APEC: The curdled yoghurt of middle-power diplomacy

APEC and Korea - Korean Quarterly

The curdled yogurt of middle power diplomacy | By Jeffrey Robertson (Fall 2025) A sculpture is installed in the square in front of Gyeongju Station to announce the hosting of the 2025 APEC Summit. When the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) coalition was born in 1989, it was more than another acronym. It was a moment of triumph for middle powers — Australia, Canada, South Korea, and others — asserting that the post–Cold War world could be …

APEC: The curdled yoghurt of middle-power diplomacy

When APEC was born in 1989, it was more than another acronym. It was a moment of triumph for middle powers — Australia, Canada, South Korea, and others — asserting that the post-Cold War world could be shaped not just by the great powers but by those who knew how to manage co-operation.