The southeastern coastal city of Ulsan, South Korea’s main industrial and export hub, offers a vantage point into the current state of regional and even global trade. Amid rising trade protectionism, locals are increasingly concerned about its negative impact. This issue also highlights a major topic at the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in nearby Gyeongju. Against this backdrop, China’s call for free and open trade resonates strongly at the meeting. For more on that, welcome to another edition