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| Junhyun Park / Photo: DB |
On March 13, Dispatch published an exclusive report outlining accusations that Park bullied a same-grade student identified only as \"A.\"
Kiwoom took Park, a product of Cheonan Bukil High School, with the No. 1 overall pick in last September’s 2026 rookie draft. At the time of the selection, reports surfaced alleging Park had bullied a fellow student during high school.
According to posts by Student A’s mother on social media, Park allegedly led verbal abuse, forced errands, and organized nude photography during their freshman year, and in sophomore year targeted freshmen who were close to the victim. She also claimed one student quit baseball and another sought psychiatric care because of the incidents.
In May of last year, the Cheonan Office of Education’s School Violence Countermeasures Committee initially found no grounds for disciplinary action. The committee’s review concluded that the only confirmed incident was a single early-2023 remark in which Park called A \"yeomisae.\"
Dispatch reported conflicting accounts from witnesses. A classmate who said he was present during the \"yeomisae\" remark described it as a joke among friends and insisted it was teasing, not malice.
Other Bukil High baseball teammates told reporters the two players played different positions, trained separately and had limited interaction.
A junior who was alleged to have undergone six months of psychiatric treatment due to Park’s behavior publicly denied ever being bullied or receiving psychiatric care.
The petition submitted by Student A as evidence also drew scrutiny. One student’s petition stated, \"I saw A being ostracized because of Junhyun,\" but that student later acknowledged A had read the petition to him and asked him to sign, saying it would not cause trouble. Another student said A had written only his name on the petition.
Although the school panel unanimously cleared Park at the May hearing, the Chungnam Office of Education’s administrative appeals committee overturned that decision in December and ordered a written apology (Type 1).
The appeals panel’s decision followed an apology text Park’s father, Seok-min Park, sent to A’s side. The committee treated the father’s message—sent to A’s guardian in an attempt to mend relations and referencing the \"yeomisae\" remark—as evidence supporting the bullying finding.
Kiwoom has responded, saying the appeals panel’s additional finding hinges on an abusive direct message (DM) attributed to Park despite the DM’s author and sending time being unclear. The club maintains Park did not write that DM and says the opposing side continues to press unverified claims solely because the school process ultimately recognized bullying.
Park and the club filed an administrative lawsuit and sought an injunction in December to clarify the facts and obtain a definitive legal ruling.
[By Shin Seo-young, Sports Today sports@stoo.com]
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