Starbucks Subject to First Raid Over 'Tank Day' Controversy... "Internal Audit Was Deficient"

[Anchor]

Police investigating allegations that Starbucks insulted persons of national merit for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement through its so-called "Tank Day" event have conducted a raid on the Starbucks headquarters. It is reported that police detected circumstances suggesting that Shinsegae Group's internal audit was conducted perfunctorily.

Here is a report by reporter Jeong Jiyeon.

[Reporter]

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's metropolitan investigation unit carried out a sudden raid on the Starbucks Korea headquarters in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul, yesterday (August 5).

This marks the first compulsory investigation 76 days after launching the probe, with some 40 investigators deployed.

Starbucks faced widespread public criticism, with critics calling it a clear mockery of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, after using phrases such as "Tank Day" and "hitting the desk with a thump" in promotional posts for an event held ahead of May 18.

[Chung Yong-jin / Chairman of Shinsegae Group: "We will not offer any excuses. All responsibility for this incident rests with me. It is my fault."]

Persons of merit for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and civic groups filed complaints and criminal charges against Chairman Chung and others for violating the Special Act on the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, as well as for insult and defamation.

In the search and seizure warrant, police specified the charge that Starbucks insulted persons of merit for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, including figures like the late activist Park Jong-cheol, through the event in question.

It is reported that after reviewing the internal audit materials of Starbucks Korea previously submitted by Shinsegae Group, police found shortcomings.

When announcing the results of its internal audit, Shinsegae Group stated that three out of five employees on the event planning team, including an executive, refused to submit their mobile phones, fueling suspicions of a "deficient audit."

It was confirmed that the targets of this raid included the mobile phones of former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jeong-hyeon and executives and employees responsible for planning the "Tank Day" promotional material.

Based on the seized materials, police plan to determine whether the "Tank Day" event was planned with the intent to insult persons of merit for the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement.

(Video reporting: Kang Si-woo | Video editing: Jang Hyun-ki | Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.