23 February - 11 March 2025, Gyeongju - The Philippines successfully participated in the first Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM 1) and Related Meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) for 2025 in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea.

As an active member of APEC, the Philippines continues to champion initiatives that promote long-term economic growth, inclusive prosperity, and multilateral collaboration in the region. 

The Philippine Embassy in Seoul was honored to support the Philippine delegation in Gyeongju as they engaged in discussions on human resource development, telecommunications and artificial intelligence, finance, as well as economic and technical cooperation initiatives. 

Led by DFA Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs and International Economic Relations and APEC SOM Leader Charles C. Jose, the Philippines was represented by a high-level delegation with members from various national agencies including trade, tourism, finance, customs, agriculture, ICT, and the Central Bank, among others. 

Ambassador Theresa Dizon-De Vega likewise met several members of the ROK National Assembly including Chairman Kim Seok-ki of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification and Yongsan Representative Kwon Young-se at the sidelines of the APEC SOM1. The Ambassador expressed the Philippines’ appreciation for the ROK government’s efforts in convening the SOM1 in Gyeongju and thanked the ROK APEC national secretariat for their support for participating economies. 

The APEC SOM 1 was also an opportunity for delegates to experience Gyeongju and the Gyeongsangbuk-do province. Often referred to as a “museum without walls”, Gyeongju is home to historical landmarks such as the Seokguram grotto, Bulguksa temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas, and Yangdong Folk Village which have been designated as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. 

The SOM 1 meeting sets the stage for a series of APEC discussions leading up to the Ministerial Meetings and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting later this year. END.