Korea Racing Authority Chairman Woo Hee-jong has been named in the leadership and management category of the "2026 Korea's Most Influential CEOs" awards.
The "Korea's Most Influential CEOs" award recognizes chief executives who have driven national economic development and institutional growth through distinctive management philosophy and outstanding leadership. Woo was honored for successfully overhauling the authority's organizational culture since taking office, with particular recognition for his emphasis on balancing public accountability with professional expertise.
Under the management slogan "A horse-culture leisure public enterprise together with the people," Woo has made shedding the authority's gambling-associated image and strengthening social responsibility his top priorities. He has led efforts to clean up the horse racing environment, notably by building an AI-powered smart user-protection system and upgrading the mobile electronic wagering service DerbyON 2.0.
Woo also reorganized the authority's structure, establishing a future strategy division to spearhead digital transformation and secure new growth engines for the horse industry. His background as a veterinarian earned additional recognition from the selection committee: he formally enshrined respect for animal life as a management principle and expanded the public-benefit return of racing revenues, including through broader therapeutic riding programs.
"This award is the result of every Korea Racing Authority employee working together to restore public trust and drive innovation," Woo said. "Going forward, we will protect users through rigorous responsible-gambling policies while fulfilling our duties as a public institution responsible for life, ecology and horse culture."
yjc@heraldcorp.com
