Seoul to send APEC invitations under new president

South Korea will send out the first official invitations for the APEC summit in the name of the new president shortly after the early presidential election on June 3, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday.

"As it is a summit-level meeting, it is appropriate for the invitation to be sent in the name of our head of state," a senior Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity during a closed-door briefing.

"We are making all the necessary preparations. We will proceed with the required procedures and send out the invitations as soon as the new administration is officially launched."

Typically, invitations to the APEC summit are sent in two rounds — the first to notify member countries of the schedule and the second, to come around fall, to provide details on the agenda ahead of the main event.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has been under an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court since March 2023, will also be invited, as Russia is one of the 21 member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

"The Russian delegation is currently participating in all meetings," the official said. "We have not been informed by Russia about who will attend."

Putin has not participated in APEC summits since 2022.

Regarding the attendance of US President Donald Trump, the Foreign Ministry official said, "We understand that everything — including hotel assignments and other planning — is being prepared on the assumption that he will attend.”

"We have not yet been informed whether (Trump) will attend," the official added.

"We have consistently conveyed the importance of the APEC summit and emphasized that President Trump’s attendance is crucial to its success whenever we engage diplomatically. This message has been reiterated multiple times at various levels."

When asked about the presence of Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the APEC summit, the official responded, "Overall, there is a shared understanding that President Xi’s attendance at the APEC summit would serve as a valuable opportunity to further advance bilateral relations."

The APEC summit is scheduled to be held in the city of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from late October to early November, marking South Korea’s first time hosting the event in 20 years, since it was last held in Busan in 2005.