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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, October 29, 2025 — South Korea’s leading conglomerate heads are set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will visit Korea as a state guest during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Busan later this week.
According to industry sources, President Xi will host a joint meeting with Korean business leaders and senior government officials between October 30 and November 1, marking the first state visit by a Chinese head of state to South Korea in 11 years.
Attendees from Korea are expected to include Lee Jae-yong, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group; Chung Eui-sun, Executive Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group; and Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha Group. Leading figures from Korea’s major business associations are also anticipated to join the meeting.
On the Chinese side, high-profile participants reportedly include Robin Zeng (Zeng Yuqun), Chairman of CATL; Li Fanrong, Chairman of Sinochem; and Richard Liu (Liu Qiangdong), Founder of JD.com.
The rare summit between Korea’s and China’s most powerful business leaders is expected to open new momentum for bilateral economic cooperation, which has cooled in recent years amid global supply-chain restructuring and geopolitical tensions.
Industry observers believe discussions will focus on restoring and strengthening cooperation across semiconductors, electric vehicles (EVs), and battery supply chains, as well as joint efforts in artificial intelligence (AI), digital transformation, and renewable energy.
Experts also note that Korea’s high dependency on Chinese materials and critical minerals underscores the importance of addressing issues related to rare earth export controls during this dialogue.
“The upcoming Xi–Korea business roundtable could become a pivotal moment for both countries to rebuild economic trust and reestablish resilient supply chains in the era of AI-driven industrial transformation,” said an industry official familiar with the event.
알파경제 Kim Jisun Reporter(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
