Most of the leaders of the 21 member economies will attend this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held in Gyeongju starting on the 31st.
According to the diplomatic community on the 28th, starting on the 29th, representatives of APEC member economies will arrive in Gyeongju in time for the APEC summit's plenary session, which opens on the 31st.
First, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Korea as state guests. It will be Trump's first visit in six years since 2019, and Xi's first in 11 years since 2014. Trump is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech in person at the APEC CEO Summit on the 29th, and Xi is expected to stay in Korea until Nov. 1. This is the first time that the leaders of the United States and China will be received as state guests in a city other than Seoul.
Newly inaugurated Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan, Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, and President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia are also expected to visit Korea during this period. Hassanal Bolkiah, the sultan of Brunei and the "longest-reigning living monarch," who ascended the throne in 1967 and has ruled for 58 years, is also scheduled to visit Korea. Gabriel Boric, the president of Chile and the only Latin American leader attending, was born in 1986 and is the youngest among the leaders participating this time.
There are also cases in which a figure who is not a head of state will visit Korea. Russia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs Alexey Overchuk. In March 2023, after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin on charges of "war crimes," Putin has minimized overseas trips.
Taiwan will send Senior Adviser to the President Lin Hsin-yi in place of President Lai Ching-te. Because China asserts the "one China" principle and does not recognize Taiwan as a state, Taiwan's head of state does not attend the APEC summit. From Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, Chief Executive John Lee, the head of government, will attend.
APEC defines its members as "economies," not sovereign states. Accordingly, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong joined together in 1991. However, Taiwan participates under the name "Chinese Taipei," and after Hong Kong's return to China in 1997, Hong Kong participates under the name "Hong Kong, China."
Although not APEC members, Sheikh Khaled of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), are also expected to visit Korea.
Most of these key leaders are expected to enter through Gimhae Airport. They are projected to travel to Gyeongju under protection in a motorcade of passenger cars, accompanied by a motorcade (ceremonial vehicle procession). Another option is to enter through Incheon International Airport and use a domestic commercial flight or KTX.
Gyeongju's 12 major hotels have prepared 35 PRS (head-of-state-level accommodations) suites. The accommodations for the leaders of the 21 member economies are largely set within the Bomun Tourist Complex. The United States is said to be assigned to the Hilton Hotel, China to the Kolon Hotel, and Japan to Lahan Select.