Gwangju school alumni groups demand accountability over Baejaego baseball team incident

The general alumni association of Gwangju Seojung Middle School and Gwangju Ilgo High School on Wednesday urged that a thorough investigation and clear accountability must come first in the Baejaego High School baseball team incident, saying both the perpetrators and victims among the students must be protected and that the response must reflect civic maturity.

In a statement issued that day, the association said Baejaego's apology letter only mentioned that action would be taken against the students, while ignoring demands — including those from Baejaego's own alumni association — for the principal's resignation and disciplinary action against school leadership. "Without a proper investigation and accountability, this cannot be accepted as a genuine apology," the statement said.

The incident occurred June 29 during a national high school baseball championship game at Seoul's Mokdong Stadium, when Baejaego players shouted slogans — "Let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day" — that evoked Starbucks Korea's "May 18 Tank Day" promotional event, drawing widespread public outrage.

Baejaego conveyed through the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Tuesday its intention to visit Gwangju Ilgo and offer an apology in person. Gwangju Ilgo responded by asking the school to reconsider an immediate visit, citing the ongoing exam period and the need for students to have time to recover emotionally.

The association said it viewed positively the decision by the Korea Baseball Softball Association's Sports Fairness Committee, which on Tuesday handed Baejaego a forfeit loss and a six-month competition ban, and also resolved to establish new penalty standards to prevent recurrence and to provide education for student athletes. "We will closely watch whether the subsequent procedures are carried out strictly," it added.

However, the association cautioned that "our goal is not to ruin the students but to restore education and justice," adding that the aim is to make students understand the responsibility they must bear for their actions and to prevent similar incidents from happening again — not to impose merciless punishment.

The association said a sincere apology grounded in the responsibility of the school and its governing foundation must come first before the alumni can respond with reconciliation and generous forgiveness. "We demand that all those responsible reflect on their conduct and uphold a morally accountable attitude," it said.