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The APEC banquet menu is a secret, but Gyeongju's highlights are expected

Published: 23 Oct. 2025, 10:54 Updated: 23 Oct. 2025, 18:58

A video announcing the APEC Economic Leaders' Summit is seen playing on a newly installed LED screen at the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in the Bomun Tourist Complex in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang on Oct. 20. [KIM JUNG-SEOK]

With just over a week to go before the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting opens in Gyeongju, attention is turning to what dishes will be served at the official banquet for world leaders.

The menu is expected to feature ingredients emblematic of the host city, with Cheonnyeon Hanwoo, referring to Gyeongju-branded hanwoo (Korean beef) and flounder emerging as strong contenders. Amid the global popularity of Korean pop culture, expectations are high that the event will be another opportunity to promote the international status of K-food.

The banquet menu will be kept confidential until Oct. 31, the day of the dinner, for security reasons, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other sources on Thursday.

“The menu release date is still under discussion,” a Foreign Ministry official said. “Protocol for heads of state adheres strictly to confidentiality.”

Gyeongju highlights Cheonnyeon Hanwoo, Isageum rice and flounder as its signature local products. Its geography, nestled between mountains and sea, provides a bounty of agricultural, livestock and seafood resources.

Cheonnyeon Hanwoo is garnering particular attention as the likely centerpiece of the banquet. Given that grilled beef neobiani (flattened beef) was served at the 2005 APEC banquet in Busan, beef is again seen as a probable main dish.

A regional brand developed by the Gyeongju Livestock Cooperative in 2006, Cheonnyeon Hanwoo is raised by about 2,000 farms in the area, collectively managing a herd of roughly 40,000 cattle.

The beef is known for its tenderness and rich umami flavor, attributed to a feeding regimen that includes cooked grain feed. In a 2022 blind taste test conducted by a major retail chain, Cheonnyeon Hanwoo ranked first among 11 brands.

Chef Edward Lee speaks about Korean food in a video posted by Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Oct. 2. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Other local specialties such as flounder and abalone from Gyeongju’s East Sea coast are also reportedly being considered for the menu.

The selection of alcoholic beverages for the dinner is also drawing interest. At a farewell banquet for the APEC High Level Dialogue on Culture and Creative Industries in August, local drinks from North Gyeongsang were introduced.

These included Gyeongju Gyodong-beopju (a traditional Korean alcohol), Krate Medium Dry (a fruit wine from Gimcheon), Daemongjae 1779 (traditional alcohol from Gyeongju) and Andong Soju (a distilled soju from a designated master brewer in Andong).

Much like the 2005 APEC summit in Busan, the upcoming dinner is expected to feature both a toast wine and a digestif, making it likely that at least two of these beverages will be selected.

The banquet will be prepared through a collaboration between Korean American chef Edward Lee, known for his appearance on Netflix’s cooking competition series “Culinary Class Wars” (2024-), and chefs from Lotte Hotel. Lee was also invited to serve as guest chef at the White House state dinner for former President Yoon Suk Yeol in 2023.

“Through this banquet, I want to tell the story of Korean food and ingredients,” Chef Lee said In a YouTube interview with the Foreign Ministry. “I aim to showcase the beauty of Korean cuisine, which respects tradition while also embracing innovation.”

Cheomgseongdae is illuminated with projection mapping, in this image provided by the Korea Heritage Service on Oct. 20. [KOREA HERITAGE SERVICE]

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]