German Chancellor Merz to deliver keynote at Asia-Pacific business conference in Seoul

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will deliver a keynote address at the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2026), to be held Oct. 29–31 at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas.

The conference is co-hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). About 800 senior figures from government and business across the Asia-Pacific region are expected to attend, including South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche, and APA Chairman and Siemens Group Chairman and CEO Roland Busch.

Launched in 1986, APK is a flagship economic conference connecting government and business leaders across the Asia-Pacific region. This year marks its 40th anniversary, and the three-day event will be held in Seoul.

On the opening day, Deutsche Bank will host a welcome reception at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul. The following day, Merz will deliver his keynote address, followed by a session titled "Three Questions for the Chancellor." APA Chairman Busch, Minister Reiche, Minister Kim and German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) President Peter Adrian are also scheduled to take the stage for remarks.

Merz previously met President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the G7 summit in June, where the two leaders discussed ways to expand economic cooperation, including trade and investment between the two countries.

APK 2026 will also feature programming on key global economic issues spanning economics, geopolitics and technology. Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon and Siemens Group Chairman Busch will participate in a "Tech Dialogue" session focused on industrial AI.

A dedicated "AHK Business Luncheon Session" spotlighting the South Korean market is also on the agenda. The "AI Startup Award" will feature Modigensvision, the South Korean winner of the Korea-Germany Connect: AI Startup Pitching Challenge 2026, organized by KGCCI in July.

"APK 2026 in Seoul brings together customers, suppliers and industry leaders driving strategic and technological innovation to collectively explore the future," Busch said. "We aim to build industrial AI, resilient and competitive supply chains, and a trade environment that supports the shared growth of both economies."