [1]. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung criticized the initiative as "insulting Gwangju victims and their bloody struggle," and the government announced it would boycott the brand [1]. In response, Starbucks closed all its stores nationwide for half a day in June to allow employees to attend a history lesson, and the company dismissed its chief executive officer [1]. Shinsegae reported that the controversy has resulted in severe sales declines for Starbucks in South Korea, one of the coffee chain's largest markets [1].