Korea sets priorities for APEC 2025: building a sustainable tomorrow

As the world faces challenges such as climate change, digital transformation and global economic uncertainties, the Republic of Korea has unveiled its vision and priorities to embrace APEC 2025 under the motto “Building a sustainable tomorrow”.

“Since its establishment, APEC has gone through incredible challenges such as the financial crisis, the unprecedented pandemic and the escalating climate crisis,” said Kang Insun, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Korea, welcoming senior officials and APEC delegates at the Informal Senior Officials Meeting (ISOM) Symposium on APEC 2025 Korea Priorities in Seoul.

«These challenges have expanded and deepened our areas of cooperation. “APEC has been restructured and remodeled to adapt to these challenges,” he noted. “At APEC 2025, we will continue to seek cooperation on these traditional issues, but we will also deepen discussions on emerging issues.”

Senior officials met last week to create an action plan for Korea’s host year and take into account the region’s achievements in 2024 to advance regional integration, economic reform and inclusive development.

Korea’s approach emphasizes three interconnected pillars: Connect, Innovate and Prosper, designed to foster resilience, sustainability and inclusivity across the Asia-Pacific region.

Connect

The first priority, Connect, focuses on improving physical, institutional and people-to-people links across the region. Korea recognizes that sustainable economic growth depends on strong supply chains, efficient markets and collaborative exchanges.

Efforts to stabilize and sustain supply chains will take center stage, addressing vulnerabilities and exploring innovative strategies for resilience. In order to foster scientific collaboration, Korea will also launch a program that will facilitate the smooth mobility of scientists, and will be an opportunity for scientists to share experiences and promote collaborative research to contribute to the development of science and technology. in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Japanese Prime Minister leaves for South America to attend the APEC and G20 summits

“People-to-people exchange is an integral part of our connectivity,” said Ambassador Yoon Seongmee, 2025 Chair of the APEC Senior Officials Meeting, who announced the region’s priorities for 2025 during the informal symposium. “The APEC Business Travel Card has already made travel easier for the APEC business community. Next year, we will encourage more exchanges between people, especially in the field of science, for deeper integration between our citizens.»

Structural reform remains a cornerstone of the connectivity program. By promoting financial inclusion and efficient market practices, APEC 2025 aims to create an environment where businesses of all sizes can thrive.

“Institutional connectivity will promote a more efficient and innovative region,” explained Yoon. “In this sense, next year we will have to make efforts to develop the new APEC agenda for structural reform.”

Innovate

The second priority, Innovate, reflects Korea’s commitment to harnessing technology for sustainable and inclusive growth. Yoon highlighted that, with digitalization transforming economies, APEC 2025 aims to reduce the digital divide and ensure equitable access to emerging technologies.

“Today, you cannot talk about digitalization and new technologies without mentioning Artificial Intelligence (AI),” he said. “AI is having a fundamental impact on our lives and economies, changing the way we do business, the way we work and the way we connect.”

APEC 2025 will host the Digital Ministerial Meeting, which will address the challenges posed by emerging digital technologies, including AI. Korea will also boost its Smart Mobility Initiative, promoting environmentally friendly transportation technologies such as low-carbon vehicles and intelligent transportation systems. There will also be a Ministerial Meeting on Education, where skills development will be high on the innovation agenda.

“Although discussions on AI have already begun on various global platforms such as the United Nations, we believe that the time has come to discuss it from the perspective of APEC,” Yoon added.

Thrive

The third priority, Prosper, aims to address pressing global issues such as climate change, food security, health and demographic changes.

Initiatives include accelerating the transition to clean energy, which aims to integrate renewable energy, hydrogen and nuclear energy into the region’s energy mix.

Food security will also be a major focus, with Korea hosting discussions on innovative agricultural practices and conducting a mid-term review of the Food Security Roadmap. In addition, the host economy aims to promote inclusion, particularly of women and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Since its creation, APEC has gone through incredible challenges such as the financial crisis, the unprecedented pandemic and the escalating climate crisis.

“This priority aims to increase opportunities for active economic participation for the most vulnerable economic agents, including women, MSMEs and people with disabilities,” explained Yoon.

Within the framework of this priority, Korea will highlight the economic and social repercussions of the declining birth rate and aging population, problems that increasingly affect the region.

“It is time to start discussing this trend, especially as it affects the workforce, the social gap and, ultimately, sustainable economic growth,” he concluded. “As Korea hosts APEC again, we try to address these new challenges, contribute to the long-term vision of APEC and continue promoting prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition to its core initiatives, Korea is introducing the APEC Prosperity Fund for Future Generations, a financial mechanism designed to support youth participation, startups and cross-border cultural exchanges.

This aligns with APEC 2025’s broader goal of creating a dynamic, inclusive and resilient Asia-Pacific.