Retired Racehorse 'Kkami' Paves the Way for Animal Safety Assurance System
'Reckless', War Hero Who Braved the Battlefield Amid Intense Fire
(Photo left) Racehorse Kami who appeared in 'Taejong Yi Bang-won' [Captured from Animal Freedom Alliance Instagram] and Korean War hero racehorse 'Reckless' [Yeoncheon County]
[Asia Economy Reporter Ra Young-cheol] A retired racehorse that spent its life without rest, deprived of the right to live due to human desires, and lived a life as fleeting as dew, is delivering a profound lesson.
'Kami,' a former racehorse treated as a prop and sacrificed for brief scenes, has significant meaning in that it helped establish institutional foundations for animal safety assurance on various filming sets.
Moreover, Kami sharply criticizes the outdated and backward broadcasting production environment of the past.
Previously, there was a case where a former racehorse, like Kami, who contributed to national security during wartime, was honored with the highest respect until its death, concluding its life story movingly.
Although born in different eras, the difficult times and painful years experienced by these two racehorses convey a message that resonates deeply with us.
■ The Lesson Left by Racehorse 'Kami'
During the filming of the drama Taejong Yi Bang-won, Kami fell after getting his foot caught in a wire. [Photo captured from Animal Rights Action Kara homepage]
Recently, there has been a fierce controversy over animal abuse after deliberately causing a horse to fall and die during the filming of a historical drama.
The incident occurred on November 2 last year during the filming of the fall scene of Yi Seong-gye (played by Kim Young-chul) in episode 7 of KBS's historical drama 'Taejong Yi Bang-won.'
It was revealed that a wire was tied to the running horse (Kami)'s leg and pulled to make it fall, shocking and angering many people.
The public showed great concern for Kami, who was injured and died in pain without understanding the reason after being used for filming.
Kami was known to have been a racehorse for about five years after birth and was sold to a horse rental company after retirement.
Although it is unknown how Kami lived, the public only knows that Kami lived and died for human entertainment until its death.
Therefore, the public feels even more affectionate and sorrowful about Kami's death.
Animal protection organizations filed a complaint against the person responsible for filming 'Taejong Yi Bang-won' for violating the Animal Protection Act (animal abuse).
Among the public, debates over the cancellation of the drama and even a petition to the Blue House sparked outrage.
As public opinion surged, KBS issued an apology. However, the level of criticism toward the production team was unexpectedly high.
Some blogs even compared how the 'Yi Seong-gye fall scenes' were directed in various dramas aired so far.
Several domestic stars expressed sorrow over Kami's death and anger toward the drama.
American CNN referred to it as 'clear animal abuse,' reporting that animals were put at risk and caused to die to film the fall scene.
The film and TV drama production industry pointed out, "When a director's lack of professionalism and inability to overcome expressive limits lead to excessive greed, it causes major conflicts within the production team and cast and negatively affects the work."
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced, "We plan to form a public-private consultative body composed of experts from various fields to establish guidelines respecting the life rights of living animals and preventing harm by treating them as props."
The 'Kami death incident' is expected to become an opportunity to establish systems for respecting animal life, harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, and protection and welfare of animals appearing in various media.
Meanwhile, in American films, even a single scene of a horse falling is created using CGI.
The American Humane Association is known to operate a system certifying that 'no animals were harmed' when animals appear in films.
■ War Hero Military Horse 'Reckless'
The representative American love and respect for horses can be confirmed through the case of 'Reckless,' a military horse active during the Korean War. [From our 'Korea Route' series]
In March 1953, during the Battle of Nevada Outpost in Yeoncheon County, where the 5th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division held off the 120th Division of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.
Amidst a hail of bullets and shrapnel, there was a military horse that carried 4 tons of recoilless rifle shells and wounded soldiers, leading the battle to victory.
The military horse, recognized for its merit, was promoted to corporal after the war. Its name was 'Reckless.'
Originally named 'Morning Sun,' the U.S. Marines who fought alongside it witnessed Reckless's exploits and gave it the name meaning 'recklessly brave.'
Before becoming a military horse, the war hero 'Reckless' was also a racehorse like Kami.
Reckless was a small mare, 142 cm tall and weighing 410 kg, born in July 1949 in Jeju and active at the Seoul Racecourse as a racehorse.
However, when the Korean War broke out, 'Morning Sun' fled with its owner but lost its owner in a landmine accident and became a military horse belonging to the U.S. Marines. It was estimated to be 3 years old at the time.
According to the record 'SGT. RECKLESS,' Reckless was highly mobile, intelligent, and performed the work of about ten ordinary soldiers in mountainous terrain.
During the five-day battle known as the 'Battle for Outpost Vegas' in March 1953, Reckless alone climbed the steep mountain path 51 times over a total distance of 56 km, carrying 386 shells, 4 to 8 at a time.
Reckless transported over 4 tons of ammunition, accounting for 95% of the shells used that day, through a battlefield showered with bullets and shrapnel.
Reckless was wounded twice in battle, including an injury above the left eye from shell fragments and a torn left flank.
However, after receiving treatment, Reckless returned to duty and even carried out missions to evacuate wounded soldiers to safety.
The Marines protected Reckless by removing their bulletproof vests to shield it.
What is even more remarkable is that Reckless performed all these missions on its own without a rider to train it amid the intense gunfire.
Unlike other horses, after accompanying a person once or twice, Reckless learned the route and thereafter found its way alone to deliver supplies.
It was trained to avoid obstacles like barbed wire and to lie down when shells exploded.
Besides transporting shells and wounded soldiers, Reckless also carried communication lines heavy enough for 12 soldiers and helped establish communication lines.
Sometimes, it served as a shield for its comrades amid a hail of bullets.
After fierce fighting, the U.S. forces recaptured Outpost Vegas and held it against repeated counterattacks for several days.
Korean War veteran Howard E. Wordley testified, "Reckless was our lifeline for ammunition support," and "amid the tremendous noise and shaking of the battlefield, he (Reckless) endured without flinching."
Sergeant Babbit said, "Seeing 'Morning Sun,' a dark brown horse with a white face, carrying life-saving shells through bullets inspired everyone and boosted morale, becoming the driving force to annihilate the enemy."
After the Korean War armistice, Reckless eventually set foot on American soil and spent its remaining years at Camp Pendleton, the base of the 5th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division, where it was treated with utmost care.
In April 1954, General Randolph M. Pate, commander of the 1st Marine Division, promoted Reckless from corporal to sergeant.
On August 31, 1959, Reckless was promoted to staff sergeant. The promotion ceremony at Camp Pendleton was attended by over 1,700 comrades, and 19 gun salutes were fired.
On November 10, 1960, Reckless retired at Camp Pendleton. Afterwards, Reckless gave birth to four foals.
As it aged, Reckless developed arthritis in its back and was injured on May 13, 1968, after falling into a barbed wire fence.
The elderly Reckless received treatment for its wounds, was given a sedative, and passed away. The U.S. Marines held a funeral with the highest honors.
Reckless was honorably buried in the base cemetery, and a monument was erected next to the stable.
At the time, Reckless's death was widely reported by major media and received nationwide attention.
In 2013, the U.S. Marine Corps Museum in Virginia held a dedication ceremony for the Reckless Memorial Hall.
The memorial hall displayed a statue of Reckless along with various materials.
In 2016, a statue of Reckless was erected at the Camp Pendleton Marine base where Reckless lived, and in 2018, another statue was installed at the Lexington Horse Park in Kentucky.
In Korea, a statue of Reckless was erected in 2016 at the Gorangpo History Park in Yeoncheon County. The actual horseshoe and tail hair of Reckless brought from the U.S. were exhibited.
Reckless received numerous awards, including presidential citations from both Korea and the U.S., two U.S. Purple Heart medals awarded to the wounded or fallen, the U.S. Department of Defense Combat Medal, the U.S. Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, two commendations from the U.S. Navy Commander, the United Nations Service Medal for the Korean War, and four Korean War Service Medals.
Britain awarded Reckless the Dickin Medal, given to animals contributing to war or national security.
At the Lexington Horse Park in eastern Kentucky, Reckless's statue stands shoulder to shoulder with legendary horses.
The famous American magazine 'Life,' which selected the '100 Greatest Heroes' including founding fathers George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Mother Maria Teresa, named Reckless among the 100 greatest American heroes in 1997.
Annual events honoring Reckless are held in Yeoncheon County, Gyeonggi Province, the site of the Nevada Outpost battle, and in the U.S., where Reckless spent its later years.
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