As the 2025 APEC CEO Summit approaches, major South Korean conglomerates led by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won are ramping up efforts to secure the attendance of global tech leaders for the October event in Gyeongju. With invitations extended to figures such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, expectations are mounting across the industry.

Organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), which Chey heads, the summit aims to be a platform for top-level in-person engagement. South Korean heavyweights including HD Hyundai, Hyundai Motor, and Hanwha are mobilizing their global networks to bring C-level participants to the event, with even second-tier executives such as vice chairmen and CTOs being considered if CEOs are unavailable.

A business official said that the stakes are high, as “a single seat at the summit could potentially lead to multi-billion-dollar partnerships.”

The summit, initially planned as a three-day event, has been extended to four days, with a significantly expanded speaker lineup. It is expected to serve as a launchpad for Korean companies to forge synergies with global players and strengthen their foothold in future industries.

Particularly noteworthy is the “Future Tech Forum,” where leading Korean companies in strategic sectors will present models for global collaboration. Hanwha Aerospace (defense), SK telecom (AI), HD Hyundai (shipbuilding), and Hyundai Motor (hydrogen) are slated to participate in discussions on healthcare and energy. The forum is viewed as an opportunity to boost Korea’s industrial competitiveness on the global stage.

Executives on the summit’s steering committee include Samsung Electronics President Park Seung-hee, SK’s Lee Hyeong-hee, Hyundai Motor President Sung Kim, LG Electronics President Ryu Jae-cheol, Posco International CEO Lee Gye-in, Hanwha President Lee Tae-gil, and HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Cho Seok. SK Group is also exploring ways to link the APEC CEO Summit with its own SK AI Summit, which drew attention in 2024 with a virtual appearance by Jensen Huang.

Huang is expected to attend the APEC event in person this year, raising anticipation around whether he will also join the SK AI Summit. SK hynix currently supplies most of its next-generation HBM3E memory chips to Nvidia, and industry watchers are eyeing potential technology and business synergies stemming from a meeting between Chey and Huang.

An industry source remarked that Huang’s attendance could “signal direct investment and collaboration opportunities in Korea’s AI ecosystem,”potentially revitalizing the domestic AI chip industry.

High-profile attendees from around the world are expected to deepen global partnerships at the summit. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva are also slated to speak, offering insights into the digital economy and global financial markets.

The 2025 APEC CEO Summit will be held in Gyeongju from October 28th to 31st under the theme “Bridge, Business, Beyond.”

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