In just a few days, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, from the Oct 31 to Nov 1. As this year’s host, Korea is working its final preparations to welcome delegates from 20 member economies, including Thailand, to ensure a successful and productive outcome.
The Asia-Pacific is one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing regions in the world, with a profound influence on the global economy. The 21 member economies of Apec together account for about 61% of global GDP and a half of world trade. Against this backdrop, Apec has served as a vital forum for dialogue, trust-building, and cooperation across the regions since its founding in 1989.
Today, as the world faces growing uncertainty and complex global challenges, Apec remains a cornerstone for shaping collective responses that are both practical and forward-looking. In this context, the theme of this year’s summit “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper” captures the aspirations that will guide our discussions.
This is not merely a slogan but an urgent call for action. Under this theme, leaders will focus on forging a joint vision and advancing practical cooperation to address the defining challenges of our time which are revitalising trade and investment, fostering digital innovation, and ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth amid growing geopolitical and geoeconomic uncertainty.
As Chair of Apec 2025, the Republic of Korea will present two key deliverables that reflect the region’s most transformative trends: AI Cooperation and Responding to Demographic Shifts.
The first deliverable aims to set an Apec-wide direction for responsible and inclusive AI development, emphasizing capacity-building, digital skills training, and the creation of a sustainable AI ecosystem.
The second deliverable seeks to strengthen cooperation on demographic challenges of ageing societies by developing responsive systems, enhancing labour mobility, and promoting innovation in healthcare to transform demographic transitions into new opportunities for growth. Gyeongju Apec will mark the first time that Apec leaders collectively discuss AI development and demographic challenge at the highest level.
The host city of this year’s meeting, Gyeongju, also carries deep significance for Korea. Once the capital of the ancient Korean kingdom of Silla for a thousand years, Gyeongju is renowned as a “museum without walls”, preserving an extraordinary wealth of historical and cultural heritage.
Hosting the Apec Leaders’ Meeting in this historic city underscores that while we look to the future, we remain grounded in the cultural legacies that continue to shape our societies. In Gyeongju, where the past meets the future, leaders will inscribe another historic page in our shared journey toward a sustainable future.
The expected participation of Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will bring particular importance to this year’s summit. It will mark the first visit by a Thai prime minister in six years, since Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit to Korea to mark the occasion of the 2019 Asean-ROK Commemorative Summit.
Such a moment will carry symbolic weight and highlight a shared determination to open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation. It will also provide an opportunity to reaffirm the long-standing partnership that has underpinned Korea-Thailand relations for more than six decades.
Both Korea and Thailand face common challenges including rapid technological change and shifting demographics. Our two nations have an opportunity through Apec 2025 to work together in shaping innovative and sustainable solutions that will strengthen our societies and contribute to the region’s collective prosperity.
As we welcome leaders to Gyeongju, we do so with a conviction that decisions taken here will echo far beyond Korea’s ancient capital. They will set the trajectory of Asia-Pacific cooperation in the years to come. With the commitment of all Apec members, we can indeed build a sustainable tomorrow together.