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Retail leaders discuss AI, sustainability at APEC future tech forum

Published: 28 Oct. 2025, 18:06 Updated: 29 Oct. 2025, 16:25

SHIN MIN-HEE
[email protected]

Park Il-joon, the executive vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, delivers opening remarks at the APEC Future Tech Forum: Retail on Oct. 28. [KOREAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY]

The APEC Future Tech Forum: Retail took place on Tuesday at the Gyeongju Arts Center in North Gyeongsang, where retail leaders from the Asia-Pacific region gathered to outline a shared vision of the future of the consumer goods industry.

Executives from Korea’s Lotte Shopping, GS Retail, Coupang and Hyundai Department Store, as well as U.S. tech giant Amazon and Chinese e-commerce company JD.com, flocked to the event.

Park Il-joon, the executive vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, ninth from left, poses for a photo with key participants during the APEC Future Tech Forum: Retail on Oct. 28. [KOREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY]

During the forum, hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), the participants adopted the “Gyeongju Declaration,” which calls for cooperation in three key areas: AI transformation, sustainability and international standardization.

“APEC is a major economic bloc, accounting for 60 percent of global GDP and 50 percent of global trade,” Park Il-joon, the executive vice chairman of the KCCI, said in his opening remarks. “The Gyeongju Declaration embodies the vision of the APEC CEO Summit — 'Bridge, Business, Beyond' — and I hope it will be put into practice effectively.”

This forum took place as an official side event of the APEC CEO Summit, running from Tuesday through Friday. Attended by around 300 government officials, academics and private sector professionals, the forum featured keynote speeches and discussions.

In one of the keynote speeches, David Bell, an e-commerce expert and former professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, predicted that physical stores in the future will not just sell products but also offer personalized services based on customer data.

During the discussions, executives and academics representing companies like Amazon, JD.com and Japan’s AEON and Uniqlo shared their strategies for advancing the retail sector. Initiatives included ultrafast delivery and, in the case of Coupang, AI-powered logistics.

Park Il-joon, the executive vice chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, seventh from left, poses for a photo with key participants during the APEC Future Tech Forum: Retail on Oct. 28. [KOREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY]

“AI is more than just a tool for efficiency; it redefines the customer experience,” said Kim Ho-min, the head of Amazon’s Asia-Pacific division, adding that 92 percent of customers who used Amazon’s AI-powered shopping were satisfied.

“This forum went beyond a typical industry event — it served as a meaningful platform to discuss innovation trends and the future, as well as a call for cooperation among global retail companies,” said Park Kyung-do, a business professor at Sogang University and president of the Korea Distribution Association.

“Key topics such as AI, globalization and ESG [environment, social, governance] offer important insights for the development of Korea’s retail industry," Park continued.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]