The Baejae High School baseball team has apologized to Gwangju Ilgo High School following a controversy that erupted during a high school baseball game. The incident involved inappropriate cheers mocking the May 18 Democratic Uprising.
On July 6, all 36 members of the Baejae baseball team, along with some parents and staff, visited Gwangju Ilgo to read an apology letter. This visit came a week after the controversy arose during the Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship match against Gwangju Ilgo on June 29.
The Baejae baseball team stated, "We sincerely apologize to the players, parents, and citizens of Gwangju for the hurt caused by our inappropriate remarks and actions." The team's coach acknowledged the responsibility, saying, "There is no excuse for regional derogatory cheers."
The controversy began during the June 29 match when some Baejae players shouted phrases like "Let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day." These cheers were criticized for evoking recent controversies surrounding a Starbucks Korea event that was seen as trivializing the May 18 Democratic Uprising and the torture and death of activist Park Jong-cheol.
Given that the remarks were directed at Gwangju Ilgo, a school in the Gwangju area, the incident sparked further outrage over perceived mockery of the May 18 movement and regional discrimination. In response, the Korea Baseball Softball Association imposed a six-month suspension on the Baejae baseball team from national competitions.
Political reactions have been divided. The Democratic Party of Korea views the incident as more than just a case of student misbehavior, framing it as an issue of hate speech and historical distortion. Acting party leader Han Byeong-do expressed dismay, stating, "Regardless of political affiliation, no one should make jokes or belittle such matters." Senior spokesperson Kang Jun-hyuk criticized claims from some in the People Power Party that the punishment was excessive, arguing that equating mockery and hate with freedom of expression is unacceptable.
Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jun-hyuk called for stronger accountability from the school, asserting that while appropriate punishment for the players and coaching staff is necessary, the larger failure lies with the school's administration for allowing such behavior to occur. He criticized the incident as stemming from a lack of character education within the school.
Conversely, some members of the People Power Party and conservative figures have argued that the punishment is too harsh. Yang Hyang-ja, a senior member of the People Power Party, acknowledged that extreme and hateful expressions are wrong and contrary to sportsmanship but called for a reconsideration of the severity of the punishment. Kim Jae-won also described the players' actions as immature but deemed the six-month suspension for all student-athletes as "clearly excessive and violent."
Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reformist Party, also raised concerns about the punishment's severity. Han stated that while using the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a target for jeering is wrong, a six-month suspension for young students is excessive. Lee similarly urged the Korea Baseball Softball Association to revoke the six-month suspension.
The debate has also touched on issues of freedom of expression. Lee Byeong-tae, vice-chairman of the Presidential Regulatory Reform Committee, posted that the May 18 Democratic Uprising has become a taboo subject, emphasizing that the core of the argument remains centered on freedom of expression. In response, the Blue House warned that such comments from a government-affiliated figure were inappropriate and subsequently recommended resignation.
The Baejae incident has sparked a complex discussion involving inappropriate cheering by school sports teams, hate speech, gaps in historical education, the severity of punishments for minors, and political interference. While the Baejae baseball team has apologized in Gwangju, the debate over how to address the issue and prevent future occurrences is likely to continue for some time.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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