Paejae High School Baseball Team Receives 6-Month Suspension for Mocking 5.18 Uprising

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The Paejae High School baseball team has been handed a heavy penalty of a six-month suspension from competition for mocking an opposing team with chants disparaging a specific region. As a result, Paejae High School's game scheduled for today, July 2, has been ruled a forfeit, and the team will be unable to participate in any remaining national tournaments this year.

Reporter Jeon Yeongmin has the story.

[Reporter]

[Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks.]

[Tank Day.]

The Sports Fair Committee of the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA) decided on a six-month suspension from national tournaments for the Paejae High School baseball team, which caused a stir by using cheers that mocked the Gwangju Democratization Movement during their first-round match against Gwangju Jeil High School in the Blue Dragon Flag tournament.

The severe disciplinary action was based on the Korea Sport & Olympic Committee's disciplinary standards and the association's regulations regarding acts that disrupt order at a stadium.

[Lee Jun-seong / KBSA Public Relations Committee Member: It was applied as a disruption of the game, which served as the basis for the six-month suspension. However, I understand this conclusion was reached after reviewing not just this clause, but various regulations from the Korea Sport & Olympic Committee and the KBSA Sports Fair Committee.]

Consequently, Paejae High School's second-round match against Suncheon Hyocheon High School has been ruled a forfeit, preventing them from playing the game.

Paejae High School manager Kwon O-young attended the deliberation to explain the situation at the time, then bowed his head with a stern expression.

[Kwon O-young / Manager of Paejae High School: I am sorry. I am unconditionally sorry.]

Gwangju Jeil High School manager Jo Yun-chae expressed his hope that the issue would be resolved so that the students would not be hurt any further.

[Jo Yun-chae / Manager of Gwangju Jeil High School: There can sometimes be minor criticism or teasing between players, but this is the first time I have seen something like this. Since they are still students, and it has become such a major issue in the country, I hope it is resolved well. They are just kids.]

The Fair Committee plans to conduct additional investigations during the suspension period to determine the level of disciplinary action for individual coaches and players.

(Video reporting: Yang Doo-won | Video editing: Lee Seung-jin)

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