The Baejae High School baseball team, along with faculty members and parents, visited Gwangju on Sunday to formally apologize to Gwangju Jeil High School after sparking controversy over cheers that disparaged the region during a high school baseball game.
The captain of the Baejae High baseball team issued a handwritten apology for the pain caused to Gwangju Jeil High players, parents, and Gwangju citizens by players' inappropriate remarks and actions during the Chungnyong-gi baseball tournament on the 29th of last month. "Because of this incident, all the players on our team, including myself, are sincerely and deeply reflecting on ourselves," he said. "As fellow players, it was truly something that should never have been done, and we caused great suffering. We sincerely apologize."
Kwon Oh-young, the Baejae High baseball team coach, also acknowledged that the students' region-disparaging cheers were "a wrong that can never be excused," admitting that his responsibility as a leader was the greatest. "Because I was focused only on winning and losing, I failed to stop the improper cheering in time," he said, blaming himself, adding, "I had forgotten that there is something more important than winning." He continued, "I will fully carry out my responsibility as a leader so that this kind of thing never happens again."
Baejae High faculty members also issued a separate apology, describing the matter not as a simple deviation but as "a case stemming from a total collapse of ethical consciousness and historical awareness." They said the use of taunting slogans linked to the May 18 Democratization Movement revealed that members of the school had not sufficiently shared ethical and historical awareness, expressing that they felt devastated and ashamed.
The faculty said they are currently conducting their own fact-finding investigation and disciplinary procedures, and that they would relearn and reflect with students on the fact that "democracy begins with an attitude of respecting one another." They added that they would strive to become an educational community that values consideration over ridicule and solidarity over hatred.
