Opening the two-day APEC 2025 Korea Public-Private Dialogue, Korea’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jina Kim, underscored the urgency of collective action amid an aging population and slowing growth in the region. “Demographic change is a complex and increasingly pressing challenge across the Asia-Pacific region,” Vice Minister Kim said. Citing a recent policy brief by the APEC Policy Support Unit, Vice Minister Kim noted that the overall population of the APEC region is projected to begin declining around 2035. “Korea’s proposed Collaborative Framework for Demographic Change seeks to elevate the issue as a structural priority for sustained regional attention and encourage more coordinated cross-sectoral responses,” Vice Minister Kim said. The first day’s discussions examined the economic, fiscal and social implications of shifting demographic patterns, drawing on case studies from APEC economies.