President Lee: "Korea Will Contribute to Restoring Trust and Cooperation as a Globally Responsible Nation"

At the Gyeongju Arts Center in North Gyeongsang Province on the 29th, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "The Republic of Korea, as a globally responsible nation, will make significant contributions to restoring the links of trust and cooperation in the region. In particular, supply chain cooperation is key."
During the opening ceremony of the APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center, President Lee remarked, "Connection is the power of solidarity that bridges an era of division."
President Lee noted, "The journey APEC has taken over the past 36 years is a remarkable history of growth, demonstrating that cooperation and solidarity can achieve shared prosperity. I am well aware that at the heart of this achievement are the business leaders of the CEO Summit, who have worked together to find solutions to the challenges of our times."
He continued, "Since its inception in 1996, the CEO Summit has served as a vital bridge connecting government and business, markets and policy. Your passion and insight in fields ranging from finance and the economy to bio, healthcare, AI, and digital have become seeds of innovation, growing into flourishing trees of change."
President Lee highlighted, "The APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC), introduced in 1998, is a representative achievement initiated by proposals from our business community. Thanks to this card, which allows fast-track entry and exit without visas, human exchanges and business activities in the Asia-Pacific region have become much more active."
He further stated, "The Cross-Border Privacy Rules System (CBPR), established in 2011, is another example. The ongoing proposals from our business leaders that data should flow freely while protecting personal information have now become a model of international cooperation drawing global attention."
President Lee recalled, "The APEC Summit held in Busan 20 years ago was a pivotal turning point not only in APEC's history but also in the history of the free trade system. The Busan Roadmap, announced by Korea as the chair at the time, contained the united voices of members supporting a free and open trade system."
He added, "However, the external environment surrounding APEC today in 2025 is very different from back then. With protectionism and prioritization of national interests on the rise, we live in a time when immediate survival is urgent, and words like cooperation, coexistence, and inclusive growth may sound hollow."
President Lee emphasized, "Yet, paradoxically, in times of crisis, the role of APEC as a platform for solidarity shines even brighter. There is a saying that a friend in need is a friend indeed. APEC has proven time and again that mutual trust built through solidarity in times of crisis is the shortcut to shared prosperity."
He continued, "APEC also cooperated to ensure the free movement of medical supplies and essential personnel in the face of the unprecedented crisis of the global pandemic. Together, we have pooled our wisdom for economic recovery."
President Lee stated, "Twenty years ago, Korea united APEC’s will as chair, and now, once again as chair, Korea seeks to lead the way in multilateral cooperation to overcome crises. I am confident that Gyeongju is the optimal place, embodying the values of cooperation and solidarity that we must reaffirm."
He also noted, "Korea was the first in APEC to hold a public-private joint forum on supply chain sustainability, opening the way for private sector participation in supply chain discussions. In 2023, we enacted the Framework Act on Supporting Supply Chain Stabilization for Economic Security to establish a crisis response system for domestic and international supply chains."
President Lee added, "At the Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Trade (MRT) last May, we completed the implementation of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint and agreed to further strengthen human, material, and institutional connectivity through digital means going forward."
syj@fnnews.com Seo Young-jun Reporter