Shinsegae Group Closes Starbucks Korea Stores for Mandatory History and Sensitivity Training

新世界集團關閉星巴克韓國所有門市，進行強制性歷史與社會敏感度培訓

Jun 15, 2026, 13:11

Introduction

Starbucks Korea will close all its stores early across the country on June 22. This decision was made to provide mandatory training for employees regarding historical awareness and social sensitivity.

星巴克韓國將於 6 月 22 日提前關閉全國所有門市。此決定旨在為員工提供關於歷史意識與社會敏感度的強制性培訓。

Main Body

The decision follows a controversial marketing campaign for "SS Tank" tumblers that named May 18 as "Tank Day." This date is the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a pro-democracy movement where the military used tanks and troops, causing many civilian deaths. Furthermore, the public was angered by the slogan "Thwack it on the table!", which seemed to mock the 1987 torture-death of activist Park Jong-chol. Shinsegae Group explained that an artificial intelligence tool was used to choose this slogan.

此決定源於先前針對「SS Tank」隨行杯的行銷活動引起爭議，將 5 月 18 日命名為「坦克日」。該日期為 1980 年光州起義的週年紀念日，當時軍隊使用坦克與士兵鎮壓，導致許多平民死亡。此外，口號「在桌上拍下去！」（Thwack it on the table!）亦引起公眾憤怒，因其被認為是在嘲諷 1987 年被酷刑致死的運動人士朴鍾哲。新世界集團解釋，該口號是使用人工智慧工具選出的。

In response, Shinsegae Group took several serious actions. The company fired the CEO of Starbucks Korea, and Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a formal apology. Additionally, President Lee Jae Myung's administration described the company's behavior as "inhumane and disgraceful." Consequently, the company saw a large drop in sales and faced legal complaints from the victims' families. To prevent this from happening again, Shinsegae will introduce a social-sensitivity checklist and require legal reviews for all future marketing materials.

對此，新世界集團採取了多項嚴厲措施。公司解雇了星巴克韓國的執行長，會長鄭勇進也發表了正式道歉。此外，李在明總統政府將公司的行為描述為「不人道且可恥」。因此，公司銷售額大幅下降，並面臨受害者家屬的法律訴訟。為防止再次發生此類事件，新世界將引入社會敏感度檢查清單，並要求未來所有行銷素材必須經過法律審核。

The training program is organized in stages. On June 17, executives and headquarters staff will attend lectures by professors from Sungkyunkwan University. Then, on June 22, almost all store employees will close their shops at 3:00 PM to watch recordings of these lessons. Finally, Chairman Chung and other CEOs will have their own training on June 24. This is the first time the brand has closed all its stores at once since entering the Korean market in 1999.

培訓計畫分階段進行。6 月 17 日，高層與總部員工將參加成均館大學教授的講座。接著在 6 月 22 日，幾乎所有門市員工將於下午 3 點關店，觀看這些講座的錄影。最後，鄭會長與其他執行長將於 6 月 24 日接受專屬培訓。這是該品牌自 1999 年進入韓國市場以來，首次一次性關閉所有門市。

Conclusion

The company has moved from simply managing the crisis to completely changing its corporate rules to ensure such a controversy does not happen again.

公司已從單純的危機處理，轉變為全面修改公司規範，以確保此類爭議不再發生。

Vocabulary Learning

The "Cause & Effect" Power-Up

At the A2 level, you likely use the word "so" for everything. To reach B2, you need to express why things happen using a variety of "connecting words." This article is a goldmine for this transition.

⚡ Leveling Up Your Connectors

Look at how the story moves from a mistake to a consequence. Instead of saying "They made a mistake, so they closed stores," the text uses these sophisticated bridges:

"Consequently..." $\rightarrow$ $\to$ (B2 Upgrade for 'So')
- Example: "...the company saw a large drop in sales... Consequently, the company saw a large drop in sales."
"In response..." $\rightarrow$ $\to$ (Used when someone does something because of a specific event)
- Example: "In response, Shinsegae Group took several serious actions."
"To prevent this from happening again..." $\rightarrow$ $\to$ (Showing a goal or purpose)
- Example: "To prevent this from happening again, Shinsegae will introduce a checklist."

🧠 The "B2 Logic" Shift

A2 Style: Simple sentences.

"The AI chose the slogan. People were angry."

B2 Style: Complex links.

"The public was angered by the slogan... which seemed to mock the torture-death of an activist."

The Secret: Notice the word "which." In B2 English, we use "which" to add extra information to a noun without starting a new sentence. This makes your speech flow like a native speaker rather than a textbook.

🛠️ Quick Vocabulary Pivot

Stop using 'bad' or 'wrong'. Use these Precision Words from the text to sound more professional:

Instead of...	Use this B2 Word	Context from Text
Bad/Wrong	Controversial	A controversial marketing campaign.
Very Bad	Inhumane	Behavior described as inhumane.
Forced	Mandatory	Mandatory training for employees.

Vocabulary Learning

mandatory (adj.)

Required by law or rules; compulsory.

Example:The company announced that attendance at the safety workshop is mandatory for all staff.

controversial (adj.)

Causing a lot of disagreement or public argument.

Example:The government's controversial decision to raise taxes led to widespread protests.

mock (v.)

To make fun of someone or something in a cruel way.

Example:It is never acceptable to mock someone's cultural traditions or beliefs.

inhumane (adj.)

Lacking humanity, kindness, or compassion; cruel.

Example:The prisoners were kept in inhumane conditions with very little food or water.

disgraceful (adj.)

Shockingly unacceptable or shameful.

Example:The way the manager treated his employees was absolutely disgraceful.

consequently (adv.)

As a result of something that happened before.

Example:He failed to study for the exam; consequently, he did not pass the course.

Practice B2 words in a crossword→