Paichai High School begins disciplinary proceedings against 2 students over Starbucks chant at baseball game

Paichai High School has launched disciplinary proceedings against two students who led an inappropriate chant during a baseball game, according to documents obtained from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Kang Gyeong-suk, a lawmaker of the Rebuilding Korea Party on the National Assembly's Education Committee, said Wednesday that a school inspection report submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education showed Paichai High School had referred the two students who led the chant to its lifestyle education committee. The school is also reviewing whether to refer additional students who joined in.

The incident occurred June 29 at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul during a Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship game between Paichai High School and Gwangju Jeil High School. A second-year student identified as A led the chant "Let's go to Starbucks," prompting other students to repeat it, while another student, identified as B, shouted "Tank Day."

A coach from Gwangju Jeil High School filed a complaint with the umpire over the chants. Paichai High School's head coach said he had not heard the chants directly and only learned of the complaint from Gwangju Jeil's dugout during a changeover, at which point he reprimanded the students. After the game, Paichai's coaching staff visited the Gwangju Jeil dugout to apologize. As the controversy spread, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education visited the school and conducted an investigation.