BTS rapper RM calls for 'no borders, no limitations' at Apec CEO Summit

The leader of South Korean boyband BTS, RM (right), said diversity without borders was the source of creativity behind the group's worldwide success, as Asia-Pacific leaders gathered in his home country for a trade forum overshadowed by protectionist worries.

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"I am just an artiste. I am not a business leader, so today I want to speak to you as a creator and an artiste," said RM, a 31-year-old rapper, as he addressed a business event held on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping.

"When cultural barriers come down and different voices harmonise together, there's an explosion of creative energy," he said.

"This is why K-pop is loved everywhere," he said, adding that the group's Army global fan club spanning millions of loyal followers is "crossing borders and breaking down barriers through the pure power of cultural solidarity".