Baejae High players' 'Starbucks' taunt stirs regional-slur controversy at national baseball tournament

By Jung Joo-won, The Herald Business

A chant that appeared to mock an opposing school during one of the country's most prestigious high school baseball tournaments has stirred controversy. The incident came to light after some players from Baejae High School shouted "Let's go to Starbucks" toward the dugout of Gwangju Jeil High School — widely known as Gwangju Ilgo — drawing accusations of regional discrimination.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the chant was directed at the Gwangju Ilgo dugout during the first-round game between the two schools at the 81st Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League Finals, held Monday at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul.

The remark is widely interpreted as a mocking reference to the so-called "May 18 Tank Day" controversy involving Starbucks Korea last month.

Posts summarizing the incident circulated on online communities. One account described how some Baejae players shouted the chant toward the Gwangju Ilgo dugout as their team was on the verge of a seventh-inning mercy-rule victory, prompting the Gwangju Ilgo coaching staff to lodge a strong protest. Umpires intervened to defuse the situation, and Baejae officials were said to have restrained the players.

Gwangju Ilgo director Jo Yun-chae said after the game that the opposing team had made "a taunt that is hard to understand," adding that it was "content that could hurt our students." Jo said he had asked the umpires to intervene at the time and had also reported the matter to the Korea Baseball Softball Association, expressing hope that "such a thing never happens again."

Baejae High apologized immediately after the game. Director Kwon Oh-young said, "Our students were wrong. The adults who failed to properly educate them bear great responsibility." He said he had contacted the Gwangju Ilgo director right after the game to apologize, adding, "I am deeply sorry."

Kwon said the school was reviewing follow-up measures and pledged to redouble efforts to educate students so that such an incident would not recur.

The Korea Baseball Softball Association plans to convene its sports ethics committee to decide whether to impose disciplinary action. An association official said it would conduct an internal investigation given that a formal complaint had been filed, and that questions of responsibility for managing the players would also be examined.