'APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy' to Strengthen Asia-Pacific Cooperation

Ministers and Business Leaders from 21 Member Economies Gather for the First Time in Korea
Joint Vision: Realizing a Healthy and Smart Aging Society

In order to address the healthcare challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region, such as demographic shifts and infectious disease crises, health ministers from various countries will gather in Korea to seek solutions.

From August 5 to 8, the Health Working Group (HWG) meeting under the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2025 Korea is being held at Songdo Convensia in Incheon. APEC

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that it will host the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy (HLMHE) for the first time in Korea at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on September 15 and 16, with participants from 21 member economies.

The member economies include Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, the United States, Canada, Chile, Peru, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Russia, among others. Minister of Health and Welfare Chung Eunkyung will chair the meeting, which will be attended by ministers and vice ministers from the 21 countries, representatives from international organizations such as the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO WPRO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), as well as business leaders, totaling around 480 participants.

Notably, this meeting is being held in conjunction with the 2025 World Bio Summit, aiming to create synergy between policy and industry. It is expected to serve as an opportunity for Korea to enhance its international standing in the healthcare and bio sectors.

The meeting will focus on the theme, "Innovation, Connectivity, and Prosperity: Realizing a Healthy and Smart Aging Society," and will cover topics such as digital health, healthy aging, and youth mental health. The "Digital Health" session will highlight the innovative potential of digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare service delivery, and in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Under the theme "Utilizing AI for Future-Ready Healthcare Systems," the session will examine real-world applications of AI in healthcare, and seek regional consensus on careful regulation, ethical guidelines, and incentive policies for the responsible adoption of AI in healthcare.

The "Healthy Aging" session will address the significant demographic changes in the Asia-Pacific region caused by persistently low birth rates and rapid aging, and discuss ways to promote healthy and active aging within APEC, focusing on enabling older adults to continue living healthily in their own communities. The "Youth Mental Health" session will consider the new challenges to youth mental health arising from the dramatically changed social environment following the COVID-19 pandemic and the overwhelming influx of digital information. The session will discuss the importance of support systems based in schools, families, and local communities for prevention and crisis response, as well as ways to improve access to everyday mental health services using AI and digital technology.

At the official luncheon hosted for the first time this year by the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Kolon Vice Chairman Lee Kyooho, who chairs the Biohealthcare Working Group, and invited speakers will discuss the future direction of digital health development based on data and AI. The meeting will conclude on September 16 with the announcement of a joint statement, and the APEC-World Bio Summit joint dinner will further strengthen international cooperation in the health and economic sectors within the region.

Minister Chung Eunkyung said, "I am pleased that we can work together to explore ways to cooperate for a healthy and sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific region by linking health and the economy," adding, "We will continue to lead regional health cooperation and global solidarity going forward."