"That's a Nice Pen, Are You Taking It?" Trump's Unexpected Request... President Lee's Spontaneous Gift

"That Fountain Pen Is Wonderful, Are You Going to Take It?"
President Lee Spontaneously Gifts Pen to Trump After His Interest

U.S. President Donald Trump showed great interest in the pen President Lee Jae Myung used during the commemorative signing ceremony (guestbook signing) for the South Korea-U.S. summit on the 25th (local time). President Lee spontaneously gifted the pen to President Trump, saying, "It's made in Korea," which created a warm and friendly atmosphere.

On this day, President Lee, who visited the White House in Washington DC for the South Korea-U.S. summit, was guided by President Trump to a specially prepared location for the signing ceremony. President Trump pulled out a chair to make it easier for President Lee to sit in front of the guestbook.

President Lee Jae Myung is writing in the guestbook at the White House in Washington DC, USA, on the 25th (local time), watched by President Donald Trump. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

After watching President Lee sign the guestbook, President Trump remarked, "You wrote very beautifully. Isn't Korean a difficult language to learn?" He then asked, "Between English and Korean, which do you think is more precise?" President Lee replied, "For computers, Korean is better, but for speaking, English might be a bit better."

President Trump then pointed to the pen President Lee used to sign the guestbook and asked, "Is that the pen you personally brought with you?" President Lee replied, "Yes, I brought it myself."

Holding President Lee's pen and repeatedly saying "nice," President Trump continued to show interest by asking, "Are you going to take it back?" "Where did you get it?" "The thickness is very beautiful," and "It's really wonderful." In response, President Lee smiled, raised both hands, and gestured that President Trump could keep it, saying, "It's made in Korea."

President Lee Jae Myung is smiling together with U.S. President Donald Trump during the South Korea-U.S. summit at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC on the 25th (local time). Photo by Yonhap News

When President Trump asked if he could use the pen, President Lee readily agreed, saying, "It would be an honor," and added, "It will be useful for the very difficult signatures you have to make as president." The presentation of the pen was an impromptu gesture in response to President Trump's unexpected request.

President Trump held up the pen and pen case engraved with the presidential office logo and said, "I won't use it, but I will cherish it with great honor," and added, "Before you leave, I will give you and your delegation a gift." President Lee responded, "There is a gift I would like to receive. I saw the gift that Prime Minister Ishiba received, and it was a photo album."

The pen President Lee used to sign the guestbook that day was specially made for him to use for signatures at official events. An official from the presidential office explained, "It is a pen that was handcrafted over two months and has a nib that is comfortable for signing," and added, "The pen case is also engraved with the patterns of the Taegeuk and the phoenix."