Baejae High School Students to Apologize at Gwangju Ilgo Amid Controversy

Students from Baejae High School's baseball team, involved in a controversy over mocking slogans related to the May 18 Democratic Uprising, will visit Gwangju Ilgo on July 6 to apologize and pay respects at the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery.

According to Yonhap News on July 5, about 80 individuals, including students from Baejae High School, the principal, faculty, and parents, will visit Gwangju Ilgo in Buk-gu at 3 p.m. on July 6. The students plan to express their apologies to those affected at Gwangju Ilgo.

Following the visit, the students will proceed to the National May 18th Democratic Cemetery for a joint memorial service, which will also include Kim Dae-jung, the Superintendent of Education for Gwangju, and Jeong Geun-sik, the Superintendent of Education for Seoul.

Baejae High School had initially communicated its intention to visit Gwangju Ilgo on July 1, but the visit was postponed at Gwangju Ilgo's request due to concerns for the students' psychological well-being and the examination period.

In anticipation of the visit on July 6, Gwangju Ilgo requested police assistance for facility protection on July 3 to prepare for any safety incidents.

In response, police will deploy dozens of officers near the school to handle any unexpected situations. However, their focus will be on maintaining order outside the school, while Gwangju Ilgo will manage the situation within the school premises.

The day before, a threatening message claiming that explosives had been placed at Gwangju Ilgo was posted on an online community, prompting police and fire authorities to conduct a search. No explosives were found during the search, and police are continuing their investigation to identify the individual who posted the message.