"'Spark Baseball' Baejae High School Broadcast Cancelled... "Regional Disparagement, Taking It Seriously"

[Dispatch=Reporter Lee Myeong-ju] The Baejae High School baseball team controversy has spread to "Sparkle Baseball." Though filming had already been completed, it will be discarded.

Production company Studio C1 stated on the 1st to Dispatch, "The production team viewed the recently surfaced matter related to Baejae High School (regional disparagement cheering) seriously."

After careful review, they decided not to release the broadcast footage filmed with the players in question. "The Baejae High School episode scheduled to air on the 6th will not be broadcast," they announced.

This decision was made despite Sparkle Baseball having completed its 6th season game of direct observation at Baejae High School. On the 7th, Sparkle Baseball had arranged a match between baseball legend players and Baejae High School at Seoul's Gocheok Dome.

This incident occurred during the 81st Cheongryonggi National High School Baseball Championship match between Baejae High School and Gwangju First High School held at Seoul's Mokdong Stadium on the 29th of last month.

Some players from Baejae High School repeated jeering chants directed at a Gwangju First High School pitcher. The phrase recalled the Starbucks Korea "5·18 Tank Day" controversy.

The scene was broadcast live through SBS Plus. It was captured that Baejae High School stopped the regionally disparaging cheering only after receiving a protest from a Gwangju First High School coach.

Baejae High School posted an apology on its website following the game. However, as circumstances differing from the on-site situation were claimed and AI usage suspicions emerged, an additional second apology was posted.

The Korea Baseball Softball Association decided to refer Baejae High School to the Sports Fair Play Committee. The committee will be held on this day to discuss disciplinary measures for the players in question.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also pointed out, "Expressions that ridicule historical pain or mock specific regions should not occur at student sports venues."