The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be held in Gyeongju, South Korea, from October 27 to November 1, 2025. This meeting, held in South Korea again after 20 years, will be a significant occasion to explore new development directions for the Asia-Pacific region amid global economic uncertainty and complex crises, under the comprehensive theme of 'Building a Sustainable Future: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.' Through this APEC 2025 summit, South Korea plans to deepen regional economic integration, present practical solutions to the challenges of digital transformation and sustainability, and solidify its leadership in the international community.
The first core agenda of APEC 2025 is 'Connect.' This aims to realize a more closely connected Asia-Pacific by strengthening physical, institutional, and human exchanges within the region. In particular, measures to enhance supply chain resilience in response to the deepening instability of global supply chains and to lower trade and investment barriers in the region, thereby creating a free and open trade environment, will be discussed in depth. In addition, policy support measures for the structural reform of service trade and the promotion of digital trade will also be primarily addressed, and the joint efforts of APEC member countries to strengthen the multilateral trading system centered on the World Trade Organization (WTO) will be emphasized.
The second agenda, 'Innovate,' focuses on strengthening regional competitiveness by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI)-based growth and accelerating digital transformation. At APEC 2025, cooperation measures in cutting-edge technology fields such as AI and the digital economy, biotechnology, and health technology will be discussed intensively. In particular, the development of comprehensive policies to strengthen human capabilities in the AI era and to address the digital divide will be presented as an important task. South Korea, as a global IT powerhouse, is expected to share its experience and know-how in leading digital innovation and contribute to the digital transformation of the entire Asia-Pacific region.
'Prosper' is the third core agenda of APEC 2025, pursuing inclusive growth through economic-environmental-social initiatives such as sustainability, clean energy, carbon neutrality, green finance, and the circular economy. A joint action plan of member countries for responding to climate change and achieving sustainable development goals will be established, and in particular, investment and technology cooperation for the transition to clean energy and the nurturing of green industries will be emphasized. This will contribute to building an inclusive and resilient economic system that benefits everyone, going beyond simple economic growth.
As the host country of APEC 2025, South Korea will focus on solidifying its status as a global innovation hub and presenting a vision for a sustainable future for the Asia-Pacific region through this summit. In particular, it is a strategy to utilize this as an important opportunity to seek improvements in relations between the US and China, strengthen bilateral relations with major powers such as the United States, China, and Japan, and explore the possibility of resuming dialogue with North America or the two Koreas, thus practicing 'bridge diplomacy.' South Korea will strive to achieve tangible progress in the three core priorities of strengthening economic resilience, accelerating digital transformation, and promoting sustainability, and will take the lead in seeking solutions to the complex challenges of the Asia-Pacific region.
This APEC 2025 summit will also host the 'APEC CEO Summit,' where not only the leaders of each country but also major leaders in the global economy and technology fields will gather. CEOs of global companies such as Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, Tim Cook of Apple, and Sundar Pichai of Google will attend to share their visions for cutting-edge industries such as artificial intelligence, future mobility, and the hydrogen economy, and to discuss government-private cooperation measures. Key business leaders from South Korea will also participate extensively to build a global network and seek economic cooperation measures, and in particular, opportunities to promote Korean culture, such as operating a K-food promotion booth, will be provided.
The APEC 2025 Gyeongju Summit will be a significant turning point for solving the economic, social, and environmental challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region and for creating a more prosperous and sustainable future. Through the successful hosting of this summit, South Korea is expected to expand its role and influence in the international community and to contribute significantly to regional economic integration and mutual development by deriving tangible results under the theme of 'Connect, Innovate, Prosper.' This APEC 2025 will play an important role in promoting dialogue and cooperation between major powers and presenting a sustainable development model for future generations, going beyond being a mere economic forum. More detailed information can be found on the APEC official website and the APEC 2025 South Korea official website.
A1: The APEC 2025 forum will be held from October 27 to November 1, 2025, and the main summit will be held from October 31 to November 1.
A2: Under the main theme of 'Building a Sustainable Future,' it covers three core agendas: 'Connect,' 'Innovate,' and 'Prosper.' This means strengthening regional connectivity, accelerating digital innovation, and sustainable and inclusive growth.
A3: As the host country, South Korea will strengthen its status as a global innovation hub, promote dialogue and cooperation between major powers through 'bridge diplomacy,' and play a leading role in the fields of digital transformation and sustainability.
A4: President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea, President Donald Trump of the United States, and CEOs of global companies such as NVIDIA, Apple, and Google will attend the APEC CEO Summit to discuss future economic visions.
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