On the 25th (local time), President Lee Jae-myung visited the White House in Washington, D.C., for the South Korea-U.S. summit and during the signing ceremony, the pen manufacturer that he gifted to President Donald Trump halted sales due to a surge in orders.
At that time, when President Trump showed interest by saying, "This pen is great. Will you take it?" President Lee gifted him the pen right there, gesturing with both hands.
The pen manufacturer is a domestic handmade fountain pen maker called "Jenaile." It is known for its artisans carving solid wood directly, and customers can select materials such as rosewood and olive wood depending on the product.
It is also characterized by using natural materials such as palm leaf extract wax and beeswax, and the prices of the products for sale range from 80,000 to 150,000 won. It is known that the presidential office requested custom-made pens about a month and a half prior to the South Korea-U.S. summit.
Upon hearing this news, a representative from Jenaile stated, "There are no plans to sell the pen used by President Lee Jae-myung."
He also noted, "I apologize for not being able to provide a good answer, despite your gracious visit. I didn't think it was an issue that would attract your attention, and I am very grateful."
As demand and orders surged not only for the pen used by President Lee but also for other products, Jenaile ultimately decided to halt sales.
A representative from Jenaile said, "We are very sorry to those who visit us, but due to the sudden surge in orders, we may have to temporarily suspend sales. While we are very happy, we are concerned about becoming negligent in production and quality control. We will proceed with the orders that have come in sequentially and work towards resuming sales by the end of August to the beginning of September."