South Korea’s ancient city of Gyeongju is stepping onto the global stage as it prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in October 2025.

Gyeongju-si

Gyeongju, a city renowned for its historical significance and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, is preparing to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Local leaders and residents view the event as an opportunity to showcase the city's cultural heritage and modern development to a global audience.

Tourism in Gyeongju has seen significant growth, with over 43 million visitors recorded in a recent eleven-month period. The summit is anticipated to further boost the city's international profile and reflect South Korea's unique cultural atmosphere.

Gyeongju welcomes global spotlight as South Korean city hosts APEC

South Korea's ancient city of Gyeongju is stepping on to the global stage to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in October 2025. The former capital, the Silla Kingdom, boasts Buddhist relics and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Joo Nak-young is Gyeongju mayor. -"Gyeongju can rightly be called the Rome or Athens of South Korea, a place full of myths and legends like those of Greek and Roman mythology. Based on this, if we keep developing various tourism and cultural content infrastructures, I believe Gyeongju has the right conditions to emerge as a world-class tourist city." Eighty-year-old Kim Young-won has run his Gyeongju chicken shop for over 50 years. He sees the upcoming summit as a chance to showcase his city to the world. -"Hearing that world leaders will come fills me with pride," he says. His son, Song Jin, suggests that foreign visitors now make up around 30 percent of all customers. -"When I was little, there were no two-story buildings in Gyeongju. Why? Because the roofs preserved the style of the Silla era, so there were no even two-story houses. But now the city has developed so much." Gyeongju tourism numbers have grown steadily since the pandemic, with more than 43 million people visiting the city between January and November 2024. -"Gyeongju has a very traditional atmosphere, so knowing that leaders from various countries will gather here to hold meetings makes me very proud as a South Korean. I also think Gyeongju was an excellent choice because it can fully reflect South Korea's sentiment and atmosphere."

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