Starbucks Korea will temporarily close all stores to provide employees with history lessons, following a controversial promotion.

Starbucks Korea announced the temporary closure of all stores on June 22, to allow employees to participate in modern history lessons and social sensitivity courses, following a failed promotional campaign. The promotion, which coincided with the commemoration of the Gwangju massacre of 1980, generated negative reactions and boycotts, affecting sales by 26% in the following week. The AI-generated campaign slogan was deemed insensitive, and the company quickly withdrew the promotion, firing the CEO. Chung Yong-jin, the leader of the Shinsegae group, will participate in the training, demonstrating the company's commitment to preventing such controversies. Starbucks publicly apologized and initiated an internal investigation, while a police investigation is underway. Attitudes towards the Gwangju Uprising remain a sensitive subject in South Korean society.