'It's so beautiful here': Marcos hopes to visit Gyeongju as tourist
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN/Mark Balmores)
Awed by its scenic beauty, President Marcos is hoping to go back to Gyeongju, South Korea, and explore the coastal city as a "civilian."
Gyeongju was the host city of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings which took place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1.
During a press conference with members of the Malacañang Press Corps, Marcos Jr. described Gyeongju as “so beautiful” and said he hopes to return someday to explore the city further.
He expressed how he was captivated by the city he had never visited before.
"It is actually—were you able to walk around Gyeongju? It's so beautiful here. I've never been here before. I didn't know it was that beautiful," Marcos said.
"Ang ganda dito, ngayon lang ako nakapunta dito, hindi ko alam ganito pala kaganda dito (It’s so beautiful here. This is my first time visiting, and I did not realize it was this beautiful),” the President gushed.
“Kaya kami mga leader, kailangan natin bumalik dito as civilians para (That's why we, leaders, need to come back here as civilians so) we can look around,” he added.
The Philippines was among the 21 APEC member economies gathered in Gyeongju to discuss pathways toward shared prosperity under the theme “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.”
The 2025 APEC meetings were held at the Hwabaek International Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongju, a state-of-the-art facility nestled amid the city’s breathtaking natural scenery as verdant hills, serene parks, and cultural landmarks.