Police Raid Starbucks Over 'Tank Day' Promotion Amid Suspicions of Flawed Internal Audit

[Anchor]

Police have launched their first compulsory investigation into Starbucks. Investigators have reportedly uncovered circumstances suggesting that Starbucks Korea's internal audit regarding the "Tank Day" promotion was inadequately conducted, with the search and seizure targeting mobile phones and other materials belonging to executives and employees.

Reporter Bae Seong-jae has the details.

[Reporter]

Starbucks has been facing allegations of insulting those with state-merit status for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement through its "Tank Day" promotion.

The Public Crime Investigation Unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency dispatched around 40 investigators to the Starbucks Korea headquarters in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, this morning (August 5) to conduct a raid.

This marks the first forced investigation, coming about two months after the police took over the case following a complaint filed by civic groups and others in May.

It has been learned that the warrant specifies the charge that Starbucks insulted contributors to the May 18 Democratization Movement through the "Tank Day" promotion.

The items targeted in the search and seizure reportedly include internal documents containing the planning and approval process for the promotion, as well as the mobile phones of former Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jung-hyun and employees who were in charge of planning the "Tank Day" promotional materials.

Previously, the police applied for a search warrant in June, but prosecutors rejected it, advising that voluntary investigation be conducted first.

Subsequently, while reviewing the Starbucks Korea internal audit materials submitted by the Shinsegae Group, the police confirmed signs that the audit had been carried out poorly and secured a re-issued warrant.

At the time of the internal audit, it was found that three out of the five employees in charge of the promotion, including an executive, refused to submit their mobile phones.

Based on the materials secured through the search and seizure, the police plan to focus on verifying whether the planning of "Tank Day" carried the intent to insult those with state-merit status for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

(Video Editing: Jang Hyun-ki)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.