South Korea on Wednesday honoured United States President Donald Trump with the country’s highest national award, the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, and gifted him a replica of an ancient golden crown during his visit to the city of Gyeongju.
The South Korean presidential office said the honour was in recognition of Trump’s role as a “peacemaker” on the Korean Peninsula. The Grand Order of Mugunghwa is named after the Mugunghwa flower, also known as the Rose of Sharon, which is South Korea’s national symbol.
Trump arrived in South Korea as part of an Asian tour that also included stops in Japan and Malaysia. His arrival was marked by a military ceremony featuring a band rendition of “YMCA,” one of his campaign favourites, and a gun salute.
“I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump said when he received the glittering medal. A South Korean official noted that he is the first American president to be awarded the honour.
President Lee Jae Myung praised Trump for his diplomatic efforts with North Korea and described him as “a leader who contributed to peace and stability in the region.”
During Trump’s previous term, he held multiple meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though talks later broke down. Speaking in Gyeongju, Trump renewed his invitation to meet Kim again, saying he remained open to dialogue.
The two leaders met at a museum in Gyeongju, a city known for its royal tombs and palaces from the ancient Silla Kingdom. Trump was presented with a replica of the Cheonmachong crown, a historic gold artefact discovered in the city.
According to Lee’s office, the crown “symbolises the era of peace maintained during the Silla Kingdom and the shared vision of peaceful coexistence between the United States and South Korea.”
Trump later announced that a new trade agreement between the United States and South Korea had been “pretty much finalized.”
“We had a tremendous meeting today with South Korea. A lot was determined. We made our deal, pretty much finalized,” he said during a dinner with Lee.
The visit will end with a dinner attended by leaders from Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit scheduled for later in the week.
