The Korea Racing Authority (KRA), once dubbed an “iron-clad boiled rice container” for its reluctance to compromise, is now calling for innovation. The KRA is renewing itself as a leisure public entity, “loved by the public,” under the stewardship of KRA Chairman Hyun Myung-kwan.
KRA’s turnaround is owed to the innovation steps that Chairman Hyun has been spearheading for three years. KRA has become the first public entity to introduce a merit-based compensation system. The measure has not only resulted in discontinuing such “obsolete” systems as an annual wage table and extra pay for good attendance, but also transforms its personnel management system.
Based on the outcomes of performance evaluations, employees classified as “core manpower” are required to undergo an educational program to improve their capability, while underperformers are subject a program designed to raise their performance.
The innovation steps have paid off this year. The KRA got 98.3 points out of the possible 100 to top a customer satisfaction survey of 24 public entities.
The public entity ranked first in the third category of organizations associated with public entities in a survey of integrity conducted by the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission (ACRC).
The KRA received the “most excellent” grade in the integrity survey with 98 points, 17 points higher than the previous year’s. The authority followed all of the 14 detailed tasks recommended by the ACRC and proactively embraced such new systems as an integrity ombudsman’s system and CEO-led ethics & integrity management committee.
The KRA has walked the walk in efforts to make horse racing “wholesome.” The authority has devoted itself to eradicating the negative image of horse racing, stigmatized as a form of gambling. The KRA has conducted public relations activities to spread awareness toward soundness of horse racing via webtoons, flash mobs and other channels, strengthened educational programs for KRA employees, conducted an environmental impact survey of screen ticket outlets, and rewrote its ethics code designed to enhance its executives and staff members’ understanding of wholesome horse racing.
The KRA’s efforts to make horse racing sound have borne fruit. The authority got 89 points, the highest-ever, to obtain an A+ grade in an annual healthiness evaluation conducted by the National Gambling Control Commission.
Korean Racing Elevated to Part II
The KRA’s dream to join the ranks of advanced horseracing countries came true this past April. Before that, Korea had been classified as a Part III country, along with Austria, Poland and the Netherlands.
The KRA had made all-out efforts to make it to the Part II category since January 2012 when it submitted an application for its elevation to the Asia Pattern Committee.
The KRA was elevated to Part II between March and April 2016 by the International Race Planning and Advisory Committee and the International Federation of Horseracing Association, and the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA). The KRA’s tedious efforts are not just designed to instill a sense of pride in horse racing industry officials.
The elevation also means that Korean-bred winners, first- and second-runners of big competitions, are given “Black Type” status in international auctioneers’ registers.
KRA also obtained the top grade, “A,” in a government evaluation of the Government 3.0 Initiative into public entities, conducted in May.
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