Incheon: The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies endorsed a joint statement urging efforts to bolster food security in the region for shared prosperity, the agriculture ministry said. The move comes as the global community faces challenges to food security, such as climate change, an aging population, supply chain disruptions, and poverty in some regions, which can exacerbate surging food prices and heighten risks of food insecurity and malnutrition.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the statement was issued at the 2025 APEC Food Security Ministerial Meeting, which wrapped up its two-day run in Incheon, about 40 kilometers west of Seoul. The meeting brought together all 21 food security-related ministers of APEC member economies, including the United States, China, Japan, and Thailand, to discuss the theme of "Driving Innovation in Agri-food Systems for Shared Prosperity."

Under the joint statement, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to APEC's road map for strengthening regional food security by 2030 and creating a resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040, according to the ministry. They emphasized the importance of promoting more sustainable and resilient food systems through the efficient use of agricultural resources and implementing policies and approaches that support sustainable agricultural productivity growth.

The ministers also called for the application of advanced digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), in the food and agricultural sectors to boost supply chain sustainability, while recognizing the critical role that trade can play in achieving food security. "We already possess various technologies, such as smart farming and data-driven policies, and the key question now is, 'With whom and how will we connect these elements to create real change?'" South Korean Agriculture Minister Song Mi-ryung said.

Song also stated that South Korea will work to share its experiences in smart farming and in developing AI-powered agricultural business models with global partners to promote food security in the region. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting, Song held bilateral talks with her counterparts from China, Japan, Vietnam, and Malaysia to discuss ways to expand South Korea's exports of food products to those countries, according to her office.