APEC CEO Summit opens amid calls for cooperation, resilience

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province -- Business and political leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region convened Wednesday for the opening of the APEC CEO Summit, calling for greater multilateral cooperation and supply chain resilience to address escalating global challenges ranging from technological disruption to climate change. The three-day forum, organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, brought together more than 1,700 global tycoons, leaders of APEC economies and renowned

APEC 2005 and 2025: How South Korea, world changed

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — Two decades after South Korea first hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conferences in Busan, the international event has returned — this time to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, a historic city just an hour’s drive north of Busan. Back in 2005, South Korea was considered an East Asian economy striving to overcome the financial crisis that swept the Asian region in late 1990s. Now, South Korea has risen to become a major economy. As of 2024, Sou

Two Gyeongju museums revisit Korea's cultural legacy through art

As Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935), hosts APEC 2025, two private museums in the city are hosting exhibitions that showcase the depth and breadth of Korea's artistic offerings. Wooyang Art Museum and Solgeo Art Museum -- designed by renowned Korean architects and located within a 15-minute walk of each other -- are presenting exhibitions that should not be missed. Wooyang Art Museum, a private museum established in 1991, is home to 14 works by the Korean-born vid

Lotte Retail chief stresses customer focus in digital era

Kim Sang-hyun, vice chairman and CEO of Lotte Retail Group, underscored the customer-centric nature of digital transformation as technology continues to reshape and elevate the offline retail experience. Speaking Wednesday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Kim said the industry’s digital shift should focus on innovation that strengthens customer engagement during a session titled “Digital Transformation & Retail Efficiency.” “While e-comm

Trump given South Korea's highest honor, Silla gold crown

As President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump held talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit, Lee presented Trump with South Korea’s highest state honor and presented a replica of an ancient Korean crown, the South Korean presidential office said Wednesday. As a gesture of diplomatic friendship, Lee gave Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, Korea’s highest honor reserved for heads of state, to acknowledge Trump’s achievement in advancing peace on the Korean Peninsula and to encourage h

Amazon to pour $5b into new AI data centers in Korea

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — Amazon Web Services will invest more than $5 billion by 2031 to build AI data centers across Incheon and Gyeonggi Province, the government said on Wednesday following President Lee Jae Myung’s meeting with AWS Chief Executive Matt Garman on the sidelines of the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju. The investment represents Amazon’s largest-ever greenfield commitment in Korea and comes just months after the US tech giant pledged $4 billion to establish an artificial

Ball in Takaichi’s court over next phase of Seoul-Tokyo ties

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — A delicate thaw between South Korea and Japan will face its first test under new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during the APEC summit this week. At a critical juncture, the future of the fragile rapprochement between Seoul and Tokyo appears to hinge more on Takaichi than on South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, according to observers in Seoul and Washington. Lee and Takaichi are widely expected to hold their first in-person summit during the 2025 AP

Trump rules out meeting North Korean leader during APEC visit

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un were unable to “work out timing,” indicating that a meeting between the two will not take place during his two-day visit to South Korea. In his opening remarks at a summit with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at the Gyeongju National Museum, Trump said, “I know Kim Jong-un very well. We get along very well. … We really weren’t able to work out the timing,” suggesting that a meeting during his stay was unlik

APEC at crossroads: Can forum still deliver on founding promise?

When the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum was launched in 1989, its founding goal was ambitious yet clear — to promote open trade, regional economic integration and sustainable growth across the Pacific Rim. Formed at the end of the Cold War and amid rising globalization, APEC emerged as a platform to bridge advanced and developing economies in the region. With 21 member economies accounting for nearly 60 percent of global gross domestic product, the forum quickly became a cornerstone of

Trump arrives in South Korea for 1st time in 6 years

US President Donald Trump arrived at Gimhae International Airport in Busan on Tuesday, marking his first visit to South Korea in six years since 2019, to attend a series of events for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit set to open this week. Trump landed at 11:32 a.m., about an hour later than the initially estimated time. The airport was chosen for its proximity to Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, where the APEC summit is set to open on Friday and Saturday. The preivious stop was

K-food diplomacy in action at APEC

From bottled water at negotiation tables and liquor served at leaders’ banquets to snacks offered to journalists at the media center, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, doubles as a global showcase for Korean food. A variety of local food and dining companies are supporting the APEC summit in Gyeongju as official sponsors to promote the global competitiveness and brand value of the K-food industry. Out of the 66 official sponsors, food-related co

APEC 2025 marks new beginning for Gyeongju, mayor says

South Korea decided to hold the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju in June 2024. Soon after, the martial law crisis plunged the national government into chaos, leaving the city with limited time and resources to prepare until the current Lee Jae Myung administration took office on June 4. Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young said the situation allowed him to focus on two key priorities. “Though the window of time was narrow, we took it as an opportunity to demonstrate Gyeongju’s capabi

Where APEC happens: Gyeongju's 4 key venues for summits and meetings

As Gyeongju hosts the APEC 2025 summit, several key sites across the city have taken center stage. From the main conference hall to the leaders’ banquet venue and accompanying exhibitions, here are four key locations where the international event is unfolding. The main stage for the APEC summit is the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center, or HICO, located inside the city’s World Expo Grand Park. The venue embodies Gyeongju’s cultural heritage and the legacy of the ancient Silla Kingd

Centuries-old style makgeolli to toast APEC ministerial banquet

When ministers from across the Asia-Pacific gather for dinner in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province this week, their glasses will be filled not with champagne or wine, but with makgeolli, Korea’s signature fermented rice drink. The drink to be served at the official banquet of the APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting on Foreign and Trade Affairs (AMM) on Wednesday and Thursday is “A Night Counting Stars in the Milky Way,” a 12 percent ABV premium makgeolli brewed by Bal-Hyo Gongbang 1991 Inc., the ma

SK chief touts Korea’s agility in tackling AI bottlenecks

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — Leaders of the global artificial intelligence industry on Tuesday highlighted South Korea’s efforts to stay ahead in the fast-evolving AI sector, with SK Group Chair Chey Tae-won saying the country’s agility and adaptability could help ease the “bottlenecks” constraining the industry’s growth. Speaking at Future Tech Forum Series: AI, an official sideline event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, Chey, who also heads the Korea Chamber of Com