Lawmaker praises Baejae High School baseball team for 'courage to apologize'

Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Kim Yong-man praised the Baejae High School baseball team for its public apology to Gwangju First High School, saying the Seoul school had shown "the courage to apologize," after a controversy erupted over players chanting slogans during a game that were seen as denigrating the May 18 pro-democracy uprising.

Kim wrote on his social media account Tuesday that on Monday, Baejae High School students visited Gwangju First High School and bowed their heads in apology. "It must have been a heavy walk to make, but from Baejae High School — which chose to face its wrongdoing rather than avoid it — I learn the courage to apologize."

He added that Gwangju First High School, which embraced the apology despite a wound that was not easy to bear, was both heartbreaking and beautiful. "Isn't the path of reconciliation the two schools have shown the road our divided society needs to take? I learned a great deal," he wrote.

On Monday, Baejae High School's baseball team, coaches and staff visited Gwangju First High School and issued a formal apology. "We sincerely apologize to the players, parents and citizens of Gwangju who suffered deep emotional harm due to the inappropriate remarks and conduct of Baejae High School players at Mokdong Baseball Stadium on June 29, during the Cheongnyonggi baseball tournament — a place that should be filled with dreams and hope," the statement read.

The team said in the apology that the incident had reminded them again of how important character and attitude are in life, beyond baseball. "Causing such serious mental distress and pain to the players of Gwangju First High School was truly something that should never have been done and should never have happened — as fellow players, we know that," they said.

The team's director also apologized, saying the players' chants denigrating the Gwangju region "are a wrong that cannot be excused by any reason." "As a leader who should have guided and taught the students well, I bear the greatest responsibility, and I sincerely ask for forgiveness," he said.

The controversy began when some Baejae High School baseball players chanted slogans including "Let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day" during a game against Gwangju First High School at the 81st Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League Finals at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul on June 29.

Starbucks Korea had previously sparked a major backlash on May 18 — the anniversary of the May 18 pro-democracy uprising — when it ran a tumbler discount promotion using the phrases "Tank Day" and "A thud on the desk," which critics said mocked the historical events of the uprising.