Gwangju Ilgo, After Apology, Urges Leniency for Baejae High

Seoul's Baejae High School baseball team, which received a heavy six-month competition ban after some of its players chanted a cheer mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement during a game against Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Ilgo), is discussing whether to file an appeal. Gwangju Ilgo, meanwhile, called on the Korea Baseball Softball Association to show leniency after receiving an in-person apology from Baejae High.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Wednesday that the Baejae High baseball team was discussing whether to appeal the six-month competition ban. An appeal may be filed within seven days from the date the disciplinary decision is notified, making Thursday the deadline. According to relevant regulations, once an appeal is received, a committee must be convened within 60 days to review and decide on the matter, so a conclusion is expected within two months.

Earlier, on the 29th of last month, some student athletes on the Baejae High baseball team drew controversy by chanting "Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks" toward the Gwangju Ilgo dugout during a game held at Mokdong Stadium in Seoul. On the 1st of this month, the Sports Fair Play Committee of the Korea Baseball Softball Association resolved to impose a six-month competition ban on Baejae High and a forfeit of the team's remaining games in the 81st Chungnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship. As a result, Baejae High will also be unable to participate in the 54th Bonghwangdaegi National High School Baseball Tournament, to be held next month.

Because Bonghwangdaegi is a national tournament with no regional qualifiers, third-year players will face disadvantages in college admissions.

In connection with this, Gwangju Ilgo asked the Korea Baseball Softball Association to reconsider the disciplinary measure. Lee Kyu-yeon, principal of Gwangju Ilgo, held a press conference the same day and said: "We ask the Korea Baseball Softball Association and baseball officials. Considering the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation, we hope you will bring together your administrative capabilities and wisdom so that the Baejae High baseball team's students can make a fresh start within the stadium." He added, "To the Baejae High students, faculty, parents, and alumni association members who came to Gwangju Jeil High School in person yesterday to convey their apology and promise a new beginning, we hope you can now set down the burden on your hearts and quickly return to daily life."

The Gwangju Ilgo Alumni Association also issued a statement, saying, "Engraving a scarlet letter on the hearts of students who deeply repented their wrongdoing and sincerely sought forgiveness is by no means the path we wish for." It added, "We hope this painful mistake will be sublimated into a fine compass for the lives of the Baejae High students."