Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Michelle Park Steel, a former Korean American congresswoman, as the United States' ambassador to South Korea, according to a presidential nomination document released Monday. This significant appointment fills a vacancy that has existed since January last year when former Ambassador Philip Goldberg departed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the nomination of Steel comes at a critical time as Seoul and Washington are tasked with strengthening their bilateral alliance, addressing trade and investment issues, and tackling global challenges, including North Korean threats and the Middle East conflict. If confirmed by the Senate, Steel is anticipated to facilitate improved communication between the two nations, following the lengthy absence of a permanent ambassador.
After Ambassador Goldberg's departure, the role of acting ambassador was filled first by Joseph Yun, a former special representative for North Korea policy, and then by Kevin Kim, former deputy assistant secretary at the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Steel's confirmation would mark her as the second Korean American to hold the U.S. ambassadorial post in South Korea, succeeding former Ambassador Sung Kim, who served from 2011 to 2014. During Trump's first term, Steel contributed to the President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2020 and reelected in 2022, but she was defeated by her Democratic opponent in the 2024 general election.
In Congress, Steel was proactive in advocating for legislation focused on Korean Americans separated from family members in North Korea since the Korean War. Her prior roles include serving on the Orange County Board of Supervisors and the California State Board of Equalization.
Steel's husband, Shawn Steel, has been a prominent figure in the Republican Party, having served as the California Republican Party chairman and continuing as the Republican National Committeeman from California since 2008. Born in South Korea, Michelle Park Steel has lived in Korea, Japan, and the U.S., bringing a diverse background to her prospective diplomatic role.