The Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is seen, Jan. 14. According to the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit organizing committee, a summit dinner is set to be held in the museum's garden. Yonhap

The historic city of Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November.

With world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, potentially attending, the stakes are high as Korea prepares to host the summit for the first time in two decades. The last time Korea hosted the APEC gathering was in 2005 in Busan.

However, as the focus shifts from Gyeongju's ancient landmarks to the logistical challenges of organizing a large-scale summit, concerns are growing over whether the city's hotel infrastructure can accommodate the influx of world leaders, high-level officials and business representatives from more than 20 countries.

Several embassies from APEC member states in Korea have raised doubts about Gyeongju's capacity to host the multinational gathering.

"The location for the APEC venue is very concerning," an ambassador from an APEC member nation told The Korea Times on the condition of anonymity.

"There is only one five-star hotel in the area with a single presidential suite, raising questions about how Korea will accommodate all the VIPs … There will be sideline meetings involving economic ministers, foreign ministers and other ministers responsible for trade and related matters and there is a lack of convention space for the meetings," the envoy said.

Another envoy from an APEC nation said, "We were informed that due to a lack of accommodations, the Korean government will assign and designate rooms. Unlike previous APEC events where participating countries arranged their own accommodations, this time the Korean government will handle it. Transportation is another issue; the Korean government will also provide vehicles and buses."

Diplomats from APEC member nations' foreign missions in Korea visit Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Nov. 29, 2024, to inspect preparations for the 2025 APEC summit. They toured key venues, including the Hwabaek Convention Center, potential accommodation spots for world leaders and cultural heritage sites. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Although Korea has a strong track record of successfully hosting major international events, the 2023 World Scout Jamboree turned into a global disgrace.

The global youth gathering, which brought together over 40,000 Scouts from more than 150 countries, was held in August that year in Saemangeum, a vast area of reclaimed land in North Jeolla Province. It proved to be nothing short of a logistical nightmare.

Participants faced challenges with inadequate food, sanitation and medical support, while a severe heat wave led to hundreds of heat-related illnesses. The situation worsened when a typhoon approached midway through the event, forcing participants to relocate to Seoul and surrounding areas.

A similar logistical failure at the upcoming APEC summit would deal a significant blow to Korea's international reputation.

Gyeongju currently has two five-star hotels and three four-star hotels. Given that major delegations, such as the United States, typically reserve entire hotels for security reasons, the existing capacity is far from sufficient.

Another issue is that many of the hotels in the Bomun Tourist Complex — where the main conference hall for the summit is located — are outdated. The district was developed in 1971 and has seen little modernization since.

It is said that some other municipalities near Gyeongju, such as Ulsan, are contacting APEC members' embassies here to welcome their delegations to stay in their cities, which have five-star hotels. However, the embassies are hesitant to accept the alternatives because of security issues that could arise while their leaders are traveling between Gyeongju and other cities.

To address these concerns, the summit's organizing committee is working to secure adequate accommodation through a renovation project, aiming to provide 35 presidential and royal suites across 12 hotels for leaders from 25 participating states as well as major CEOs.

According to the committee, renovations are currently underway at four hotels: Hilton, Sono Calm, Hanwha Resort and Kolon Hotel.

Bomun Tourist Complex / Courtesy of Gyeongju City Office

"We are planning to renovate almost all 12 hotels. Presidential and royal suites will be refurbished, and depending on the budget, renovations may extend to hallways, lobbies and elevator replacements," an official at the organizing committee said Monday.

"It's difficult to specify the exact number of rooms secured at this stage, as discussions with hotels are still ongoing."

Beyond world leaders, approximately 20,000 participants, including government officials, business representatives, scholars and foreign press, are expected to flock to Gyeongju.

To accommodate them, the government plans to secure additional spaces at local training centers. These training centers, typically run by public institutions or state-owned enterprises for staff workshops, offer lodgings but fall short of hotel standards.

"Although accommodating all guests within the Bomun Complex may be challenging, Gyeongju, as a whole, will be able to meet the total demand," the official said.

From left, North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young pose after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on preparations for the 2025 APEC summit at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul, Jan. 22. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Officials in the tourism industry in Gyeongju say they are cooperating with the government because the multinational summit will provide a boost to their business.

"We are preparing for the event through renovation measures and close communication with the Korea Hotel Association, and we aim to complete them by the first half of the year," a Gyeongju-based industry official said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, said that preparations for the APEC summit are progressing as planned.

"We have conducted multiple on-site inspections to prepare key venues, including the summit venue, media center and hotels for delegations. We held a briefing for foreign missions in Korea last September, followed by a joint inspection of the summit venue, hotels and major event sites in November," a ministry official told reporters during a recent closed-door briefing.

The official added that the government is actively communicating with the diplomatic corps to ensure a well-organized summit.