ROK's Gyeongju in global spotlight ahead of APEC leaders' meeting

The historic city of Gyeongju in the Republic of Korea (ROK) is set to take a center stage on the global diplomatic scene as it will host the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting from Friday and Saturday.

Located about 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, the millennium city will welcome world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, for high-level discussions on deepening regional economic cooperation and advancing shared prosperity.

Gyeongju is known as "a museum without walls". As the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom (57 BC-AD 935), it is home to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Bulguksa Temple and the Seokguram Grotto.

China and the ROK are close neighbors and cooperative partners. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between them on Aug 24, 1992, the two countries have seen rapid development in their relations and deepening cooperation across various fields.

China has been the ROK's largest trading partner for 21 consecutive years, while the ROK is China's second-largest trading partner.

ROK's Gyeongju in global spotlight ahead of APEC leaders' meeting

South Korea's Gyeongju in global spotlight ahead of APEC leaders' meeting

South Korea's Gyeongju in global spotlight ahead of APEC leaders' meeting

South Korea's Gyeongju in global spotlight ahead of APEC leaders' meeting

The Israeli strikes have killed 123 people and wounded 683 others in Lebanon so far, the Public Health Emergency Operations Center at the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said on Thursday.

The casualties have been rising since the Israeli military launched a new wave of attacks against targets of Lebanon's Hezbollah group on Monday.

The Israeli Defense Forces said on Thursday that it has hit more than 320 targets across Lebanon.

At around 23:00 Thursday local time, Israel launched an airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs -- a Hezbollah stronghold, causing huge explosions. The air raid followed an emergency evacuation warning from the Israeli army earlier in the day, marking the first time that Israel has ordered a full evacuation of the area in the Lebanese capital.

Similar evacuation orders have also been issued for multiple towns in east Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, as the Israeli army plans to strike Hezbollah's military infrastructure in the area.

In the early hours of Thursday, an Israeli drone strike targeted a residential apartment in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, killing two people, including a Hamas official, Lebanon's Health Ministry said.

Hezbollah issued a statement the same day, saying that it had fired missiles, rockets and other weapons toward Israel in retaliation for the attacks, hitting Israeli military complexes, soldiers, and other targets.

Hezbollah's rocket strike on Thursday triggered air raid sirens across Israel's northern areas.

Despite a ceasefire agreement reached in November 2024, Israel has continued to carry out occasional strikes in Lebanon, claiming they are aimed at eliminating Hezbollah "threats".

This week's escalating conflict comes after Israel, along with the United States, launched joint military actions against Iran on Feb 28. The Israeli-U.S. strikes are still ongoing, after killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family members and top military commanders, as well as many civilians.

Lebanon's death toll from Israeli strikes rises to 123: health authorities