The 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2026) concluded in Seoul on October 31, highlighting new opportunities for German–Asia-Pacific cooperation in industrial artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and resilient supply chains.
The three-day gathering brought together more than 800 business and political leaders from Germany and the Asia-Pacific region, with discussions focused on translating technological innovation into commercial opportunities while navigating geopolitical uncertainty and changing global trade dynamics.
Hosted locally by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI / AHK Korea), APK 2026 marked 40 years since the first conference in 1986. Held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas from October 29 to 31, the event featured keynote addresses by German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Korean Prime Minister Seongsook Han, alongside senior government officials and business executives from across the region.
Building on the opening day’s emphasis on stronger economic partnerships and the Korean-German High-Tech Framework Agreement, the conference’s concluding sessions focused on industrial AI, corporate resilience, technological sovereignty and the future of industrial competitiveness.
NAVER and Siemens Highlight Industrial AI's Transformative Potential
One of the conference’s key highlights was the Tech Dialogue on Industrial AI on October 31, featuring Soo-yeon Choi, CEO of NAVER and Roland Busch, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and President and CEO of Siemens.
The dialogue examined how artificial intelligence is moving beyond experimentation into industrial applications, with the potential to transform manufacturing processes, improve productivity and reshape workforce requirements.
Looking ahead to the next phase of industrial transformation, Busch described industrial AI as “the new operating system of the world,” emphasizing its far-reaching implications for manufacturing and industrial competitiveness.
Busch also highlighted the impact of AI adoption on the future of work. “The requirements on your capabilities and skills will change fundamentally,” he said, pointing to the growing importance of workforce development and adapting industrial capabilities to technological change.
Choi emphasized the importance of international collaboration in strengthening technological sovereignty, highlighting how countries and companies can build on their respective strengths rather than attempting to develop every component of AI independently.
The discussion underscored the complementary capabilities of Korea's digital technology sector and Germany's industrial engineering expertise, while addressing practical challenges such as industrial data sharing, operational reliability and the deployment of AI in real-world manufacturing environments.
The dialogue also reflected the significance of the Korean-German High-Tech Framework Agreement signed during the conference week, which established a basis for closer cooperation in next-generation industries, including microelectronics, industrial AI and robotics.
Korean AI Startup Takes Second Place in Asia-Pacific Competition
Korean AI startup ModigenceVision secured second place at the 2nd AI Startup Award held during APK 2026, while Vietnam's Enfarm won first place in the regional competition.
ModigenceVision, represented by Haksoo Jung, earned its place in the competition after winning the Korea-Germany Connect: AI Startup Pitching Challenge 2026, organized by KGCCI in July.
The regional competition, held on October 30, brought together five emerging technology companies: ModigenceVision from Korea, Enfarm from Vietnam, Oorja from India, MarinaChain from Singapore and YanYin from China.
The startups presented their solutions before a panel of senior industry and government representatives, including Stefan Rouenhoff, Parliamentary State Secretary at Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy; Anna Maria Braun, CEO of B. Braun; and Siemens CEO Roland Busch.
ModigenceVision's runner-up achievement highlighted the potential of Korea's emerging AI startup ecosystem and the value of international business platforms in connecting innovative companies with established industry leaders and potential partners.
For KGCCI, the competition also demonstrated how locally developed initiatives can create pathways for Korean startups to engage with broader German and Asia-Pacific business networks.
Business Leaders Call for Resilience and Diversified Partnerships
Beyond technological innovation, APK 2026 examined how companies can navigate geopolitical uncertainty, shifting trade patterns and increasingly complex global supply chains.
Discussions explored German–Asia-Pacific trade scenarios through 2030, the implications of geopolitical developments for corporate financing, and the role of industrial policy in supporting competitiveness.
Senior executives from companies including BASF, DHL Group, Carl Zeiss, Boehringer Ingelheim, Deutsche Bank and thyssenkrupp contributed perspectives on innovation, economic transformation and corporate strategies.
On October 31, the conference featured an Oxford-style debate examining competing approaches to industrial policy, followed by a discussion of their implications for business.
The concluding panel, Corporate Strategies towards Resilience: Global Challenges, Asia-Pacific Perspectives, brought together Dirk Hoke, President and CEO of Voith; Peter Leibinger, President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI); Sabine Nitzsche, CFO of TÜV SÜD; and Taro Shimada, President and CEO of Toshiba.
The discussions reinforced the importance of diversifying economic partnerships, strengthening supply-chain resilience and developing strategies that enable businesses to remain competitive amid geopolitical and technological change.
KGCCI Highlights Korea's Strategic Role in German–Asia-Pacific Partnerships
The Seoul conference underscored Korea's position as a key industrial and technological partner for Germany and an important bridge between German businesses and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
As local co-host, KGCCI supported engagement among policymakers, multinational corporations, industry associations and emerging technology companies, helping facilitate discussions on trade, investment, innovation and industrial cooperation.
The conference concluded on October 31 with closing remarks by Roland Busch, APA Chairman and Siemens President and CEO, and Marie Antonia von Schönburg, President and CEO of KGCCI.
“Hosting the 40th-anniversary edition of APK in Seoul showed what Korea brings to Germany’s partnerships in the Asia-Pacific: industrial depth, technological ambition and reliability in uncertain times,” said Marie Antonia von Schönburg, President & CEO of KGCCI. “Over three days, the conversation moved from shared concern about geopolitical risk to concrete cooperation in industrial AI, supply chains and resilience. For KGCCI, the real work starts now: turning the connections made in Seoul into projects, investments and partnerships between Korean and German companies.”
