The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Second Vice Minister Jang Mi-ran expressed her determination to make Korea an appealing destination for foreigners and to create a safer and more enjoyable tourism environment for domestic travelers.

Jang, who established herself as one of the world's top female weightlifters, winning four consecutive world titles at the World Weightlifting Championships, also mentioned her hopes to combine her expertise in sports with tourism.

During a meeting with a group of tourism journalists Tuesday, the vice minister discussed her aspirations of implementing travel-friendly policies and organizing events that would attract tourists who want to experience "a sense of warmth and healing" throughout their entire trip to Korea.

Following her appointment as the vice minister of culture on July 3, Jang engaged in meetings with tourism-related agencies and firms Friday to gather insights and perspectives from industry professionals.

"I used to view 'tourism' merely as something to enjoy, but now I realize that it encompasses a much broader spectrum, including accommodation, transportation and all the services that travelers receive on their journey," Jang said.

The vice minister expressed her interest in partnering with the sports industry to organize exclusive sports events for Korea within the context of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) sector.

"I aim to integrate my area of expertise in sports into the realms of tourism and culture, although I understand that this will take some time to accomplish," she explained.

In preparing for the Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, the vice minister also expressed her commitment to cooperating with Lee Boo-jin, CEO of Hotel Shilla and Visit Korea Committee's chair.

Prior to her current post, Jang had an illustrious career as a weightlifting athlete, achieving a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Following her retirement in 2013, she pursued higher education and became a professor of physical education at Yong In University in 2016.