On the 27th of August, the agreement was signed between the
Local Representatives of Yongsan (Seoul), one of whom is
Kim Yul-Ok rscj, and the Korean Horse Racing Association, stating that the
Electronic Horse Racingfacility in Yongsan will close and move out
by the end of December 2017.
For almost five years now, more precisely for more than 1500 days, members of the Sacred Heart School in Yongsan (RSCJ, teachers, parents and students), the local community, and NGOs have been protesting against the electronic horse racing facility, which was put up near the school.
Click here to read the article published on rscjinternational in July 2014.
The decision of the government to have this gambling facility closed by the end of this year is welcomed by people with delight. With joy, we now want to share with you how we walked this journey.
At the end of April of 2013, three members of the Yongsan-Gu Local Government visited our school and informed us that an Electronic Horse Racing (EHR) facility was to be opened near our school. Realizing the urgency of the situation, and motivated by our desire to protect the health and security of our educational environment, our school community and the local community immediately formed the “Task Force against Electronic Horse Racing”.
Thus began our protest action which was like the fight between David and Goliath. Believing and trusting that ‘The Lord will not save us with a sword nor a spear… [and] that the battle will depend on God’ (1 Samuel 17, 47), we prepared ourselves for what we knew would be a long struggle. We were small and weak; but, as adults, teachers, and parents who have the duty to protect our children, we were committed to keep up the fight.
