The Democratic Party has voiced its concerns regarding the recent controversy surrounding the 'Starbucks chant' during a high school baseball game, stating, "We must end hate and restore respect and dignity." The party emphasized the need for institutional reforms to address the normalization of hate speech in society.
Kang Deuk-gu, a senior member of the party, described the incident as a deeply distressing matter during a Supreme Council meeting on July 1. He stated, "This is not satire but hate and violence. We have confirmed that distorted perceptions, hate, and mockery have deeply infiltrated our teenagers."
He attributed the situation to the failures of the older generation, asserting, "Hate cannot surpass dignity. We must end hate and restore respect and dignity."
Moon Jeong-bok, another senior member, remarked, "The May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement is a history that was defended with blood for democracy in South Korea. It is extremely distressing that this history has been trivialized into a chant at a sporting event, mocking specific regions and schools."
He added, "We have failed to prevent corporations from using historical wounds as marketing material and have not taken action against groups that distort history. The adults have erred. We will fulfill our institutional responsibility to protect the truth of the May 18 Democratization Movement and ensure that distorted historical perceptions do not take root in educational settings."
Park Ji-won also commented that the incident is not merely a case of a few students acting out or the antics of far-right groups, but rather a manifestation of the 'normalization of hate.' He stated, "We cannot stand on the mockery that undermines the human dignity of others. The Democratic Party will take the lead in eliminating outdated politics that incite hate and work towards restoring public discourse."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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