Lee Jaemyung Administration Takes Over 'Gyeongju APEC' as Public and Private Sectors Mobilize Amid Concerns Over Readiness

There has been ongoing controversy surrounding the preparations for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which is scheduled to take place in Gyeongju this October. Concerns have been raised that the change of government, which occurred at a time when preparations should have been ramping up, has delayed key decision-making and subsequently slowed the development of essential infrastructure.

Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center (HICO), the venue scheduled to host the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Photo by Yonhap News

This year's Gyeongju APEC Summit is the first large-scale event of its kind to be held in South Korea since the 2005 Busan APEC Summit, marking a 20-year interval. The attendance of major world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba, is considered highly likely. If these leaders gather amid the current rapidly changing international landscape, the event could become a major diplomatic spectacle that draws global attention. It will also serve as a stage to assess the diplomatic event management capabilities of the Lee Jaemyung administration, including state protocol for visiting dignitaries.

Gyeongju was selected as the host city for APEC in June of last year, during the administration of President Yoon Sukyeol. The Lee Jaemyung administration took over during a period of political upheaval, which included the 12·3 Martial Law, the impeachment of the president, and the subsequent presidential election. Despite this political turmoil, high-level meetings such as the first Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) in February and the second SOM in May have proceeded as planned. The third SOM is scheduled to be held in Incheon next month.

However, there have been persistent concerns about the slow progress in constructing key infrastructure facilities that require physical building, such as the summit venue, banquet hall, and media center. The banquet hall, which will serve as a highlight of the event, and the International Media Center for journalists from participating countries only broke ground last month. This means they must be completed in just four months?a very tight timeline. In particular, it was reported that the process of selecting a site for the new 2,000-square-meter banquet hall in the central courtyard of the National Gyeongju Museum was challenging, given Gyeongju's status as a city rich in cultural heritage sites.

An official from the APEC Summit Preparatory Planning Team stated, "Since August last year, we have been carefully reviewing several candidate sites within Gyeongju, taking into account the need to protect cultural heritage, so it is not accurate to say that the government's response was delayed." The official added, "Due to Gyeongju's high potential for cultural heritage discoveries, it took time to identify suitable sites for construction, but we plan to complete the banquet hall by mid-September." Regarding the International Media Center, the official said, "Steel frame construction is currently underway, and we are expediting the process as much as possible. In July, the focus will shift to interior work, which is less affected by weather conditions, so we expect to complete the project on schedule without any issues."

There are also concerns about accommodation for the delegations and transportation to and from the event venues in Gyeongju. During the summit week, approximately 20,000 delegates from 21 member economies are expected to visit. On the first day alone, up to 6,000 participants are anticipated. Starting in August, the government plans to procure official vehicles for top-level dignitaries and is preparing transportation measures for major hubs, including Incheon, Gimhae, Pohang, Ulsan, and Daegu airports, as well as the Gyeongju KTX station.

At the presidential office, Oh Hyunju, the third deputy director of the National Security Office, is overseeing the overall preparations, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' planning team leading the final stages. The government is also working in cooperation with the private sector, including major sponsors such as Hyundai Motor, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises and startups.

The National Assembly's Special Committee for Supporting the APEC Summit, chaired by Kim Kihyun of the People Power Party, plans to visit Gyeongju on the 30th to conduct an on-site inspection. Chairman Kim stated, "We have already conducted the first site inspection, and we will check how much progress has been made since then."