Vice Minister Jang Miran: "Will Actively Communicate with the Chairperson of the Korea Visit Year Committee"

Inaugural Press Conference for Tourism Reporters
"Considering How Athletic Experience Can Benefit the Tourism Sector"

"In celebration of the Visit Korea Year, I will consult with Chairwoman Lee Boo-jin and actively undertake tasks that can be helpful."

Jang Mi-ran, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, pledged this on the 25th at a tourism press briefing held in Seoul, saying, "As the 2nd Vice Minister, I will take on necessary tasks with a sense of responsibility to achieve results in the tourism sector."

Jang Mi-ran, 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Vice Minister Jang, an Olympic weightlifting gold medalist and former athlete, was appointed as the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the 29th of last month, overseeing sports, tourism, and public communication. Earlier, the government decided to promote the Visit Korea Year project for 2023-2024 and elected Lee Boo-jin, CEO of Hotel Shilla, as the new chairwoman in February. A blueprint was also presented to expand attractions and entertainment so that many foreign tourists can visit Korea through cooperation between the private and public sectors, aiming to open the era of 30 million inbound tourists by 2027. To revitalize inbound tourism, various events encompassing culture, arts, K-pop, gaming, performances, sports, and other aspects of K-culture will be promoted.

Vice Minister Jang introduced, "When I recently reported on tourism activities to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, I was told to visit the Chairwoman of Visit Korea Year to listen to her opinions and communicate." He added, "Before becoming the Vice Minister, I was just an athlete, and even afterward, I only thought of myself as a teacher educating students at school. But with the Visit Korea Year, the government announced various plans, and as the Vice Minister, I have roles to fulfill, so I plan to tackle the tasks I have been contemplating one by one."

Among the plans he envisions is expanding inbound tourists linked to international sports events and other sports-related activities. Vice Minister Jang said, "The president of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) Association, with whom I recently held a briefing, gave the opinion that 'It would be good to collaborate with the sports sector to highlight Korea’s unique characteristics,' and I am considering such areas."

A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official stated, "Until now, hosting international events was regarded as a task solely for the sports sector, but going forward, once an event is confirmed, we are reviewing ways to integrate it with tourism to attract more spectators and to induce demand for training camps in Korea."

Vice Minister Jang emphasized, "Some may worry because I am an athlete and might not be well-versed in tourism, but there are certainly aspects where my experience as an athlete can help tourism. Although there are many constraints and shortcomings, I will approach this with the mindset I always had when exercising: 'Let’s work hard.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.