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Culture and Creative Industries Take Spotlight at Inaugural APEC Dialogue

Issued by the APEC High-Level Dialogue on Cultural and Creative Industries

Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, 27 August 2025

For the first time in APEC’s history, cultural ministers, representatives and industry leaders gathered in Gyeongju on Wednesday for a High-Level Dialogue on Cultural and Creative Industries, highlighting the sector’s growing role as a driver of economic growth, employment and innovation across the Asia-Pacific.

Opening the dialogue, Chae Hwi-young, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea, stressed the transformative potential of the creative sector in an era of rapid technological change.

“The cultural and creative industries are increasingly recognized as a vital driving force that generates employment and creates economic value, and their significance is rapidly gaining global attention,” said Minister Chae. “Founded upon creativity and cultural expression, the cultural and creative industries have evolved beyond artistic representation. They have firmly established themselves as a core sector that directly influences macroeconomic indicators such as economic growth and job creation.”

Delegates discussed how cultural and creative industries can serve as new engines of growth under APEC’s 2025 theme of "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow." Sessions focused on three interconnected areas: leveraging cultural and creative industries as catalysts for economic cooperation, harnessing digital technologies and artificial intelligence to fuel innovation, and fostering cultural cooperation to strengthen community ties and resilience.

Participants also heard from leading innovators, including artificial intelligence film director Hansl Kwon, Supertone CEO Kyogu Lee, and Edgelands Institute Executive Chairman Yves Daccord, who shared insights on how new technologies are reshaping creative production and the cultural economy.

Minister Chae noted the importance of anchoring APEC’s agenda in forward-looking cooperation. “In this environment of both challenges and opportunities, economies around the world are actively investing in and exploring ways to harness the cultural and creative industries as a pathway to sustainable development,” he said.

Eduardo Pedrosa, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, highlighted the transformative role of cultural and creative industries, and how APEC provide a great platform for this cooperation.

“True cross-fora collaboration is essential if we want to unlock the full potential of cultural and creative industries,” Pedrosa said. “We already see powerful examples, like collaborative productions that bring together creators, talent and platforms from across economies, which show how regional cooperation can generate economic value, strengthen cultural ties and inspire the next generation of innovators.”

Preceding the dialogue, a welcome reception featured Korea’s cultural leaders, including K-pop producer and industry leader JY Park, who shared perspectives on how the genre’s global rise demonstrates the power of cross-border collaboration. He highlighted how K-pop has expanded beyond Korea, with hundreds of artists and most video content now produced internationally, reflecting the sector’s deep interconnection with global markets and audiences.

Gyeongju, renowned for its cultural heritage, provided a fitting backdrop for the dialogue. As Minister Chae emphasized, this inaugural gathering marked a milestone for APEC.

"I am confident that today’s dialogue will serve not only as the first official platform within APEC to deliberate cooperation in the cultural and creative industries, but also as a clear milestone heralding the beginning of shared prosperity through culture," Minister Chae concluded.

  

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This news release can also be viewed on the APEC website: https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2025/culture-and-creative-industries-take-spotlight-at-inaugural-apec-dialogue