South Korea’s President Keeps Trump’s Pen and a Golf Plan

Lee Jae‑myung, who attended the G7 meeting in France as a partner country guest, left the event with an unusual souvenir: a pen once used by U.S. President Donald Trump.

During a long dinner discussion, the two leaders talked about peace on the Korean peninsula and strengthening U.S.–South Korea ties. Lee said the conversation lasted roughly an hour and a half, and that both sides saw progress.

The next day Trump gave Lee the pen he had signed documents with during the summit. Lee compared this gesture to a similar exchange that happened at their first meeting, when Trump received one of Lee’s pens. The two leaders also mentioned a future golf game. Lee noted that Trump had spoken about playing with him and First Lady Kim Hea‑kyung twice, turning what seemed like a casual comment into a clear invitation. The first lady even confirmed the plan by linking fingers with Lee.

During a group photo, Lee asked Trump to lead efforts for a peaceful resolution with North Korea. The leaders also touched on shared interests such as shipbuilding and the importance of cooperation between South Korea, the United States, and Japan. While Seoul and Washington have a strong security partnership, recent years saw some friction over trade tariffs and defense spending. Trump praised Lee as a “strong leader,” according to the Korean presidency.

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