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Lee emphasizes growth through cooperation during APEC CEO Summit address

Published: 29 Oct. 2025, 11:54 Updated: 29 Oct. 2025, 16:24

President Lee Jae Myung delivers a special keynote speech at the 2025 APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center in North Gyeongsang on Oct. 29. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The APEC CEO Summit officially kicked off Wednesday morning in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, set to be the largest event in the summit’s 30-year history.

President Lee Jae Myung delivered a keynote address at the opening ceremony, emphasizing the power of solidarity and cooperation.

“The history of APEC is full of dazzling growth, proving that collective prosperity can be achieved through cooperation,” he said. “I know well that it is the business leaders gathered here at the CEO Summit who have been at the center of that success.”

Lee warned against rising protectionism and economic nationalism, saying, “In an era where mere survival is urgent, inclusiveness and coexistence may sound hollow. But paradoxically, it is during crises that the role of APEC — as a platform for solidarity — shines even more.”

Quoting the adage, “A friend in need is a friend indeed,” Lee added, “We’ve demonstrated, time and again, that mutual trust and cooperation pave the path to shared prosperity.”

He also addressed the challenges and opportunities of the AI era.

“Here in Gyeongju stands Cheomseongdae, an ancient observatory built to read the stars through data,” he said. “Like Cheomseongdae, AI will become the engine of human intelligence. At this summit, Korea will propose an AI Initiative, with the hope that APEC embraces a vision for all as its new normal.”

The opening ceremony, hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), drew an array of prominent business leaders from Korea and abroad.

Attendees applaud President Lee Jae Myung at the APEC CEO Summit held at the Gyeongju Arts Center in North Gyeongsang on Oct. 29. From left in the front row are Lee Hyung-hee, president of SK Supex Council; Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group; Chung Ki-sun, chairman of HD Hyundai; Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group; Euisun Chung, chair of Hyundai Motor Group; Chey Tae-won, head of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chairman of SK Group; Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics; Koo Kwang-mo, chairman of LG Group; Chang In-hwa, chairman of Posco Holdings; and Huh Tae-soo, chairman of GS Group. [YONHAP]

Attendees from Korea included KCCI head and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, LG Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Posco Holdings Chairman Chang In-hwa, HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun, GS Chairman Huh Tae-soo, Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and Doosan Group Chairman Park Jeong-won.

Notable international participants included Kevin Xu, chairman of MEBO International; David Hill, CEO of Deloitte Asia Pacific; Simon Kahn, chief marketing officer at Google APAC; Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup; Anthony Cook, corporate vice president at Microsoft; Simon Milner, vice president of public policy at Meta; and Joaquin Duato, CEO of Johnson & Johnson.

Also present were OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, Federation of Korean Industries Chairman Ryu Jin, Korea International Trade Association Chairman Yoon Jin-sik, Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business Chairman Kim Ki-mun and James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

This year’s APEC CEO Summit features the largest-ever lineup of sessions, speakers and high-level attendees, with around 1,700 business leaders from 21 APEC member economies. The summit runs for four days, one day longer than usual.

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 SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]