Some APEC Leaders to Stay in Busan: UAE at Ananti, Philippines at Signiel, Brunei at Park Hyatt

Repeated Hotel and Restaurant Reservations and Cancellations at Gyeongju Bomun Complex Due to Security and Confidentiality Concerns

Where will the delegations from participating countries, including foreign heads of state and business leaders, stay during the APEC Summit?

For hotels in Gyeongju, the host city, as well as across South Korea, attracting heads of state is not only a matter of hotel marketing but also of national pride. Hotels in Gyeongju, as well as those in Busan, Ulsan, Daegu, and the Gyeongbuk region, which are relatively close to the summit venue, have been fiercely competing from early on to attract the approximately 20,000 visitors, including delegations from 21 member countries, businesspeople, and journalists.

It has been reported that some heads of state visiting Korea for the APEC Summit on October 31 will be staying in Busan rather than in Gyeongju.

According to diplomatic sources and officials, the United Arab Emirates delegation is scheduled to stay at Ananti Cove and Village de Ananti, collectively known as "Ananti Busan," the Philippines delegation at Signiel Busan, and the Brunei delegation at Park Hyatt Busan.

Tourists visiting Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju are enjoying the night view. Recently, the number of foreign tourists has significantly increased in Gyeongju City ahead of the APEC Summit.

Since the beginning of this year, issues such as the shortage of Presidential Suites (PRS) and the overall accommodation capacity in Gyeongju have been raised among diplomatic circles. As a result, delegations from major countries, including the United States, China, Japan, Indonesia, Canada, and the UAE, have been exploring luxury hotels in Busan, Ulsan, and Daegu.

Among these, Ananti is considered a leading candidate for the accommodation of key heads of state, as it is the closest luxury hotel in Busan to downtown Gyeongju (a 35-40 minute motorcade ride) and reportedly has over 100 PRS. It is also highly regarded for its large meeting spaces, which are suitable for multilateral and bilateral meetings, making it ideal for diplomatic events.

A diplomatic official stated, "While delegations from major allied countries were weighing between Hilton Gyeongju and Ananti, the UAE side secured their reservation first, confirming their stay. The UAE head of state is scheduled to attend the main session of the APEC Summit."

"Ananti Busan" has been designated as both an official sponsor and the official accommodation for the "APEC CEO Summit KOREA 2025."

It is reported that the current guests include SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Harold Hamm, Honorary Chairman of Continental Resources and a pioneer in the U.S. shale gas industry, and Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, among other global figures. Honorary Chairman Hamm is well known as an energy policy advisor to former U.S. President Donald Trump.

These guests are also scheduled to attend the "APEC CEO Summit - Asia Pacific LNG Connect" session, which will be held at Ananti Busan on October 31. This session is expected to discuss topics such as the stability of LNG supply in Northeast Asia and strategies for meeting electricity demand in the era of artificial intelligence (AI).

Ananti will participate as a Gold Sponsor of the APEC CEO Summit, which will be held at Gyeongju Arts Center from October 28 to 31, providing its branded food and beverages to global CEOs and government delegations attending the summit.

Eom Sungkyu, Commissioner of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, is inspecting preparations related to the arrival and departure of key figures including heads of state and officials from various countries at major facilities such as Gimhae International Airport on the morning of the 27th in connection with the 32nd APEC Summit. Busan Metropolitan Police Agency

This APEC CEO Summit is the largest business forum in the Asia-Pacific region, with around 1,000 participants, including heads of state from APEC member countries, CEOs of global companies, and academic leaders, who will discuss global economic issues and the future.

At Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju, where the official meetings will take place, reservations and cancellations are repeatedly occurring due to security concerns. One hotel had its entire block reserved early on by the Chinese delegation, but the reservation was recently canceled. At Sono Calm Gyeongju, the U.S. support staff and businesspeople had secured accommodations for about six days, but were also recently notified of a cancellation. Currently, these hotels and resorts only display welcome banners in five to six Southeast Asian languages for participating delegations from those countries.

The owner of a restaurant in Bomun Tourist Complex said that the U.S. delegation had pre-booked meals for about 100 people per day before and after the summit, but all reservations were canceled. However, inquiries from companies and support staff from participating countries are still coming in steadily.

Although this is an international event, with security, protection, and confidentiality as top priorities, even confirmed arrangements can change, making it a "festival of leaders" where official counts will only be possible after the event concludes.

According to officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the APEC Preparatory Planning Team, Busan City, the police, and the business community, the itinerary and meeting schedule for the U.S. delegation are still being coordinated. The possibility of a change in the venue for the U.S.-China summit and the potential for diplomatic events related to North Korea are being discussed as last-minute variables.