[Gyeongju APEC] Naver CEO Soo-Yeon Choi: "Supporting AI and Infrastructure for Local Content Growth"

"Supporting Local Businesses with Maps and Pay"

Soo-Yeon Choi, CEO of Naver (center in the photo), is visiting the site of the "Be Local Week" campaign, looking over products together with local business owners.

Soo-Yeon Choi, CEO of Naver, met with local business owners in Gyeongju, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) event is being held, and stated, "We will support AI education, technology, and infrastructure so that local content, reflecting the region's history and culture, can grow into representative brands and commercial districts by leveraging advanced technology."

According to Naver on October 30, CEO Choi visited the site of the Naver "Be Local Week" campaign, which has been taking place on Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju since October 28. She visited the Youth Sensibility Store, operated by young local artists and illustrators in Gyeongju, looked over local products, and met with regional business owners.

While purchasing goods such as a Cheomseongdae keychain at the Youth Sensibility Store, CEO Choi said, "By visiting the APEC site in person, I was able to vividly experience how Gyeongju's unique culture and diversity are gaining global competitiveness."

She added, "We will support the local culture and history so they can become regional intellectual property and storytelling content, and help revitalize local commercial districts by utilizing the diverse capabilities and infrastructure of Team Naver, including our AI technology, maps, and Naver Pay."

Naver has been running the Be Local Week campaign on Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju since October 25 and will continue until October 31. As part of the campaign, some local stores are piloting 'Npay Connect,' Naver Pay's integrated offline payment terminal.

On this day, Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung also visited the site and shared his views with CEO Choi on the importance of discovering and promoting local content based on digital platforms. Mayor Joo stated, "In Gyeongju, young people and artists are actively working to reinterpret the city's thousand-year-old history and culture with modern sensibilities and trends. Gyeongju City will also support local youth and small business owners so they can create new opportunities and take on new challenges through digital transformation."