"Enough Is Enough": Outrage Over 'Starbucks' Mockery at High School Baseball Game

[Anchor]

A high school baseball game held yesterday (June 29) has sparked major controversy after cheers mocking a specific region echoed through the stadium. Members of the Baejae High School baseball team were heard saying they would "go to Starbucks" during their match against Gwangju Jeil High School, a remark interpreted as mocking the Gwangju Democratization Movement.

Reporter Bae Jung-hoon has the story.

[Reporter]

Loud cheering is heard from the dugout of Baejae High School, which was facing off against Gwangju Jeil High School.

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

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

[Tank Day~]

Unable to tolerate the remarks, the coaching staff of Gwangju Jeil High School protested.

[Hey, that's enough, you bastards. There should be a limit to this.]

[What are you doing over there? Why are you talking about going to Starbucks?]

Recently, Starbucks caused significant social controversy by holding a "Tank Day" event, which was criticized for disparaging the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement. The incident led Shinsegae Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin to issue a public apology. In this context, the Baejae High School students directed mocking remarks at the Gwangju Jeil High School students, who are from Gwangju, by shouting that they would "go to Starbucks."

[Jo Yoon-chae / Manager of Gwangju Jeil High School Baseball Team: (Our coach) raised his voice, asking if the Starbucks remark wasn't going too far and what on earth the kids were doing, so I spoke to the umpire. I told them that if they are going to cheer like this, they should be sanctioned...]

Baejae High School stated that it would strictly handle the student athletes who made the mocking remarks in accordance with school regulations and procedures, and added that it would conduct special education for the entire baseball team.

The Korea Baseball Softball Association, which has received reports of the incident, plans to immediately refer the regional mockery controversy to its Sports Fair Committee to determine the level of disciplinary action.

(Video Editing: Ha Seong-won, Design: Hwang Se-yeon)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.