Sponsors play key role in Korea’s hosting of APEC 2025

Coupang's paper packaging promotes APEC 2025 with the event's official emblem, which resembles a butterfly. Courtesy of Coupang

Korea’s hosting of this week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) events in Gyeongju was bolstered by 66 official sponsors, ranging from small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to major global firms.

In exchange for official sponsorship, companies received authorization to use the event’s official butterfly emblem for promotional purposes. The event, which runs from Monday to Saturday, encompasses the APEC CEO Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

The sponsors include six beauty companies, among them Korea’s largest beauty retail platform CJ Olive Young, as well as major brands like LG H&H and APR.

Food companies make up the largest category of sponsors, with 29 providing products for event participants. Globally recognized firms such as Paris Baguette, Nongshim, and CJ CheilJedang supplied bakery items, instant noodles, and snacks for meetings and banquets. Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Development Corp., producer of the country’s popular Samdasoo drinking water, contributed 138,000 label-free bottles for the week’s events and supported the Senior Officials Meetings earlier this year.

Paris Baguette's black soybean castella cake is one of several bakery and dessert products SPC offered for APEC 2025. Courtesy of SPC

Some contributions came in the form of performances and souvenirs. Global fashion brand Matin Kim by Hago Haus distributed tote bags and card wallets. Other companies provided pens, hygiene items and porcelain products as keepsakes for guests.

Samsung Electronics is among six companies donating IT, electronics and furniture products for the event. The tech giant provided LED and standalone TVs as well as AirDresser clothing sanitizers, while Cesco contributed air purifiers and Ceragem supplied massage chairs.

Hyundai Motor Group and Kakao Mobility will address guests’ transportation needs, providing special escort vehicles, mobile office buses and tour buses. Wizdome is contributing three hydrogen-electric buses.

Beyond tangible contributions, 13 companies volunteered to raise global awareness by promoting events on their platforms and through business media. LG Group and SK Group, two of Korea’s largest conglomerates, produced and released commercials using giant electronic displays, online video clips and newspaper ads. E-commerce leader Coupang incorporated the event into 50 million vinyl delivery packages to reach its customers.

Ceragem's massage chairs were available to try at a free experience zone inside Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center during the Senior Officials' Meetings for APEC 2025 in Gyeongju in February and March. Courtesy of Ceragem

Among the sponsors are 19 SMEs based in Gyeongju and elsewhere in North Gyeongsang Province. Spread across various categories of contributions, these firms have the opportunity to promote themselves to the roughly 20,000 guests expected in Gyeongju this week. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said one goal for selecting sponsors was to foster growth for local SMEs.

“We received applications from local companies willing to sponsor the event, and then selected some to recommend to the central government as official sponsors,” said Park Jang-ho of the Gyeongju-based APEC organizing committee.

“We weren’t allowed to encourage local companies to sponsor the event. That was part of the committee’s regulations. If we had, many more willing sponsors would have come forward."

Park So-jeong, a public relations official from the foreign ministry and member of the committee, said the sponsors were vetted and selected by the central government based on objective criteria such as consumer trust and a record of fair market competition.

“The companies all sponsored in ways most feasible for their business operations. Some, with numerous electronic display boards across the country, have committed to using those assets to promote the event,” Park said. “We signed contracts with each firm, specifying the period during which they can use the butterfly emblem. The longest period runs until June next year.”