Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
KAPEA hosts Post-APEC Global Vision Summit in Seoul, Gyeongju
Distinguished guests and participants pose for a photo during the opening ceremony, held Thursday at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. Courtesy of the Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association
By Anna J. Park
The Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association (KAPEA), in partnership with North Gyeongsang Province and the city of Gyeongju, successfully hosted the Post-APEC Global Vision Summit from Nov. 27 to 28 across Seoul and Gyeongju.
Designed as a practical follow-up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in Gyeongju a month ago, the event aimed to build on the APEC summit’s outcomes and accelerate global economic cooperation in emerging industrial sectors. The summit drew significant international attention, with government officials and diplomatic representatives from more than 20 countries — including the United States, China, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Germany, France and Spain — taking part. Chambers of commerce from various nations, as well as more than 700 business leaders and experts from Korea and abroad, also participated.
The opening ceremony, held last Thursday at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, featured congratulatory remarks from leading figures emphasizing the need to deepen global collaboration in the post-APEC landscape.
Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association (KAPEA) Chairman Ji Young-mo speaks during the opening ceremony held Thursday at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. Courtesy of KAPEA
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, expressed hope that Korea would take a leading role in global partnerships in his congratulatory address, noting that the values of “connection, innovation and prosperity” reaffirmed at the Gyeongju APEC summit must continue to guide efforts for a sustainable future.
Representing China, the host of the next APEC summit, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing stressed the importance of deepening bilateral cooperation in emerging industries. He underscored that “Korea and China must expand collaboration in future-oriented sectors to achieve shared prosperity.”
A video message from Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is played during the opening ceremony held at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association
Paul Duclos, the Peruvian ambassador to Korea and representative of Peru, which chaired the 2024 APEC summit, highlighted the importance of regional cooperation through the organization. He affirmed that Peru would continue to support efforts toward establishing a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and advancing sustainable economic growth.
Chafik Rachadi, the Moroccan ambassador to Korea and dean of the diplomatic corps in Seoul, praised Korea’s role in fostering constructive dialogue and cooperation on the global stage. He noted that through both the APEC summit and the Global Vision Summit, Korea has demonstrated strong leadership in multilateral diplomacy and in promoting sustainable international collaboration.
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing delivers his address during the opening ceremony held at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of the Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association
The summit also featured a post-APEC vision declaration by North Gyeongsang Province and the mayors of its 22 cities and counties, outlining Korea’s ambitions to expand its global contributions and strengthen international economic cooperation led by regional governments.
Throughout the first day, a series of major forums brought together Korean and international experts to discuss future industries ranging from artificial intelligence and supply chains to K-culture and biohealth.
Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Paul Duclos delivers his address during the opening ceremony held Thursday at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. Courtesy of the Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association
On the second day, the summit moved to Gyeongju, where discussions expanded on carrying forward the practical achievements of the APEC summit. Specialized forums focused on the bio and health care sectors as well as the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry, including a global session titled “Anti-Aging and Stem Cell Innovation,” where leading experts explored cutting-edge technologies and opportunities for international joint research.
Various memorandums of understanding were signed, ranging from multilateral agreements to promote K-beauty and medical tourism, to expanded cooperation in the Korea-China MICE sector, as well as investment and joint venture partnerships with innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, producing dozens of collaborative commitments across multiple industries.
Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi delivers his address during the opening ceremony held Thursday at the Grand Ballroom of the InterContinental Seoul Parnas in southern Seoul. Courtesy of the Korea Asia-Pacific Economic Association
Closing the summit, KAPEA Executive Director Ji Young-mo said the event successfully showcased Korea’s emerging industrial investment opportunities to foreign governments and companies.
“Building on the achievements of the Gyeongju APEC summit, we will continue developing this platform into a private sector-driven engine for global cooperation that goes beyond government-level dialogue,” Ji said.