Lee Yang promotes daily exercise on first day as sports minister

Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) Taiwan's first sports minister, Olympic gold medalist Lee Yang (李洋), marked his first day in office Wednesday by jogging for 30 minutes around the Ministry of Sports building, underscoring his pledge to make exercise part of everyday life in the country.

"National fitness starts with me," the 30-year-old wrote on Facebook, posting photos of himself signing his first policy initiative, which urges the public to exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

The ministry also shared pictures on its official Threads account of Lee running alone around the building, noting that he covered 5,000 meters in half an hour.

On Tuesday, the two-time Olympic badminton champion became Taiwan's youngest-ever Cabinet minister when he assumed leadership of the newly established Ministry of Sports.

At his swearing-in ceremony, Lee pledged to promote President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) vision of "sports for all," broaden opportunities for youth and grassroots athletes, and raise Taiwan's profile in international competitions.

He also emphasized inclusivity, saying that sports should be accessible to seniors, people with disabilities, and women.

By combining policy initiatives with personal example, Lee said, he hopes to show that sports is not just for elite athletes but should be a part of everyday life for all.