G-Dragon, the iconic member of BigBang and a celebrated solo artist, has been named the promotional ambassador for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, set to take place in Gyeongju, South Korea, on October 31, 2025.
The announcement of the "Power" singer's appointment came from South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min Seok, who shared the news via an Instagram post tagging G-Dragon on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, as reported by Soompi.
"We are appointing G-Dragon, one of South Korea’s leading artists who has consistently shown creativity and innovation, including transmitting music into space, as the promotional ambassador for the APEC South Korea 2025 in Gyeongju," Kim Min Seok wrote on his Instagram account, @kimminseok2030.
G-Dragon was chosen for his widespread popularity and reputation for creativity and innovation. "With 100 days left until the summit, I hope you will follow the synergy between G-Dragon and the APEC summit starting today," stated Kim Min Seok.
This annual event will gather leaders from 21 APEC member economies. As an APEC ambassador, G-Dragon will play a crucial role in promoting the summit's key messages globally, which includes appearing in promotional videos.
G-Dragon recently made a comeback with his solo album, Ubermensch, and is currently on a global tour in support of the new release.
Last night, Friday, July 25, he performed at Indonesia Arena in Jakarta and is scheduled to perform again tonight, Saturday, July 26, to a sold-out crowd.
About APEC
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum originated from an idea first proposed by Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia, in a speech delivered in Seoul on January 31, 1989, according to the official APEC website.
Ten months later, 12 Asia-Pacific economies convened in Canberra to establish APEC. The founding members were Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States.
The forum expanded in 1991 with the inclusion of China, Hong Kong, and Chinese Taipei. Mexico and Papua New Guinea joined in 1993, followed by Chile in 1994. Peru, Russia, and Vietnam were admitted in 1998, bringing the total number of full members to 21.
From its inception in 1989 until 1992, APEC functioned primarily as an informal dialogue among senior officials and ministers. In 1993, then-U.S. President Bill Clinton initiated the annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. This meeting aimed to provide strategic vision and foster greater cooperation within the region, ultimately promoting economic growth and the implementation of open and free trade systems.
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