Sam-il PwC: "APEC 2025, Companies Must Pay Attention to the Summit of 21 Countries and CEO Summit"

Report on Key Issues and Response Strategies for APEC 2025 Released

Yonhap News Agency

Sam-il PwC has published a report detailing key issues that companies need to be aware of and the potential domestic impact ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will be held in Gyeongju from October 29 to November 1.

Sam-il PwC released this report on October 27. The APEC Summit is the world’s largest economic cooperation forum, with 21 Asia-Pacific countries, including the United States, participating. South Korea is serving as the chair country for the first time in 20 years. The upcoming Korea-U.S. summit (October 29) and the first U.S.-China summit since the launch of the second Trump administration (October 30) are drawing significant international attention.

This report analyzes the impact of major agenda items to be discussed at APEC 2025-including global trade negotiations, digital innovation and artificial intelligence (AI), supply chain resilience, and climate change response-on corporate strategies, and suggests directions for companies to respond.

The report identifies the “Summit of 21 Countries” and the “CEO Summit,” a business forum where global business leaders gather, as the key stages that companies must pay close attention to. At the summit, heads of state will discuss policy directions that directly affect the corporate management environment, such as supply chain restructuring, new technology cooperation, and eco-friendly growth. In particular, the industrial application of AI and global data and technology cooperation are expected to emerge as core issues.

At the CEO Summit, opportunities for global collaboration among companies in innovative technology sectors such as AI, semiconductors, and cloud computing will be discussed in earnest. Practical cooperation measures, including joint research, investment, and technology exchange between Korean and global big tech companies, are expected to be concretized.

Furthermore, the report notes that the outcomes of the Korea-U.S. and U.S.-China summits, which will be held during the main summit, could significantly alter the global supply chain and investment environment, depending on the results of trade negotiations over key materials and supply chains such as semiconductors, batteries, and rare earth elements. The report advises companies to closely monitor the outcomes of these negotiations and to promptly review their production bases and investment strategies. More details of the report can be found on the Sam-il PwC website.

Ryu Giljoo, Head of Client Services at Sam-il PwC, stated, “APEC 2025 is more than just a diplomatic event; it is a critical stage that will determine the future direction of the global economic order and industrial norms. Companies must proactively detect early signs of change in key areas such as trade, AI, supply chains, and climate change, and actively incorporate these signals into their mid- to long-term strategy development and investment portfolio restructuring.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.