'Regional Insult' Baejae High School Baseball Team Takes 'First Step'... Visits Gwangju Ilgo on the 6th to Apologize → Pays Respects at the 18th Memorial Site

*This content was translated by AI.

Students from the baseball team at Baejae High School, who sparked controversy over regional insults during a national tournament game, are heading to Gwangju Metropolitan City. This is to apologize for mocking students of Gwangju Jeil High (Gwangju Ilgo) and trivializing the the 18th Democratic Uprising.

According to NEWSIS, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced on the 3rd at its briefing room in Huam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul: "Seoul Education Superintendent Jung Geun-sik and a delegation from Baejae High School will visit Gwangju around 3 p.m. on the 6th to offer an in-person apology and pay respects at the the 18th memorial site."

The delegation visiting Gwangju consists of approximately 80 people, including Baejae High School staff, coaches, student athletes, and parents. They will visit Gwangju Jeil High directly with Education Superintendent Jung Geun-sik to apologize. Afterward, they plan to pay respects at the the 18th memorial site and receive history education.

This is the first official action by the baseball team students and their parents four days after the incident occurred. According to Gwangju Ilgo head coach Jo Yun-chae, immediately after the game, Baejae High School's head coach Kwon Oh-young, coaching staff, some parents, and a second-year student who led the chants visited Gwangju Ilgo's dugout directly to apologize. However, actions by the Baejae High baseball team as an organization were delayed due to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's investigation into the facts and clarification of its stance.

The controversy arose on June 29 during the first round of the Cheongryonggi Cup between Baejae High School and Gwangju Ilgo. At the time, the Baejae High team repeatedly chanted "Go, go, Starbucks, go" toward Gwangju Ilgo in the latter half of the game. During this process, cries of "Tank Day" were also heard. The chants "Starbucks, go" and "Tank Day" are linked to the controversy over Starbucks Korea's "Tank Day" marketing campaign held on the 18th, the anniversary of the the 18th Democratic Uprising. Officials present at the scene, including KBO club scouts, clearly perceived this as mocking with regional insults.

Gwangju Ilgo immediately protested, and Baejae High promised an apology after the game and prevention of recurrence. However, national outrage erupted over actions that forgot the basics as students and citizens before being baseball players, and the situation expanded into the political sphere.

As the situation worsened, the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) imposed a six-month suspension from national tournament participation on Baejae High School at its "11th Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission" meeting held at Olympic Parktel in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on the 1st. Disciplinary actions against coaches and players will be deliberated later.

Baejae High School posted two official apology statements on its website, and the Baejae High School Alumni Association also criticized younger students and apologized on their behalf. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education dispatched staff to Baejae High School on the 30th to begin fact-finding.

Baseball team training was suspended, and two students who led the mocking chants were referred to the Student Conduct Committee. The Baejae High School Student Conduct Committee will reconvene after final exams. At the level of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, a commitment was made to eradicate hate culture and prevent recurrence on a large scale. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education conducted human rights sensitivity and ethics education for the entire baseball team and all students at Baejae High School.

An official letter was also sent guiding the eradication of discriminatory expressions in school sports activities within schools and the promotion of healthy cheering culture. It is reported that on the 1st, requests were made to the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee, KBSA, and the Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission to prepare measures prohibiting discriminatory and hate expressions inside stadiums.

Furthermore, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education plans to visit all school sports teams by August 21 to provide comprehensive guidance and inspection on human rights education, protection of the right to learn, and transparent operations. In addition, it is currently in discussions with the Korea School Sports Promotion Association to develop and distribute educational materials that prohibit hate and discriminatory expressions among student athletes and promote a healthy cheering culture.

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*This content was translated by AI.