Overview
- In Gyeongju, President Lee Jae Myung gave President Trump a replica of the Silla-era Cheonmachong crown and awarded the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, which no previous U.S. president had received.
- Lee’s policy chief Kim Yong-beom said the sides agreed on a $350 billion investment framework including $200 billion in cash capped at $20 billion per year, with reported tariff adjustments such as a cut in auto duties to 15% from 25%.
- Officials highlighted the material and symbolic weight of the honors, noting the order’s use of about 712.5 grams of gold and the crown replica’s approximate 1 kilogram of gold.
- The ceremonial rollout and tailored gestures drew sharply mixed reactions in Korea and the United States, with some calling the crown gift tone-deaf after recent “No Kings” protests and others praising pragmatic statecraft.
- Key approvals and final documents for the investment-and-tariff arrangement remain pending, leaving elements of the package not yet finalized.