Record Number of Participants Attend Gyeongju APEC CEO Summit: "Imprinted on the World"

KCCI Announces Achievements of the APEC CEO Summit
Record Number of Participants, Sessions, and Longest Duration
Approximately 25,000 Attend Side Events
Gyeongju Sees 22.8% Increase in Visitors Following APEC Summit

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) announced on November 25 that a record 2,224 participants attended the '2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit,' which was held in Gyeongju from October 28 to 31.

Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, is delivering a speech at the final special session of the 'APEC CEO Summit' held at Gyeongju Arts Center in Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do on October 31, 2025. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

Marking one month since the conclusion of the APEC CEO Summit, the KCCI released 'APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025 in Statistics' to review the achievements and significance of the summit. The KCCI served as the organizer of the APEC CEO Summit.

The KCCI explained that out of the 2,224 participants, 1,852 were business leaders, representing a total of 713 companies. This is about 200 more than last year's CEO Summit in Peru and approximately 460 more than the summit held in the United States two years ago. In addition, 372 representatives from governments and public sectors from various countries attended. Notably, 12 heads of state or government, despite their busy diplomatic schedules, took the stage to share their future visions for global economic cooperation, adding further significance to the event.

The KCCI stated, "We strived to make the event a multi-layered and inclusive gathering, with participation from governments, industries, and academia from various countries, going beyond a simple expansion in scale." The organization added, "By successfully hosting the private sector-led APEC CEO Summit alongside the government-led APEC Leaders' Meeting, we not only highlighted the diplomatic significance of APEC, but also underscored the importance of a platform for private-sector business leaders to the world."

Approximately 25,420 people (cumulative count) attended the summit's official side programs. The 'K-Tech Showcase,' an exhibition featuring leading global companies' technologies, attracted 11,145 visitors. The 'Future Tech Forum,' which focused on artificial intelligence (AI), shipbuilding, defense, distribution, digital assets, and future energy, drew 2,270 attendees. The 'Wine & Traditional Liquor Fair' was particularly well received, with 9,362 participants. In addition, 1,673 people attended the 'Diamond Sponsor Networking' event, and a total of around 1,000 people participated in cultural programs such as the art exhibition and the 'Beauty & Wellness' event.

The summit also had a significant impact on the local economy. According to a joint analysis by the KCCI and Deloitte, the summit generated an estimated economic effect of about 7.4 trillion won and created approximately 22,000 jobs. The number of visitors to Gyeongju increased significantly after the APEC event. According to Gyeongju City and the Korea Tourism Organization, during the month surrounding the APEC event (October 1 to November 4), the number of visitors to Gyeongju reached 5,896,309, a 22.8% increase compared to the same period last year (4,798,838). The number of foreign visitors was 206,602, up 35.6% from the previous year (152,363).

There were a total of 17,952 media reports related to the event (11,772 domestic and 6,180 international). Social media engagement was also substantial. According to global media monitoring platforms Meltwater and Tubular, which analyzed social media data from October 27 to November 2, there were over 300,000 mentions of the 'APEC CEO Summit' on major social platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, with more than 1.1 billion impressions and about 4 million user interactions (likes, comments, shares, etc.).

Lee Sungwoo, Head of the KCCI APEC Business Event Task Force, stated, "This summit marks a meaningful turning point, as a private sector-driven global cooperation platform has begun to operate in earnest." He added, "The KCCI plans to continue with follow-up programs such as joint projects, technology cooperation, and expanded investment, based on its connections with APEC member economies, global companies, and industry leaders."