This time , it’s Incheon 2025 APEC
With the news that Korea will be hosting the prestigious 32nd APEC Summit in 2025, Incheon has stepped up to the plate, vying to be the host city. Your interest and support are crucial in turning Incheon’s bid into a resounding success.
<Ceremony for the delivery of 1 Million signatures for hosting 2025 APEC Summit in Incheon>
OVERVIEW OF THE 2025 APEC SUMMIT
What is the APEC Summit?
It is an abbreviation for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the world's largest economic cooperation body operated through policy dialogue and consultation to achieve economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region, and is participated by 21 member countries, including the United States, China, New Zealand, and Canada. It was held in Busan, South Korea, in 2005, and Korea was confirmed as the host country again in 2025.
- Date : November 2025 (1 week)
- Host : REPUBLIC OF KOREA
- Participation : Approximately 6,000 people from 21 member countries (heads of state, ministers at all levels, reporters, etc.)
- Main Content : APEC SUMMIT Ministers Meeting, Senior Officials Meeting, Corporate Meeting, etc.
- Host City Selection : First half of 2024 (planned)
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- Economic Status
Total trade volume 49.9%
(approximately USD 9.5 trillion * 49.9% of the world’s total)
Nominal GDP : 62.8% approximately USD 59.3 trillion * 62.8% of the world’s total)
- Putrajaya Vision, Blueprint for 20 Years *
APEC adopted the Putrajaya Vision at the 2020 Malaysia Summit as a long-term vision to achieve an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia- Pacific community by 2040.
* Three key elements : trade and investment, innovation and digital economy, and inclusive and sustainable growth.
<Whole view of Songdo Convensia>
EXPECTED EFFECTS OF THE 2025 APEC, IF HELD IN INCHEON
If Incheon successfully hosts the 2025 APEC Summit, it can increase the city's brand value. As it is an event that attracts attention from the world's media, it is an opportunity to promote Incheon to the international community. This will further the international recognition of Incheon and promote various cultural exchanges. In particular, since Incheon has declared to become one of the ‘World’s Top 10 Cities,’ the summit is expected to catalyze the effort.
It also helps revitalize the local economy. The Incheon Institute analyzed the expected consumption expenditures of participants in the 2025 APEC Summit. The result derived from the 2005 Busan APEC Summit was 52.3 billion won. The indirect ripple effect was analyzed to be significant in addition to the analysis result.
In particular, Incheon has sufficient infrastructure for international conferences, which will reduce infrastructure investment costs and have a greater effect when the APEC summit is held compared to other cities. Expected effects include increased investment attracted by local companies and Incheon’s brand value.
- Revitalization of regional economy : KRW 52.3 BILLION
- Production inducement : KRW 1.5 TRILLION
- Added value inducement : KRW 838 BILLION
- Employment inducement : 20,000 PEOPLE
<Incheon mayer Yoo Jeong-bok(유정복 인천광역시장), Meeting with APEC secretariat executive director>
WHY INCHEON IS THE BEST VENUE FOR 2025 APEC ‘RESEMBLANCE IN VISION, APEC AND INCHEON’
① Digital and innovation that increase the city’s competitiveness
- Establishing a base for innovation
: Incheon has established a smart city-integrated platform to solve urban problems in real time.
- Fostering innovative companies
: Incheon is running Incheon Start-up Park, dreaming of a Korean version of Silicon Valley.
- Uniting for innovation
: Incheon is establishing a bio cluster connecting companies, research institutes, and universities, as well as the Global UAM Regional Summit (GURS), an international cooperation system for a skyway for automobiles.
② Charms that attracts trade and investment
- Incheon Free Economic Zone
: By reducing the investment burden and increasing benefits, it boasts unrivaled first place with 63% of foreign corporate investment among free economic zones nationwide. * Cumulative investment amount by 2021: KRW 11.9 trillion
- Conference hall at hand
: Its geographical advantage allows participants to fly out on the same day after the meeting, as the Incheon International Airport is about 20 minutes from Songdo Convensia (conference hall).
③ Inclusiveness and growth that embraces everything
- Embracing people
: Incheon has communities that embrace diversity, including Korea's first foreign village 'Incheon Chinatown,' Incheon's largest village for the descendants of overseas Koreans, 'Yeonsu-gu Hambak Village,' 'Overseas Koreans Agency' connecting 7.5 million overseas Koreans, and 'Incheon Global Campus,' a joint campus of prestigious overseas universities.
- Embracing the Earth
: Incheon is taking the lead in cooling down the Earth's temperature through the G-Tower, which houses climate-related international organizations such as GCF, UNESCAP, UNEP-CTCN, and GGGI, and by creating green spaces such as Gyo-dong Hwagae Garden and Muuido Natural Recreation Forest.
EFFORTS TO HOST THE 2025 APEC SUMMIT IN INCHEON
- Installation of a sculpture reflecting the wish to attract the summit in the Aetteul Square of the city hall
- Citizen committee for summit attraction composed of 110 local figures
- Forming a task force (TF) to attract the summit in Incheon
- Invitation of officials from 10 APEC member countries’ embassies
- Citizen signature campaign (1,111.6 million signatures, goal 110% achieved early)
- Holding expert-centered forums such as international organizations and universities
<Citizen signature campaign>
<Installation of a sculpture reflecting the wics to attract the summit>
<Hosting expert-centered forums such as international organizations and universities>
