Conglomerates go all out for Korea’s successful hosting of APEC summit

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, left, talks with Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, in Beijing, Friday. Courtesy of KCCI

Major conglomerates and business lobbies are accelerating efforts to support Korea’s hosting of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, seeing it as an opportunity to enhance exchanges with participating economies and raise their global profile through promotional campaigns.

Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Chey Tae-won went on a three-day business trip to Beijing from Friday to Sunday and asked for China’s support in elevating bilateral economic cooperation. Chey also serves as chairman of SK Group, Korea's second-largest conglomerate by market capitalization.

The trip was a strategic move aimed at deepening partnerships with China’s business circles ahead of the regional economic forum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Chey met with ranking Chinese officials, including China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Chairman Ren Hongbin and Vice Premier He Lifeng.

The Chinese council will form a major delegation — consisting of some 100 businesspeople — for the upcoming APEC CEO Summit running from Oct. 28 to 31. China is the host country for the 2026 APEC summit.

“CCPIT is one of China’s most influential organizations in terms of trade and investment, and has played a crucial role in strengthening the Korea-China economic partnership for a long period of time,” Chey said during a meeting with the CCPIT chairman.

“We expect the upcoming APEC CEO Summit to serve as a major catalyst for companies in Korea and China to boost exchanges and collaboration, as the event will be composed of diverse sessions in key priorities such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, carbon neutrality, energy transition and the global supply chain,” he added.

LG Group displays a promotional video for the upcoming 2025 APEC summit on a billboard near Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul in this undated photo. Courtesy of LG Group

LG Group is another major conglomerate making all-out efforts to promote the APEC meetings. Since late last month, the company has been promoting the upcoming event, displaying wrap advertisements on 70 intra-city buses in Gyeongju.

The company seeks to utilize the APEC summit as a major opportunity to level up its corporate image globally. In August, LG signed a memorandum of understanding with a preparatory office of the APEC summit and engaged in multiple promotional activities.

LG is now displaying multiple promotional videos on large billboards at major tourist attractions here and abroad. In Korea, the company has been promoting the upcoming event in crowded areas, including Seoul’s central shopping district of Myeong-dong.

The company runs similar promotional campaigns at Times Square in New York and Piccadilly Circus in London.

Hyundai Motor Group will also provide a fleet of its flagship electric vehicles (EVs), such as Hyundai Motor’s IONIQ vehicles, Kia’s EV series and luxury sedans from Genesis, as APEC protocol vehicles.

Samsung Electronics is scheduled to hold a special event to unveil its triple-fold smartphone for the first time on the sidelines of the APEC summit.