New Vice Culture Minister Jang Mi-ran makes office debut

Jang Mi-ran, a weightlifting champion recently named to a top post in charge of sports administration, vowed her utmost efforts to exceed expectations as she made her first appearance at her office in a central city Tuesday.

In a surprise announcement Thursday, Jang was named the second vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, a position handling sports-related and tourism affairs in the ministry.

But some opposition lawmakers, including Rep. An Min-suk, have criticized the appointment, citing her lack of efforts to advance or reform the sports sector as a prominent athlete.

"Although I feel the significant burden entrusted to me, I'll deliver my utmost efforts so I can exceed the expectations," Jang told reporters upon arriving at the ministry building in Sejong, 113 kilometers south of Seoul. She received a floral bouquet from ministry officials as a token of congratulations.

This marked her first day at her office although she began her term in office as soon as she received an appointment certificate from President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday.

When asked about the criticisms regarding her appointment, she responded, "After hearing such concerns, I thought I will have to exert greater diligence."

Jang is the third elite athlete to become the second vice minister of sports, following former shooter Park Jong-gil and ex-swimmer Choi Yoon-hee.

As an athlete, Jang has achieved more significant milestones than the two, including her four consecutive victories at the World Weightlifting Championships from 2005 to 2009, a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Prior to her appointment as the vice minister, she served as a sports science professor at Yongin University in Yongin, just south of Seoul, and was actively involved as the director of a sports foundation named after her. (Yonhap)