Opposition Party Vows 'Truce Week,' Excluding Ruling Party from Commentary

Ruling Party Declares 'Truce Week' During APEC, Efforts to Refrain from Political Strife

On October 29, 2025, the Democratic Party of Korea announced a party-wide 'truce week' during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, deciding to refrain from mentioning the People Power Party in its commentaries and statements. This is interpreted as an effort to support the successful hosting of the APEC summit and demonstrate a commitment to prioritizing the national interests of South Korea. In particular, the focus will be on minimizing political disputes that could trigger sharp conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties during this period, and instead showcasing a focus on the national event. The Democratic Party's decision is seen as demonstrating a sense of responsibility as the ruling party and an intention to secure stability in state affairs amidst the recent extreme political polarization. While it remains to be seen how effective this 'truce week' declaration will be in the actual political arena, it is being received as a positive sign, as the ruling party itself has expressed its intention to refrain from political strife. It remains to be seen how the Democratic Party will lead policy cooperation during the APEC summit, and whether it can maintain this cooperative atmosphere even after the 'truce week' ends. One of the most important events during this APEC summit is the second South Korea-U.S. summit between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and the U.S. government under President Donald Trump. The summit, held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on October 29, 2025, is expected to be an important opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the bilateral relationship and discuss cooperation in various fields. Notably, President Trump arrived via Gimhae International Airport in South Gyeongsang Province for this summit, and President Lee warmly welcomed President Trump, showcasing the strong South Korea-U.S. alliance. The summit is expected to cover in-depth discussions on economic cooperation, security issues, and joint responses to global issues. In particular, with the instability of the international situation increasing recently, South Korea and the U.S. need to share common values and cooperate closely for regional stability and prosperity. Expectations are high that this summit will further strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance and provide an opportunity for the bilateral relationship to develop further. The South Korean and U.S. leaders are scheduled to hold a summit luncheon on October 29, 2025, at the historic National Gyeongju Museum. This location is symbolic of Korean history and culture, and it is expected to be a meaningful occasion for the two leaders to enhance their friendship while appreciating Korean cultural heritage together. In particular, President Lee Jae-myung will award President Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea's highest honor, and will also present him with a specially gilded model of the 'Geumgwanchong Gold Crown.' This is interpreted as President Lee's thoughtful consideration to promote Korean traditional culture and history and to leave a special impression on President Trump. This summit is expected to be an opportunity to strengthen the personal bond between the two leaders and increase mutual understanding, going beyond a simple diplomatic meeting. Such personal rapport can strengthen bilateral relations and positively impact cooperation in various fields. The dinner at the National Gyeongju Museum is expected to be recorded as a symbolic moment that opens a new chapter in South Korea-U.S. relations. The Presidential Office announced the key agenda items to be discussed at the South Korea-U.S. summit on October 29, 2025. According to the announcement, the summit will include in-depth discussions on the overall development direction of the South Korea-U.S. alliance, including strengthening trade and investment cooperation, promoting economic security cooperation, seeking ways to modernize the alliance, and cooperating to build peace on the Korean Peninsula. In particular, with the importance of economic security being highlighted recently due to global supply chain instability and intensifying technological hegemony competition, it has been suggested that the two countries need to strengthen cooperation in various fields, including core technology cooperation, supply chain stabilization, and cybersecurity cooperation. Furthermore, with North Korea's nuclear and missile threats continuing, South Korea and the U.S. are expected to discuss in-depth cooperation measures for peace on the Korean Peninsula, including strengthening extended deterrence, expanding information sharing, and seeking diplomatic solutions. This South Korea-U.S. summit is expected to be an important opportunity to design the future of bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation for common prosperity and security. One of the major side events of the APEC summit, the '2025 APEC CEO Summit Korea,' will be held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from October 28 to 31. The summit will bring together leading CEOs from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss economic issues and explore business opportunities. President Lee Jae-myung attended the opening ceremony of the APEC CEO Summit at the Gyeongju Arts Center on October 29, 2025, and delivered a special speech outlining South Korea's economic vision and ways to strengthen cooperation among APEC member countries. President Lee's speech impressed the attendees and was praised for contributing to increasing confidence in the South Korean economy. The APEC CEO Summit is expected to play an important role in promoting economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and enhancing South Korea's status. In particular, this summit is expected to have a positive impact on revitalizing the Gyeongju regional economy and will be a good opportunity to promote South Korea's culture and tourism resources to the world. During the APEC meeting, Matt Garman, CEO of global IT company Amazon Web Services (AWS), announced plans to invest at least $5 billion (approximately 7 trillion won) in South Korea by 2031, drawing significant attention. The investment is expected to focus on cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data analysis, and is expected to accelerate South Korea's digital transformation and contribute to creating new growth engines. In particular, AWS's investment is expected to play an important role in upgrading South Korea's IT infrastructure and activating the related industry ecosystem. In addition, AWS plans to actively support South Korean startups and small and medium-sized enterprises to help them develop innovative technologies and enter the global market. The investment announcement is expected to have a positive impact on increasing South Korea's investment attractiveness through the APEC meeting and attracting investment from global companies. AWS's large-scale investment is welcome news for the future of the South Korean economy and will be an important stepping stone for South Korea to lead the global digital economy.