Trump Presents Signed Menu... Chief Secretary Says "Trust Is the Most Important Achievement"

Chief Secretary Kang Hoonshik Highlights Trust Between Leaders as Key Summit Outcome
Emphasizes Importance of Direct Communication and Ongoing Negotiations

Kang Hoonshik, Chief Secretary, is explaining the gift he received from President Trump during a press briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the 28th. In front of him are a Maga hat signed by President Trump, a lunch menu, and the Chief Secretary's nameplate. Photo by Yonhap News

On August 28, Kang Hoonshik, Chief Secretary of the Presidential Office, cited the strong relationship of trust between President Lee Jaemyung and U.S. President Donald Trump as the greatest achievement of the recent South Korea-U.S. summit.

During a press briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office that day, Chief Secretary Kang stated, "Diplomacy, after all, is conducted by people," adding, "Trust between leaders is the foundation and starting point for the development of relations between countries." He emphasized, "The two leaders shared a future vision for bilateral relations and also agreed on the necessity of dialogue toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

Chief Secretary Kang also shared an anecdote by revealing a souvenir he received directly from President Trump. According to Kang, President Trump personally signed a handwritten lunch menu at the leaders' luncheon, saying, "It will be helpful to keep this as a souvenir." He also reportedly autographed MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) hats for Korean officials who received them at the White House's internal souvenir shop.

Regarding this, Chief Secretary Kang recalled, "(President Trump) personally signed 40 or 50 hats one by one," and added, "I couldn't help but feel that he was putting in a sincere effort." He also said, "There was some fear that if President Trump acted unpredictably, it might strain South Korea-U.S. relations," but "seeing him sign so many items helped alleviate much of that concern."

However, Chief Secretary Kang noted, "We have crossed a major hurdle, but there is still a long way to go," and predicted, "The international situation remains volatile, and negotiations with the United States will become a new normal that continues until the very end."

Regarding President Lee's role, Chief Secretary Kang said, "He demonstrated outstanding capabilities." President Lee reportedly gathered information through multiple channels and personally prepared for negotiations and messaging. Kang analyzed, "I believe the government and the Presidential Office have also fulfilled their respective roles to achieve these results."

As for the reason for meeting with U.S. Presidential Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Kang confessed, "It was essential to establish a network with key policy decision-makers." During the summit period, Kang held an unusual meeting with his U.S. counterpart to establish a hotline.

He said, "I judged that direct communication with the White House was not as easy as expected," adding, "That led to the realization that we needed to find alternative ways to communicate."