Overview
- President Lee Jae Myung gifted President Trump a replica of the Silla-era Cheonmachong gold crown and awarded him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa during a ceremony in Gyeongju, where Trump said, “I’d like to wear it right now.”
- South Korean officials said a U.S.–South Korea trade agreement was finalized, with reporting detailing a $350 billion investment framework and auto tariffs moving to 15% from 25%, alongside cooperation in shipbuilding.
- Coverage across the region cast the honors as part of a broader playbook in which Asian leaders used pageantry and praise to secure favorable terms, with Japan offering gifts and signaling a Nobel nomination as it signed investment and critical minerals agreements.
- The crown and honors drew immediate criticism and mockery in both countries, with commentators noting the timing against recent “No Kings” protests and raising questions about the optics of such gifts during negotiations.
- Trump’s tour concluded with a Busan meeting with China’s Xi Jinping that the president described as a trade truce, including a cut in fentanyl-related tariffs to 10% and a delay to planned Chinese rare earth export curbs.