Hong Seok-cheon Suggests Baejae High School Baseball Team Visit Gwangju to Apologize

Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon suggested that the students of the Baejae High School baseball team, who became embroiled in controversy for making mocking cheers toward Gwangju Jeil High School, should take the opportunity to offer a direct apology and engage in historical reflection.

On the 1st, Hong Seok-cheon posted a message titled 'My Thoughts on the Method of Apologizing' on his SNS, expressing his views on the recent controversy surrounding the Baejae High School baseball team's cheers.

He first shared his personal experience regarding historical awareness from his childhood. Hong Seok-cheon stated, “When I was young, I grew up being educated in a way that said, ‘Communists in Gwangju, Jeonnam revolted, so military force was mobilized to suppress them.’” He added, “After graduating middle and high school and attending university in Seoul, I realized that the truth was something else entirely.”

He continued, expressing his feelings at the time: “I was so bewildered, and I felt truly sad when I learned about the pain of Gwangju. I felt a lot of guilt, wondering why I had lived with such thoughts for so long.”

He also mentioned his connection to Gwangju, adding, “The people I met in Gwangju were such warm and beautiful people; rather, they were the ones who gifted me happy memories.”

Regarding the recent controversy involving the cheers of some student-athletes from the Baejae High School baseball team, Hong Seok-cheon said, “I was honestly very surprised when I saw the news. I thought, shouldn't students not act that way?”

He emphasized that beyond the school issuing an official apology, a process is needed where students take responsibility through direct action. He suggested, “Rather than the school issuing an apology and explanation, I hope the baseball team students go down to Gwangju themselves, talk with the students of Gwangju Jeil High School, and apologize.”

He further stated, “I believe that eating a meal prepared by the warm mothers of Gwangju and returning is the best way to apologize at that age. I also believe the Gwangju Jeil High School students will accept that apology. History must be studied accurately.”

Previously, during the 81st Blue Dragon National High School Baseball Championship held at the Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the 29th of last month, some Baejae High School student-athletes drew criticism for shouting slogans such as “Let's go to Starbucks” and “Tank Day” toward the Gwangju Jeil High School baseball team.

These expressions were criticized as caricaturing the historical context related to the May 18 Democratization Movement. Subsequently, Baejae High School issued an official apology and referred the students to the Student Life Education Committee, while the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also moved to verify the facts.