Guestbook

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Since the implementation of the 2015 Racing Innovation Plan, most farms have been experiencing a sales cliff due to the liberalization of imports of foreign horses and the concentration of prize money in first-place finishes, which has led to the purchase of outstanding horses by owners. In this situation, it is urgently necessary to introduce a closure subsidy support system so that if racehorse-producing farms, which are already in a critical situation, go out of business,

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Although the betting ticket sales union went on strike on race day demanding changes to wages and employment arrangements, there was no major disruption in the ticket sales operations.When collective bargaining with the Korea Racing Authority broke down, the Labor Union of Racecourse Ticket Vendors of the KRA Korea Racing Association went on strike, and on the 22nd, about 300 ticket vendors refused to come to work.At some off-track locations, some ticket sellers who had more than 50% attendance were refusing to come to work, causing confusion at Seoul Racecourse Park and various off-track locations. To avoid this, free admission was implemented, all Korea Racing Authority staff waited at the ticket counters, and race broadcasts encouraged the use of self-service ticket machines.

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Meanwhile, Seorabeol University is actively carrying out volunteer activities related to therapeutic horseback riding to enhance and promote the image of the domestic horse industry. Every year, the Department of Massage at Seorabeol University participates in nearby rehabilitation centers for people with disabilities and disability-related events, showcasing therapeutic horseback riding activities aimed at social participation.

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Since the enactment of the Horse Industry Promotion Act, other local governments that only belatedly entered the race to develop the horse industry were unable to meet the basic requirements, so they began demanding the designation of a special zone combining two or three basic local governments, or a regional special zone at the provincial level. At the suggestion of these local governments, the Regulatory Reform Committee of the Prime Minister’s Office recommended the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to ease the related requirements, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that it would prepare a plan to relax the designation requirements for the horse industry special zone starting in 2014, following its designation as the first horse industry special zone in 2013.The designation requirements for a special horse industry zone at the end of 2013 demand a substantially large-scale basic horse industry foundation within a limited scope.

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In addition, as an executive of the Korean Society of Therapeutic Equestrianism, he attended the 2015 Therapeutic Equestrianism World Congress as Korea’s representative to promote the bid to host the 2021 Therapeutic Equestrianism World Congress, and as a director of the Gyeongju Regional Development Council, he has contributed to the reflection of policies for the development of Gyeongju’s horse industry.When asked about her acceptance speech,

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Food and Rural Affairs to amend the Enforcement Rules of the Grassland Act so that equestrian facilities may be installed within pastureland designated for ranching.Jeju Special Self-Governing Province explained that it proposed this in order to establish clear grounds for installing equestrian facilities and to develop the horse industry as a new growth engine industry by linking it with the primary industry and the tertiary industries such as tourism, leisure, and sports.The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food is currently pushing to revise the Enforcement Rules of the Pasture Act so that horse-related facilities, livestock experience facilities, farm landscape facilities, and rest facilities—essential infrastructure for livestock farming—are included within the scope of facilities currently designated for horses, so that they can be used without obtaining a separate pasture conversion permit, but equestrian facilities are not included.

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Despite many difficulties over the past year, Korean horse racing has made relentless efforts to find a breakthrough to overcome the crisis. Reflecting on the self-portrait of Korean horse racing, which at times lost sight of the core values of “coexistence and competition” by being forced into distorted competition, we now promise to create a new Year of the Dog with fresh hope and leap forward from a new starting line, and we ask for your continued interest and support for Korean horse racing.

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As the year-end approached and with the closure of Seoul Racecourse Park approaching, the number of horse racing fans who visited the racecourse and off-track betting locations actually increased slightly compared to the previous week, yet the ticketing operations were carried out normally without major disturbances.The Korea Racing Authority and the Betting Ticket Sales Union held a total of 15 main and working-level negotiations starting August 16, during which they negotiated 110 union demands and 78 KRA demands, but failed to narrow their differences. Then, after negotiations continued through mediation by the Central Labor Relations Commission on December 15, the talks ultimately broke down without reaching an agreement, and the Betting Ticket Sales Union eventually filed a strike notification on the 20th.

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On the 29th, Professor Park received the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Commendation in the livestock sector at the 2017 Gyeongju City Year-End Ceremony and Award Ceremony held at the Arts Center in Gyeongju, Gyeongbuk.Appointed in 2011, Professor Park made significant contributions in 2014 to securing Seorabeol College as a specialized institution for training experts in the equine industry from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs,

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Specifically, the focus should be on expanding demand in the horse industry and establishing a foundation for it, while also paying attention to creating a complex horse industry complex and revitalizing a special horse industry zone to strengthen the competitiveness of the horse industry. In addition, we must strengthen our capacity not only to establish a foundation for the production and distribution of horse meat, but also to cultivate specialized personnel for the horse industry and to popularize horseback riding

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Even this alone shows that our country was a horse power not only in Central Asia but also throughout the world. Horse experts also assess that Korea’s Guahama, that is, the Jeju horse, a native Korean breed, is far more resilient than the Mongolian horse.Considering that the Eurasian Altai Cultural Exchange Exhibition, held in 2017 at Gwanghwamun Square alongside the Korea Language Industry Association’s Seoul Language Culture Festival,attracted not only citizens but also many foreigners,

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Korea is the world’s first nation to achieve both an economic miracle and a political miracle in the world for the first time in 70 years. Do you know that Genghis Khan was originally a descendant of the Korean people. A recent discovery has recorded that Genghis Khan was the 19th-generation descendant of Daeyabal, the younger brother of Balhae’s Dae Jo-yeong. The Korean people are a nation that, while arrogantly ruling the Manchurian plains, conquered the entire world beyond East Asia—China,

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Although the betting ticket sales union went on strike on race day demanding changes to wages and employment arrangements, there was no major disruption in the ticket sales operations.When collective bargaining with the Korea Racing Authority broke down, the Labor Union of Racecourse Ticket Vendors of the KRA Korea Racing Association went on strike, and on the 22nd, about 300 ticket vendors refused to come to work.At some off-track locations, some ticket sellers who had more than 50% attendance were refusing to come to work, causing confusion at Seoul Racecourse Park and various off-track locations. To avoid this, free admission was implemented, all Korea Racing Authority staff waited at the ticket counters, and race broadcasts encouraged the use of self-service ticket machines.

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However, despite this reality, civic groups that have ridden on social prejudice against off-track betting facilities and regional selfishness are absorbed in opposition for the sake of opposition, and it is regrettable that the reality of labeling the horse racing industry—which contributes a significant portion to the national budget by paying tax revenue amounting to 1.4 trillion won annually—as gambling is nothing short of unfortunate.The horse industry and horse racing industry say that instead of opposing only for the sake of opposition, they should seek development into a healthy leisure activity and openly discuss with each other to set the best course for one another.

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In particular, they stated that they will closely analyze the operational performance of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Horse Industry Special Zone going forward and expand the designation of special zones, while also announcing plans to designate around five special zones nationwide by 2017 in the mid to long term, with one zone per region.The only animal in Korea that is managed under a special law is the horse. Once one of the animals closest to humans, it has now, under the influence of the Industrial Revolution, given up much of its former role and become confined to activities such as horse racing and horseback riding.In 2011, the government enacted the Horse Industry Promotion Act as a measure to prevent the deterioration of the rural economy caused by FTAs, aiming to develop it as a new growth engine for the rural economy.

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A new beginning is always filled with the energy of hope. The newly launched Korea National Equestrian Operators Association plans to work together with the government to make every effort to resolve, as soon as possible, the many pressing issues in the horse industry, including the industrialization of livestock utilization, the application of agricultural electricity to equestrian riding facilities, and problems related to equestrian insurance. I believe that when we put it into practice with earnest hearts,

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May all your wishes come true, and especially may the sound of horses’ hooves, shaking the earth and shaking the heavens, once again resonate through the world, making this a busy and exciting year for everyone working in the horse industry.Looking back, the past year was a very hard and difficult one. We endured the pain of our hard-earned achievements collapsing overnight, and in particular, the image of the horse industry, including equestrianism, was severely tarnished,

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Through the first comprehensive horse industry plan, an unforeseen period of hardship came to South Korea’s horse industry, which had been growing rapidly, but in some respects it seems that this also created an opportunity to introduce the public to the unfamiliar world of equestrianism.Of course, trying to gain a success rate through noise marketing is not an option, given the very poor image it has built, and it is judged that it will still require a great deal of effort and time to recover.

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Perhaps because of that, there were also the candlelight rallies that blazed brightly and major changes in the state. Unfortunately, at the center of it all was our horse industry, and among its various sectors, “equestrianism” was the headline news, conveying negative images about equestrianism day after day.One incident caused tremendous damage to the entire horse industry, and as a result, many people, including myself—who actually ran an equestrian center—had to overcome extremely difficult times.

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Only then can the demand for riding horse production be revitalized, and it can lead to increased profits for specialized riding horse producer members. If the producers’ association is revitalized, the development and production of excellent Korean-style riding horses will naturally follow, and I believe the livestock policy intended by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as an FTA alternative for livestock farmers will succeed.Finally, I wish that all horse-related organizations and professionals across

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lthough the betting ticket sales union went on strike on race day demanding changes to wages and employment arrangements, there was no major disruption in the ticket sales operations.When collective bargaining with the Korea Racing Authority broke down, the Labor Union of Racecourse Ticket Vendors of the KRA Korea Racing Association went on strike, and on the 22nd, about 300 ticket vendors refused to come to work.At some off-track locations, some ticket sellers who had more than 50% attendance were refusing to come to work, causing confusion at Seoul Racecourse Park and various off-track locations. To avoid this, free admission was implemented, all Korea Racing Authority staff waited at the ticket counters, and race broadcasts encouraged the use of self-service ticket machines.

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Like a huge lump of earth, the year when earth meets earth and blends together with the scent of alcohol and the smell of wine is called the “Year of the Golden Dog”!! It is said to be an auspicious year. I wish that the Year of the Golden Dog, the Year of the Dog, will be a year of hope and progress for everyone involved in the horse industry.2018 is also the year when the second five-year plan for the horse industry begins.The message the Korea Passenger Horse Breeders Association wants to convey to the Ministry of Agriculture,

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs expects that if Jeju Special Self-Governing Province faithfully implements the detailed action plans under the Horse Industry Promotion and Development Plan, it will play a leading role in fostering Korea’s horse industry and will also make a significant contribution to stabilizing horse supply and demand.Minister Lee Dong-pil said, “At a time when FTAs are expanding, the horse industry can create new sources of income for agriculture and rural areas, promote exchanges between urban and rural communities, and develop into advanced-country-style industries such as tourism, leisure (equestrian) industry, and healing industry.” He added, “The designation of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Horse Industry Special Zone carries great significance in that it will establish the foundational infrastructure for the future development of the horse industry.”

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However, despite this reality, civic groups that have ridden on social prejudice against off-track betting facilities and regional selfishness are absorbed in opposition for the sake of opposition, and it is regrettable that the reality of labeling the horse racing industry—which contributes a significant portion to the national budget by paying tax revenue amounting to 1.4 trillion won annually—as gambling is nothing short of unfortunate.The horse industry and horse racing industry say that instead of opposing only for the sake of opposition, they should seek development into a healthy leisure activity and openly discuss with each other to set the best course for one another.

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Even amid the fierce waves and storms threatening our horse racing, we were able to stay on course because of the noble 25-year history of the individual horse racing system that the entire racing family has pioneered together, and the conviction and passion of all of us as we strive toward the grand goal of advancing horse racing.In particular, the unwavering support and encouragement from the horse racing fans who have protected Korean horse racing so that it has not lost its essence and identity have given us,