Trade minister stresses open plurilateralism, AI cooperation for APEC economies

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) must strive for open plurilateralism and cooperation in the artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition to navigate recent shifts and challenges in the global economy, Korea's trade minister said Thursday. "Today, APEC accounts for 61 percent of the global gross domestic product, 49 percent of world trade, serving as the world's leading production hub and a vital node in global supply chains," Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said in his opening remarks for the APEC Ministerial Meeting (AMM) in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. "Amid profound shifts in the global economy, there is no better time than now to rekindle the spirit of openness and cooperation," he added. The AMM will serve as the final check before the upcoming APEC leaders' summit, set for Friday and Saturday, bringing together foreign and trade ministers of 21 APEC member economies to discuss pending issues for the region. Its deliberations will serve as a framework for an envisioned joint declaration — the Gyeongju Declaration — which Korea aims to have all APEC members e