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South Korea Invites 20 APEC Leaders and Prepares Gyeongju for October Summit

Preparations are underway to host thousands of delegates with experts debating Korean Peninsula confidence-building proposals versus measures to bolster U.S. alliance credibility

Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul on July 15, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Chey Tae-won, SK Group Chairman and the chief of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), speaks during a KCCI summer forum in the southeastern city of Gyeongju on July 16, 2025. (Yonhap)
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Overview

  • President Lee Jae Myung sent formal invitations on July 14–15 to leaders of all 20 APEC member economies, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as select non-members such as the United Arab Emirates.
  • The summit, scheduled for Oct. 31–Nov. 1 under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” is expected to draw about 4,000 government delegates and 4,000 business representatives among 20,000 to 30,000 total participants.
  • The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry launched its four-day summer forum in Gyeongju to finalize venues, accommodations and agenda programming and to organize the APEC CEO Summit.
  • SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won and other industry leaders pledged to spotlight Korea’s digital innovation and sustainable growth through side events like the K-tech Showcase and FutureTech Forum at the CEO Summit.
  • Policy advisers from think tanks are weighing proposals for inter-Korean confidence-building measures—such as suspending military drills—against steps to shore up the credibility of the U.S.–South Korea security alliance.