By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo hosted an inter-ministerial meeting to review the progress in preparations and relevant future plans for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting (AELM) on August 30, 2024, at the Government Complex Seoul. The meeting was convened after Gyeongsangbuk-do Gyeongju’s selection as the host city for the AELM on June 27, 2024.

The attendees included the Minister of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, the Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Vice Minister of the Interior and Safety, the First Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Second Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and the Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do.

The meeting went through the progress in preparations and improvement plans for infrastructure, such as PRS (Presidential Suite) as well as other meeting and side event venues, which is of utmost importance for a successful AELM.

In view of the need for the relevant Ministries, provincial/municipal government agencies of Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju, and the private sector to make all-out concerted preparation efforts, the Korean government decided to bolster the government-wide cooperation system as soon as possible in order to ensure that all preparations are completed smoothly and timely before the AELM in the fourth quarter of 2025.

To begin with, the Korean government will move the Korea APEC 2025 Organizing Committee from under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to under the Prime Minister and elevate the Organizing Committee’s chairperson from the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Prime Minister, and governmental representatives from related Ministries’ Vice Ministers to Ministers.

In addition, the Korean government plans to expand the organization and workforce of the Preparatory Office for APEC 2025, which is effectively responsible for working-level preparations for the AELM in cooperation with related Ministries and provincial/municipal government agencies.

Prime Minister Han emphasized that every preparation effort, including for infrastructure, should be made to ensure that Korea hosts the AELM in a way that befits its international standing while fully highlighting the rich cultural heritage and the Korean identity deeply rooted in Gyeongju.

The Prime Minister further asked that as there is little time left until the AELM, the related Ministries as well the governments of Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongju City, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, accelerate preparations in close communication and consultation with one another.

In September, the Korean government plans to hold a meeting of the Korea APEC 2025 Organizing Committee chaired by the Prime Minister to discuss and set the “2025 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting Basic Plan,” which will include the basic direction for the management plans and preparations for the AELM. At the upcoming meetings of the Organizing Committee, the Korean government will periodically check and review the progress in AELM preparations.