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Trump gets gold crown while Lee gets baseball bat

Published: 30 Oct. 2025, 18:26 Updated: 30 Oct. 2025, 19:31

The White House gifted President Lee Jae Myung a baseball bat and ball in commemoration of the Korea-U.S. summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, the presidential office said on Oct. 30. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

U.S. President Donald Trump gave President Lee Jae Myung an autographed baseball bat and a ball as part of a gift exchange during a recent visit to Korea, the presidential office said on Thursday.

The bat bore the autograph of Washington Nationals player Dylan Crews, while the baseball carried Trump’s personal seal, according to presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun.

The U.S. side said the gifts symbolized the deep cultural ties and shared values between the two nations, referencing the history of American missionaries introducing baseball to Korea, Kim said.

President Lee Jae Myung, right, presents U.S. President Donald Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa and a model of the Cheonmachong gold crown at the Gyeongju National Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang on Oct. 29. [YONHAP]

Before the Korea-U. S. summit on Wednesday, President Lee had given Trump a replica of the Gold Crown from Cheonmachon — a national treasure hailing from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.- A.D. 935) — and conferred upon him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, Korea’s highest honor.

Lee said the crown conveyed “the gratitude and respect of the Korean people,” and Trump responded, “That was really something. Very special.”

Kim said Trump appeared “particularly delighted” by the gifts. He added that while the presents were originally to be delivered to the United States through diplomatic channels, Trump insisted on carrying them himself aboard Air Force One.

“He has already decided where to place them inside the Oval Office,” Kim added.

Trump left Korea on Thursday after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, and meeting with state heads including Lee and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]