[Photo=Yonhap News]

Hello, my name is Kim Hye-kyung, a housewife in my 40s living in North York, Canada.

I heard that during a recent baseball game between Baejae High School and Gwangju Jeil High School, the Baejae High baseball team members were accused of singing a "cheer song mocking the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement" from their dugout. As a result, the game was forfeited, and they faced severe backlash from certain regional factions.

The situation escalated to a six-month suspension, which was only reduced to a one-month suspension—as if it were a generous act of mercy—after the players visited Gwangju Jeil High School to apologize and undergo "ideological education."

The original Baejae High cheer song went, "Let's go, let's go, let's hit a home run and go." However, in the top of the 8th inning, with a 6-2 lead, someone changed the lyrics to "Let's go, let's go, let's go to Starbucks," meaning let's finish the game and head to Starbucks. It was essentially a form of taunting. The trouble started when someone added the remark, "Tank Day!"

Is it not standard practice in sports for players to engage in playful taunting that might annoy the opposing side? If we view it that way, isn't that the end of it? I truly cannot understand how this warranted forfeiting a game, let alone imposing a suspension that deals a fatal blow to the promising futures of young athletes. How can this be considered something "unforgivable"? Do you understand it?

The argument from those who claim they were mocked goes something like this:

They claim that "Let's go to Starbucks" evokes the "Tank Day" promotion Starbucks launched on May 18th. If one connects "May 18" with "Tank," they argue, the word "tank" ceases to refer to water bottles and instead evokes armored vehicles. Connecting armored vehicles to Gwangju then evokes the military suppression of the May 18 Gwangju incident.

Through this string of associations, they conclude that the chant amounts to mocking and slandering the so-called "May 18 Democratization Movement," which they consider sacred. Therefore, they argue it constitutes a "crime" punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won under the "Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement."

In short, they are saying that for saying the word "Starbucks," one must face up to five years in prison, a fine of 50 million won, or equivalent—if not worse—"social punishment." Tell me, does this make any sense to you?

I was not even born during the May 18 incident, and I have never specifically learned or studied it, so I do not know the details of what happened back then.

However, one thing I have heard is that there were 165 deaths, and even including the wounded, the number of casualties was well under 1,000. Yet, according to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the number of May 18 men of national merit is currently 4,673. Some say that if you include the families receiving benefits, that number reaches over 15,000—and it allegedly increases every year. Given that the number of the deceased should remain fixed, it is strange that the number of beneficiaries continues to grow.

You are aware of the "preferential points" among the various benefits received by these so-called May 18 men of national merit and their families, aren't you? They receive 5% or 10% bonus points in university admissions and civil service recruitment exams. In a society where countless candidates win or lose by as little as 0.1 points, isn't this absolutely mind-boggling?

Article 11, Paragraph 2 of our Constitution states, "No privileged status shall be recognized or ever established in any form." If so, isn't this special treatment "unconstitutional"? In other words, are we not saying that under the shadow of an "unconstitutional" law—the "Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement"—most of these so-called "fake" men of merit are being treated as a privileged class?

Even more outrageous is the fact that the personal information of these so-called men of national merit is kept private. Is the title of "Man of National Merit" not a badge of honor that should be proudly displayed and made public for those who sacrificed or contributed to the Republic of Korea? I do not know why it isn't being disclosed—or why it cannot be. It is an extremely preposterous suspicion, but perhaps... just perhaps... could it be because they did not actually sacrifice or contribute to the "Republic of Korea"?

If my suspicions lead here, shouldn't the list of May 18 men of national merit be proudly revealed? Only then could all the malicious rumors, disparaging remarks, and controversies labeled as "false facts" regarding May 18 be put to rest, right?

I will stop here and summarize. If you agree, please join me in shouting!

"Reveal it, reveal it!"

"Reveal the May 18 list!"

"If you are confident, reveal it!"

Thank you!

July 25, 2026

At the "Current Affairs Busking" hosted by the International Rescue League, Canada

Kim Hye-kyung

Kim Hye-kyung speaking at the "Current Affairs Busking" hosted by the International Rescue League, Canada. [Photo=International Rescue League, Canada]