22:54 - 13.08.2026

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August 13, Fineko/abc.az. SCK Company, the operator of Starbucks Korea, reported a second-quarter operating loss of 18.4 billion won ($13.4 million), swinging from a 40.3 billion won (~$29.3 million) profit a year earlier and 29.3 billion won (~$21.3 million) in the previous quarter.

The downturn follows consumer backlash over a May 18 "Tank Day" marketing campaign, which drew intense criticism for evoking the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising. The controversy led to the cancellation of its annual June summer promotion.

In response, parent company Shinsegae Group dismissed the head of Starbucks Korea and initiated social sensitivity training for employees. While sales dropped significantly, parent company E-Mart refrained from explicitly linking the loss to the boycott in its official earnings release.