On October 31, prominent figures from around the world visited Korea to attend the 2025 APEC Korea Gyeongju Summit. Through this event, Korea formed economic alliances and agreements with other countries. Alongside the summit, international exchanges also took place within the engineering community, including a visit by overseas professors to GIST’s Advanced Photonics Research Institute on October 23.
2025 APEC, A Platform for Unity Among Asia-Pacific Economies
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) is an international organization established to strengthen economic cooperation among countries surrounding the Pacific Ocean. Composed of 20 countries and one special administrative region, APEC facilitates diplomacy among national leaders while also connecting business leaders, researchers, and civil society representatives that take part in shaping regional economic activity where the APEC Leaders’ Meeting is held annually in one of the participating countries. This year, the 2025 APEC Korea Gyeongju Summit (hereafter referred to as 2025 APEC) created a global forum for cooperation in Korea.
As the host country, Korea positioned itself at the center of international solidarity and gained various benefits as a result. Most notably, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang visited Korea in person, signaling a strong partnership and leading to the formation of a Korea-NVIDIA AI alliance. Through this partnership, NVIDIA prioritized GPU supply to Korean companies such as Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor Group, and Naver Cloud, further establishing strategic collaborations. In addition, constructive discussions among participating economies culminated in the adoption of the Gyeongju Declaration, emphasizing core principles such as connection, innovation, and transformation where the 2025 APEC Summit successfully concluded on November 1.
Engineering Community Engagement Around the Summit
Behind such science related agreements established during the 2025 APEC Summit were the dedicated efforts of engineers and researchers who had been preparing well in advance. Beginning on February 25, prior to the main summit, the PPSTI (Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation), an advisory body for science and technology innovation among APEC member economies, held its general meeting to focus on the summit agenda and develop strategies for international cooperation. Through these meetings, plans were finalized to promote talent exchange, strengthen joint research and development, and reassess the utility of emerging technologies, thereby fostering stronger connections among participating countries. Notably, starting next year, Park Hwan-il, a senior research fellow from Korea, will assume the role of PPSTI chair (the first Korean to do so), which will raise expectations for continued and active collaboration between Korea and the international community.
Several international events were also held in Korea in connection with the 2025 APEC Summit. From October 21 to 23, the KPS APEC QST Forum, commemorating the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics, took place in Gwangju alongside the Fall Meeting of the Korean Physical Society. During the forum, 17 physicists presented their research and discussed future directions for quantum technology. The event also featured the presentation of the Benjamin W. Lee Professorship (Lee Hwi-so Award), named after the late Korean-American particle physicist Dr. Benjamin W. Lee, who played a leading role in the physics community through his work on evaluating Nobel Prize winning research and collaborationing with such laureates. Therefore, the Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics and the Korean Physical Society award this honor annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to physics. Moreover, this year’s recipient was Professor Peter Zoller of the University of Innsbruck, a world-renowned researcher in the field of quantum information science, who was recognized for establishing theoretical foundations for quantum computing. On the final day, participating scientists also combined a cultural tour with a visit to GIST’s Advanced Photonics Research Institute. Distinguished scientists, including Professor Zoller, Professor Stephen Bartlett of the University of Sydney’s Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems (EQuS), and Professor Ying-Jer Kao of National Taiwan University, toured the research facilities and explored GIST’s vision for future photonics and convergence technologies.
By hosting the 2025 APEC Summit, Korea has achieved not only diplomatic successes but also strengthened solidarity among scientists in the Asia-Pacific region. As demonstrated by GIST’s invitation of leading scholars to share their visions, such international exchanges hold the potential to drive further advancement in Korea’s scientific community.
Translated by Yoonseo Huh