Cultural Industry Designated as a New Growth Engine for Asia-Pacific with Adoption of the "Gyeongju Declaration"
Mayor Joo Nakyoung: "The Power of Citizens Has Established Gyeongju as a Global Cultural City"
On the morning of November 5, the city of Gyeongju held the '2025 APEC Summit Achievements Report Meeting' at the Millennium Smile Hall of the National Gyeongju Museum, sharing the key outcomes of hosting the APEC summit in Gyeongju and future tasks with its citizens.
Approximately 200 people attended the report meeting, including Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung, North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheolwoo, National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Chairman Kim Seokki, Gyeongju City Council Chairman Lee Donghyup, as well as provincial and city council members, heads of institutions and organizations, and citizens.
During the achievement report, Governor Lee Cheolwoo introduced the main results of the 32nd APEC Summit held in Gyeongju from October 27 to November 1, highlighting the three official achievements including the 'Gyeongju Declaration,' improvements in urban infrastructure, citizen participation, and the ripple effects on the local economy.
Governor Lee emphasized, "With APEC as a catalyst, North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju have emerged as new growth engines for Korea," adding, "The provincial government will continue to pursue follow-up projects such as the World Gyeongju Forum and the APEC Cultural Center in cooperation with Gyeongju City."
In his opening remarks at the report meeting, Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung stated, "This APEC Summit was an international event created not by the government or institutions, but by the citizens themselves," and added, "The signature campaign with 1.46 million participants, the hospitality movement, and voluntary cooperation have established Gyeongju as a cultural city recognized worldwide."
He continued, "Taking APEC as an opportunity, Gyeongju has advanced into a global city where historical culture and cutting-edge industries coexist," and declared, "Together with our citizens, we will energetically usher in the post-APEC era."
National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Chairman Kim Seokki also remarked in his congratulatory address, "The National Assembly provided bipartisan support by enacting the 'Special Act on Supporting Gyeongju APEC,' which laid the foundation for hosting the summit," and pledged, "We will continue to provide unwavering support so that Gyeongju can establish itself as a leading model in the era of regional development."
The governments of North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju City announced that the city’s brand value has been greatly enhanced through this summit, and that the overall city has been significantly upgraded through transportation infrastructure expansion, including the renovation of the Bomun Complex, increased KTX train services, and the promotion of international charter flights at Pohang Gyeongju Airport.
The official outcome document of the summit, the 'Gyeongju Declaration,' was themed 'A Sustainable Tomorrow' and elevated the symbolism of hosting the summit in Gyeongju by explicitly designating the cultural industry as a new growth engine for the Asia-Pacific region.
Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung stated, "APEC is not the end, but a new beginning," and pledged, "Building on the inspiration created together with our citizens, we will move forward as a sustainable global cultural city."
Governor Lee Cheolwoo and Chairman Kim Seokki also expressed their agreement with Gyeongju's achievements, stating, "This summit, accomplished through the power of the citizens, will serve as a new model for the era of regional development."
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