'Goodbye, Gyeongju': World Leaders Depart Today... Police Remain on High Alert Until the End [Gyeongju APEC]

[Financial News Gyeongju (Gyeongbuk) = Reporter Kim Kyung-soo]Most of the leaders and high-level officials from 21 countries who participated in the Gyeongju Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will depart today from Gimhae International Airport in Busan. The Gyeongju APEC concludes its week-long 'Super Week' today. Around 1,000 journalists from around the world who entered Gyeongju for the event are also expected to depart alongside the delegations.
The military and police will maintain the highest level of alert until all leaders have left the country. Any surprise protests by anti-China or anti-U.S. groups are expected to be completely blocked.
Except for U.S. President Donald Trump, who was the first to leave on the 30th, most leaders are scheduled to board their return flights today. It is reported that most leaders will depart via the same routes they used to enter the country. On the 30th, participants such as President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei entered through Gimhae International Airport.
Other leaders, including Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of Thailand, Mark Joseph Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), also used Gimhae International Airport upon arrival.
Among the leaders, President Xi Jinping is scheduled to hold a summit and a state banquet with President Lee Jae Myung this afternoon. He is expected to depart after completing these engagements.
However, delegations and high-level officials from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Republic of Peru are reportedly scheduled to depart on the 2nd. The police plan to maintain traffic control and security measures along the travel routes of all participating leaders until their departure.
In addition, access for general vehicles to the Bomun Tourist Complex, where major venues and facilities are concentrated, will remain restricted until this afternoon. According to the APEC organizing committee, more than 20,000 people are estimated to have visited Gyeongju during the summit week. This includes approximately 7,700 government delegates, 1,700 businesspeople, 1,000 journalists, and 1,000 support staff from various countries.
To prepare for the possibility of escalated protests or rallies, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police Agency and Busan Metropolitan Police Agency have been under a Level A Emergency Alert since the 28th, maintaining the highest level of readiness. During this alert, all police leave is suspended, and up to 100% of available police personnel can be mobilized. Up to 18,000 police officers are deployed daily. The military has also contributed to APEC security operations, deploying over 3,600 troops and various assets across land, sea, and air.


rainman@fnnews.com Kim Kyung-soo Reporter