The 15th High-Level Meeting on Health and Economy (HLMHE) of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) will be held in South Korea for the first time.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday that the 15th APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and Economy will be held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul from Monday to Tuesday, targeting the 21 member economies.
The 21 member economies include Asia's Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Brunei; the Americas' United States, Canada, Chile, and Peru; and Oceania's Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Russia. Since APEC membership is based on economies rather than countries, the term “member economy” is used instead of “country.”
The 15th APEC HLMHE is a ministerial-level conference hosted by South Korea, this year's APEC Summit chair economy. Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun-kyeong will chair the meeting. More than 480 attendees include high-level officials such as ministers and vice ministers from the 21 member economies, the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO WPRO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and business leaders.
The meeting is being held in conjunction with the 2025 World Bio Summit. It is expected to foster synergy between policy and industry, thereby elevating Korea's international standing in the health and bio sectors, the Health Ministry said.
Under the theme “Innovate, Connect, Prosper: Realizing a Healthy and Smart Aging Society,” the meeting will discuss three key agendas: digital health, healthy aging, and youth mental health. It will share member economies' efforts and experiences in overcoming health challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region and jointly explore solutions.
The official schedule begins with a welcome event at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, followed by the main session starting at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.
The digital health session will focus on the innovative potential of digital health and artificial intelligence (AI) in delivering healthcare services and enabling early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Under the theme “Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Future-Ready Healthcare Systems,” it will examine real-world AI applications in healthcare settings and seek regional consensus on the responsible adoption of AI in healthcare, including prudent regulations, ethical guidelines, and incentive policies for the future.
The healthy aging session will acknowledge that the Asia-Pacific region faces significant demographic shifts due to persistent low birth rates and rapid aging. Under the theme “Promoting Healthy and Active Aging within APEC,” it will discuss ways for the elderly to continue living healthily in their communities.
The youth mental health session will consider how the recent Covid-19 pandemic has drastically altered the social environment and created a deluge of digital information, making youth mental health a new challenge. It will discuss the importance of school-, home-, and community-based support systems, from prevention to crisis response, and ways to enhance access to everyday mental health services using AI and digital technology.
The meeting will conclude on Tuesday with the issuance of a joint statement. A joint APEC-World Bio Summit dinner will be held to further solidify international cooperation in the region's health and economic sectors.
Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong stated, “I am pleased that we can jointly explore cooperation measures for a healthy and sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific region through the linkage of health and the economy,” adding, “We will continue to lead regional health cooperation and global solidarity.”