Gyeongju moves APEC gala dinner venue to accommodate more guests

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young, third from left, visits the Gyeongju National Museum, Aug. 1. Yonhap

The gala dinner for this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held at the grand ballroom of Lahan Select Gyeongju, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.

The Korea APEC 2025 Organizing Committee had originally planned to hold the dinner at a newly built structure in the central courtyard of the Gyeongju National Museum.

The ministry said the decision was made to allow more guests to be invited to the official dinner, as the upcoming APEC meeting will be the new administration’s first large-scale international event, drawing participants from Korea and abroad.

This year’s APEC meeting will be held in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, marking the nation’s second time hosting the summit since 2005.

With only about 40 days remaining until the event, the sudden switch of the summit dinner venue has sparked criticism over wasted construction funds at the museum and the logistical challenges of reorganizing a high-profile international event on short notice.

The last-minute nature of the decision was underscored by North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo’s on-site inspection at the museum just days earlier, illustrating the tight timeline officials now face to ensure security, protocol and smooth operations for visiting world leaders.

The 21 member economies are set to gather for the annual meeting, with U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping also expected to attend. Leaders plan to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation on future challenges, including the rise of artificial intelligence and demographic shifts.

With the dinner relocated, the Gyeongju National Museum will instead serve as a networking hub connecting the APEC CEO Summit with business leaders and heads of state.

Several economic events are being considered for the museum’s newly built courtyard venue during the weeklong set of APEC events from Oct. 27 to Nov. 1, including the Future Tech Forum, featuring leading firms from Korea’s strategic industries.

“With the museum set to remain open throughout APEC week, Gyeongju will be able to showcase Korean culture and its thousand-year heritage to the world,” the ministry said.

“It will also position the city as the hub of a more inclusive APEC and lay the groundwork for advancing Korea’s cultural industries.”