Overview
- Roughly 19,000 police and military personnel are securing venues and hotels, with road closures and barricades in place after small protests on Oct. 29 were contained without injuries.
- President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping held a brief meeting at Gimhae International Airport on Oct. 30, as leaders including Japan’s Sanae Takaichi and Singapore’s Lawrence Wong arrived for the Oct. 31–Nov. 1 sessions.
- Visitors report sold‑out rooms, steep price increases and surprise fees, including a viral case of a 50,000 won cash “pool heating” charge even though the pool was closed.
- Organizers expect about 20,000 attendees and say they secured 16,838 rooms and 35 presidential‑level suites following hotel renovations and the creation of an APEC special zone at the Bomun Tourist Complex.
- Industry estimates from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry project 7.4 trillion won in nationwide economic impact and nearly 24,000 jobs, with additional regional gains forecast by the Gyeongbuk Development Institute.