Aug. 11 (UPI) — Signs have been posted at Starbucks locations in South Korea informing customers that they will no longer be allowed to set up desktop computers, printers and multi-outlet power strips at the company’s cafes.
Starbucks Korea posted the notices at all of its branches in the country, and they also state customers will not be allowed to set up large partitions or leave their belongings unattended at tables for long periods of time.
The policy targets a group of customers known colloquially as “cagongjok,” a term combining the Korean words for “cafe” and “study.” It refers to customers who spend several hours studying or doing office work in the businesses. They are also sometimes referred to as “cafe squatters.”
The move comes after numerous complaints from other customers about people taking up too much space with their office equipment. Several photos showing customers with elaborate setups inside cafes have gone viral online.
Starbucks Korea said laptops are still allowed inside the cafes and people are still welcome to work or study inside the businesses provided they do not take up an excessive amount of space.
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