President Lee Jae-myung released a video of opening the "White House golden key," a gift from U.S. President Donald Trump.
On the 30th, Lee posted a photo and a video on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram showing him opening the golden key box.
Lee said, "Could this be the key to the White House? If you are not at your desk the next time I visit, would it be all right if I open the door with this key and go in?" He added, "I hope the golden key, packed with the will to communicate, will open an even stronger South Korea-U.S. alliance. I am always grateful for the unwavering friendship and deep trust."
In the 57-second video, Lee sat in his office and said, "Well then, shall we try an 'unboxing'?" as he opened the golden key box. He continued, "It says here, 'the key to the White House,'" and said, "They say when the White House door won't open, if you use this, it will. I should check if that's true."
Earlier, on the 24th, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik revealed on Facebook that Lee had received the White House golden key from President Trump. The White House golden key Lee received was the last remaining one of a total of five.
The golden key is said to be a return gift for the Grand Order of Mugunghwa and the model of a Silla golden crown that President Trump received when he visited Gyeongju for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Oct. Kang said, "Saying that he liked President Lee very much, he also noted that the best cooperative relationship had been formed between the two leaders."