[INTERVIEW]
Lee Cheol-woo, the governor of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea, accompanied President Yoon Suk Yeol as a special delegate to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Peru on November 15-16.
President Yoon personally invited Governor Lee, emphasizing the importance of directly observing the proceedings in preparation for next year’s APEC summit in Gyeongju. This marks the first time a provincial governor has served as a special delegate to the president.
During his visit, Governor Lee actively promoted Gyeongju as the host city for the 2025 APEC summit. On November 18, he visited the Korea Daily and expressed confidence, saying, “We will host a ‘Cultural APEC’ in Gyeongju, the roots of Korean culture, showcasing Korea as a cultural and technological powerhouse.”
Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom, ruled for nearly a thousand years from 57 BC to 935 AD. With a rich historical legacy, it is often considered the cultural heart of Korea. The city is home to numerous remnants of the Silla dynasty, including royal tombs, temples, and pagodas, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Often referred to as a “museum without walls,” Gyeongju preserves its heritage through its historic architecture and artifacts.
The following are edited excerpts from an interview with Governor Lee.
Q: What was your role as the president’s special delegate at the Peru APEC Summit?
“This was the first time a local government leader joined as a special delegate to the president. President Yoon invited me, stressing the importance of seeing the summit firsthand to better prepare for our hosting duties. I toured key locations, including the summit venue, media center, and banquet halls, to outline what we need to prepare and how. I also held a briefing at the media center with Gyeongju Mayor Ju Nak-young and Rep. Kim Seok-ki. The global media showed significant interest, including outlets like The Wall Street Journal, reflecting Korea’s elevated global status.”
-What are the South Korean government’s goals for the 2025 Gyeongju APEC Summit?
“Gyeongju is a UNESCO World Heritage city, often referred to as an ‘open-air museum.’ During the summit, I encouraged global leaders to visit and experience the city. APEC focuses on economic cooperation, and we are working to ensure maximum participation from world leaders and CEOs. Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is planning to invite CEOs from the world’s top 500 companies as part of the APEC CEO Summit. President Yoon even mentioned personally inviting Elon Musk. In December, we plan to hold a preparatory meeting with the president and key business leaders.”
-What stood out to you during the Peru APEC Summit?
“Peru has hosted APEC three times and prepared large venues like convention and media centers. However, there were signs of complacency. This reassured me that we can do an excellent job.”
-It has been 20 years since Korea last hosted APEC in 2005. What can Gyeongju learn from the Busan summit?
“After the Busan APEC Summit, the city’s tourism tripled. Gyeongju APEC will align with this precedent by inviting as many CEOs as possible to achieve real economic growth. North Gyeongsang Province has numerous cutting-edge industries, including robotics, small modular reactors (SMRs), AI, hydrogen energy, and secondary batteries. We also hope for visits from leaders like former U.S. President Trump to facilities such as Hyundai Heavy Industries. By showcasing our technology, we aim to foster economic cooperation while also highlighting Gyeongju’s cultural heritage to establish it as one of the world’s top 10 tourist destinations.”
-What are Gyeongju’s unique advantages as an APEC host city?
“Gyeongju declared itself a tourism city in 1975. For the APEC gala dinner in late October, we plan to use iconic venues like Cheomseongdae (an ancient astronomical observatory), Donggung Palace (a Silla-era secondary palace site), and Wolji Pond (an artificial pond), where autumn foliage will be at its peak. As an ancient capital steeped in history, Gyeongju will leave world leaders in awe by showcasing Korean culture alongside cutting-edge technology. Additionally, we will recruit local university students from the 21 participating countries as volunteers to provide firsthand experiences of Korea. We also hope to establish a ‘Gyeongju Forum,’ akin to the Davos Forum, focused on technology and culture.”
-Hosting APEC requires accommodating over 20,000 attendees. How is Gyeongju preparing?
“During the bidding process, Incheon initially had an edge in facilities like accommodations. However, we argued that APEC is not about offering leaders a place to sleep—it’s about allowing them to experience Korea’s culture and development firsthand. This perspective helped us secure the bid. Gyeongju already has 10,000 hotel rooms within the Bomun Tourist Complex and 16 luxury accommodations, with plans to build six more. Daily attendance is expected to be around 6,000, and we are confident in our ability to handle the logistics.”
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
