- Starbucks Korea designates its Jongno R outlet as its 8th Community Store, dedicating part of proceeds to youth employment and career development programs.
- Funding will support expanded initiatives with Junior Achievement Korea, building on an eight-year partnership that has reached over 20,000 students.
- New efforts include Opportunity Fairs, vocational training, and support for underserved youth to improve access to job-ready skills.
Starbucks Korea has reinforced its long-standing commitment to youth employment by designating its Jongno R store in central Seoul as the company’s eighth Community Store, expanding funding and programs aimed at helping young people develop skills and access meaningful job opportunities. The Jongno R Community Store was officially dedicated on January 9, with Starbucks Korea announcing that a portion of the store’s proceeds will be donated to Junior Achievement Korea (JA Korea) to support youth career development initiatives.
According to Starbucks Korea, the funds generated through the Community Store will be used to broaden career education and employment programmes, with the aim of creating clearer and more accessible pathways from education to work for young people across the country. The move builds on an eight-year partnership between Starbucks Korea and JA Korea, which began in 2015 and has focused on equipping youth with practical skills through a mix of classroom-based learning and real-world workplace exposure.
Since the collaboration began, the two organisations have reached more than 20,000 vocational high school students nationwide, Starbucks said, and supported 470 young people in starting careers as Starbucks baristas. The company said the new Community Store marks an important next phase in scaling these efforts and deepening their impact.
JA Korea Chief Executive Officer Lee Eun-Hyung welcomed the initiative, calling it a meaningful milestone in the partnership. “I am delighted to join Starbucks Korea in this meaningful community store project, which represents a step forward from our eight-year collaboration in youth skill-building programmes,” Lee said. “We are committed to making the eighth Community Store a beacon of hope for young people in the local community”.
For Starbucks Korea, the Jongno R Community Store reflects a broader social impact strategy, particularly in supporting young people who face barriers to employment. Ryan Sohn, CEO of Starbucks Korea, said the expanded collaboration would allow the company to reach a wider group of beneficiaries. “This collaboration, which now extends to include vocational high school students and other young community members in need, represents a significant expansion of our youth employment support efforts, we are dedicated to empowering more youth through this new Community Store, helping them to design and grow a bright future”, he said.
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As part of the next phase of the partnership, Starbucks Korea and JA Korea plan to extend their skill-building education programmes beyond traditional school settings. The initiatives will now also include community college students and underserved youth in various regions, recognising the growing demand for practical, job-ready training outside of four-year university pathways.
A key addition will be a series of 'Opportunity Fairs', designed to combine career guidance with hands-on support. At these events, participants will attend lectures and take part in activities such as resume photo shoots, personal assessments, barista job counselling and mock interviews. Starbucks said the goal is to equip young people not only with technical skills, but also with confidence and practical tools to navigate an increasingly competitive job market.
By situating its latest Community Store in Jongno, one of Seoul’s most historic and central districts, Starbucks Korea said it hopes to make its commitment to youth empowerment both visible and accessible. With the addition of the Jongno R Community Store, the company reaffirmed its focus on long-term, programme-based support to help young people build sustainable careers.
