Jeju Island Officially Launches Bid to Host the 2025 APEC Summit

Jeju Island Holds Inaugural Meeting of Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee on 14th, Launches Hosting Campaign

Governor Oh Young-hoon: "Jeju Will Show the World Its Future-Oriented Image Overcoming Pain"

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is launching full-scale activities to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held in Korea for the first time in 20 years.

On the 14th, Jeju announced that it held the inauguration ceremony of the “2025 APEC Summit Jeju Hosting Pan-Provincial Promotion Committee (hereinafter the Promotion Committee)” at the Seolmundae Women’s Culture Center, with about 200 participants including Governor Oh Young-hoon and residents from various sectors.

2025 APEC Hosting Provincial Citizens' Promotion Committee Launch Ceremony
[Photo by Jeju Province]

The Promotion Committee is co-chaired by Yang Moon-seok, Chairman of the Jeju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cho Hyung-seop, CEO of Jeju Semiconductor Co., Ltd., and Kim Chang-hee, President of the Overseas Jeju Residents Association Federation. It consists of about 1,000 members from diverse fields including the National Assembly and Provincial Council, public institutions, businesses, economy, culture, tourism, sports, media, and civic groups.

In particular, Governor Oh Young-hoon and Kim Kyung-hak, Chairman of the Provincial Council, were appointed as special chairpersons, operating in a form where the private sector leads and the administration supports.

The event began with the screening of the 2025 APEC Jeju Hosting promotional video, followed by a cultural performance by the traditional music band The Pongnang, presentation of appointment certificates to the co-chairpersons, unveiling of a monument, greetings from the special and co-chairpersons, a report on the APEC Jeju hosting promotion plan, reading of a resolution, and chanting of a pledge slogan.

In his greeting, Governor Oh Young-hoon said, “The values and goals pursued by APEC and Jeju are the same,” emphasizing the justification for hosting the 2025 APEC Summit in Jeju.

He added, “It is not simply about hosting an international event, but about showing the world Jeju’s image of overcoming pain and moving toward the future,” and “Through hosting the APEC Summit, Jeju’s step toward becoming a leading region in the Asia-Pacific will be accelerated.”

Yang Moon-seok, co-chairman and chairman of the Jeju Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “With intense interest from local governments in hosting APEC, Jeju, which is seeking to host again, needs a more thorough response,” and “With the launch of the Special Self-Governing Province, Jeju, the island of world peace playing a central role in Northeast Asia, will unite the capabilities and hearts of its residents to realize this dream.”

The Promotion Committee read a resolution pledging that “Jeju has experience and infrastructure favorable for hosting various international conferences, as well as advantageous conditions for security and protection,” and that the administration, public institutions, businesses, civic groups, and residents will all unite with one heart and mind to take the lead in hosting the APEC Summit in Jeju.

Meanwhile, APEC, established with the goal of economic growth and prosperity of Asia-Pacific coastal countries, is an annual meeting of 21 member countries. After being held in Busan in 2005, it is scheduled to be held in Korea again in 2025 for the first time in 20 years. Currently, Jeju, along with Incheon, Busan, and Gyeongju, are competing to host the event.

Jeju = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Chang-won baekok@asiae.co.kr