The baseball team of Baejai High School, which sparked controversy during a Cheongnyonggi tournament game against Gwangju Jeil High School, has filed a motion to suspend the Korea Baseball Softball Association's six-month competition ban imposed on the team.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Friday, Baejai High School submitted the injunction against a July 1 ruling by the Korea Baseball Softball Association's Sports Fair Committee, which imposed the six-month ban and ordered the team to forfeit its remaining games in the Cheongnyonggi National High School Baseball Championship.
The controversy erupted after some Baejai players directed chants at the opposing team's dugout during the game against Gwangju Jeil High School, shouting "Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day" — phrases widely seen as mocking the May 18 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising.
In the aftermath, Baejai baseball team members and school officials visited Gwangju Jeil High School to apologize. Lee Kyu-youn, principal of Gwangju Jeil High School, issued a statement Tuesday requesting leniency and a reduction of the disciplinary penalty.
Meanwhile, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee confirmed it will convene a subcommittee of its Sports Fair Committee on July 14 to review the six-month competition ban imposed on the Baejai High School baseball team.
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