[Column] Nakyoung Joo, Mayor of Gyeongju: "From APEC's Success to the Asia-Pacific AI Center"

The 2025 APEC Summit has come to a successful close.

However, the true assessment begins now.

For international events, what matters more than simply hosting them is what legacy they leave behind.

For APEC to serve not only as an achievement of South Korean diplomacy but also as an asset for future growth, a new legacy is required.

At the heart of this must be the Asia-Pacific AI Center (APEC AI Center).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a technology limited to specific industries. It has become a core foundation that determines national competitiveness—not only in the economy and industry but also in diplomacy, security, education, and culture. We are entering an era where the country that leads in AI will lead the future.

However, the gap in AI capabilities between countries is rapidly widening.

Countries equipped with technology, talent, and infrastructure are advancing further, while those lacking these resources face a growing risk of falling behind in the digital transformation.

To narrow this gap and enable all member countries to grow together, APEC is expanding AI cooperation, and South Korea is also promoting the establishment of an Asia-Pacific AI cooperation hub based on Official Development Assistance (ODA).

This is not simply a research and development project. It is an international initiative to share policies among member countries, foster talent, and build a sustainable framework for cooperation with AI as the medium.

Therefore, the status of the Asia-Pacific AI Center should not be determined by research capabilities alone.

It must become an international platform where government officials, researchers, businesspeople, and university students from member countries can continually gather, receive training, engage in discussions, and collaborate.

This is why the ability to host international conferences, a global network, stable living conditions, and a strong brand as an international city are all essential requirements.

Gyeongju is a city that fully meets these conditions.

Having successfully hosted the APEC Summit last year, Gyeongju proved its capacity for managing international events to the world.

Facilities for international conferences, accommodation infrastructure, historical and cultural assets including World Heritage sites, and a safe urban environment are all fundamental prerequisites for an international cooperation platform.

Above all, the experience accumulated by welcoming heads of state and delegations from around the world is a valuable asset that cannot be built in a short time.

The essence of the Asia-Pacific AI Center is international cooperation.

There is no need to view research and development and international cooperation as competing functions.

In fact, greater synergy is achieved when roles are divided and strengths are interconnected.

If Pohang is responsible for AI research and development and technology demonstration, leveraging its excellent research institutions and advanced industries, it is most realistic and effective for Gyeongju to take charge of international cooperation, education and training, and policy exchange.

This extends beyond the interests of any single city; it enhances the competitiveness of North Gyeongsang Province and strengthens South Korea’s AI capabilities as a whole.

Gyeongju is a capital of a millennium.

But it is not a city that dwells in past glory.

While preserving the cultural heritage of Silla, Gyeongju has grown into a leading international conference city in South Korea and gained experience connecting with the world through the APEC Summit.

Even in the AI era, what matters is not technology alone.

It is the power of cooperation that links people to people and nation to nation. Gyeongju is a city where history, culture, and international exchange blend naturally, and it is also the city best equipped to embody the value of international cooperation in the AI era.

The APEC Summit has ended, but the true value of APEC begins now.

What South Korea must leave for the world is not just one successfully completed international event, but the foundation for sustainable international cooperation.

The Asia-Pacific AI Center can be that starting point.

Gyeongju, a capital of a thousand years, is becoming a city that not only preserves its history but also connects to the future.

The question is not simply where to locate another institution like the Asia-Pacific AI Center.

It is a choice about where to begin the course for South Korea’s AI diplomacy. Gyeongju is the city that met the world through APEC and will continue to grow with the world. This is precisely why Gyeongju deserves to be the new starting point.

Nakyoung Joo, Mayor of Gyeongju City

Nakyoung Joo, Mayor of Gyeongju

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