Korea steps up transport plans for 20,000 APEC delegates, participants

Personnel from the Air Force’s 5th Air Mobility Wing and Korea Airports Corp. conduct a joint civil-military emergency drill for aircraft accidents at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, Sept. 18. Yonhap

With the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, just over 10 days away, Korean authorities are stepping up comprehensive transport measures to accommodate an estimated 20,000 participants, including national delegates and business leaders.

The government is conducting intensive inspections of transportation plans designed to minimize potential disruptions during the summit period. The primary routes under review include those connecting Gimhae International Airport to the Bomun tourist complex in Gyeongju, as well as routes linking Incheon International Airport to Gyeongju Station via KTX high-speed trains.

About 20,000 people will require transportation during the summit week, according to the government and the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government on Friday.

To ensure smooth travel, Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL) has launched a dedicated reservation website for APEC participants and will increase the number of KTX stops at Gyeongju Station from four stops per day to 10.

From Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, KTX trains that normally bypass Gyeongju will make temporary stops to accommodate summit delegates, corporate executives and event staff traveling to and from the city.

KORAIL is also expanding multilingual services on its website to assist foreign visitors arriving for APEC events and has added 230 new luggage lockers on trains. During the summit period, inspection and safety specialists will be deployed on trains to ensure secure operations.

As heads of state and their entourages are expected to primarily use Gimhae International Airport, the airport has completed improvements to its operational procedures for handling dedicated government aircraft.

Global CEOs and business leaders arriving on private jets are expected to enter Korea through Incheon or Gimpo airports before transferring to domestic flights bound for Gimhae. To handle the expected surge in demand, the government plans to replace aircraft on the Incheon-Gimhae route with larger models to increase passenger capacity.

Eight APEC member economies — including China, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan — currently operate direct flights to Gimhae International Airport, allowing summit participants to enter Korea directly through Gimhae.

Pohang Gyeongju Airport has been designated as a backup facility, and construction of its customs, immigration and quarantine system has been completed in preparation for potential use during the summit.

According to the North Gyeongsang Provincial Government, information desks will be installed at both Gimhae International Airport and Gyeongju Station, staffed with multilingual personnel and volunteers to assist visiting delegates and participants throughout the APEC summit period.

To manage expected congestion near the Bomun tourist complex and other key routes, police will impose temporary traffic restrictions and deploy traffic officers at major intersections. Traffic guidance banners and information systems will be installed to help drivers reroute in advance, minimizing potential bottlenecks during the summit period.