South Korea: Starbucks avoids brewing controversy by banning presidential candidates' names

All six presidential candidates' names are banned in Starbucks stores to "maintain neutrality".

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Six to be exact - and they happen to be the names of the candidates running in the upcoming presidential race.

That's because Starbucks has temporarily blocked customers who are ordering drinks from using these names, which would be called out by baristas.

The company said it needed to "maintain political neutrality during election season", adding that this would be lifted after the election on 3 June.

South Korean businesses and celebrities usually strive to be seen as neutral. But it has become more crucial in recent months, as political turmoil triggered by former president Yoon Suk Yeol left the country more divided than ever.