President Lee Jae Myung led the opening session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, which commenced in Gyeongju, located in North Gyeongsang Province.
The session, entitled "Towards a More Connected, Resilient Region and Beyond," involved casual conversations among representatives from APEC's 21 member nations, with notable invited participants including UAE's Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid and Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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During his introductory comments, President Lee underscored Korea's influential position within APEC since the organization's establishment, stressing the country's enduring dedication to regional collaboration and collective prosperity.
He further referenced the 2005 Busan APEC Summit, where participants endorsed the Busan Roadmap aimed at promoting trade liberalization throughout the Asia-Pacific area.
President Lee observed that following APEC's inception, the region's combined economic output expanded five times over while trade within the region grew by a factor of 10, successes achieved through reciprocal confidence and collaboration among participating nations. Nevertheless, he warned against overconfidence given rising global uncertainties.
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Prior to the session's start, President Lee individually welcomed and met with APEC leaders upon their arrival at the location. The informal discussion included representatives from South Korea, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam, alongside UAE's Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalid.
Throughout the session, President Lee collaborates with economic leaders to explore methods for advancing trade and investment, reinforcing economic links throughout the Asia-Pacific area, and improving public-private partnerships to harness private sector capabilities.
He actively works to build agreement among APEC member nations regarding the significance of collaborative partnerships.
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With these initiatives, President Lee aims to revitalize cooperation across the region and identify practical steps to guarantee that APEC remains the primary economic forum for the area and a meaningful venue for ongoing collaborative efforts.