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Gyeongju races to finish APEC preparations as U.S.-China tensions threaten to derail statement

Published: 25 Sep. 2025, 17:56 Updated: 25 Sep. 2025, 19:03

A statue of Silla's hwabeak council is seen in front of the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju on Sept. 25. [SHIM SEOK-YONG]

GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang — With just over a month to go before world leaders gather in Gyeongju for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Korea is racing to complete last-minute renovations and security preparations as officials brace for U.S.-China tensions that could complicate efforts to produce a unified “Gyeongju Declaration.”

At 10 a.m. on Thursday, the entrance to the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) was marked by a golden statue depicting Queen Seondeok (r. 632-647) of the Silla Dynasty (57 B.C. to A.D. 935) presiding over a hwabaek (Silla nobles) council. The sculpture was not created for the upcoming APEC summit, but the symbolism resonated — just as Silla’s nobles reached decisions unanimously, APEC leaders issue joint declarations only by consensus.

Inside the HICO, staff were busy reviewing the interior renovations of the halls. The three-story, 31,872-square-meter (7.87 acres) facility is being remodeled to host the 21-member forum.

On the first floor, where working-level delegations will operate, chairs were piled high, and workers on lifts were installing giant LED panels. To maintain the confidentiality of the leaders’ movements, access to the second and third upper floors was restricted.

“The project is about 95 percent complete,” said Lim Gyeong-hun, head of planning for the APEC Preparatory Committee. “Conference and audio facilities will be installed on the second and third floors next month.”

Outside the west entrance, construction was underway on the International Media Center (IMC), a 6,000-square-meter temporary building expected to host more than 3,000 international journalists, judging by last year’s APEC in Peru.

The first floor of the IMC will house a briefing hall that can accommodate approximately 440 people. Summit-related videos will be broadcast live on a large screen. Three briefing rooms, each accommodating approximately 80 people, will also be built. These will be used for press briefings by officials from various countries following the summit. The second floor will also house a dining space for approximately 200 people and booths for individual interviews.

A statue of the Silla hwabeak council is seen in front of the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju on Sept. 25. [SHIM SEOK-YONG]

“We are completing construction and inspecting for defects,” said an official from the APEC Preparatory Committee. “We plan to complete the internal structure by mid-next month and conduct a test run on Oct. 20.”

Plans still changing, confusion in the air

The new building within the Gyeongju National Museum and the interior of the Wooyang Art Museum will also be used for banquets for the leaders' spouses. Construction was underway on a 2,000-square-meter hanok (traditional Korean housing style) building in the courtyard of the Gyeongju National Museum for the summit banquet.

However, the APEC Preparatory Committee decided on Friday to change the banquet hall from the banquet location to the Lahan Hotel Grand Ballroom, citing the need to invite more dignitaries.

Despite the explanation that this was in line with the plan to use the Gyeongju National Museum as the venue for the summit banquet in January and explore alternatives such as hotel banquet halls if that proved unfeasible, criticism arose that "this was a waste of budget due to insufficient preparation."

The construction of the existing banquet hall cost 7.2 billion won ($5.14 million), and the renovation of the new hotel venue will cost 2.3 billion won, according to the office of Democratic Party Rep. Lee Jae-jung,

A new building within the Gyeongju National Museum is seen under construction to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit banquet. The venue for the summit banquet was recently relocated to the Grand Ballroom of the Lahan Hotel in Gyeongju. [SHIM SEOK-YONG]

Leaders expected from nearly all 21 countries

Delegations will primarily stay at hotels in the Bomun Lake resort area, although some countries have booked accommodations in Seoul or Busan, fueling speculation that the U.S. and Chinese presidents could meet outside Gyeongju.

Most leaders of the 21 countries will be visiting Korea, but some may have other state leader-level personnel attend instead. Last year’s summit in Lima saw absences by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. The Kremlin has yet to confirm Putin’s attendance this year. However, given Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine and the accelerating illegal military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, the likelihood of Putin visiting South Korea appears slim.

“The final attendance of each leader will be determined prior to the summit,” a Foreign Ministry official said.

Countries with private jets and special aircraft will enter the country at Gimhae International Airport, while those using commercial aircraft are expected to arrive at Incheon International Airport and then travel to Gyeongju via domestic flights and the KTX.

President Lee Jae Myung addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York on Sept. 23. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Diplomats expect tough negotiations over the “Gyeongju Declaration,” the joint statement planned for the summit. President Lee Jae Myung vowed to practice “bridge diplomacy,” striking a balance between security ties with the United States and economic cooperation with China.

“There is a need for us to manage our relationship with China so as not to antagonize them,” Lee said during a recent interview with TIME Magazine, noting that there is “a risk that Korea could become the front line of a battle between two different blocs.”

China has positioned itself as a defender of free trade in response to the Donald Trump administration’s tariff policies, while the United States views APEC as a platform to showcase its trade agenda.

Addressing a UN Security Council debate in New York on Wednesday, Lee linked APEC’s future role to global challenges, saying that Korea is pushing for the adoption of the APEC AI Initiative.

“We will strive to ensure that the vision of ‘AI for all,’ where advances in cutting-edge technology contribute to the universal values of humanity, becomes the 'new normal' for the international community,” Lee said.

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 SHIM SEOK-YONG [[email protected]]