Alumni of a Seoul high school asked the Korea Baseball Softball Association to reconsider a six-month suspension imposed on the school's baseball team.
Pai Chai High School's baseball team received the ban after players shouted "Let's go to Starbucks!" and "Tank Day!" toward opponents from Gwangju Jeil High School during a first-round game on June 29 at the Cheongryonggi tournament. The remarks referenced a controversial Starbucks Korea promotion on May 18.
In a July 3 statement, the alumni association said it is important to give the students a chance to learn from their mistakes. Kim Dong-yeon, head of the association, noted that parents of the players wanted an apology to come first.
The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that all 36 team members, their parents and some teachers will visit Gwangju Jeil High School on July 6 to apologize in person and then pay respects at the May 18th National Cemetery.