KRA made its debut in the name of Joseon Racing Club, the nation's first-ever authorized horse racing club, in 1922.
The club was renamed “Joseon Racing Association” in 1942. KRA changed its name to “Korea Racing Association” (KRA) on Sept. 29, 1949 after the nation was liberated from Japanese colonial rule.
A ceremony to celebrate the 74th anniversary took place with representatives from racing-related organizations, including horse owners, horsebreakers and horse breeders, in attendance.
The anniversary event, starting with an opening performance, was followed with an awards ceremony, and a commemorative speech, delivered by KRA Chairman Jung Ki-hwan.
In his commemorative speech, Chairman Jung extended thanks to KRA executives and staffers, racing-related organizations and horse racing enthusiasts.
He suggested a future path KRA could take in the years to come.
A revision of the Act on KRA, made in June, will allow the issuance of online betting tickets, starting from December, in a pilot project.
Chairman Jung called for making preparations for the issuance of online tickets seamless, expected to prompt a dramatic paradigm shift in the horse racing field, and not causing any inconvenience to horseracing enthusiasts.
Chairman Jung stressed the need for continuous innovation and soul-searching on customer demand for the KRA and its role, so the organization can be beloved by the people.
Visitors experience virtual horseracing as if they would run on a horse at a virtual horseracing experience pavilion at the Gwacheon Performance Art Festival. (Photos: KRA)
KRA Operates Virtual Horseracing Hall
Korea Racing Authority opened a virtual horseracing experience pavilion at the Gwacheon Performance Art Festival, an area near Gwacheon Citizens’ Hall, from Sept. 22 to Sept. 23.
A publicity experience hall was opened under the theme “My Friend, Horse – KRA.”
Visitors there were given the chance to experience virtual horseracing as if they would run on a horse during the festival, which showcased diverse exciting things to see, such as plays, music concerts and dancing performances.
The hall was outfitted with a large-sized monitor and two moving saddles.
Visitors, wearing goggles, watched a sand main course and videos on racing horses running together unfurl as real experiences.
A virtual horseracing, made with videos on the real horseracing field, in which horses gallop between one second and two second at races between 1,000 meters and 2,300 meters, made its debut at the 2022 Gwacheon Performance Art Festival.
The virtual horseracing received a good reception from citizens enough to form a long queue, standing 50 meters in length.
KRA Strikes MOU on Development of Horse Industry with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
The KRA struck an MOU on the development of the horse industry with the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province in Jeju at KRA headquarters on Sept. 24.
The latest deal is designed to invest reductions of leisure taxes into projects to ramp up the development and the competitiveness of the horse industry.
It was in 2010 that both institutions, pillars of developing Korea’s horse industry, struck the first MOU.
Both sides had struck MOUs over five occasions until 2022.
As the 5th MOU expired last year, KRA and Jeju province signed the 6th one, which will last two years, through 2024.
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