[Gyeongju APEC] Kim Minseok and Chey Taewon Welcome First Guests to Open 'Global CEO Summit'

Kicking Off with a Welcome Dinner on the 28th Afternoon
Lee Jae-yong, Chung Euisun, Shin Dong-bin and Other Leaders Gather
Global Leaders Assemble, Meetings Held Throughout Gyeongju

The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit will officially commence on the afternoon of the 28th with a welcome dinner. As global leaders and CEOs of major international corporations arrive, Gyeongju has transformed into a grand stage where industry, diplomacy, and technology intersect. The city is bustling with vehicles carrying delegations from various countries and buses adorned with corporate logos, while major hotels are fully occupied with executives from leading global companies and their meeting rooms.

The host of the private welcome dinner, which will be held at 6 p.m. at Hwarang Village in Gyeongju, is Prime Minister Kim Minseok. Representing the government, Prime Minister Kim and Choi Taewon, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SK Group, who is overseeing the APEC event, will welcome distinguished guests from home and abroad on behalf of the business community.

On the 28th, the 2025 APEC CEO Summit is scheduled to be held at Gyeongju Arts Center. 2025.10.28 Photo by Kang Jinhyung

However, the heads of major conglomerates will begin their official schedules starting with the opening ceremony on the 29th. Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chung Euisun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group; and Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte Group, are expected to network with global CEOs at the opening ceremony and fully engage in the summit agenda. The welcome dinner is anticipated to serve as the opening event for the official program, attended by presidents and executives of global corporations.

Chairman Choi, who is organizing the event, is expected to attend most of the major gatherings, including the official events of the CEO Summit and meetings with key leaders and guests. Chairman Lee Jae-yong is also scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the CEO Summit on the 29th, where he will meet with Chairman Choi and other domestic and international participants.

Leaders in the retail sector are also heading to the CEO Summit. Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte Group, will attend the summit in person to engage with world leaders and global business figures and discuss economic cooperation. Chung Yong-jin, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, also plans to attend the opening ceremony and related events. Jeong Jun-ho, CEO of Lotte Department Store; Jeong Ji-young, President of Hyundai Department Store; and Heo Seo-hong, CEO of GS Retail, will participate in the "Future Tech Forum (Distribution)" held at Gyeongju Arts Center on the 28th.

Choi Soo-yeon, CEO of Naver, will join the schedule starting with the welcome dinner on the afternoon of the 28th, following her participation in the AI Future Tech Forum the previous day. On the 29th, she will give a speech on the theme of "AI Economy" alongside Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Simon Milner, Vice President of Meta. In addition, key telecommunications executives such as Yoo Young-sang, CEO of SK Telecom, and Hong Beom-sik, CEO of LG Uplus, will also gather during the summit.

Many other prominent international figures will be in attendance as well. Simon Kahn, Vice President of Google Asia-Pacific; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup; Daniel Pinto, Vice Chairman of JPMorgan; Joaquin Duato, CEO of Johnson & Johnson; and Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, will all be present. In his welcoming remarks ahead of the CEO Summit, Chairman Choi stated, "With great anticipation, I look forward to welcoming you to Gyeongju, where history and the future meet. Together, we can build lasting partnerships and pioneer new paths toward a more prosperous and resilient future across the Asia-Pacific."

The 'APEC CEO Summit 2025' app allows communication with speakers and attendees, and provides information such as venue and schedule. Screenshot of the app screen.

From the side event, the Future Tech Forum, to the CEO Summit and the APEC Leaders' Meeting, a variety of events will provide opportunities for communication between business leaders and heads of state from around the world. Not only can participants connect at various venues throughout Gyeongju, but also through meeting rooms within the event locations. The "APEC CEO Summit" app allows users to access attendee information, utilize real-time interpretation, participate in events, and reserve private meeting rooms.