High school baseball teams to visit May 18th cemetery together after apology over taunts

Students from Gwangju Jeil High School and Baejae High School in South Korea will jointly visit the May 18th National Cemetery on June 6th. This joint visit aims to foster reconciliation following an incident involving alleged taunting by Baejae High baseball players towards their Gwangju Jeil counterparts.

Baejae High School's baseball team, along with coaches, parents, and staff, totaling about 80 individuals, are scheduled to visit Gwangju Jeil High School on June 6th to offer a formal apology. Gwangju Jeil High School had considered the request, taking into account academic schedules and student well-being, before ultimately accepting the apology visit after consulting with their baseball players.

The incident occurred during a recent baseball game where Baejae High players allegedly chanted remarks, including "Let's go to Starbucks, let's go, let's go," accompanied by gestures. Some students reportedly shouted "Tank Day." These chants were criticized as mocking, particularly as they evoked a controversial promotional event by Starbucks Korea on the anniversary of the May 18th Gwangju Uprising.

Following the apology at Gwangju Jeil High School, students from both institutions will proceed together to the May 18th National Cemetery for a memorial visit. The Superintendents of Education for Jeonnam-Gwangju and Seoul will accompany the students. The principal of Gwangju Jeil High School expressed hope that the visit would mark a fresh start for the students, while the Jeonnam-Gwangju education office plans to discuss strengthening democratic citizenship education with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

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I decided to accept the apology visit because I felt that the students of Baejae High School were genuinely remorseful and wished for true reconciliation.