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내용: Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Selected as the Host City for the 2025 APEC Summit
- Gyeongju, a city renowned for its cultural, historical, and tourist attractions, boasts of exceptional strengths under its own brand. -
- Gyeongju City and Gyeongsangbuk-do begin preparations for subsequent procedures after Gyeongju City was selected as the APEC host city. -
- Governor Lee Cheol-Woo stated, I will seize this opportunity to reintroduce Gyeongju, one of the world’s four major cities 1,500 years ago, to the world. -

Gyeongju City in Gyeongsangbuk-do has been selected as the host city for the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in 2025, an event that will be attended by different heads of state from 21 countries.

South Korea hosted its first APEC Summit in Busan in 2005. The 2025 Summit, which will be held 20 years after South Korea hosted its first Summit, will be the largest international diplomatic event in the country since President Yoon Suk Yeols government took office.

The Preparatory Committee (chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs) for the 2025 APEC Summit held its second meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 27. At this meeting, it was officially decided that Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do would be the host city, following the recommendation at the fourth meeting of the Host City Selection Committee on July 20.

Moreover, it was also determined that Incheon City and Jeju-do, which competed but were not selected as the host city, would be hosting ministerial and senior officials meetings, respectively.

* As the chair country of APEC in 2025, South Korea plans to host over 200 APEC meetings throughout the year, starting with the Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting at the end of this year. These meetings will include the Summit, sectoral ministerial meetings, five Senior Officials Meetings (SOM), and other subcommittee meetings.

Founded in November 1989 with a ministerial meeting of leaders from 12 countries in Canberra, Australia, APEC has been holding an annual Summit since 1993. The organization comprises of 21 major Pacific Rim countries, including the United States, Japan, China, and Russia. Collectively, these member countries account for approximately 62.2% of the global GDP and 50.1% of global trade, making APEC the largest regional economic cooperation entity in the world.

South Korea, along with Australia, played a leading role in the establishment of APEC. Before the first Summit, South Korea hosted a ministerial meeting in Seoul in 1991, producing the Seoul Declaration that laid the groundwork for the principles of APEC. Additionally, in 2005, South Korea hosted the 13th APEC Summit in Busan, marking another significant milestone in the organizations history.

With the 32nd Summit set to be held in 2025 in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, a region deeply rooted in Korean historical and cultural identity and a driving force behind South Koreas economic miracles, South Korea is looking forward to expand its diplomatic, economic, and cultural influence globally. This summit is expected to serve as a catalyst to promote inclusive growth, including the internationalization of innovative high-tech industries and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as balanced regional development.

Gyeongsangbuk-do estimates that hosting the 2025 APEC Summit will result to an economic impact that exceeds KRW 1.8 trillion nationwide. According to the Gyeongbuk Development Institute, the regional economy in Gyeongsangbuk-do alone is expected to generate KRW 972 billion in terms of production inducement and KRW 465.4 billion in value-added effects, and create approximately 7,908 jobs.

As part of their global strategy to advance local development, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju began their bid to host the APEC Summit in July 2021. They emphasized several key reasons for their candidacy: by being the most Korean city, inclusive growth and balanced development, preparedness as an international conference city, optimal security and safety for leaders, and their role in South Korea’s economic development. They conducted extensive promotional activities in support of this bid.

Since the bid declaration, the enthusiasm to host the summit among the residents of Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju has been unprecedented. The pride of Gyeongjus citizens, who have preserved the citys millennium-old cultural heritage, has manifested in the form of a strong commitment to regional development. This led to more than 500 voluntary support declarations from different civic organizations and institutions, driven by a broad-based citizens promotion committee.

In particular, the million-signature campaign, which began in September 2023, garnered 1,463,874 signatures in just 85 days. This demonstrated the intense desire of both the residents and expatriates to host the summit in Gyeongju.

Meanwhile, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City have consistently carried out strategic promotional activities to expand nationwide consensus, and enhance the citys visibility as a host. They have actively expressed their intention to host the summit through major events, hosting forums, and super concerts, while continuously conveying the desire of the entire region to host the summit.

The Gyeongsangbuk-do Council and Gyeongju City Council also formed special committees in support of the bid. They visited municipalities and councils within the province to seek cooperation, and actively garnered support from friendly cities, including councils in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do.

In particular, the private promotion committee for the Summit bid engaged in promotional activities for the host city by meeting with high-ranking officials from the capital region and other government agencies to conduct active sales efforts for the bid.

Additionally, Representative Kim Seok-ki (Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do) advocated for Gyeongjus bid across political lines, obtaining support signatures from 58 lawmakers in the Yeongnam region, including Daegu, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam-do, which was a significant achievement. These signatures were submitted to the Host City Selection Committee.

With the decision to hold the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, South Koreas national prestige will rise further. Gyeongju, known as the most quintessentially Korean city, will have its global city brand upgraded. Consequently, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City are poised to lead thorough preparations.

Aiming to host the most successful Summit in history, key meeting venues and accommodation facilities will be renovated, an APEC preparation support team will be formed, and detailed action plans for various support areas will be established.

Furthermore, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City will engage in domestic and international promotional marketing by collaborating with relevant organizations, such as the Gyeongbuk Research Institute, Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture & Tourism Organization, and Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center. This includes efforts in the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry and activities to attract foreign tourists.

The Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do economic sectors and businesses have agreed to ensure the success of the APEC Summit. They plan to work with different economic organizations, such as the Daegu Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Gyeongsangbuk-do Chamber of Commerce & Industry Council, the KOTRA Support Center - Daegu-Gyeongbuk, the KITA Daegu-Gyeongbuk Regional Head Office, and the Gyeongsangbuk-do Export Enterprises Association. They will be focusing on promoting the excellence of specialized industries in Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do and joint marketing to boost trade and investment.

Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young stated, Now, Gyeongju and Gyeongsangbuk-do have firmly established a new turning point to introduce themselves to the world. He added, This remarkable achievement is courtesy of the passionate support and backing from the 250,000 Gyeongju citizens, the 2.6 million Gyeongsangbuk-do residents, and everyone who loves Gyeongju.

He also stated, On behalf of the citizens, I extend my welcome and gratitude to the APEC Host City Selection Committee and the Preparatory Committee for making a wise decision to emphasize the values of regional balance and local development. He added, We will repay this trust by hosting the most secure and flawless Summit.

Lee Cheol-Woo, Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do, stated, Being selected as the host city recognizes our region’s historical value and cultural richness, as well as the passion and efforts of our citizens. He added, We will bring together all our resources to ensure that Gyeongju, which was one of the worlds four great cities 1,500 years ago, can re-establish itself as a global cultural city and host the most successful APEC Summit in history.

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Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Selected as the Host City for the 2025 APEC Summit 상세내용