U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in South Korea on the final stop of his Asia tour, seeking breakthroughs on trade talks with Seoul and Beijing as President Lee Jae Myung rolled out a lavish welcome featuring the nation’s highest honour and a symbolic golden crown.
U.S. President Donald Trump touched down in South Korea on Wednesday for the last stop of his Asia tour, aiming to advance a long-stalled trade deal with Seoul and strike a truce in the U.S.-China trade war during a highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Trump’s arrival in Gyeongju, a city steeped in Korean history and known for its ancient tombs and palaces came just hours after North Korea test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile. The U.S. president brushed off the provocation, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that his focus was on productive talks with Xi.
“The relationship with China is very good. I think we’re going to have a very good outcome for our country and for the world, actually,” Trump said.
The meeting with Xi, scheduled for Thursday in Busan, is expected to centre on easing tariffs and curbing China’s export of fentanyl precursor chemicals. According to U.S. officials, both sides have already agreed on a framework to pause new tariffs and rare earth export restrictions, news that sent global markets to record highs.
Lavish welcome in Gyeongju
Trump was greeted at Gyeongju Airport by a South Korean military band performing “YMCA” and a 21-gun salute. U.S. and South Korean fighter jets escorted Air Force One as it entered Korean airspace, a symbolic show of alliance between the two nations.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung hosted Trump at the Gyeongju National Museum, where he presented him with the “Grand Order of Mugunghwa”, the country’s highest decoration, and a replica of the golden Cheonmachong crown, one of the most iconic treasures from the Silla dynasty.
“I’d like to wear it right now,” Trump quipped, becoming the first U.S. president to receive the award.
Lee’s office said the crown symbolised “a new era of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula,” and the decoration recognised Trump’s role as a “peacemaker” through his past outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Diplomacy over a ‘Peacemaker’s Dessert’
During their working lunch, the leaders were served dishes tailored to Trump’s preferences — including mini beef patties with ketchup, a “Korean Platter of Sincerity” featuring U.S. beef and local rice, and grilled fish glazed with a mix of ketchup and gochujang. The meal concluded with a “Peacemaker’s Dessert,” a gold-adorned brownie.
Lee wore a gold-coloured tie, which his office said symbolised “President Trump’s taste for gold” and the “golden future” of the South Korea–U.S. alliance.
At the lunch, Lee pressed Trump to ease tariffs on South Korean exports and grant permission to reprocess nuclear fuel for submarines, a move restricted under a 2015 bilateral pact. Trump, in turn, reaffirmed his desire to “straighten out” issues with North Korea and praised Lee’s efforts to strengthen regional peace.
Trade talks remain unresolved
Despite the warm ceremony, both sides downplayed expectations of an immediate breakthrough on trade. The two allies previously agreed that South Korea would avoid the harshest tariffs by investing $350 billion in the United States. However, talks over how those investments should be structured have been deadlocked for months.
Trump expressed optimism, saying a trade deal could be finalised “very soon,” while South Korean officials said any progress would depend on flexibility from Washington.
Beijing, meanwhile, has also signalled readiness to cooperate, with China’s foreign ministry saying the Trump–Xi meeting would “inject new momentum” into bilateral relations. The U.S. is reportedly considering halving its 20% tariffs on Chinese imports in exchange for stricter Chinese measures to prevent fentanyl production.
Taiwan and regional issues
Trump said he did not know whether he would discuss Taiwan with Xi, adding that the Chinese leader had assured him there would be no invasion during his presidency. Taiwan’s foreign minister, Lin Chia-lung, said Taipei was not worried that Trump would “abandon” the island during his talks with Beijing.
The U.S. president also reiterated his openness to meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but noted that “the timings would not work out” during this trip.
Honours, symbolism, and a golden send-off
Trump’s visit has been marked by pageantry and symbolism reflecting South Korea’s emphasis on the alliance’s historical and strategic importance.
Lee’s government described the gold crown and award as tributes to Trump’s “peacemaker legacy” and to a shared vision of long-term stability. Gyeongju, rarely used for major diplomatic summits, was chosen to highlight Korea’s ancient heritage and its modern role in regional diplomacy.
A dinner later in the evening brought together leaders from Vietnam, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Thailand, and Singapore. They were served Trump-branded Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from the president’s family winery.
Three diplomatic sources told local media that several leaders adjusted their schedules to accommodate Trump, who is skipping the main APEC leaders’ summit later in the week.
End of Asia tour
The South Korea visit concludes Trump’s whirlwind Asia tour, which included stops in Malaysia and Japan. In Tokyo, he signed new trade and rare earth agreements with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, praising her pledge to strengthen Japan’s military.
Throughout the trip, Trump has pushed for new investment commitments from key U.S. allies, Tokyo pledging $550 billion and Seoul $350 billion as part of his broader effort to reshape America’s economic and security footprint in the Indo-Pacific region.
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