Office of the President: "South Korea-China Summit to Address Livelihood Issues and Korean Peninsula Denuclearization" [Gyeongju APEC]

President Lee Jae-myung is entering the first session of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held at Gyeongju HICO (HICO) with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 31st. Photo by Yonhap News

The Office of the President announced on the 31st that the upcoming South Korea-China summit, scheduled for the following day, will address issues concerning "people's livelihoods" and "the denuclearization and realization of peace on the Korean Peninsula."

In a briefing at the Gyeongju International Media Center, Kang Yujeong, spokesperson for the Office of the President, stated, "The resolution of livelihood issues faced by both South Korea and China has been adopted as a main topic for the summit," adding, "In this context, the two sides have also agreed to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the realization of peace as part of the agenda." President Lee Jaemyung will hold his first summit meeting with President Xi Jinping since taking office tomorrow (November 1).

Regarding President Xi's appearance as the last participant at the first session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit plenary held earlier that morning, Spokesperson Kang explained, "We need to check the details through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." The original order of entry for the APEC plenary was based on reverse alphabetical order, which meant President Xi was supposed to enter fifth from the end. However, President Xi arrived at the venue at 10:02 a.m., 15 minutes later than his scheduled entry time.

According to Spokesperson Kang, President Xi told President Lee, "I have heard that Gyeongju is a city with a very long history," and shared his impression that it is "a very impressive and wonderful place." Previously, on the 30th, President Lee had presented Hwangnam bread to President Xi, and in response, President Xi expressed that he "enjoyed it very much."

President Lee sent an additional 200 boxes of Hwangnam bread to the Chinese delegation and, according to Spokesperson Kang, instructed the Minister of Foreign Affairs to present Hwangnam bread as a gift to the delegations of all other APEC member countries as well.