Companies Join Hands for 'APEC Cooperation'... Chey Tae-won: "We Will Showcase Korea's Economic Development DNA and Innovation Capabilities" (Comprehensive)

'APEC CEO Summit' Launches at Chamber of Commerce on the 23rd
Nine Months Until Gyeongju APEC Summit
Companies Unite to Support APEC Business Events

Leading companies in South Korea are joining forces in earnest to ensure the successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which is just nine months away.

Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (sixth from the left in the front row), and Ahn Deok-geun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (seventh from the left in the front row), along with other attendees of the APEC CEO Summit Promotion Committee inauguration ceremony, are taking a commemorative photo before the meeting. Photo by Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry

On the morning of the 23rd, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) held the "2025 APEC CEO Summit Promotion Committee Launch Ceremony" at the Chamber of Commerce building on Namdaemun-ro, Seoul.

The Promotion Committee plans to support business events at the APEC Summit scheduled to be held in Gyeongju this October. Choi Tae-won, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SK Group, who is also the Chair of the APEC CEO Summit, will serve as the Promotion Committee Chair, with other companies participating as executive members.

At the launch ceremony, 20 people attended including Chairman Choi Tae-won, Jo Hyun-sang, Vice Chairman of HS Hyosung and Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Park Seung-hee, President of Samsung Electronics, Lee Hyung-hee, Chair of SK Supex Communication, Kim Dong-wook, Vice President of Hyundai Motor Company, Ryu Jae-chul, President of LG Electronics, Lee Gye-in, CEO of POSCO International, Lim Sung-bok, Vice President of Lotte Holdings, Lee Tae-gil, President of Hanwha, Kim Tae-jin, President of GS Engineering & Construction, Han Chae-yang, CEO of E-Mart, Woo Ki-hong, Vice Chairman of Korean Air, Lee Joo-wan, Chairman of Megazone Cloud, Ahn Sung-hoon, CEO of HS Hyosung, Han Moon-hee, President of Korail, Seo Young-chung, Acting President of Korea Tourism Organization, and Park Il-jun, Executive Vice Chairman of KCCI. Government officials included Minister Ahn Deok-geun of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and Yang Geum-hee, Economic Deputy Governor of Gyeongbuk Provincial Government.

In his greeting, Chairman Choi said, "Only nine months remain. I feel the heavy responsibility embodied in the gavel of the APEC CEO Summit, handed over from Lima, Peru last year, and will make thorough preparations." He added, "I hope to make South Korea receive a 'Thumb up' (a phrase meaning the gesture of raising a thumb in approval) from the world." He also emphasized, "Through APEC, we will showcase South Korea’s economic development DNA and innovation capabilities to the world."

A plaque unveiling ceremony was also held in the lobby of the Chamber of Commerce building. When attendees pressed a button, the curtain was drawn back to reveal the Promotion Committee plaque engraved with the "2025 APEC CEO Summit" logo. The logo represents the 3B theme of this year’s APEC CEO Summit: Beyond Business Bridge. It embodies the vision to go beyond boundaries (Beyond), engage in innovative business activities (Business), and build new cooperative relationships (Bridge).

Before the plaque unveiling, a briefing session was held to share the current status of preparations for the APEC CEO Summit and discuss the committee’s operational plans. To differentiate from previous events, the Chamber announced plans to extend the duration of the APEC CEO Summit and invite numerous star-level speakers. Corporate networks will also be fully mobilized to attract global CEOs.

The attending business leaders wore APEC cooperation badges and pledged active cooperation and support, saying, "The Gyeongju APEC will be an opportunity for South Korea to rise once again to the center of the global stage beyond the multi-billion economic effects, and a precious chance to demonstrate our country’s steadfastness to the world." The KCCI explained, "The APEC badge was designed with the motif of people linking arms and the Cheomseongdae Observatory," adding, "It embodies the determination to lead the success of APEC business events through everyone’s cooperation while showcasing South Korea’s economic development DNA and innovation capabilities to the world."

Park Il-jun, Executive Vice Chairman of KCCI and Executive Director of the Private Committee, said, "The Gyeongju APEC business events will serve as a global cooperation platform where heads of state and global corporate leaders from various countries can directly experience and invest in our advanced industries and technologies." He added, "The private committee, government, and local governments will work as one team to make this year’s Gyeongju APEC the most successful event ever."