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Despite political turmoil, Korea launches chairmanship of APEC 2025

Published: 09 Dec. 2024, 16:35 Updated: 09 Dec. 2024, 17:05

SEO JI-EUN
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Kang In-sun, the second vice foreign minister, delivers a welcoming remark at the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM) Symposium held at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul on Monday. [SEO JI-EUN]

Korea launched its chairmanship of APEC 2025, the first time in two decades that the nation is hosting the global forum, on Monday with the APEC Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM) Symposium held in Seoul against a backdrop of political turmoil.

The symposium, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, set the stage for APEC’s 2025 agenda under the theme, “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.” It brought together some 170 senior officials from APEC member economies, representatives from the APEC Secretariat and domestic government officials.

Kang In-sun, the second vice minister of foreign affairs, emphasized the need for discussing both traditional and emerging issues at next year's forum.

“Discussions on digitalization and new technologies such as AI will be held across all sectors since such developments have already impacted nearly all aspects of our lives," Kang said in her English-language opening remarks. "We will also seek cooperation on the declining birth rate and aging population, urgent issues faced by some economies in the region."

The APEC economic leaders’ summit, scheduled to be held in Gyeongju in November 2025, was expected to be the largest international event hosted under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration after the last event was held in Busan in 2005. In particular, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been expected to make his first visit to Korea since his re-election, and Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Korea for the first time in over a decade for the event.

However, political instability looms over the preparations. Though the National Assembly had only recently passed a special bill to facilitate APEC preparations, the fallout of Yoon’s recent martial law declaration and subsequent impeachment proceedings has cast uncertainty over the nation’s ability to host such a high-profile event.

Monday’s symposium saw absences with some empty seats, including a key panelist. In the fallout of the martial law declaration, many key Cabinet members, including the foreign minister, have offered to resign, threatening to detail progress in event planning and execution.

“I reiterate Korea's unwavering commitment to APEC as a host economy," Kang said. "We will ensure that all meetings are held as scheduled throughout 2025, and we will make all our efforts to deliver meaningful outcomes by the end of the year."

BY SEO JI-EUN [[email protected]]