A gold key, engraved with the phrase “Key to the White House,” is seen in this photo posted on Facebook of presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik on Dec. 24, 2025. Kang said U.S. President Donald Trump gifted the key to President Lee Jae Myung. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — U.S. President Donald Trump has gifted President Lee Jae Myung a specially designed gold key to the White House in return for the presents he received during his visit to South Korea in October, Lee’s chief of staff said Wednesday.
In a Facebook post, Kang Hoon-sik said Trump handed the key to South Korea’s ambassador to the United States, Kang Kyung-wha, after she formally presented her credentials to him at the White House on Dec. 17.
Photos show the key engraved with the phrase “Key to the White House” and displayed in a wooden case featuring an image of the presidential residence.
The senior aide said the U.S. president praised his relationship with Lee during the conversation with Seoul’s top envoy, quoting Trump as saying, “I really like him.”
In this file photo, President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump after gifting a replica of a Korean gold crown from a royal tomb from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935) ahead of their summit at the National Museum in Gyeongju on Oct. 29, 2025. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
During Trump’s visit to the southeastern city of Gyeongju in late October ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Lee presented him with a replica of the Cheonmachong gold crown from the ancient Silla Kingdom and awarded him South Korea’s highest state medal.
Trump is known to have personally designed the golden key as a ceremonial gift for special guests. Past recipients include Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and football star Cristiano Ronaldo.
The senior aide said he hopes the key will become a symbol of the strong relationship between the two nations, adding, “We will continue to build a solid future for the Korea-U.S. alliance.”
(Yonhap)
