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Students who chanted 'Let's go to Starbucks' quit Paichai High School baseball team

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Summary

Two Paichai High School baseball players have decided to quit the team after controversy over chants mocking the May 18 Democratic Uprising during a June 29 game against Gwangju Jeil High School in Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said the students recently told the school they intended to leave baseball. The team had faced sanctions, an apology visit, and school discipline after the incident.

Key Facts

  • The game was held at Mokdong Baseball Stadium as part of the 81st Blue Dragon National High School Baseball Championship, which also serves as the weekend league’s national finals.
  • The Korea Baseball Softball Association suspended Paichai High School from national competitions for six months on July 1.
  • The Korean Sport & Olympic Committee later reduced the suspension to one month after a review.
  • Paichai High School convened a student disciplinary committee and disciplined the two students who started the chant, while ten other students who joined received lighter punishment.
By Hankookilbo
  • Published KST
Paichai High School baseball players take the field ahead of their game against Incheon High School in the 54th Bonghwangdaegi National High School Baseball Tournament at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Yangcheon District, Seoul, Aug. 12. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

Paichai High School baseball players take the field ahead of their game against Incheon High School in the 54th Bonghwangdaegi National High School Baseball Tournament at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Yangcheon District, Seoul, Aug. 12. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon

Two students on Seoul’s Paichai High School baseball team have decided to give up playing baseball after becoming embroiled in controversy for chanting slogans criticized for mocking the May 18 Democratic Uprising during a game against Gwangju Jeil High School.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Tuesday that the two students recently notified their school of their intention to leave the baseball team. They were known to have chanted slogans including“Let’s go to Starbucks” at the Gwangju-based baseball team during the game.

“According to the school, the two players informed school officials that they intended to quit baseball,” an official from the education office said.

The team was at the center of controversy after chanting slogans that appeared to echo Starbucks’ controversial “Tank Day” promotion last May, including “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go to Starbucks” and “Tank Day,” during a June 29 game against Gwangju Jeil High School. Held at Mokdong Baseball Stadium, the game was part of the 81st Blue Dragon National High School Baseball Championship, which also serves as the weekend league’s national finals.

They were criticized for mocking the May 18 Democratic Uprising and disparaging Gwangju, where the uprising took place. The Korea Baseball Softball Association’s Fair Play Committee suspended Paichai High School from national competitions for six months on July 1. All 36 members of the school’s baseball team later visited Gwangju Jeil High School to apologize and paid their respects at the May 18 National Cemetery. Following a review, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee reduced the suspension to one month.

Separately, Paichai High School convened a student disciplinary committee and imposed disciplinary action on the two students who initiated the “Let’s go to Starbucks” chant. Ten other students who joined in the chant received lighter disciplinary action.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

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