Trump praises Lee as ‘best leader’ in negotiations after nuclear-powered sub talks

US President Donald Trump praised South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as the “best leader” in trade negotiations and lauded Seoul’s pursuit of a nuclear-powered submarine, Seoul’s presidential office said Thursday.

Kim Nam-jun, spokesperson for the presidential office, briefed reporters on the atmosphere of Wednesday's South Korea-US summit and the special state dinner hosted by Lee in Gyeongju, saying Trump repeatedly expressed admiration for the South Korean leader.

During the summit, which included a luncheon, Trump repeatedly expressed his willingness to support Lee, telling him to speak freely about any needs or requests, according to Kim. He also praised Lee as a leader who should take pride in his accomplishments, calling him a president he himself was proud of. The remarks were widely interpreted as recognition of the tariff negotiations between Seoul and Washington concluded the previous day.

Kim added that at the evening banquet attended by other world leaders, Trump again offered praise for Lee in front of the assembled guests, highlighting the South Korean president’s decision to publicly raise the issue of nuclear-powered submarines during the summit as particularly noteworthy.

When asked why Lee chose to make the sensitive topic public, spokesperson Kim explained that it reflected “the president’s intention to emphasize the strategic importance of the issue.”

Trump was also said to be “especially delighted” with the gifts presented by Lee, who awarded him the Grand Order of Mugunghwa, South Korea’s highest state decoration, along with a replica of a Silla Kingdom golden crown. According to Kim, Trump was so pleased that he asked whether the gift could be loaded directly onto Air Force One, and reportedly told aides he had already decided where to display it in the Oval Office in Washington.

In return, Trump presented Lee with a set of baseball items bearing a special presidential seal.

After the summit, Lee told aides that the meeting underscored the need to “further strengthen national power,” describing Trump as “a formidable negotiator,” Kim said.

Regarding this week's consecutive South Korea-US, US-China and South Korea-China summits, Kim highlighted that the “series of meetings among the three countries will serve as a milestone for a new global order.”

South Korea “intends to play its role as a bridge between the major powers during this time of transition,” she added.