In a glittering ceremony steeped in symbolism, South Korea on Wednesday welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump with the nation’s highest honour the Grand Order of Mugunghwa along with an ornate replica of a royal gold crown. The event, held in the historic city of Gyeongju, marked the final leg of Trump’s Asia tour, which also included stops in Malaysia and Japan.
The South Korean presidential office said Trump is the first U.S. president to be bestowed with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, an honour traditionally reserved for heads of state who have made exceptional contributions to the nation’s development or diplomacy.
“I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump quipped as he accepted the gold-plated medal and crown, drawing laughter from attendees. The award presentation was followed by a bilateral meeting between Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, where both leaders discussed trade and regional security, including the ongoing North Korea issue.
During the meeting, Trump reiterated his willingness to hold talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, reviving his call for renewed diplomacy after years of stalled negotiations. “The door for peace is always open,” Trump said, though Pyongyang has yet to respond to his latest overture.
President Lee, wearing a custom-made gold-hued tie “to reflect Trump’s taste for gold and the golden future of the South Korea-U.S. alliance,” welcomed the American leader at Gyeongju’s National Museum a city renowned for its royal tombs and palaces dating back to the ancient Silla Kingdom. Trump was presented with a replica of the legendary Cheonmachong Crown, an archaeological treasure symbolizing peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
“This crown represents the long-standing peace of the Silla era and the shared vision of stability and growth between South Korea and the United States,” said a statement from Lee’s office.
The two leaders later shared a meticulously planned lunch reflecting both Korean culture and Trump’s culinary preferences. The menu featured mini beef patties with ketchup, a Korean Platter of Sincerity combining U.S. beef with local rice and soybean paste and grilled fish glazed with ketchup and gochujang, the spicy red chili paste popular in Korean cuisine. The meal began with Thousand Island salad dressing described by Lee’s aides as a nod to Trump’s “New York success story” and ended with a “Peacemaker’s Dessert”, a gold-dusted brownie symbolizing harmony.
The day was set to conclude with a formal dinner attended by leaders from Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore. The menu included Trump Chardonnay and Trump Cabernet Sauvignon, wines from a Virginia estate managed by the U.S. president’s son, Eric Trump.
Diplomatic sources said several Asia-Pacific leaders adjusted their schedules to meet Trump before the APEC summit later this week. While Gyeongju better known as a cultural heritage site than a venue for major diplomatic gatherings posed logistical challenges, including hotel shortages and venue constraints, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry downplayed reports of disorganization, stating that “sufficient accommodation remained available.”
As the gold crown gleamed under Gyeongju’s soft autumn light, the symbolism was hard to miss a tribute to both South Korea’s royal past and its enduring strategic partnership with the United States.
