Chairman Chey Tae-won: "The World Economy Faces Multiple Challenges... Let’s Find Solutions at the CEO Summit" [Gyeongju APEC]

Chairman Chey Tae-won stated on the 29th, "The global economy is currently facing numerous challenges, such as supply chain restructuring, competition in artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies, digital transformation, and the climate crisis." He added, "This year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit will serve as a venue to discuss solutions to these challenges together."
During his opening remarks at the 2025 APEC CEO Summit, held at the Gyeongju Arts Center in Gyeongju, Chairman Chey Tae-won emphasized these points.
Marking its 30th anniversary, the APEC CEO Summit is the largest ever in terms of sessions, speakers, and participating dignitaries. Approximately 1,700 global business leaders from 21 Asia-Pacific countries are attending.
Chey Tae-won noted, "Over the past 30 years, APEC has overcome numerous crises through solidarity and cooperation, growing into the world’s largest economic cooperation body, accounting for 61% of global GDP." He continued, "The world economy is now facing a wave of major transformation, and this year’s APEC CEO Summit will be a place to discuss solutions to these very challenges."
This year’s APEC CEO Summit theme is '3B.' It envisions businesses (Business) acting as agents of innovation, building bridges (Bridge) between governments and companies, and between governments themselves, to create a better future (Beyond). Chey Tae-won stressed, "These are values that APEC member countries and companies must pursue in this era of transition." Accordingly, the main summit sessions will be organized around the 3B theme.
Another highlight of this summit is high-level networking. Heads of state and global CEOs will meet in person for open discussions, providing opportunities to naturally explore investment and cooperation.
Chey Tae-won emphasized, "The APEC CEO Summit is not just a forum for discussion. It is a platform for action and implementation, and a starting point for new cooperation." He added, "Now is the time for all APEC member countries and companies to act together, not just one nation or one company. I hope that this special gathering in Gyeongju will mark the beginning of new connections and become a great alliance for a sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific."
Given APEC’s emphasis on government-business connectivity and cooperation, foreign leaders will also take the stage for special sessions at the CEO Summit. The first speaker will be Donald Trump, followed by Prabowo Subianto, President of Indonesia; Luong Cuong, President of Vietnam; Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand; John Lee, Chief Executive of Hong Kong; Gabriel Boric, President of Chile; Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand; Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan; Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia; Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines; and Mark Joseph Carney, Prime Minister of Canada.

soup@fnnews.com Im Soo-bin Reporter