South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented U.S. President Donald Trump with a replica of an ancient gold crown from the historic Silla Kingdom and awarded him the nation’s highest state decoration during Trump’s State Visit to South Korea on Tuesday.
The ceremonial exchange took place at the Gyeongju National Museum in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla (57 BC–AD 935). The crown is modeled after the famed Cheonmachong crown, a masterpiece of Korean artistry discovered in 1973.
“To new trust and companionship between Korea and the United States,” President Lee said through an interpreter as he presented the gift encased in glass. The gesture, described by officials as deeply symbolic, represents peace, leadership, and the connection between the earthly and the divine.
Deputy Foreign Minister for Protocol Affairs Kim Tae-jin explained that the crown reflects the spirit of the Silla Dynasty, which ushered in a period of unity and cultural flourishing on the Korean Peninsula.
“It symbolizes strong leadership and the authority of a sovereign guided by the heavens,” he said.
In a further honor, President Lee awarded Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s highest national decoration. Trump is the first U.S. President to receive this distinction, granted in recognition of what Seoul described as his contribution to stability and peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
Wearing a golden tie to mark the ceremonial theme, Lee emphasized renewed diplomatic bonds, while Trump thanked the South Korean government, calling bilateral ties “very great” and adding that relations would “grow even stronger.”
Trump arrived earlier for a two-day State Visit to participate in the APEC summit and is scheduled to hold separate talks with President Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
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