The Korea Racing Authority held an inauguration ceremony for Woo Hee-jong, its 39th chairman, at the main auditorium of its Gwacheon headquarters in Gyeonggi Province on Monday.
According to KRA, Chairman Woo emphasized the organization's role and public value in his inaugural address, outlining the direction and responsibilities for a new leap forward.
Woo, an academic expert who served as professor and dean at Seoul National University's College of Veterinary Medicine, assessed that KRA has functioned as the central pillar of Korea's horse industry development over the past century, beyond being a simple horse racing operator. He noted the organization has played important roles for the nation and society in various aspects, including tax revenue contributions through horse racing operations, fostering the horse industry and spreading equestrian culture, and creating jobs while enhancing industrial value-added.
Woo also pointed to realistic limitations where KRA's public functions and social contributions have not been adequately recognized due to stereotypes about horse racing that still persist throughout society. He said he would work with organization members to resolve this perception gap and structural challenges as chairman.
Regarding the recent external policy environment, Chairman Woo said he respects the intent of government policies but expressed concern that policies pushed forward without sufficient consultation and concrete roadmaps could cause confusion in the field and weaken the industrial foundation, as these are major issues that could affect the entire horse industry ecosystem. He announced plans to form a "Racetrack Relocation Response Task Force" to turn the crisis from external challenges into opportunity.
Chairman Woo expressed his commitment to pursuing virtuous cycle growth between horse racing and equestrian sports, improving public perception and easing excessive government regulations, and expanding communication with stakeholders. He presented a vision that KRA must take another leap forward as a public corporation that contributes to citizens and society.