Starbucks Korea's chief executive has been sacked over a campaign perceived as referring to a bloody historical incident. Launched on Monday, the anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising crackdown, the 'Tank Day' coffee tumbler promotion sparked calls to boycott Starbucks Korea and prompted a harsh rebuke from President Lee Jae Myung. Many felt the 'tank' motif referenced vehicles deployed by the military government in May 1980 to crush pro-democracy protesters. Starbucks Korea rolled back the promotion hours after it launched. Shinsegae, the conglomerate that owns the majority stake in the coffee chain, apologized for 'inappropriate marketing' and fired the chain's chief executive Sohn Jeong-hyun. The promotion, which used the English words 'Tank Day', was for their Tank Series drink tumblers touted to have 'spacious volume' for a large amount of coffee. The company has since issued an apology, stating they have suspended the event and will improve their internal processes to prevent similar incidents from recurring. This incident underscores the sensitivities surrounding the Gwangju Uprising, a pivotal moment in South Korea's pro-democracy movement, and the collective historical trauma associated with it.