GroundK, a global mobility company, earned strong reviews for its transport services at the First Senior Officials' Meeting of APEC 2025 (APEC 2025 SOM1) in Gyeongju. For this event GroundK rolled out its in-house VMS (Vehicle Management Service) at full scale, tracking every vehicle in real time and running the shuttle program from arrival through departure without a gap.
Why APEC 2025 SOM1 mattered
Held in Gyeongju, APEC 2025 SOM1 was the first senior officials' meeting ahead of the leaders' summit scheduled for the second half of the year. It was a high-stakes event watched closely not only within Korea but across all 21 member economies.
GroundK is a MICE specialist with its own mobility solutions and service expertise. Beginning with the 2019 ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan, the team has delivered tailored transport and protocol services backed by IT systems at numerous summits and international events, including the Korea-Africa Summit and the 56th ADB Annual Meeting.
Rolling out VMS at full scale
At this event GroundK introduced its in-house VMS (Vehicle Management Service) at full scale alongside its on-the-ground service. The system tracked the location of every vehicle in real time, which made a clear difference for participants arriving by air, KTX, and bus.
That same technology made it possible to run arrival shuttles, venue shuttles, dinner transport, and departure shuttles as one connected program, with no gaps between the moving parts.
Continued investment in technology
GroundK plans to keep investing in technology, building on the know-how gained from this event. The goal reaches beyond simply providing geographic information, with ongoing R&D aimed at stronger MICE services in three areas:
- Improving efficiency between air travel and protocol services
- Improving communication tailored to the operating environment
- Managing shuttle service quality
A first impression, and a final memory
GroundK sees transport not as logistics alone but as part of the event experience itself.
"A transport service gives participants an appealing first impression and leaves them with a lasting final memory. We will keep working to share the appeal of Korea through our own technology and know-how." — Jang Dong-won, CEO of GroundK
Drawing on the operational experience built at APEC 2025 SOM1, GroundK intends to continue serving as a trusted mobility partner for the leaders' summit later in the year and for other international events.
