Baejae High School Baseball Team Visits Gwangju Ilgo Directly to Read and Deliver Apology Letter: "Sincerely Apologize"

*This content was translated by AI.

Following controversy over chants mocking the the 18th Democratic Uprising during the Cheongryonggi High School Baseball Tournament, players, coaches, and staff from Baejae High School's baseball team traveled to Gwangju to issue a formal apology.

According to NEWS1 reports, members of the Baejae High School baseball team and related officials visited Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Ilgo) directly around 3 p.m. on the 6th, where they read and delivered separate apology letters signed by players, coaches, and staff.

In their apology letter, the Baejae High School baseball team bowed their heads and stated: "We sincerely apologize to the Gwangju Ilgo players, parents, and citizens of Gwangju who were deeply hurt by the inappropriate remarks and actions of our players at a baseball field that should embody dreams and hopes."

The team captain, Seon Su-dan-eul (CEO), said, "Through this incident, all players including myself have sincerely reflected deeply and learned how crucial character and attitude are in life beyond baseball. As fellow athletes, these were actions we should never have taken and situations that should never have occurred. We will live with a mindset of constant deep reflection," repeatedly offering their apologies.

The coach who leads the players also acknowledged full responsibility. The Baejae High School baseball coach stated, "As a leader responsible for properly guiding students, my responsibility is the greatest. Saying that I failed to promptly stop the inappropriate chants because I was focused solely on winning and losing is nothing more than an excuse," expressing self-reproach. He further added, "I had forgotten that there are things more important than winning. As a coach, I will humbly accept the responsibility for this loss."

Previously, on June 30, Baejae High School staff issued a separate statement saying, "We view this incident not as a simple deviation or mistake, but as a case stemming from a comprehensive collapse of ethical awareness and historical understanding, and we are taking it very seriously." The school is currently conducting an internal investigation and disciplinary procedures.

This controversy arose during the Gwangju Ilgo match at the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship held on June 29. It came to light that some Baejae High School players chanted mocking slogans reminiscent of the the 18th Democratic Uprising against their opponents, Gwangju Ilgo, sparking widespread outrage.

In response, the Korea Baseball and Softball Association (KBSA) convened its Sports Korea Fair Trade Commission on the 1st and imposed a severe penalty on Baejae High School's baseball team: a six-month suspension from national tournaments. The school has decided to refer two students — one who led the chants and another who shouted "Tank Day" — to the Student Life Education Committee for disciplinary action. Additionally, depending on the final investigation results, formal accountability measures for accompanying students and administrators including the principal and vice-principal are under review.

Meanwhile, after visiting Gwangju Ilgo to deliver their apology letter, members of the Baejae High School baseball team and related officials later visited the National the 18th Democratic Cemetery to pay respects and pledged to prevent recurrence.

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*This content was translated by AI.