High Oil Prices Could see a Repeat of 2008 Cancellation of Evening Program

Korea’s traditional summer night racing program could be under threat after the Korean government banned Golf courses across the peninsula from using their floodlights in order to save electricity. The measure, which came into effect in March will only be repealed if crude oil prices are recorded as being below $100 per barrel for five consecutive days.

Korea, which must import 100% of its oil, is very sensitive to the prospect of fuel shortages and in 2008, the KRA dropped its plans for summer evening racing after the global oil price rocketed. Neither Baseball nor Football (Soccer) are affected by the measures and, while technically, the rules only come into effect at midnight each day, given the KRA’s status as a branch of the Agricultural Ministry, it would make sense if the evening program was abandoned to set an energy-saving example.

Currently, racing is scheduled to switch to the evenings at all three Race courses (Seoul, Busan and Jeju) from the weekend beginning Friday July 15 and continuing until Sunday August 20 with the last weekend of July being blank. “Evening” racing generally gets underway at Seoul at around 2:30pm continuing until 9pm with the lights on from about 7pm.

Of course, if it does happen the fixtures themselves will still go ahead but will be run during daylight hours.