Paichai High School, which sparked controversy by chanting cheers mocking the May 18 pro-democracy movement at a high school baseball tournament, will visit Gwangju Jeil High School (Gwangju Il High School) to issue an official apology.

On the 2nd, an official places a condolence wreath criticizing the Paichai High School baseball team in front of Paichai High School in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. Earlier, on the 29th of last month at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul during the 81st Blue Dragon Flag National High School Baseball Championship, Paichai players sparked controversy by chanting slogans at their opponents, Gwangju Jeil High School, such as "We should go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day." In response, the Korea Baseball Softball Association convenes a Sports Fairness Committee the previous day and imposes a six-month suspension from national competitions on the Paichai baseball team./Courtesy of News1

According to the Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan Integrated Office of Education and the Bukbu Police Station on the 5th, about 80 people, including Paichai High School baseball team students, the principal, faculty and staff, and parents, will visit Gwangju Il High School in Numun-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, at 3 p.m. on the 6th.

Paichai students are expected to deliver a direct apology to Gwangju Il High School students during a roughly 30-minute session for communication between the two schools' students.

After the apology, they will pay their respects at the National May 18 Cemetery, where victims of the May 18 pro-democracy movement are buried. Kim Dae-jung, the Jeonnam-Gwangju superintendent, and Jung Keun-sik, the Seoul superintendent, will also join the visit.

Paichai conveyed its intent to visit to Gwangju Il High School on the 1st, when the controversy erupted, but the visit was postponed after Gwangju Il High School asked to adjust the schedule, citing students' psychological stability and the exam period.

Gwangju Il High School asked police on the 3rd to protect facilities in case large crowds gather on the day of the visit. Police plan to deploy dozens of officers around the school to prepare for contingencies, while internal order on campus will be managed by Gwangju Il High School itself.

The day before, a threatening post claiming explosives had been installed at Gwangju Il High School was uploaded to an online community, prompting police and fire authorities to conduct a search, but no explosives were found. Police are currently tracking the author of the post.

Earlier, on the 29th of last month at Mokdong Baseball Stadium in Seoul, Paichai High School baseball team students shouted slogans mocking the May 18 pro-democracy movement—such as "Gotta go to Starbucks" and "Tank Day"—during the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship and Weekend League King of Kings game against Gwangju Il High School, drawing public outrage.

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