APEC D-100: Peru ambassador on Korea’s readiness, bilateral impact, and shared goals

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

With just 100 days to go until the 2025 APEC Leader's meeting in Gyeongju, Korea is stepping up its final preparations for what's expected to be a pivotal gathering of Asia-Pacific leaders.

This year's summit comes at a critical time—with global supply chains shifting, protectionism on the rise, and new technologies like AI reshaping economies.

Korea is pushing key themes like demographic change and innovation to the forefront.

Peru, which successfully hosted last year's APEC as chair, has been working closely with Korea to share insights and lessons learned.

For today's exclusive, we're joined by Paul Duclos, Peru's Ambassador to Korea, to get his take on Korea's readiness, the summit's expected impact, and the future of bilateral cooperation. Welcome Ambassador.

1. First off, earlier this month, on July 9th, you attended Korea's APEC briefing hosted by the 2025 APEC Preparation Committee. From your perspective, how would you assess Korea's current level of readiness for the summit?

2. Building on that visit, we know you personally traveled to Gyeongju last year for a preliminary inspection. In your view, what are Gyeongju's key strengths as the host city for APEC?

3. On the subject of knowledge-sharing, you've expressed Peru's intent to offer its experience and know-how to Gyeongju. As last year's host country, what lessons or insights have you been able to share with Korea so far?

4. Zooming out to a bigger picture, economic integration remains a core APEC value. Amid the global surge in protectionism, what role do you believe this year's APEC in Gyeongju should play in countering that trend?

5. Looking back at last year's momentum, the South Korea-Peru summit held during APEC led to MOUs in defense and critical minerals cooperation. Through this year's summit, in which new areas do you foresee deeper bilateral cooperation between Korea and Peru?

6. Turning to this year's agenda, the Korean government has put forward demographic change and artificial intelligence as its core themes. What's your take on these priorities, and why do you believe APEC-wide coordination is especially important on these topics?

7. Reflecting on your own country's hosting success, Peru's 2024 APEC is now being recognized as one of the standout summits. What do you think made it so successful—and what were the key ingredients behind that success?

8. With just around 100 days left before the opening, as the ambassador of a recently successful host country, what would be your one piece of advice to ensure a successful APEC summit in Gyeongju?

9. On a broader bilateral note, Peru and Korea mark 62 years of diplomatic ties this year. In your view, what have been the most meaningful achievements in our relationship, and how would you characterize the current state of South Korea-Peru relations?

10. And finally, looking ahead, you've mentioned Peru's hope to expand cooperation with Korea in digital tech and defense. What specific projects or discussions can we expect in the near future?