Trump Awarded Mugunghwa at APEC Summit

At the APEC summit in Gyeongju on Oct. 29, 2025, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung awarded U.S. President Donald Trump the Grand Order of Mugunghwa and presented a gilded replica of the Silla-era Cheonmachong crown in recognition of his role as a peacemaker on the Korean Peninsula. The ceremony featured a 21‑gun salute, a military band rendition of “YMCA,” and Air Force One escorted by U.S. and South Korean warplanes as part of the final leg of Trump’s Asia tour, which included stops in Malaysia and Japan. Lee framed the honor as a symbol of a new “golden age” in bilateral ties while pressing for U.S. tariff concessions and the award preceded an expected meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump reiterated an invitation to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, though Pyongyang had not responded, and the crown replica is on display at the Gyeongju National Museum. The ostentatious presentation drew domestic protests and international commentary about Trump’s affinity for gold-themed symbolism.