South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday hosted a welcome dinner banquet for visiting leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

The two-day APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting convened on Friday in the historic city of Gyeongju, bringing together leaders of the 21 APEC member economies to tackle trade, supply chains and regional challenges.

The authorities have been scrambling to accommodate this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju, which is known for tombs, temples and pagodas.

The city of Gyeongju has been a backdrop for numerous Korean dramas such as Princess Hours, The Great Queen Seondeok, Mr. Sunshine, and Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.

Tourists are seen near a publicity board of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. The first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting was held in Gyeongju on Friday. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin)

U.S. semiconductor leader Nvidia on Friday said it will supply more than 260,000 of its most advanced AI chips to South Korea's government and some of the country's biggest businesses, including Samsung Electronics .

Ahead of the APEC summit, People wave Chinese national flags and South Korea's national flags outside of Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. Photo: VCG Visitors explore the K-Tech Showcase exhibition, a side event of the APEC summit, in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. Photo: VCG

Nvidia Corp. plans to deploy up to 260,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) in South Korea in partnership with the government and major companies here to build large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) factories in the country,