On Thursday, Michelle Steel (70, Korean name Park Eun-joo), the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, leaving only the full Senate vote pending.
The committee convened and approved Steel’s nomination with 14 votes in favor and 8 against.
With the committee’s endorsement, Steel’s nomination will advance to the full Senate for the final confirmation process. If she secures a majority vote, Steel will become the first official U.S. Ambassador to South Korea under Donald Trump’s second term.
President Trump nominated her on April 13, and her confirmation hearing was held on May 20. The swift progression of Steel’s confirmation process is noteworthy, as it’s not uncommon for several months to elapse between a presidential nomination and a confirmation hearing.
Born in Seoul in 1955, Steel spent her childhood in Japan before immigrating to the U.S. in her twenties during the mid-1970s.
She won elections to the U.S. House of Representatives from California in both 2020 and 2022, though she lost her seat in the congressional election held alongside last year’s presidential race.
Steel is regarded as a prominent Korean American Republican politician, known for her vocal stance on issues such as tough policies toward China and human rights for North Korean defectors.
If Steel successfully navigates the Senate confirmation, she will become the second Korean American to serve as U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, following former Ambassador Sung Kim.
During her confirmation hearing, Steel committed to ensuring full implementation of U.S. investments as outlined in the joint fact sheet between the U.S. and South Korea. She also pledged to address discrimination against American companies in Korea and emphasized the necessity of a robust alliance among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan.