The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg) and Herald Media Group (Publisher & CEO Jin-Young Choi) today signed a media partnership agreement for the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2026), naming Herald Media Group the conference’s Official Local Media Partner.
APK 2026 will take place from October 29–31 at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, bringing together senior business and political leaders from Germany and across the Asia-Pacific region for high-level dialogue on the economic, geopolitical and technological developments shaping the future of the region.
As Official Local Media Partner, Herald Media Group will provide Korean- and English-language coverage before, during and after APK 2026, including interviews with senior business leaders, keynote speakers and other key participants. KGCCI will facilitate media access and interview opportunities throughout the conference.
Marie Antonia von Schönburg, President & CEO of KGCCI, said, “We are delighted to welcome Herald Media Group as the Official Local Media Partner of APK 2026. Bringing APK back to Seoul provides an important opportunity to connect German and Asia-Pacific business leaders at a time of profound economic and technological transformation. Through this partnership, we look forward to bringing the discussions and insights from APK to a broader audience in Korea and beyond.”
Jin-Young Choi, Publisher & CEO of Herald Media Group, said the media group's Korean- and English-language platforms would help extend the conference's reach among Korean businesses and international readers. “Herald would like to connect Korean and German companies and play a role in the exchange of information,” Choi said.
As a flagship biennial platform for German business engagement with the Asia-Pacific region, APK 2026 will place Korea at the center of high-level discussions on the future of German–Asia-Pacific economic cooperation. APK 2026 is jointly organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHKs), with KGCCI (AHK Korea) co-hosting the conference in Seoul.
German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the conference. The current programme also features Katherina Reiche, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, and Roland Busch, Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and President & CEO of Siemens AG, who serve as conference co-chairs.
APK 2026 will address major issues shaping the international business agenda, including geopolitical and trade shifts, industrial AI and manufacturing, resilient supply chains, raw materials and the circular economy, industrial policy, corporate financing amid geopolitical risk, and strategies for competitiveness and resilience.
As a major hub for semiconductors, battery technology and AI, Korea has become increasingly important to German companies’ Asia-Pacific strategies. Hosting APK in Seoul will provide Korean and German business leaders with a high-level platform to explore new areas of cooperation while experiencing Korea’s innovation ecosystem firsthand.