When world leaders roll into Gyeongju, South Korea, at the end of October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting, they’ll be arriving not in motorcades of anonymous black sedans, but in a fleet of Korean-built luxury. Hyundai Motor Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the APEC Preparatory Office to supply a total of 200 vehicles for the event — the kind of assignment that says, “This is our home turf, and we’re bringing our best.”
Among the lineup are 113 Genesis G90 sedans and 74 Genesis G80s, joined by three Universe hydrogen-electric buses and two mobile office buses. The Genesis sedans will handle protocol duties and ferry delegates between venues, while the hydrogen buses will keep things on-brand for an event that’s all about sustainable development.
It’s a fitting match: APEC’s 2025 theme — “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper” — practically reads like a Genesis press release. Hyundai’s luxury arm has spent the last decade reinventing itself as a symbol of Korean sophistication, and now the G90, with its quiet electrified powertrains and first-class interior, is set to carry presidents and prime ministers as smoothly as it carries CEOs.
This year’s APEC marks the first time in two decades that Korea has hosted the summit — the last one was in Busan in 2005. “It is a great honor for Hyundai Motor Group to sponsor the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, especially as it returns to Korea after 20 years,” said Ilbum Kim, Executive Vice President and head of the Group’s Global Policy Office. “We will do our utmost to contribute to the successful hosting of the meeting in Gyeongju.”
The automaker’s diplomatic résumé is growing fast. Hyundai and Genesis fleets have already served at global gatherings including the 2024 Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul, the 2023 G20 New Delhi Summit, the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, and the 2022 G20 Summit in Bali. In each case, the goal has been the same: prove that Korean luxury belongs on the world stage — not just in showrooms, but at the center of global affairs.
While most eyes will be on the policy talks inside the conference halls, automotive enthusiasts can take comfort knowing that some of the sharpest sedans and most advanced hydrogen tech Korea has to offer will be gliding quietly outside. In other words, when the world’s leaders gather to discuss sustainability, Hyundai Motor Group will be making the point on four (or six) wheels.
Source: Hyundai