On a sunny autumn weekend, the Korea Cup and Korea Sprint awards were held at the Gwacheon Racecourse. As I congratulated the Japanese jockey who won the short-distance race in Japanese, I found myself pondering what kind of reward we should offer the horses that sweat and race on the track.
I imagine from the horse's perspective. As seen in historical dramas, horses risked their lives to carry their owners in battle and helped expand human horizons by bearing heavy loads in the dawn of civilization. Throughout history, horses have symbolized dedication to humanity. Today, they continue to provide vitality and value in the realms of sports, leisure, and the gambling industry. However, how fairly are we compensating them for their dedication? The stigma of gambling and addiction that horses bear is merely a projection of uncontrolled human desires. Horses are innocent. It is truly unfortunate if they are forced to carry the burden of negligence from operators and flaws in the system.
As the head of the Integrated Supervision Committee for the Gambling Industry under the Prime Minister's Office, I have been overseeing the revitalization of the gambling industry, including casinos, horse racing, boat racing, and bicycle racing, for four years. The gambling industry has clear positive effects in terms of increasing tax revenue, generating funds, creating jobs, promoting regional development, and fostering leisure culture. However, there is a risk of addiction if usage becomes excessive, so I prioritize user protection in my role as a policymaker.
September 17 marks the 19th anniversary of the committee's establishment. Every year around this time, we hold a week-long event called 'Gambling Problem Awareness Week' nationwide. This initiative aims to raise social awareness about the growing shadow of illegal gambling and to help even one more person find their 'authentic life.' 'Authenticity' and 'humanity' begin with a constant self-reflection, free from the empty desires and illusions of quick wealth imposed by others, and are rooted in a culture of humanism that shapes the fabric of life. What those trapped in illegal gambling truly need is not oppression but a humanistic recovery that encourages self-reflection.
The fundamental solution in an era flooded with new forms of gambling lies in returning to the roots of 'responsibility towards humanity' and 'respect for life.' This is not an abstract commitment but a concrete policy issue. When systems such as self-exclusion, identification and treatment of high-risk individuals, and user protection programs for each operator are in place to detect potential users early and guide them toward recovery through counseling, responsibility operates effectively in the field. Recently, I sent a heartfelt message of support and solidarity in response to a media article by the president of the Korea Racing Authority, who raised the issue of animal rights and horse welfare. Horses run within the framework created by humans, and the responsibility for any side effects lies solely with those who design and utilize the system. Restoring the inherent beauty of horses is not merely an act of charity; it is a measure of our society's cultural dignity and national character.
This premise is already being proven in the field. The Jeju Racecourse is trapped in complaints and negative perceptions, with foreign tourists absent, while nearby riding schools are bustling with visitors from both home and abroad. It is disappointing that the Gwacheon Racecourse, close to Seoul, has not yet established itself as a key tourist destination. The horses at riding schools are treated as symbols of connection and healing, while those at racecourses remain trapped in the stigma of gambling. The difference between these two spaces lies not in the nature of the horses but in the systems designed by humans and our perspectives on them.
Thus, the recovery that must be returned to horses has two aspects. One is a swift transition to protect and favor users to prevent excessive betting, and the other is the recovery of the industry itself, which is trapped in stigma. These two are rooted in the same foundation. Just as an addict cannot question themselves and falls apart, an industry marked by stigma cannot question itself and will only curl up under defensive regulations. Whether human or industry, recovery always begins with an honest self-examination. Just as we should extend a hand to our neighbors facing problems instead of stigmatizing them, we must also extend a systemic hand to horses instead of branding them. When a safety net for prevention, healing, and rehabilitation that protects users is fully established, the gambling industry can transcend its status as a target of defensive regulation and leap forward as a healthy leisure and tourism resource.
My experience studying in the UK showed me the potential of the Premier League (EPL). Beneath the 90-minute matches lies an ecosystem firmly intertwined with leisure, tourism, data, and community identity. It is the infrastructure of trust surrounding the game that supports the industry, rather than the game itself. The same applies to domestic sports betting and racecourses. When an ecological perspective and trust are secured, racecourses become cultural spaces where people and horses harmoniously coexist, rather than objects of restraint.
As demonstrated by the Jeju riding school, where laughter fills the space once marked by stigma, we must now move beyond the outdated boundaries of riding and racing and towards a fusion with seemingly unrelated industries. When therapeutic riding, healing forests, art exhibitions, and storytelling are woven together, the horse industry will transform into a complete cultural ecosystem. What people reject is not the horse itself but the outdated perceptions imposed on it. Solidarity among all gambling industries, proactive responses to new forms of gambling, and the restoration of trust with local communities must serve as the foundation. When we establish a new 'Horse Industry Cultural Research Institute' at a world-class level and focus our efforts, horse culture will finally gain depth and sustainability.
Today, the horse remains silent. It runs along the path opened by humans in silence. Between the laughter filling the Jeju riding school and the desolate empty track of the racecourse lies not the fault of the running horse but our cold gaze. The task of shedding that stigma and filling it with the dignity of life is the long-standing debt we owe to horses today. Repaying that debt is ultimately an exercise in extending understanding instead of stigma to ourselves. As we gaze into the gentle eyes of the horse, we enter a moment of human inquiry, questioning the value of life—before that inquiry concludes, the horse once again gallops powerfully around the track.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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