South Korea Honours US President Donald Trump with Nation’s Highest Award

Seoul, Oct 2025 : South Korea rolled out an elaborate welcome for US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, presenting him with a replica gold crown and bestowing upon him the “Grand Order of Mugunghwa,” the country’s highest civilian honour, in recognition of his efforts toward peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Trump arrived in South Korea on the final leg of his Asia tour, which also included visits to Malaysia and Japan, ahead of high-level trade and diplomatic talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

As Air Force One approached South Korean airspace, it was escorted by a formation of US and South Korean fighter jets. Upon landing, a South Korean military band greeted the American delegation with a lively rendition of “YMCA,” while a gun salute echoed across the tarmac in a display of ceremonial grandeur.

At the welcoming ceremony, President Lee praised Trump for his diplomatic engagement with North Korea, describing him as a “peacemaker” who contributed to stability in the region. The Grand Order of Mugunghwa, named after South Korea’s national flower—the hibiscus syriacus, or Rose of Sharon—was conferred on Trump for his “contribution to peace and mutual prosperity.” “I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump said with a smile as he received the glittering decoration.

According to South Korean officials, Trump is the first US president to receive the honour, which is typically reserved for South Korean heads of state and a few select foreign dignitaries.

During his first term, Trump held several high-profile summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, raising hopes for denuclearisation before talks ultimately stalled as Pyongyang continued advancing its nuclear and missile programmes. On Wednesday, Trump reiterated his willingness to meet Kim again, though North Korea has yet to respond to his renewed invitation.

The meeting between Lee and Trump took place at a museum in Gyeongju, a city renowned for its ancient tombs and palaces dating back to the Silla Kingdom, which ruled much of the Korean Peninsula until the 9th century. Trump was presented with a replica of the golden Cheonmachong crown, a national treasure discovered in one of Gyeongju’s royal burial mounds.

“The crown represents the Silla era’s legacy of peace and prosperity,” President Lee said. “It also symbolises a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth that South Korea and the United States aim to build together.”

Following the ceremonial exchange, the leaders shared a working lunch featuring Thousand Island salad dressing—a nod, Lee’s office said, to Trump’s “success story in his hometown of New York.” The rest of the meal included local delicacies tailored to the US President’s preferences.

Later in the evening, Trump was scheduled to attend a dinner with the leaders of Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore, several of whom reportedly adjusted their schedules to accommodate the US president’s brief visit ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit taking place later in the week.

Hosting such a high-profile diplomatic gathering in Gyeongju—a city more known for its historic charm than international politics—posed logistical challenges. Several foreign diplomats reportedly struggled to secure accommodation and venues for meetings due to limited facilities.

However, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry dismissed claims of accommodation shortages, clarifying that only “about half of the available rooms” in the region had been booked for the visit.

The opulent welcome, symbolic gestures, and exchange of honours underscored the two nations’ longstanding alliance, even as both sides prepared for tough negotiations on trade and defence cooperation in the coming days.