Baseball coach booked for beating students with bat

A youth baseball coach has been booked for allegedly assaulting middle school players with a bat and has admitted to the abuse during a police investigation, authorities said Monday.

The man, in his 50s and employed at a local baseball club in Cheongna-dong, Incheon, is accused of striking students in January. Incheon Seobu Police Station said it plans to refer the case to prosecutors on child abuse charges without detention.

Three students were reportedly hit on the hips and buttocks with a baseball bat during training sessions, leaving them bruised and swollen.

He is also alleged to have told players, “You perform better after being beaten,” and, “I will beat you if you do not do well.” Police said he claimed both the remarks and the physical punishment were intended to improve the players’ concentration.

The case surfaced after parents filed an online petition in February, citing their children’s injuries.

“We plan to send the case to prosecutors later this week,” a police official said.