South Korean President Lee Calls on APEC Leaders to Share Stand on Key Regional Issues

GYEONGJU, SOUTH KOREA — South Korean President Lee Myung Jae urged fellow leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to openly share their positions on major issues being tackled at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which formally opened Thursday at the Hwabaek International Convention Center in Gyeongju.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. attended the high-level meeting in person, where he was welcomed by President Lee, host of this year’s summit.

In his opening statement, President Lee underscored the importance of dialogue and unity among APEC economies to sustain the organization’s vision of inclusive growth and cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region, even amid differences in national priorities.

He said the summit is being held at a crucial time marked by challenges in free trade, global economic uncertainties, and pressing issues that affect long-term trade and investment growth.

President Lee also highlighted the rapid advancements in technology particularly artificial intelligence as both a challenge and an opportunity that APEC must collectively address.

He called on member economies to engage in open and constructive discussions to build consensus and strengthen APEC’s collective voice in driving regional progress.

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