Hwabaek International Convention Centre (HICO) in Gyeongju, the main venue for the APEC Leaders’ Meeting 2025, is entering its final preparation stage. — VNS Photo Mai Hương

By Mai Hương

GYEONGJU — Only 40 days remain until the opening of the APEC Leaders’ Meeting 2025, and preparations in Gyeongju are close to completion. 

From the convention centre and the international media hub to hotels and exhibition halls, the city has entered the final stretch. Officials say the atmosphere is tense but confident as the ancient capital prepares to welcome leaders from 21 economies.

Gyeongju was chosen at a moment when the Republic of Korea sought to reaffirm its global role, two decades after it last hosted APEC in Busan in 2005. The selection reflects Korea’s ambition to present itself as a “global pivotal state” and to showcase both modern industry and deep cultural heritage.

For Gyeongju, known as a “museum without a roof”, the summit is a rare chance to highlight its thousand-year-old Silla culture while playing host to global diplomacy.

The Hwabaek International Convention Centre (HICO) will serve as the summit venue. Renovations worth US$8.6 million include roof waterproofing, new carpets, replacement of four escalators and seven lifts and upgraded audiovisual systems. A new basement security control centre is also being built.

The centre will feature a large hall for leaders, bilateral meeting rooms, VIP lounges and staff facilities.

“The centre is currently being remodelled with a budget of 12 billion won, upgrading elevators, IT systems and projection equipment to ensure state-of-the-art facilities. Completion is expected by mid-September, in time for the summit,” said Park Jang Ho, director of the APEC Preparation and Support Office.

Next to the convention centre, a new International Media Centre is rising. It costs nearly $10 million. The design mixes Korean tradition with modern broadcasting. It will host over 4,000 journalists. More than 70 per cent of the work is done.

Inside the International Media Centre in Gyeongju, staff work on final preparations as facilities are set up to host thousands of journalists covering APEC 2025. — VNS Photo Mai Hương

A banquet hall with a $5.7 million budget is also under construction. Designed with Korean aesthetics, it will be a venue of harmony for informal gatherings. At the National Museum, all six Silla crowns will be displayed together for the first time in history.

“This event is not only a diplomatic summit but also a celebration shared with the community,” Park said.

Accommodation has been another focus. Gyeongju has secured 4,463 rooms near the venue and 12,812 within ten kilometres. Thirty-five presidential-class suites are being prepared, including both new and upgraded facilities.

At Gyeongju Expo Park, a $10.2 million exhibition complex called “Sales Korea” is almost ready. It will include the Korea Industrial History Museum, a pavilion showcasing future industries such as AI, robotics, and semiconductors, as well as corporate displays, a K-Culture Zone, and a digital art gallery. 

The park will also host the “K-Business Square,” presenting technologies from 25 local and global companies.

Security preparations are on maximum alert.

Up to 18,500 officers will be deployed daily, backed by SWAT teams, helicopters and drone jammers. Counterterrorism drills have already been held in Incheon and Busan.

South Korea is preparing to welcome over 20,000 participants, comprising leaders and government officials from 21 member economies, as well as business executives and journalists. 

The Korean government has raised its APEC budget forty-fold to more than 100 billion won ($75 million), showing determination to deliver a world-class summit.

For Gyeongju, the event is more than diplomacy. It is an opportunity to show both cultural treasures and industrial strength. — VNS