President Lee Jae-myung on the 29th presented U.S. President Donald Trump, who visited Gyeongju to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, with a model of a Silla-era "Gyeongju gold crown."
Before the summit at the Gyeongju museum that day, President Lee personally handed President Trump a gold-colored model patterned after the Cheonmachong Tomb Gyeongju gold crown.
The Cheonmachong Tomb gold crown was excavated in 1973, designated National Treasure No. 188 in 1978, and is currently kept at the Gyeongju National Museum.
Kim Tae-jin, chief of protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained to President Trump that it was "the representative Cheonmachong Tomb gold crown of Silla, the ancient kingdom that first unified the Korean Peninsula," adding that "the Cheonmachong Tomb gold crown is the most ornate and largest among the six extant Silla gold crowns."
He added, "The Cheonmachong Tomb gold crown symbolizes the sanctity that links the authority of heaven and rule on earth, and the leader's strong leadership and authority," noting, "We prepared this crown as a gift for President Trump, who visited Gyeongju as a state guest, together with the spirit of Silla, which first brought peace to the Korean Peninsula, and as a symbol of the golden age of the South Korea-U.S. alliance."
When the explanation ended, President Trump smiled and shook hands with President Lee for about 5 seconds, responding, "Thank you very much for the special gift."
President Lee said, "We will open a new era between South Korea and the United States."
The two leaders then moved to the meeting room.
The "gold crown gift" was custom-made for President Trump, whose "love of gold" is distinctive. Since taking office, President Trump was known to prefer gold decorations to the extent that he invited furniture-making experts and furnished the White House "Oval Office" with golden props.
Earlier, on the 28th, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also presented President Trump, who visited Japan, with a "gold golf ball" made using gold leaf techniques.
Meanwhile, the summit is expected to discuss tariff negotiations between the two countries and the modernization of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. The two sides continue to clash over how to manage $350 billion in investment funds bound for the United States.