President Lee Jae-myung on the 31st hosted a welcome dinner for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at the convention hall of the Lahan Select Hotel in Gyeongju, saying, "Transcending a thousand years, here in Gyeongju the voices of APEC members will blend into one and be reborn as the melody of 'Manpashikjeok.'" The Silla kingdom's flute "Manpashikjeok" was an instrument played when there was national anxiety, as it was said to calm division and turmoil and bring peace.
In his welcome remarks that day, Lee said, "Gyeongju, inheriting the traditional legacy built by previous chair economies, is a place that symbolically shows Korea's determination to respond dynamically to economic challenges." He went on to say that Gyeongju blossomed with its own unique culture while communicating with the world as a crossroads of diverse cultures and goods, adding, "What Gyeongju's spirit suggests is significant for APEC's vision to create shared prosperity based on respect for different cultures."
After introducing the Manpashikjeok flute, its meaning, and the meaning of the Silla name as "renewing day by day and embracing all directions," Lee proposed a toast, saying, "Believing it will bring peace and prosperity to the Asia-Pacific region, and inheriting the energy of this millennium-old capital, I propose a toast to APEC's cooperation and success and to our shared future." For the toast, "Tiger Yuja Fresh Makgeolli," which took first place in the Korean rice wine category at last month's toast wine contest for the APEC summit hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, was served.
About 400 people attended the dinner, including representatives from the 21 APEC member economies such as the United States and China, representatives of invited countries, and key domestic and international figures. Actor Cha Eun-woo, currently serving on active duty in the military, emceed the event, and APEC's official promotional ambassador G-Dragon (GD), dancers Honey J and Lee Jung, among others, gave celebratory performances. The dinner featured dishes such as galbijjim and bibimbap, prepared by world-renowned star chef Edward Lee using ingredients from the Gyeongju region.