Trump’s Compliment on Korean Pen Sparks 19-Month High for MonAmi Shares

By Mintesinot Nigussie
Published on 08/27/25

Shares of MonAmi Co., a South Korean stationery manufacturer, surged to their highest level in more than a year after former US President Donald Trump praised a wooden pen during his meeting with South Korea’s president, Bloomberg reported.

The stock climbed as much as 24 percent on Wednesday, extending its two-day rally to more than 60 percent. The boost came after Trump drew attention to the pen used by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during their first in-person summit at the White House on Monday.

Local broadcaster JTBC News reported that Trump spent nearly two minutes asking questions about the pen’s design and origin before moving into a closed-door meeting. Video footage showed him remarking, “That’s a nice pen. The writing is beautiful, the thickness,” before joking with aides to “grab that pen for me.” President Lee then handed it over as a gift, saying it would be useful for Trump’s “complicated signature.”

The brown pen, featuring engravings of a traditional Korean phoenix, was handcrafted by Seoul-based design firm Zenyle, according to local newspaper Donga Ilbo. The company confirmed on its website that it produced the pen at the request of the South Korean presidential office, but said it had suspended sales after a surge in demand. The specific model used by Lee is not available for purchase.

While the pen moment drew light-hearted attention, the bilateral summit also covered trade, defence and industry cooperation. President Lee pledged to uphold a recent tariff agreement with Washington and to work with the US on security and North Korea policy. The meeting coincided with reports that Korean Air Lines Co. plans to order more than 100 aircraft from Boeing.