[Gyeongju APEC] President Lee: "We Will Lead the Path of Multilateral Cooperation"

Special Address at the APEC CEO Summit
"Protectionism, Prioritizing National Interests... APEC Solidarity Will Shine Even Brighter"
Supply Chain Cooperation to Overcome the Era of Disconnection
President Trump Visits Korea for the First Time in Six Years
Summit Meeting Held at Gyeongju National Museum
Korea-U.S. Technology Prosperity MOU Signed

On the 29th, President Lee Jaemyung announced that in an era where survival is at stake due to protectionism and prioritizing national interests, Korea will lead the way in multilateral cooperation to confront these crises. He also stated that, as a globally responsible nation, Korea will seek to build trust and cooperation in the region and contribute to overcoming the "era of disconnection" through supply chain cooperation and other means.

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President Lee made this pledge in a special address at the "Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Summit," the first event during the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in Gyeongju on this day. He said, "In a time when protectionism and prioritizing national interests are on the rise and immediate survival is critical, the words cooperation, mutual growth, and inclusive growth may sound empty. However, paradoxically, in such a crisis, the role of APEC as a platform for solidarity will shine even brighter." He further emphasized Korea's commitment to act as a globally responsible nation, leading supply chain cooperation and other efforts to overcome the era of disconnection.

In particular, President Lee highlighted "supply chain cooperation" for cooperation, mutual growth, and inclusive growth, and proposed artificial intelligence (AI) as an innovative industry to drive sustainable development. He announced that he would propose an "AI Initiative" at this summit. He also pledged that Korea would play a leading role in nurturing future talent by generously sharing its experiences in economic growth and development.

Prior to President Lee's remarks, Choi Taewon, Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, opened the event by saying, "Today, here in Gyeongju, we seek to inherit a thousand years of wisdom and heritage to find a path for a new era." He added, "This year marks the 30th anniversary of the APEC CEO Summit. Over the past 30 years, APEC has overcome various crises through solidarity and cooperation, growing into the world's largest economic community, accounting for 60% of global GDP." He continued, "The global economy is now facing a massive wave of transformation. With challenges such as supply chain restructuring, competition in AI and new technologies, and the climate crisis, this summit will serve as a forum to discuss solutions together."

With the start of the "CEO Summit" on this day, representatives from APEC member countries-including the United States, China, Japan, Canada, Australia, and Singapore-are gathering in Gyeongju. President Donald Trump of the United States arrived at Gimhae Airport in Busan as a state guest in the morning and then traveled to Gyeongju. President Xi Jinping of China is scheduled to arrive the following day for a summit meeting with President Trump. This marks President Trump's first visit to Korea in about six years since 2019, and President Xi's first visit in 11 years since 2014.

Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore are visiting Korea on official visits, the second-highest level after state visits. Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, is visiting Korea for the first time since taking office. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is scheduled to pay respects at the Australian Korean War Memorial and cemetery at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan after arriving on the 29th. Among Latin American leaders, President Gabriel Boric of Chile is the only one attending this APEC summit. In addition, Russia is represented by Deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs Alexey Overchuk, as President Vladimir Putin is subject to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant. From Taiwan, Lin Hsin-yi, Senior Advisor to the President and former Deputy Premier, will attend.

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Later, President Lee met with Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), at the Gyeongju Arts Center. During the meeting, attended by Garman and representatives from seven global companies, he announced plans to invest a total of 9 billion dollars over the next five years in advanced and key industries, including AI data centers, semiconductor packaging, automobiles, displays, medical devices, and batteries.

In the afternoon, President Lee will hold a summit meeting with President Trump. This will be their first meeting in about two months since the summit in Washington, D.C. at the end of August. They plan to strengthen their relationship while viewing the Silla Gold Crown exhibition at the Gyeongju National Museum. President Trump will become the first U.S. president to receive Korea's highest order, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, which is awarded only to heads of friendly nations and their spouses who have contributed to the security of Korea.

Meanwhile, Korea and the United States signed the "Korea-U.S. Technology Prosperity Deal (TPD)" on this day. This agreement, achieved during the Korea-U.S. summit held during the 2025 APEC summit week, establishes an institutional foundation for cooperation in advanced technology and strengthening technological sovereignty between the two countries. The signing ceremony was attended by Paek Kyunghoon, Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Minister of Science and ICT, and Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Yonhap News Agency