Baejae High School Students Face Severe Discipline for "Starbucks" Chant

Two students from Baejae High School's baseball team have received severe disciplinary action from their school for chanting "Let's go to Starbucks" at the opposing team, Gwangju Jeil High School, during a national high school baseball championship. The incident occurred on June 29 at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul.

The chant, which was reportedly led by two students and echoed by about ten others, sparked controversy as it was seen as reminiscent of a recent "5/18 Tank Day" event by Starbucks Korea. This event drew criticism for its perceived insensitivity to the Gwangju Uprising, a significant historical event in South Korea.

Baejae High School's student disciplinary committee convened recently to address the misconduct. While the specific details of the severe disciplinary measures against the two main perpetrators were not disclosed due to privacy concerns, it was reported that about ten other students who joined the chant received lighter disciplinary actions. The school had previously apologized to Gwangju Jeil High School for the incident.

This disciplinary action follows a previous ruling by the Korea Baseball Softball Association's Sports Fairness Committee. Last month, the committee imposed a six-month suspension from national competitions on the Baejae High School baseball team for the offensive chanting.