By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young

Gyeongju City will leap into the world by hosting the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting 2025 and 'Globalizing the Silla Culture Festival'.
   
Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, held the '2024 Municipal Issues Briefing' hosted by the Culture and Tourism Bureau at the city hall on Feb. 6. 

 
Nam Shim-sook, head of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, emphasized that the city will definitely host the APEC Summit in November 2025 in Korea.
   
This is because hosting the summit is expected to promote the image of 'Gyeongju as a cultural and tourism city' to the world, and is expected to generate 850 billion won in production and value-added, which will help revitalize the local economy. 
   
Gyeongju City plans to improve its existing infrastructure to host the summit and actively promote the city's advantages.  

  
Gyeongju has the strongest competitive edge of any city hoping to host the summit. The Bomun Tourist Complex, where the summit will be held, is surrounded by mountains on all sides like a calabash, making it the best place for security and safety of heads of state, and there are 103 hotels with 4,463 rooms within a 3-kilometer radius around the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center.
   
In addition, the travel time between the venue and accommodation is very short, and the venue, the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center, is scheduled to be expanded in 2025, so there is enough space for the summit.
   
Gimhae Airport, Daegu, Ulsan, and Pohang Gyeongju airports are all located within 30 minutes to an hour away, and transportation infrastructure such as Gyeongbu Expressway and KTX Gyeongju Station make it very accessible. 
   
In particular, Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram, Cheomseongdae, Yangdong Village, Donggung Palace, Wolji, Daereungwon, and many other historical and cultural resources make it one of the best places to showcase Korea's identity. 
   
Ahead of the decision on the host city, which is expected next spring, Gyeongju City plans to hold a host city resolution convention from this month to raise the atmosphere and actively lobby the central government. 
   

It is also focusing on revitalizing culture and arts. To this end, it will promote the Silla Culture Festival as a 'Korean luxury festival' and a 'global festival'.
   
The Silla Culture Festival, which will be held in October, will introduce new programs, including the Silk Road Festa, and prepare sights, activities, and food that can only be enjoyed in Gyeongju. 
   
In addition to the existing programs, the festival will also prepare 'consumer-oriented events' that directly involve citizens and tourists to make the event even richer. 
   
"We will definitely host the APEC Summit and smoothly implement various projects to raise the status of Gyeongju and lay the foundation for regional development," said Mayor Joo Nak-young.