APEC Transforms Gyeongju: Rising as a Globally Recognized Cultural City with 7.4 Trillion Won Economic Impact

Foreign Tourists Up 12% Year-on-Year... Over 23,000 Jobs Created
Mayor Joo Nakyoung: "A Miracle Achieved by Citizens, Not the Administration, Over the Past Three Years"

The successful hosting of the 2025 APEC Summit has become a turning point for Gyeongju, the ancient city of a thousand years, as it rises to become a global cultural city.

This article highlights the inspiring achievements made possible by its citizens and sheds light on Gyeongju’s transformation toward a “sustainable city.”

It presents the narrative of the city’s growth, jointly shaped by the administration and its people, and details Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung’s post-APEC strategies. <Editor’s Note>

On the 17th of last month, Prime Minister Kim Minseok and Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung, who visited Gyeongju to inspect the APEC summit, are smiling amid the warm welcome of the staff in the lobby of Gyeongju City Hall. Provided by Gyeongju City

◆ Gyeongju’s Tomorrow Transformed by APEC

The ancient city of Gyeongju has once again taken center stage on the global stage.

The 2025 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit, held from October 27 to November 1, concluded successfully, establishing Gyeongju as the standard and model for “participatory international events” shaped by culture, industry, and its citizens.

With the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow,” this year’s summit brought together more than 20,000 participants, including leaders from 21 member economies, businesspeople, and journalists.

The area around the Bomun Complex International Conference District (HICO) was transformed into a festive venue where delegations from around the world mingled with local citizens, and the “K-APEC Gyeongju Model”-a fusion of Silla’s millennia-old culture and cutting-edge technology-was introduced to the world.

◆ “A City in the World” Built by the Power of Citizens

Since the declaration to host APEC in July 2021, Gyeongju City and North Gyeongsang Province have conducted a citywide campaign for three years.

A total of 1,463,874 citizens participated in the signature drive, and more than 500 public statements of support and performances were held.

This voluntary participation by citizens transformed the entire city, demonstrating to the world that Gyeongju is a city where the administration and its people move together.

Mayor Joo Nakyoung repeatedly emphasized, “Because citizens took ownership of the streets and welcomed guests, this summit will be remembered as the most dignified event ever.”

◆ Blending Technology with Cultural Heritage

The area around the Bomun Tourist Complex, where the APEC Summit was held, underwent a complete overhaul-conference halls, accommodations, roads, parks, and lighting were all upgraded.

Landmarks such as Daereungwon and Cheomseongdae were reborn through media art and holograms, while local specialties like Hwangnam bread, Gondalbi greens, and Thousand-Year Korean Beef were featured on the summit banquet menu, enhancing the prestige of Gyeongju as “the most authentically Korean city.”

Domestic and international media outlets have praised Gyeongju as a “cultural city in the global spotlight.”

They noted that the city’s cultural heritage, imbued with the spirit of Silla, combined with cutting-edge visual technology, has showcased the potential of a future-oriented city.

◆ Simultaneous Growth of the Local Economy and City Brand

The economic impact has also been significant.

According to an analysis by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the APEC Summit generated an estimated economic ripple effect of 7.4 trillion won and created more than 23,000 jobs.

Including the event period, the number of foreign tourists in the third quarter of this year alone reached approximately 972,000, up about 12% from the previous year.

With this event, Gyeongju has laid the foundation to become an international conference city centered on the MICE industry.

Improvements were made to accommodations, transportation, and pedestrian environments in the Bomun Complex, while downtown areas and historic sites were reborn as eco-cultural spaces.

Efforts to expand transportation infrastructure, such as the introduction of international charter flights at Pohang-Gyeongju Airport and increased KTX train services, followed suit.

◆ After APEC, Toward a Sustainable City

With the successful conclusion of APEC, Gyeongju City plans to establish a “Post-APEC Headquarters” consisting of one main division and three departments, focusing on strategic planning, future industries, and digital policy.

The city has also unveiled its “Top 10 Post-APEC Projects” as it prepares to leap forward as a world cultural city.

Key initiatives include: ▲ Institutionalizing the World Gyeongju Forum ▲ Establishing an APEC Cultural Center ▲ Major innovation projects in the Bomun Complex ▲ Launching a Global CEO Summit ▲ AI Saemaul Movement ▲ Creating the Silla Unification Peace Park ▲ Hosting the Korean Peninsula Unification Future Center, among others.

This reflects Gyeongju’s vision to use APEC not as a one-off event, but as a platform for sustainable growth.

Joo Nakyoung, mayor of Gyeongju, delivered a welcoming speech at the Invest Korea Summit 2025 on-site investment briefing held at the APEC Economic Exhibition Hall in Gyeongju Expo Park on the 29th of last month. Provided by Gyeongju City

[Interview/Mayor Joo Nakyoung] “APEC is not the end, but a new beginning for Gyeongju”

“This APEC Summit has been an opportunity for Gyeongju, a city with a thousand years of history, to step onto the world stage once again. Above all, every achievement was made possible by the power of each and every citizen.”

Mayor Joo Nakyoung reflected on the past three years as “a miracle accomplished not by the administration, but by the citizens.”

He said, “This year alone, we held more than 350 APEC Clean Days, creating clean streets. Orderly traffic and bright smiles have become the hallmarks of Gyeongju. Through this event, Gyeongju has gained the confidence that even a local city can lead the world.”

Mayor Joo also emphasized that APEC has redefined Gyeongju’s identity.

“The legacy of Silla is not a relic of the past, but an asset for the future. The lights of Hwangnyongsa, Cheomseongdae, and Bomun Lake, when combined with cutting-edge technology, have transformed Gyeongju into a city where culture and industry coexist.”

He cited “civic consciousness” as the greatest legacy of this event. “What remains after APEC is not buildings or numbers. What remains is the citizens’ awareness and the city’s pride. Our citizens have shown that global trust begins not with infrastructure, but with people.”

Now, his focus is on “post-APEC.” “As APEC concluded, we opened a new chapter. Through ten major projects such as the World Gyeongju Forum, the APEC Cultural Center, and the AI Saemaul Movement, Gyeongju will continue to develop as a ‘sustainable city.’ A thousand years ago, Silla read the will of the heavens by observing the stars. Now, Gyeongju is drawing the stars of the future together with its citizens.”

He concluded, “APEC is not the end, but the beginning. Gyeongju is no longer a city of the past, but a city preparing for the future. At its heart, there will always be the citizens.”

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