Guestbook

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In 2015, Thomas made his debut on the domestic stage as the third foreign trainer at LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam, and now he has already entered his third year as a trainer in Korea.Three years may seem long or short, but during that time, having seen, heard, and experienced it firsthand on the front lines of Korean horse racing, I believe I have gained a thorough understanding of it. In addition, his ranking among the top trainers affiliated with LetsRun Park Pukyong shows that he is already very familiar with Korean horse racing.

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Last year, he contributed six papers to journals indexed by the National Research Foundation of Korea, including “A Study on Policies Utilizing the Prevalence of Gambling Addiction in the Gambling Industry,” and led younger colleagues and young people in recognizing the pressing challenges facing the horse racing industry through writing and presentations.In a phone interview with this paper, Acting Head of the Horse Racing Headquarters Kim Jong-guk said, “This is a time when wisdom and patience are needed

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After the 2007 “Sea Story” scandal, he also published various policy reports related to the comprehensive plan for the sound development of the gambling industry, and in August, he earned a doctorate in policy studies with a dissertation titled “A Study on the Process of Policy Change in Gambling Industry Regulation Based on a Policy Network Model,” drawing attention as the country’s first leading authority on research into the horse racing gambling industry.

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Kim Jong-guk, Director of the Racing Headquarters, who emphasized the importance of customized customer services for improving the image of the horse racing industry and the significance of online betting both on-site and through consistent research publications, published 『Theory and Practice of Equestrian Betting Operations』 in April 1995 and thereafter studied the equestrian betting systems and horse racing systems of major advanced horse racing countries, and earned his master’s thesis in 2003 with the dissertation titled

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During his 30 years at the Korea Racing Authority, he researched the expansion of customer service, the internet betting business, gambling industry regulation, and issues related to illegal gambling. Service team leader, head of the horse racing management office. Served as General Affairs Manager, Director of Business, Director of Off-track Betting, Branch Manager, and Head of the Fair Horse Racing Headquarters. This is the first case since the related regulations were changed at the end of 2016, where a Grade 1 executive was appointed to an executive-level division head position.

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On September 6, the Korea Racing Authority, which had made major personnel changes in the second half of the year, including the head of the Illegal Horse Racing Crackdown Headquarters and regional center chiefs, appointed former Fair Horse Racing Headquarters head Kim Jong-guk as acting head of the new Racing Headquarters on the 13th.Kim Jong-guk, acting head of the Racing Headquarters, graduated from the Department of Public Administration at University of Seoul, earned a master’s degree from the Graduate School of Business at University of Seoul,

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He always responded to visitors, trainers, and other users of the racehorse recreational training facility with a bright smile, kindness, and service, actively resolving various horse-related complaints. These efforts led to an increase in the average monthly number of riding horses from 40 to 60–80, significantly contributing to the expansion of the riding park’s revenue.In addition, efforts were made to revitalize the operation of the equestrian park, including improving racehorse performance through systematic training

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Regarding the horse racing industry, there are also parts concerning the construction of infrastructure to strengthen the competitiveness of domestic horses, the strengthening of the Korea Racing Authority’s organization to enhance crackdowns on illegal horse racing, and the strengthening of exchanges and cooperation among related ministries. To this end, we plan to promote institutional improvements and establish a special judicial police officer system within the relevant ministries so that enforcement can be carried out actively.

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Developing the horseback riding population is the most important part. We will promote grassroots equestrian competitions centered on self-governing clubs and local units to foster positive feedback through a quality evaluation system and to encourage participation by holding many youth equestrian competitions. We also plan to include in the second comprehensive plan the expansion of programs for safe horseback riding, such as the riding ability system.

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On the other hand, we are also considering aspects related to job creation through revitalizing the horse industry, government support, utilization of existing programs, and connections to employment abroad.I also think that increasing farmers’ and fishermen’s income through the horse industry should be pursued. It also aims to train areas where practical riding horse breeding programs or training systems are insufficient through entrusted training, promote auctions to maintain appropriate horse prices

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First of all, equestrian competitions are not very fun. We are brainstorming and preparing ideas such as festivals-linked competitions and new-themed events to make them fun and accessible for the public. We are also doing various things, such as holding many auctions so that horses can be presented to the public in a more approachable way, and disclosing accurate horse prices.Regarding image improvement, the horse industry is providing the public with opportunities to experience horses,

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Customer visits to the equestrian center have stopped, causing difficulties in management. It became an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to creating a horse industry that the public truly feels.Going forward, the 2nd Comprehensive Plan will expand public equestrian facilities and experience riding programs that take into consideration low-income groups and socially vulnerable people. A large public equestrian center will be built near the city center so that socially vulnerable groups who cannot access the horse industry can use it.

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Until now, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism handled the horse industry through equestrian sports, but with the enactment of the Horse Industry Promotion Act in 2011, the promotion and support of the horse industry became the responsibility of our Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. A new system and a new paradigm were created to revitalize the rural economy and improve the quality of life for the people. Although there has also been recent state affairs manipulation,

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At the time the law was enacted, there was a difference between the horse industry and other industries. Since the part of equestrianism that existed as a sport before has been transferred, it must be integrated with the livestock and agriculture sectors, and the horse industry should contribute to the development of agriculture. To achieve this, there must be sufficient coordination not only with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs but also with other ministries, yet there are some gaps.

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Retired racehorses that can be trained are actively being trained through the establishment of a systematic training system, and where necessary, the use of horses is boldly diversified as the project progresses. If these aspects are strengthened, I believe that dangerous and unsafe remarks made on site may be eliminated.We are still at the very beginning stage, but if we continue to improve technical systems and expand the dissemination of field cases,

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Since the Horse Industry Promotion Act cannot solve the problem, we are seeking ways to create a livestock utilization business under the parent Livestock Industry Act so that the horse industry and the livestock industry can cooperate.A new government has taken office, and there is a movement to pass legislation through lawmakers to address this.If the livestock utilization business is applied, it may become an opportunity to have issues such as equestrian facilities recognized as part of the livestock industry.

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There is also the problem that the inability to use agricultural electricity is worsening the management of the equestrian industry. I believe this issue arose because of the fundamental question of whether the equestrian center itself is an agricultural facility or a livestock facility. Because there is no legal stability, the problem has continued, and there are parts that have not been resolved. So rather than feeling rewarded, I feel disappointed that we have not been able to resolve these various pressing issues,

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We built a public equestrian center near the city, improved the insurance system, worked to stabilize equestrian operations, and launched individual riding insurance at the end of last year, which we have continued this year. I was thinking of doing personal insurance as a government-supported project, but it fell through at the final stage, which is regrettable. Since the law also provides grounds for insurance support, I am considering whether I should get involved in insurance matters in some way.

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However, there are still various changes in domestic conditions, such as the issue of state affairs manipulation and the need to present a new vision after the new government takes office, so the content is being supplemented.When I came and saw, equestrianism was said to be a so-called sport only for them, so it was the object of envy and envy among ordinary people. Horse racing, rather than being enjoyed for its own sake, has been reinforced with a negative image among the public as a gambling industry and as a symbol of gambling addiction.

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Now in his third year in office, he said that although he has so far taken a field-oriented approach, he still feels regret over not being able to resolve many pressing issues, and that he will strive to address them.It has already been three years since I was assigned to the horse industry department. The official name of the department in charge is the "Masa Division," and it handles a wide variety of tasks. First, in addition to establishing and supporting a comprehensive plan for fostering the horse industry,

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Mal Industry Journal and Horse Racing Culture Newspaper have, amid difficult circumstances, provided in-depth coverage encompassing the entire horse industry, as well as criticism and alternatives regarding the horse industry and Korean horse racing, and have contributed to shaping public opinion for the establishment of sound policies and to creating new value for our horse industry and horse racing industry, reaching from horse racing stakeholders and the media to horse racing fans.

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Embarking on the great journey of advancing and internationalizing horse racing, Korean horse racing made a leap to becoming a Part II nation in July 2016, and qualified for the Dubai World Cup last year and this year, proudly standing shoulder to shoulder with the world. Along with innovation in horse racing, we were also able to achieve positive outcomes for the horse racing industry, such as exports of racehorses and race broadcasting exports.

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Currently, our country's horse industry is drawing growing expectations for growth and development in accordance with the enforcement of the Horse Industry Promotion Act. However, it is still insufficient because it has not achieved practical effects on site. Moreover, the recent state affairs scandal has deepened public distrust and misunderstanding of the horse industry, inflicting great wounds on us, the people of horse racing. However, despite the adverse conditions,

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As a specialized media outlet for Korean horse racing and the horse industry, we sincerely congratulate all members on the 19th anniversary of the founding of Horse Racing Culture Newspaper and the 4th anniversary of the founding of Horse Industry Journal, both of which strive to realize the goals of advancing the horse industry and fostering a sophisticated horse racing culture. We extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude for the hard work of all our members.The Horse Industry Promotion Act was enacted after gathering opinions from all levels of society for the development of Korea’s horse industry,

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First of all, I regret the recent horse trainer incident that occurred at LetsRun Park Busan-Gyeongnam. The working hours of speech therapists abroad are also very similar to those in Korea. However, in that they receive a portion of the prize money they win, the treatment of Korean horse handlers is relatively good. Although some European countries, such as Ireland, have regulations requiring a portion of the prize money to be paid, when comparing treatment, Korea is relatively better.