The presidential office is reportedly considering awarding U.S. President Donald Trump Korea’s highest state honor — the Grand Order of Mugunghwa — during his planned visit to Korea later this month for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.
In a press briefing on Sunday, the top office said it is “carefully reviewing the schedule and protocol to ensure a substantive visit” by Trump. As part of this review, officials are said to be weighing the possibility of presenting Trump with the Grand Order of Mugunghwa as a gesture of respect. When asked about the matter, a presidential official told local media outlet News1, “Various options are under consideration.”
The Grand Order of Mugunghwa is the highest decoration awarded by South Korea under presidential decree. It is typically granted to former presidents and their spouses, or to heads of state from friendly nations who have made significant contributions to the country's security and development.
Trump is expected to visit from Oct. 29 to 30 after a stop in Japan from Oct. 27 to 29. His itinerary reportedly includes a Korea-U.S. summit as well as a possible meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Seoul is seeking to welcome the U.S. leader as a state guest.
Meanwhile, in response to a CNN report that the Trump team has been quietly exploring a potential meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the Asia tour, the presidential office said, “The United States and South Korea continue to closely coordinate on North Korea policy, including potential U.S.-North Korea dialogue.”
Both Seoul and Washington “remain open to talks with North Korea as part of broader efforts toward peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolution of the nuclear issue,” the office added.
CNN and other U.S. media outlets reported on Saturday that while Trump administration officials have discussed the idea of a summit with Kim, no concrete plans or timeline for such a meeting have been established.
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.
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