APEC 2025 KOREA: A One-Year Journey of GroundK as the Official Transport Operator

From ISOM, the beginning of APEC 2025, to the final Summit, the year GroundK has traversed is filled with overwhelming figures that will remain in the history of Korean mobility. Through this project, we successfully completed a task of unprecedented scale, with a cumulative total of over 18,500 passengers transported and 9,900 vehicles deployed. Our dedicated efforts in operating a 24-hour crisis response system have become the strongest foundation supporting the success of this national event. This vast operational experience and data serve as clear evidence of why GroundK is the unparalleled partner for global mega-events.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a mega-event that attracts global attention, serving as a crucial opportunity to showcase a nation’s status and brand value. In such large-scale international events, transportation is more than just a means of travel; it is the face of Korean service and a symbol of hospitality that foreign dignitaries first encounter. As the official transport operator for APEC 2025, GroundK added dignity to every movement of the participants and played a vital role in filling mobility gaps by combining technology with on-site expertise. Our mission was to create an environment where participants could focus solely on their meetings through perfect transport design.

The APEC journey began with different geographical conditions and operational challenges at each meeting stage. For SOM1, to overcome the limitations of Gyeongju's transport infrastructure, we established a precise regional shuttle network connecting Gimhae Airport and KTX Station, unifying all guidance systems in English to maximize convenience for international participants. In the following SOM2 Jeju meeting, considering the unique characteristics of the island, we categorized over 400 protocol schedules and demonstrated expertise by organically separating dedicated protocol for ministerial-level officials and regional shuttles for staff. For SOM3, we introduced an advanced system that visualizes real-time shuttle status on a control map, realizing digital innovation for preemptive on-site response.

During the Summit, the pinnacle of the APEC 2025 journey, we faced a complex environment where leaders from 21 countries, business people, and media personnel—over 6,000 people—moved simultaneously. GroundK deployed over 300 large buses across 25 routes connecting the entire Gyeongju area and achieved flawless transportation by controlling the operation status of all routes in real-time through RIDEUS. In particular, we designed specialized routes for the media personnel to ensure they could focus on their work without being rushed. Furthermore, by introducing hydrogen electric buses and mobile office vehicles, we realized low-noise, zero-emission transport, reflecting APEC's value of a sustainable future.

GroundK is an IT-based mobility specialist providing innovative transport services across various fields, including the MICE industry, corporate transport, and tourism. Beyond merely supplying vehicles, we focus on managing and optimizing the entire process of movement through our self-developed digital platform. Our representative system, T-RiseUp, is a B2B SaaS-based integrated management solution equipped with sophisticated PMS and TMS functions for everything from vehicle dispatching to operation management. This technical prowess has already been proven through cases such as VIP transport for Jeju Dream Tower and smart shuttle operations for major ski resorts, presenting the most reliable operational standards.

Another core solution that amplifies GroundK's capabilities at large-scale mega-event sites is RIDEUS. RIDEUS is an optimized control platform that allows for real-time reservation and location tracking of shuttle and tour buses used by thousands of users simultaneously. From the APEC Summit to exclusive shuttles for apartment residents and large K-POP concerts like the SBS Gayo Daejeon, it has provided a "wait-free" shuttle experience and increased operational transparency. Through RIDEUS, we identify the boarding status at each hub with real-time data and flexibly adjust dispatching to provide participants with the best, stress-free transport environment.

GroundK is the official transport operator that successfully completed the entire process of APEC 2025, from the first ISOM to the final Summit. The data-driven operational capabilities and on-site responsiveness proven through this year-long journey are our greatest assets and serve as a strong competitive edge on the global stage. Building on this achievement, we will go beyond the boundaries of a simple transport company to establish a new standard for global MICE mobility that the whole world trusts and uses. GroundK will leap forward as the best partner, raising the prestige of events beyond mere transport efficiency.