To welcome global guests, the organizing committee of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled to be held in Gyeongjuin, South Korea from October 31 to November 1, took inspiration from the 1,000-year-old "Silla Smile" and incorporated it into the design of the event's official logo.

The nickname "Silla Smile" refers to the "Roof-end Tile with Human Face Motif" that was unearthed in Gyeongju – the location of the former Silla Kingdom capital – in the early 20th century. It has become a symbol of Gyeongju and is now in the collection of the Gyeongju National Museum.